The lessons investors have learnt from Australia?s lockdowns - Sydney Morning Herald

November 1 marks yet another milestone in the return to normality for many Australians. Regional businesses will be brimming with hope that regional tourism exuberance will once again return. As will the nation’s airlines and tourist operators with the resumption of international travel.

Despite a milder recession in 2020 vs many other OECD countries, 2021 has had its challenges. Significant lockdowns of varying duration and severity at different times across the country are expected to weigh on Australia’s 3Q GDP print due at the beginning of next month.

Despite the disruption and significant toll on business, the consensus amongst economists is for Australia’s economy to grow by 3.8 per cent in 2021. There have been COVID winners and losers, businesses that have boomed during re-opening and many that have struggled with the inconsistency of policy.

Australian businesses on the whole are a resilient bunch, and many have “not wasted a good crisis”. It’s an incredibly appropriate characterisation of corporate Australia’s efforts during the past 20 months.

There have been so many challenges and triumphs, and it’s a difficult task to put all our learnings into one article, but for now we have settled upon eight.

Retailers have reset margins higher

Larger retailers have used the pandemic to accelerate store consolidation and regain the upper hand with landlords. Premier Retail which owns brands Peter Alexander and Smiggle have successfully reset rents by 2.5 per cent. As a result, margins have reset higher, and profitability has improved.