The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) was eventful this week. Here are four big stories you may have missed that affected the ASX 200 index:
Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) dividend cuts continue
Telstra reported its half-year report to 31 December 2018 this week.
Total revenue was only down by 4.1%, the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 16.4% and Telstra's net profit after tax (NPAT) declined by 27.4%.
With such a large reduction in profit, it was inevitably going to lead to a major dividend cut seeing as Telstra is now aiming to pay out a certain percentage of profits and one-off NBN payments.
Telstra decided to cut the half-year dividend from 11 cents per share to 8 cents per share, representing another 27% reduction.
Car industry facing tougher conditions
There were a number of updates from car businesses. Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) and Carsales.Com Ltd (ASX: CAR) both reported their half-year results this week, but the share prices of both dropped.
Bapcor said that its profit was probably only going to grow at the low end of its guidance for the year.
Meanwhile, Carsales said that the Royal Commission could have an effect on its business and new car sales are difficult.
Retailers positively surprise
Retail results are coming thick and fast now. One of the retailers that positively surprised this week was JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) which grew net profit after tax grew by 5.5% to $160.1 million, with total sales growing by 4.2% to $3.8 billion.
CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) keeps growing
CSL unveiled yet another result showing growth this week. Revenue was US$4.5 billion, up 8.6% and earnings per share (EPS) was US$2.56, up 10%. The interim dividend declared was US85 cents per share, which was an increase of 20%.
However, the share price ended the week down 4.5%.
