with PDP contract terminated & given Work Package Contractor contract with fixed contract price, this is going to be a high risk for a bad performing consortium. Looks good now but let us see how do they run the project.
Technical support is now at RM1.40 which overcame selloff earlier. The bullish support against selloff is good news. From momentum benchmarking, short term traders seems to be holding on to their shares to expect another strong price rally the next few days.
"With its future projects more or less gone, most market watchers and analysts were banking on CCCC-George Kent JV’s MRT2 contract to maintain its earnings. Now, even that seems to be in trouble."
I would love to see another sell down in Gkent. Good opportunity for me to get back in. HSR meeting with spore at the end of the month. Wont be surprised if HSR is revived.
THE relationship between China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) and its joint-venture (JV) partner George Kent (M) Bhd is understood to be fraying at the seams because of issues. The two companies have a joint venture called CCCC-George Kent JV on a 51:49 basis.
The cause of the problems is understood to be the RM1 billion systems work package for the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya mass rapid transit line (MRT2), which the two companies had bagged in August 2016.
Sources say the dispute has reached the ears of higher levels at Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp), which is the developer and asset owner of the multibillion-ringgit Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit project.
George Kent executives did not respond to emails or messages from The Edge. However, MRT Corp CEO Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar, although he declined to comment on any feud that might exist between the two, says, “We are watching them (the JV) closely.”
Slated to connect 35 stations, the RM32 billion MRT2 covers 52.2km, some 38.7km of which are elevated while 13.5km are underground.
As at April this year, 25% of MRT2 had been completed. The first phase, from Sungai Buloh to Batu Kentonmen, is scheduled to start operating in the third quarter of 2021 and be fully completed a year later.
Without any replies from George Kent, it is difficult to gauge how issues concerning the contract may impact the company or its RM5.38 billion order book.
Meanwhile, CCCC has been facing challenging times in Malaysia.
News of problems at CCCC-George Kent JV comes on the back of the Malaysian government suspending work on the RM81 billion, 688.3km East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project, in which CCCC secured the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract in Nov 1, 2016.
It is also worth noting that CCCC, in partnership with China Communications Construction Company (M) Sdn Bhd, might have been one of two companies shortlisted by the Barisan Nasional government for the construction of the RM45 billion MRT3, which has since been deferred.
George Kent has seen better times as well. Its chairman, Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock, who controls 42.21% of its equity, is known to be a close associate and golfing buddy of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Some say George Kent’s success in recent years was the result of strong political connections, among others. Its fortunes changed when, from dealing in water meters and trading at 15 sen, the company diversified into rail construction, largely through joint ventures. In August 2012, via a JV with Lion Pacific Sdn Bhd, George Kent won a RM955.84 million contract for the Ampang light rail transit project from Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
And in a tie-up with Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd, it secured the role of project delivery partner (PDP) in the RM9 billion LRT3 that links Bandar Utama to Johan Setia, among other lucrative, large rail jobs.
George Kent’s stock hit a record high of RM4.36 on March 15 this year, buoyed by the many rail jobs it was said to have won. Earlier in the year, before GE14, RHB Research and Hong Leong Investment Bank Research had “buy” calls on George Kent and target prices of RM5.19 and RM5.66 respectively.
However, since the BN government was toppled, things have taken a turn for the worse at George Kent, and the market has reacted to the uncertainty surrounding the company.
The sell-down in George Kent can be attributed to its weak earnings prospects. To recap, George Kent had formed a consortium with MMC Corp Bhd and Gamuda Bhd to challenge CCCC and China Communications Construction Company (M) for the MRT3 project.
And in partnership with four European companies — Siemens, Alstom, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (Italian state railway) and PORR AG — George Kent was looking to bid for the asset company role in the KL-Singapore high-speed rail project, which has also been shelved.
With its future projects more or less gone, most market watchers and analysts were banking on CCCC-George Kent JV’s MRT2 contract to maintain its earnings. Now, even that seems to be in trouble.
I think these news no longer have real impact unless something concrete. Let’s wait for HSR announcement then. Up or down for now should remain minimal since no ground for massive sell down or buy up.
This book is the result of the author's many years of experience and observation throughout his 26 years in the stockbroking industry. It was written for general public to learn to invest based on facts and not on fantasies or hearsay....
Jonathan Teh
125 posts
Posted by Jonathan Teh > 2018-07-16 09:29 | Report Abuse
Ya lo. go go go working..