Let's get financial - Olivia
Nhada Goodfellow
SINGER Olivia Newton-John and swimsuit identity Brian Rochford are about to star on the Australian Stock Exchange.
The Koala Blue and Olivia wine brands, founded by Newton-John, along with the swimwear label are part of the Signature Brands stable.
Signature Brands has raised $3.2 million through the issue of 16 million shares and will commence trading on the Australian Stock Exchange on Monday.
Newton-John is a Signature Brands shareholder, with about 250,000 shares. Chairman Ian Duffell said Signature Brands would now seek suitable acquisitions, using the equity raised.
The company sources much of the wine used in its various brands from South Australia.
“Koala Blue was a brand that was established by Olivia Newton-John about 15 years ago, and it went out of business but we relaunched it… about two years ago and it’s been very successful as a wine brand in 23 countries,” Mr Duffell said.
He said the company chose to list to raise its profile and some spending money.
“We’re looking for other, particularly Australian, brands that maybe no longer exist or companies doing well but are short of funding,” he said.
“We can acquire those and bring them into the stable of Signature Brands.”
The company would commence a series of acquisitions “very soon” after listing, he said, but would not name the companies involved.
Signature Brands’ 2003 revenue was $4.9 million and its prospectus is fore-casting 2004 revenue of $7.6 million.
The company’s Snowdon Wines division owns the Olivia, Pipers Creek, Five Mile Creek and Koala Blue wine labels.
Mr Duffell said the premium Olivia brand was a blend sourced from SA’s Coonawarra and McLaren Vale districts.
SA-sourced wine was combined with wine from other states to produce the other three labels.
Signature Brands shares were issued at 20c each.