The $100m loss club

2019-20

Ampol: heavy inventory and convenience store writedowns delivered a net loss of $626m for the first half.

Autosports Group: $102.4m loss.

Boral: $1.13 billion loss.

Flight Centre: reported a statutory loss of $849.3 million after the COVID-19 crisis hit hard.

Mosaic: $170m net loss after heavy write-downs by the retailer.

Ovata: $108.7m loss (the old PMP printing business)

News Corp: write-downs led to a net loss of $US1.48 billion.

Oilsearch: writedowns delivered a $US266m net loss for the first half.

Paladin Energy: $US79.8m loss.

Qantas: a statutory loss of $2.7 billion due to massive write-downs, particularly of planes.

QBE: COVID hit hard triggering a $712 million net loss for the first half.

Scentre Group: $3.6 billion first half loss after $4b in property write-downs.

Seven West Media: $350 million in write-downs delivered a net loss of $294 million.

Tabcorp: $1.1 billion in write-downs saw it plunge to a statutory loss of $870 million.

TerraCom: the coal miner reported a $146 million loss.

Vicinity Centres: a statutory loss of $1.8 billion due to property write-downs.

Village Roadshow: $117.3m loss.

Webjet: the pandemic saw it tumble to a $143.7 million net loss.

Woodside Energy: heavy oil and gas write-downs delivered a first half net loss of $4.07 billion.

2018-19

Seven West Media: TV licence write-downs drove a $444 million full year net loss.

Virgin Australia: $349 million full year net loss.

2016-17

Boart Longyear: $US150 million net loss for the 2016 calendar year.

Quintis: the Perth-based sandalwood company reported a $416 million full year loss in 2016-17 before collapsing in January 2018 still claiming to have net assets worth $317 million.

Slater and Gordon: $547 million net loss after further write-down of UK intangibles.

2015-16

Boart Longyear: $US157 million net loss for the 2015 calendar year.

Slater and Gordon: $1.02 billion net loss after massive write-downs on UK Quindell division.

Ten Network Holdings: $157 million full year net loss.

2014-15

Boart Longyear: $US333 million net loss for the 2014 calendar year.

Ten Network Holdings: $312 million full year net loss.

2013-14

Boart Longyear: $US620 million net loss for the 2013 calendar year.

2012-13

2011-12

Fairfax Media: $2.73 billion net loss after massive write-downs.

2010-11

Bluescope Steel: huge losses on its steel export business courtesy of the high Australian dollar, write-downs and surging input prices led to a
$1.054 billion loss for 2010-11.

Fairfax Media: announced $674 million of write-downs for 2010-11 which triggered a $391 million loss. The biggest component was mastheads, licences and goodwill from previous takeovers.

Gunns: Tasmanian timber giant plunged to a net loss of $355 million for 2010-11 after $477 million of one-off impairment charges against a wide variety of assets assembled during the John Gay acquisition binge.

Pacific Brands: plunged to a net loss of $132 million in 2010-11 courtesy of write-downs and restructuring costs.

Paperlinx: continues to struggle with the high Australian dollar and cost blow outs that sent it to a net loss of $168 million for 2010-11.

Transpacific Industries: net loss of $296 million for 2010-11 after heavy write-downs of intangibles after a pre-GFC takeover binge.

2009-10 (13)

Alesco: the struggling wholesale distribution company delivered a net loss of $126 million for 2009-10 after a write down of $133 million which also saw CEO Justin Ryan shown the door with an excessive $1.7 million cash payout.

Alinta Energy: reported a $577m loss for 2009-10 after a $670 million charge which largely related to its WA business courtesy of increased gas purchase costs.

Asciano: reported a disappointing $1.1 billion impairment in 2009-10 related to its ports business after the new directors forced this on management through the audit committee. This lead to a $788 million net loss.

Australand: the property group announced a $298 million loss for calendar 2009 courtesy of write-downs.

Centro Properties: reported an annual $652.7m net loss for 2009-10 which at least was better than the $3.54bn loss in the previous year thanks to significantly smaller property devaluations.

Coote Industrial: posted a $124.6 million loss in 2009-10 due to significant writedowns on its assets for businesses which include technical services to industries using heavy machinery and rolling stock.

Foster's: heavy write-downs on its ill-fated wine division sent the beverages giant to a net loss of $464 million in 2009-10.

GPT Group: the property group announced a $1.07 billion loss for calendar 2009. This result is far better than last year's $3.25 billion loss, representing a 67% improvement.

Goodman Group: the industrial property giant came back from the brink with a monster capital raising but still delivered a $562.6 million net loss in 2009-10, largely due to one-off write-downs.

Paperlinx: reported a net loss of $225.3 million in 2009-10, largely thanks to write downs of $170.3 million related to its struggling Tasmanian operations.

Prime Infrastructure Trust: a massive loss on the sale of some businesses delivered a net loss of $948m for the old Babcock & Brown Infrastructure in 2009-10.

Rivercity Motorway: traffic projections for this Brisbane tollway project fell well short of expectations so a $1.56 billion write-down was booked, delivering a $1.65 billion loss for 2009-10.

Westfield: $3.5 billion in write-downs, largely related to US and UK investments, delivered a bottom line loss of $458 million for calendar year 2009.

2008-09 (51)

Abacus Property Group: one of the smaller property players but still took write-downs big enough to deliver a net loss of $102 million for 2008-09.

APN European Retail Property Group: write-downs and derivative losses produced a net loss of $309.4 million for 2008-09 but this only reduced net assets to $267.6 million when the market capitalisation is barely $20 million.

Astro Japan Property Trust (formerly Babcock & Brown's Japanese play): heavy write-downs of Japanese property investments delivered a $367 million net loss for 2008-09.

Australian Vintage: it has been a tough time for the wine industry and the old McGuigan-Simeon took write-downs which delivered a $123 million loss in 2008-09.

AWB: heavy losses in Brazil and other write-downs caused a net a loss of $250 million for the year to September 30, 2009.


Babcock & Brown Infrastructure Group: announced a $977 million full-year loss for 2008-09 but it arguably should have been much greater given the group still claims it is worth more than $1 billion.

Babcock & Brown Power: the write-downs could have been a lot heavier but still deliverd a $148.9 million loss for 2008-09.

Centro Properties Group: shopping centre owner and operator announced a full-year loss of $3.54 billion as it slashed the value of its properties. This represents an increase of losses after the $2.4 billion loss recorded for the December 2008 half.

CFS Retail: even the Commonwealth Bank's trophy retail property fund took heavy write-downs which delivered a $367 million net loss for 2008-09.

Challenger Infrastructure Fund: paid too much for assets in the UK so write-downs delivered a $139 million net loss for 2008-09.




Commonwealth Office: even the Commonwealth Bank's trophy office fund took heavy write-downs which delivered a $544 million net loss for 2008-09.

ConnectEast: announced a $531 million loss for 2008-09 after writing down its single tollroad asset in Melbourne by $400 million and announcing a $421 million capital raising.

Cromwell Group: the Brisbane-based property group tumbled to a $113 million net loss for 2008-09 after taking a $104 million write-down on its investment properties.

Crown: write-downs on its US, Canadian and UK assets delivered a loss of $1.2 billion for 2008-09, compared with a $3.5 billion profit in the previous financial year when it was demerged from the Packer family's media assets.

Dexus Ltd: the property company announced a full-year loss of $1.46 billion for 2008-09, compared with a profit of $428 million in 2007-08. The property portfolio was devalued by $1.6 billion.

Eircom Holdings: the old Babcock & Brown Capital took an axe to its goodwill line and managed to come up with a net loss of $1.48 billion in 2008-09 which took it to a rather farcical position of having negative net assets of $660 million.

Elders (formerly Futuris)
Malcolm Jackman came in as the new CEO in September 2008 and managed a net loss of $329 million in the December half after $346 million in write-downs. However, this blew out to a $414 million full year loss which was delayed pending finalisation of a massively dilutive $550 million capital raising at just 15c.

Everest Babcock & Brown: savage write-downs delivered a $305.6 million net loss for the December 2008 half which slashed claimed net assets from $339.5 million in August 2008 to $21 million in February 2009. The full year loss for 2008/09 was $436 million.



Fairfax Media: announced a net loss of $380 million for 2008-09, largely due to write-downs of its newspaper assets.

FKP Property Group: the retirement village owner announced a loss of $319 million for 2008-09. This compared with a profit of $145 million for the same period a year earlier.

GEO Property Group: the former MFS fund took write-downs which delivered a net loss of $131.6 million for 2008-09.

Goodman Group: heavy property write-downs on its global industrial portfolio delivered a $1.1 billion loss for 2008-09 as it unveiled a massive capital raising to fix the over-leveraged balance sheet.

Hedley Leisure Group: now called Redcape Properties and suffered net loss of $178 million in 2008-09 courtesy of write-downs on its hotel portfolio.

HFA Accelerator Plus: announced a loss of $150 million for 2008-09, reflecting falling investment markets.

Incitec Pivot: recorded a loss of $179.9 million for the 2009 fiscal year. This is in comparison with a profit of $604 million in the previous financial year. Despite this loss, revenue rose 17 per cent to more than $3 billion from its acquisition of Dyno Nobel.

ING Industrial Fund: reported a $1.17 billion loss for 2008-09 after heavy write-downs. They have probably still got more to go because claimed net assets were only cut from $2.09 to 96c a unit, still well above the current market price.

ING Office Fund: the real estate group announced a net loss of $764 million for 2008-09 after property write-down and losses on hedging. This represented a turnaround of more than a $1 billion from a $246 million profit for 2007-08.

ING Real Estate Community Living Group: announced a $284 million loss for 2008-09 courtesy of property write-downs.

Lend Lease: a raft of write-downs sent the property giant plunging to a net loss of $653 million in 2008-09 compared with a profit of $254 million in 2007-08.

Lend Lease Primelife: announced a $247 million dollar loss for 2008-09 after poor market conditions and revaluations of retirement villages contributed to the change from the $41 million profit in 2007-08.

LinQ Resources Fund: mining investment write-downs led to a $193 million loss for the full year ending June 30, 2009.

Macquarie Countrywide Trust: the shopping mall owner announced an annual net loss of $1.4 billion in 2008-09, largely due to write-downs on its over-geared US portfolio, much of which has now been sold.

Macquarie DDR: a $220 million loss for the December half blew out to $616 million for the full 2008-09 financial year after further write-downs of its regional shopping centres in the US.

Macquarie Infrastructure Group: announced a $1.71 billion loss for 2008-09 after belatedly writing down the value of its over-geared toll road investments, mainly in the US.

Macquarie Office: heavy write-downs of its large global office portfolio sent the bottom line down to an embarrassing $1.37 billion loss in 2008-09 compared with a claimed net profit of $208 million in 2007-08.

Mirvac Real Estate Investment Trust: the half year loss of $158.1 ballooned out ever further to a $251 million loss for 2008-09 after more write-downs.

Mirvac Group: the property group posted a $1.08 billion loss for 2008-09, which was driven by $487 million in property revaluations.

Mirvac Industrial Trust: after a half year loss of $92 million, further write-downs took the full year loss to $224 million in 2008-09.

Multiplex Acumen Property Fund: property write-downs sent it tumbling to a $107 million loss for 2008-09.

News Corp: reported a $US3.4 billion ($A4.2bn) bottom line loss courtesy of write-downs on investments such as Dow Jones.

Pacific Brands: the clothing manufacturer announced a $234 million loss for 2008-09 which is down from a profit of $117 million from the previous year. This result can be attributed to writedown charges and restructuring expenses, although sales revenue also fell 5.5% to $2 billion.

Paladin Energy: big write downs led the uranium miner to a $585 million net loss for 2008-09.

Paperlinx: should have declared a 10-figure loss but only managed to come up with a bottom line figure of a $798 million loss. The write-downs were certainly on the light side and is now claiming to have net assets worth $1.27 billion. That looks over-optimistic when compared with the market capitalisation of below $500 million.

Sims Group: announced a $150.3m loss for 2008-09 after some write-downs.

Stockland: announced a full year net loss of $1.8 billion. This compares with a profit of $705 million for the previous year and was caused by $2.4 billion in writedowns on investment properties and equity plays in rivals such as ING Office and GPT.

Tishman Speyer Office Fund: the half year loss of $223 million was bad enough but further write-downs sent the US property fund tumbling to a $621 million loss for 2008-09.

Trinity Group: the Labor mates lobbying scandal has hit this property fund manager for six and the net loss of $225.9 million for 2008-09 showed how far the Brisbane-based company has fallen.

Valad Property Group: heavy write-downs after a foolish UK expansion program delivered a bone-crunching $1.49 billion loss for 2008-09 after the half year figure had come it at $821 million.

VDM Group: the Perth-based engineering and project management group took $88.8 million in write-downs which delivered a painful $105.6 million net loss for 2008-09.

Virgin Blue: announced a net loss of $160 million for 2008-09, down from a net profit of $98 million in 2007-08.




2007-08

Allco Finance Group: reported a $1.73 billion full-year loss for 2007-08 after previously declaring a delusional $84 million net profit for the December half before the reality of a plunging share price and asset values set in.

Allco HIT: huge write-downs, the biggest in the Strategic Finance business due to enormous bad debts in New Zealand, sent the 2007-08 result plunging to a net loss of $322.2 million.

Allco Hybrid Investment Trust: plunging asset values delivered a $149 million net loss for the year.

Amazing Home Loans: this boutique lender plunged to a $116.8 million loss for 2007-08 on rising bad debts and problems financing its short term debts.

Asciano: reported a disappointing $182 million net loss in 2007-08 after losing $104 million on its Brambles frolic and booking a $135 million write-down after restructuring its grain haulage business.

Babcock & Brown Power: big write-downs triggered a net loss of $426 million as it seeks independence from the parent and fired both the CEO and finance director.

Centro Properties Group: shopping centre write-downs sent it to a staggering net loss of $2.055 billion for the full year after notching up a $1.11 billion in loss in the first half.

Centro Retail: declared a full year loss of $887 million after sweeping shopping centre write-downs.

City Pacific: the result came in after the deadline and it was a shocker as the bottom line loss hit $139 million after a slew of write-downs for this teetering Gold Coast property and financial house.



ERG: yet more write-downs led to a full year bottom line loss of $103.3 million in 2007-08 for the once glamour tech stock.

Hutchison Telecommunications: the red ink kept flowing in 2007 with a $285 million net loss for the calendar year.

IAG: new CEO Mike Wilkins produced $400 million in write-downs and restructuring charges which led to a $261 million net loss.

Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group: the highly indebted Millionaires Factory vehicle reported a bottom line loss of $103.4 million for 2007-08 after taking a $649 million hit on its exchangeable interest rate swaps.

National Leisure & Gaming: big goodwill write-downs on its 38 pubs send the company tumbling to a net loss of $112.6 million in 2007-08.

Perilya: problems at the Broken Hill mining operations, a failed merger and big asset write-downs combined to a deliver a net loss $140.3 million for 2007-08.

Record Realty: the Allco-manged property fund took some big write-downs in 2007-08, plunging to a net loss of $253.5 million as it proceeds with a staged liquidation that may not leave anything for shareholders.

Rubicon America Trust: property write downs led to a $140 million net loss for 2007-08 but it should have been more given it claims to have net assets of $210 million when the market capitalisation is $30 million.

Rubicon Europe: weighed down by excessive debt and big write-downs led to a net loss of $218.5 million for 2007-08.

Rubicon Japan: plunged to a net loss of $185 million after big write-downs but still claims to have net assets of $195 million when the market values the trust at less than $30 million.

Tabcorp: plunged to a net loss of $164.6 million in 2007-08 after writing down its Victorian pokies licence by $487.7 million and taking a $194 million charge against its wagering business as the new CEO wielded the axe.

Toll Holdings: the $1.3 billion book loss triggered by the distribution of its 62.7% stake in Virgin Blue to its shareholders was the main contributor to this $695 million net loss for 2007-08.

Transurban: one-off items sent the tollroad giant tumbling to a net loss of $140.45 million in 2007-08.

Valad Property Group: write-downs in goodwill on its ill-fated Scarborough acquisition in the UK sent the over-geared property group plunging to a net loss of $248 million in 2007-08.

2006-07

Bendigo Mining: ceased operating its Bendigo gold mine and took a huge write-down which delivered a net loss of $239.8 million.

Hutchison Telecommuncations Australia: the 3G roll out and competition with Telstra is still proving enormously expensive with a $739.4 million loss reported in calendar 2006.

James Hardie: a big charge for asbestos liabilities delivered a net loss of $570 million in the 12 months to March 30, 2007.

Transurban: one-off items sent the tollroad giant tumbling to a net loss of $151 million in 2006-07.

2005-06

Hutchison Telecommuncations: the 3G roll out and competition with Telstra is still proving enormously expensive with a $547 million loss reported in calendar 2005.

Telecom New Zealand: Took a hit of almost $1 billion on its AAPT investment as it plunged to a $NZ425 million loss for the 2005-06 financial year.

2004-05

Hutchison Telecommunications: rather than contracting, the losses have been rising over time and hit $552 million for the 2004 calendar year proving once again how hard it is to build networks and compete with Telstra.

Miller's Retail: Inventory has been slashed by more than $69 million and restructuring charges of another $60 million were booked, producing an after tax loss of $103.4 million in 2004-05.

2003-04

AMP: the $5.54 billion loss in calendar 2003 was the final clearing of the decks from the disastrous move into the UK over the previous 25 years.

Aristocrat: the gaming machine maker had a net loss of $106 million for 2003, after writing down contracts and business operations, although this was completely misleading as it generated about $200 million of free cash over the year and was just a new CEO painting his predecessor black.

Baycorp Advantage: write downs of goodwill and other asset valued sent it to a loss of $138 million after tax in 2003-04.

Hutchison Telecommunications: start-up costs for its '3' mobile phone business were responsible for a $410 million loss for the 2003 calendar year - its third consecutive $100 million-plus loss.


2002-03

AMP: write-offs in the UK business produced a bottom line loss of $896 million in calendar 2002.

Austar: the perennial loss-maker reported another $131 million loss for the 2002 calendar year.

Australian Magnesium Corp: Peter Beattie's creation managed an $813 million loss for 2002-03 after it failed to finish its Queensland project when the banks and Leighton walked away.

ERG: The Perth-based ticketing company continues to win profitless contracts around the world and took another axe to its balance sheet to record a net $198 million loss for 2002-03.

Hutchison Telecommunications: the telco reported a $197 million loss in 2002 as competing with Telstra proved very tough, even after One-tel bowed out of the game.

Lend Lease: announced a $715 million loss for 2002-03 after $945 million worth of writedowns in value of its US, Asian and European real estate businesses.

Mayne: reported a loss of $456 million for 2002-03, due to writedowns in its hospital business after the Peter Smedley experiment spectacularly failed.

MIM: posted a widely anticipated loss of $205 million for the six months to December 31, 2002, largely because of losses of $238 million associated with the closure of its two European smelters.

Pasminco: the banks were still in control when the world's biggest lead and zinc producer chalked up another $226 million loss for 2002-03.

SMS Management and Technology: had a loss of $106.8 million for 2002-03. This was the third consecutive year of declining sales for the computer services company.

Southcorp: net loss of $922 million for 2002-03, blamed on difficult trading conditions in the UK and Australia and a lower contribution from super premium wines because of the smaller 2000 vintage. Write-offs after the excessive $1.5 billion Rosemount acquisition were the biggest single factor.

2001-02

Air New Zealand: The collapse Ansett sent it to a net loss for the 2001-02 financial year of $NZ1.4 billion.

AMP: write-offs in the UK business produced a bottom line loss of $896 million in calendar 2002.

Anaconda: the controversial nickel company plunged to a bottom line loss of $920 million in 2001-02 which included a $297 write down on its Murrin Murrin nickel operation. Hasn't it all turned around nicely now.

Austar: the pay-TV industry was a nightmare for the first 10 years and the regional player took huge asset writedowns to come up with a $682 million bottom line loss for the 2001 calendar year.

Austrim-Nylex: the industrial house built by Alan Jackson unravelled in the 21st century, culminating in a $153 million net loss in 2001-02 after a series of asset write-downs and disposals.

Baycorp Advantage: huge write downs sent the credit agency to a $300 million net loss in 2001-02.

Centaur Mining & Exploration: Joe Gutnick's flagship collapsed in March 2001 and two years later the administator announced a shortfall of $784 million.

ERG: despite showing loads of promise, rarely did it make money on these global transport contracts and this contributed to a $244 million net loss in the 2001-02 financial year.

Hutchison Telecommunications: lost $137 million in the 2001 calendar year after massively missing their forecasts trying to compete with Telstra in an overcrowded market.

News Corp: write down on Gemstar, European pay-TV and the value of US sports rights sent Rupert's company to a record $12 billion bottom line loss for the year to June 30, 2002.

NZ Telecom: made a loss of $164 million in 2001-02 after slashing its Australian subsidiary AAPT with writedowns worth $800 million.

Orica: the chemical giant reported a $195 million bottom-line loss for the year to the end of September 2001 after new CEO Malcolm Broomhead came in and cleared the decks with large write-offs and job cuts.

Pasminco: this was after the administrators were appointed but will still count as a $715.7 million loss for the 2001-02 financial year, largely due to hedging exposures.

Powerlan: the listed software company which used to have Neville Wran and Greg Barns on the board reported a bottom line loss of $146.4 million in 2001-02 after writing off several failed investments.

UEComm: the telecommunications spin-off of Victorian Energy distributor United Energy, put out a wildly optimistic prospectus and then plunged to a bottom line loss of $115.4 million in 2001.

2000-01

Austar: regional pay-TV operator suffered losses of $319 million in the 2000 calendar year.

Centaur Mining & Exploration: Joe Gutnick's flagship lost $100.6 million in 1998-99 before going broke on the same day HIH collapsed, March 15, 2001.

Iama: the Melbourne-based agricultural distributor booked a bottom line loss of $108 million for the year ended September 30, 2000, thanks to a raft of abnormals from its haphazard diversification into all sorts of businesses.

James Hardie: reported a $200 million bottom-line loss in 2000-01 after heavy abnormal losses stemming from the setting up a trust fund for asbestos victims, and provisions on the sale of the windows business and Asian operations.

News Corp: The collapse of One.Tel helped drive News Corp $746 million into the red during the last 2000-01 financial year after almost $2 billion in write-offs.

Normandy Mining: Robert de Crespigny's company managed a bottom line loss of $154.6 million in 2000-01, its last year full year as a listed company, thanks to writedowns at its Kasese cobalt project in Uganda.

Pacific Dunlop: The last nail in the coffin for the once great diversified manufacturer managed a $139.4 million net loss in 2000-01 as more writedowns in tyres and other divisions hit shareholders yet again.

PMP: former chairman Ken Cowley and his mate, CEO Bob Muscat, did a terrible job running the magazine and printing company, eventually plunging to a $500 million loss in 2000-01 when they wrote down the value of the magazine division before it was sold to Seven.

Resolute Resources: the gold miner reported a $185.9 million loss for the year to June 2000 thanks in part to an $80 million write-off of exploration assets.

Sausage Software : the IT company has been renamed SMS but with the likes of Steve Outtrim, Wayne Bos and Gil Hoskins out the door, new CEO Lloyd Roberts cleared the decks in 2000-01 reporting a net loss of $264 million, before he too departed.

Solution 6: The business software supplier Solution 6 reported a $136 million loss for the 12 months to June 30, 2001 after new CEO Neil Gamble wrote down the value of several failed investments by controversial American CEO Chris Tyler.



1999-00

Air New Zealand: rather than Ansett problems it was tax-related accounting changes which sent the Kiwi carrier to a bottom line loss of $460 million in 1999-2000 despite claiming a trading profit of $509 million.

AMP: For the year to December 31, 1999, AMP recorded a net loss of $403 million thanks to a $1 billion write off of its investment in GIO.

Austar: regional pay-TV operator reported a $110 million loss for the 1999 calendar year.

Delta Gold: reported a $114.7 million bottom line in 1999-2000 after writing down the value of its Zimbabwe and Solomon Islands mines by $143.7 million.

Mayne Nickless: New CEO Peter Smedley cleared the decks in the 1999-2000 financial year with $243 million in write-downs which produced a net loss of $174 million as the share price surged and then later plunged again as the Smedley miracle proved to be a mirage.

One-tel: the upstart telco backed by the Murdoch and Packer families reported a $296 million loss in 1999-00.


1998-99

BHP: When Paul Anderson and finance director Chip Goodyear took charge in the late 1990s they cleared the decks and declared a then Australian record $2.3 billion loss for BHP in 1998-99 with write-offs across the board but especially in the Magma Copper division.

Brierley Investments: a savage $1 billion in write-offs sent the once feared corporate raider to a record $800 million bottom line loss for the year to June 30, 1998.


1997-98

BHP: directors bit the bullet and wrote off $3 billion in the 1997-98 year which caused a then record $1.47 billion loss before they sacked CEO John Prescott.

CSR: write-downs of its timber and sugar operations sent the company to a net $153.1 million for the year to March 1998 which eventually led to the sacking of CEO Geoff Kels and the recruitment of Peter Kirby from offshore.


1996-97

Australis Media : the pay TV outfit went broke and in 1996-97 managed to lose $297.5 million before proposing a merger with Foxtel which was subsequently rejected by the ACCC so the business went under.

Burns Philp: huge write-downs on its ingredients business sent the company to a $173.3 million net loss for the year to June 30, 1997 as new largest shareholder Graeme Hart watched his net worth almost disappear before a miraculous recovery.

Davids Holdings: once again, it was the new broom CEO in action as former Packer finance man Don Bourke took over the running of the company and came up with massive write-downs and a $240 million net loss in 1996-97.

Orbital Engine Company: Ralph Sarich was smart to get out in the early 1990s because the losses started to mount and peaked at $144 million in 1996-97.


1995-96

ANI: Asset write-downs sent Australia's largest heavy engineering group into the red with a $213 million annual loss in 1995-96 just a couple of years after Kerry Packer sold his stake for a big profit.

Australis Media: lost $252 million in 1995-96 as pay-TV start-up costs hit hard.

Pacific Dunlop: The rot really set in the 1995-96 when a $340 million write down on its pacemaker division sent it to a a bottom line loss of $133 million.

1994-95

Ampol Exploration: write-downs of $242.4 million and foreign exchange losses sent oil producer and explorer Ampolex to a net $169.4 million loss for the year to June 30, 1995. Mobil took it over the following year.

Australis Media : the pay TV operator lost $122 million in 1994-95.

MIM: The perennially struggling miner recruited Nick Stump from Comalco and he did the usual thing and cleared the decks in his first outing to announce a $216 million bottom-line loss for 1994-95.

1993-94

MIM: despite two years of cost cutting and asset sales of $370 million in the previous 12 months, the mining giant still managed a $195 million bottom line loss for 1993-94 thanks to write-offs.

Normandy Poseidon: The key companies in Robert Champion de Crespigny's group posted a combined $370.7 million net loss for the 1994 calendar year due to write-downs.


1992-93

Adsteam: Wracked up several years of losses and in 1992-93 it was an impressive $484.36 million thanks to a pile of write-offs.

ANZ: when Don Mercer replaced Will Bailey as CEO in 1992 he cleared the decks and reported a $600 million loss due to a huge surge in bad debts caused by Paul Keating's recession we had to have.

Qantas: the merger with Australian Airlines ahead of the float led to huge write-offs which caused a $370 million net loss for the 1992-93 financial year.

TNT: Hit by a cut-throat domestic aviation market and heavy costs of restructuring in a worldwide recession, TNT crashed to a net loss after abnormals of $195 million in fiscal 1992, matching the previous year's effort.

Westpac: plunged to what was then a record loss of $1.6 billion in the year to September 30, 1992, forcing a $1 billion rights issue as the bank almost went broke due to massive bad debts, especially in the Queensland and Melbourne property markets.


1991-92

Adsteam: the group of companies put together by John Spalvins together wracked up losses of $1.58 billion in the year to June 30, 1991 as all the cross shareholdings in different companies plummeted under a pile of debt and the recession.

Jennings Industries: huge write downs on assets like Southbank in Melbourne and Daydream Island in the Whitsundays sent the once proud Melbourne-based developer to a bottom line loss of $433 million in 1991-92 as controlling shareholder Fletcher Challenge walked away and allowed the company to go broke thanks to the efforts of CEO Ashley Goldsworthy, who was rewarded with the Federal presidency of the Liberal Party a couple of years later.


1990-91

Adsteam: the group of companies put together by John Spalvins together wracked up losses of $1.58 billion in the year to June 30, 1991 as all the cross shareholdings in different companies plummeted under a pile of debt and the recession.

National Consolidated: the efforts to untangle itself from the Adsteam empire saw this heavy engineering company report a bottom line loss of $390.1 million for the 1990-91 financial year.

TNT: a net operating loss of $62.9 million was exacerbated by asset write downs which caused a $200 million bottom line for the year to June 30, 1991 as the empire put together by Sir Peter Abeles teetered under a pile of debt.

1989-90

Bond Corporation: Alan Bond's company announced a then record loss of $980 million in 1989-90.

Elders Resources: the resources and forest products group formerly controlled by Elders IXL and run by Geoff Lord managed a stupendous bottom line loss of $880 million in 1989-90 thanks to huge asset write-downs.

Hoyts: Leon Fink paid some ridiculous prices for various radio licences in the 1980s and in 1989-90 he took an axe to the balance sheet and reported a bottom line loss of $116 million.


1988-89

Northern Star: the controller of Channel 10 reported a write-down induced $514 million loss in 1988-89 just as Frank Lowy was dumping the debt-laden and loss-making network onto Steve Cosser's Broadcom Australia.

Wormald International: the company formerly run by Bob Mansfield shocked the market with a devastating bottom line loss of $348.4 million for the year to June 1988.


This list was first published on Crikey.

Check out all the Mayne Report business lists here. Go here to see the full comprehensive list of lists we've created documenting the dominance of foreign investors in Australia and our relative poor performance on the international business stage.

Copyright © 2024 The Mayne Report. All rights reserved

• share
  Share
  • 
    Facebook
  • 
    Twitter
  • email
    Email
  • print
    Print
  • link
    Copy Link
  • cancel
    Cancel