With the Christmas festivities now at an end, many Australians will now be looking firmly towards 2015 and wondering what it holds.
For some, the looming New Year becomes a catalyst for frenzied change:
'I'm going to exercise every day of the year until I look like I work for Calvin Klein'.
Or maybe after recent festivities your resolution sounds something like:
'I'm never drinking (/eating junk food/insert recrimination here) ever again!'
I gave up making New Year's resolutions years ago; they're way too stressful. I don't like the guilt when I break them – and let's be honest, who hasn't broken a New Year's resolution?
Instead I use the lull in the lead-up to New Years to have a really good think about what I did right and wrong in 2014, and what I'd like to improve in 2015.
This usually includes having a ruthless sift through my portfolio.
I've got some shockers, with Ausenco Limited (ASX:AAX) the clear 'winner', down 75% for the year.
Senex Energy Ltd (ASX: SXY), a recent purchase, also looks pretty sad having shed 47% since I purchased it.
That said, there are also a lot of bright spots, and here are three companies I expect to generate significant interest in early 2015.
Tiny bauxite explorer, Queensland Bauxite Ltd (ASX: QBL), has been in a trading halt since the 31st of October, with investors anxiously awaiting the release of 'very positive news' and details on 'key milestones achieved' by the company surrounding its bauxite explorations in the Johnstone area of North Queensland.
Queensland Bauxite has significant existing road, rail and port infrastructure very close to its exploration tenements, and investors will be expecting announcement of sizeable low-cost bauxite reserves when the company resumes trading (date currently unknown).
Newzulu Ltd (ASX: NWZ) is an online nexus for crowd-sourced journalism, with a strong focus on 'as it happens' video and picture media from 150,000 citizen journalists located all over the globe.
Media agreements with the national press organisations of several major nations provide great traction for growth, and I expect the company to grow rapidly as its online footprint and awareness of the business' potential expands.
Finally, Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (ASX: CCL) shareholders should prepare themselves for further swings in the value of their shares – and I make no promises about which direction they might go.
Very significant cost savings promised by management, combined with the launch of new products will be offset by significant charges in the full year results and the potential for further margin and volume pressure to earnings.
For the record I bought my shares at $9.35 and I continue to think they are good value at that price, but shareholders should prepare themselves for further volatility and settle in for the long haul.
