Report Of The Month - Best Annual Reports - e.com ReportWatch

ReportWatch Best Annual Reports

You are here:
ReportWatch
> Best Annual Reports
> Report of the month
> Foster's Group Ltd

Report of the month

November 2007

Download as PDF
Foster's Group Ltd Southbank, Victoria, Australia Report Facts Company name: Foster's Group Ltd Fiscal year end: June 30, 2007 Report title: Foster's Business Review 2007 and Foster's Annual Report 2007 Chairman: Frank Swan Chief Executive Officer: Trevor O'Hoy Number of books: 2 Report length: 28 + 112 pages Auditors: PricewaterhouseCoopers Design agency: Amenda Roach Design E-mail: investor.relations@fostersgroup.com	Report Rating 3.5/5 (Rating scale below) Profile-Mission (Excerpts, as from the report) At Foster’s we have a simple vision – to be one of the world’s great drink companies. We own, market and distribute an international portfolio of beer, wine, spirits, cider and non-alcohol brands and our products are sold in more than 155 countries. Products include Foster’s, VB, Carlton, Rosemount, Cougar… (ifc / p 1 of Review/ Report. Italics are own company’s words) Key Figures (in millions, except per share and ratios) Net sales: AU$ 4,555.2 EBIT: AU$ 1,213.5 Net profit after tax: AU$ 716.1 Earnings per share: AU$ 48.0 (cents) Dividend: AU$ 23.75 (cents) Return on equity: 20.9% Debt to equity: 55.4% (Source: figures sourced from the annual report) Some Competitors Anheuser-Busch Diageo Heineken Inbev Pernod Ricard

Strongest > Corporate governance clearly stated and plainly laid out around ten principles. > Good background information for directors. > Extremely comprehensive Remuneration Report: 17 pages divided into 7 sections, including remuneration structure by level (see selected page), peer group lists, 5-year TSR performance charts, a summary of terms of employment, et al.

Stronger > Major brands and products’ displays stand among key features in the compact Business Review, printed in a pocket-size format, ending with a list of all products in the back cover flap. > Business drivers are finely summarized. > A five-year summary not lacking in ratios.

Drinkable > At a glance wraps and maps a few key operating figures, from volumes to employees and EBITS. > The Sustainability overview emphasizes climate impact and reduction in water used per unit produced. > A financial review that uses constant currency measures, for better and worse.

Low Calories > A real vitamin deficiency on the covers. Sober? Maybe, but not up to what a great drink company that owns so many brands should deliver. > The Financial Review weighs twice as little in volume as the Remuneration Report. > The core Annual Report is chartless, except for… remuneration matters. > Surprisingly, the 28-page Business Review includes a Remuneration, a Governance and even a Sustainability overview; but no financial one. > Statements and notes are poorly laid out, and the latter lack comments.

How does the company report in key areas? What are the main report pluses and minuses? The Report Scan gives an overview of strengths and weaknesses, and scores each item. Contact e.com@reportwatch.net

Selected Page (p 18 of Foster’s Group Annual Report 2007)	Rating Scale 5 World-Class 4.5 First-Rate 4 Excellent 3.5 Fine 3 Average 2.5 Uneven 2 Ordinary 1.5 Deficient 1 Unsatisfactory 0.5 Uncompetitive The rating is based on ReportWatch internal desk research and does not take into account the independent Rating Panel’s judgment.