McMillan Shakespeare says a cloud still hangs over the remuneration services market
Remuneration services and fleet leasing specialist McMillan Shakespeare Group says it can't provide any guidance as to how soon it will emerge from the "revenue black hole" created by the former Government's announcement that it would tighten up the fringe benefits tax rules affecting cars.At an investor briefing yesterday, McMillan Shakespeare's chief executive, Michael Kay, said the proposed changes would have an impact on the company's 2013/14 results, but there was still a lot of uncertainty as to the extent of the impact.On July 16, the then-Treasurer Chris Bowen announced that the Government would change the fringe benefits tax rules to remove tax concessions for the personal use of salary-sacrificed and employer-provided cars.People would be obliged to use a log book to record work-related travel and would no longer be allowed to apply a statutory formula allowing them to establish a fringe benefit regardless of actual personal use.Treasury estimated that the rule change would increase tax revenue by A$1.8 billion.During the election campaign, the Coalition said it would not proceed with the changes, which were due to take effect next year. This week, the finance spokesman for the in-coming Coalition Government, Andrew Robb, confirmed that the former Labor Government's changes were "dead and buried".Kay said the effect of the July 16 announcement was that employers "shut down" remuneration programs."We have to get them to re-start their programs," he said."That is an important thing in our lives. It may not be the most important thing in their lives."We will have to do some communication on this. We have been following the politics, but ordinary employees are confused."What has happened over the past couple of months could put people off or there could be pent-up demand. We will have to see."McMillan Shakespeare made a net profit of A$62.2 million for the year June - up 14.5 per cent on the previous corresponding period. The remuneration services division increased its net profit from $40.2 million to $46.7 million, while the asset management division increased its profit from $14.3 million to $14.6 million.While the growth in asset management profit was modest, Kay said a highlight was the 17 per cent growth in assets under finance. The company has capacity under its funding arrangement to further increase its asset base.The company's return on equity was a strong 34 per cent.