Thong Guan declines to one-year low after weak 4Q but analysts still bullish
Author: moneyKing | Publish Date: 28 Feb 2018, 8:13 PM
Samantha Ho/theedgemarkets.com
February 28, 2018 17:03 pm +08
KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 28): Thong Guan Industries Bhd's share price sank to an over one-year low of RM3.12 after it posted an 81% fall in fourth quarter net profit yesterday as margins contracted in its key plastic products segment.
Its net profit for the three months ended Dec 31, 2017 (4QFY17) slumped to RM2.86 million from RM14.92 million a year ago, as its plastic products segment suffered lower selling prices and higher operating expenses.
The counter lost as much as 57 sen or 15.75% this morning to trade at RM3.05 compared to its closing price of RM3.62 yesterday.
At time of writing, the group pared some losses but was still down 50 sen or 13.81% at RM3.12 and was the fourth largest decliner on Bursa Malaysia after some 3.18 million shares crossed.
At the current price, it has a market capitalisation of RM425.2 million.
Yesterday, Thong Guan said that the compressed margin in its plastic products segment dragged its 4QFY17 net profit down, despite an 8% year-on-year increase in revenue to RM210.49 million from RM195.74 million.
However, two analysts who cover the stock remained bullish on its prospects.
While taking note of Thong Guan’s RM3.8 million food and beverage loss as well as higher promotional and freight costs in the quarter, CIMB Research analyst Nigel Foo said he expects the group to add an additional PVC food wrap line this year as it is already running close to full capacity.
Foo, who has retained his 'buy' call on the stock, is also positive on the group’s nano-layered stretch film lines. He maintained a target price (TP) of RM5.90 on the stock.
“We would not be surprised if the company installs yet another nano-layered film line by end-2019,” he said, adding that the average profit before tax for these lines ranged between 12% and 15% versus 5% and 6% for traditional stretch film lines.
He said the group’s proposed final dividend of eight sen per share in respect of its 2017 financial year (FY17) came in within expectations.
Kenanga Research's Marie Vaz I also continues to like Thong Guan for its undemanding valuations, and pegged an 'outperform' on the stock.
"We believe we have priced in most foreseeable downside risks for now. Going forward, management is still focussed on improving margins and we are of the view that margins will soon revert to normalised levels, while its strong net cash position allows for further capacity expansion", she said.
However, she lowered her TP on Thong Guan to RM4.05 from RM5.55, after reducing the expected core net profit margins to 6.2% for Thong Guan’s FY18, after FY17's bottom-line came in below its expectation.
TGuan is one of the largest plastic producer. Its revenue keep increasing in view of surge in demand global packaging especially stretch film demand. However, profit margin is compress due to high input cost, resin which is by product from crude oil. Crude oil as feed-stock is under adjustment due to abundant supply from US shale oil and price downward will trnaslate into lower resin input cost further.
Due to time lag factor, Tguan should be able to pass through cost to end user to improve its profit margin forward.
Posted by hng33 > Mar 1, 2018 09:30 AM | Report Abuse
TGuan is one of the largest plastic producer. Its revenue keep increasing in view of surge in demand global packaging especially stretch film demand. However, profit margin is compress due to high input cost, resin which is by product from crude oil. Crude oil as feed-stock is under adjustment due to abundant supply from US shale oil and price downward will trnaslate into lower resin input cost further.
Due to time lag factor, Tguan should be able to pass through cost to end user to improve its profit margin forward.
Stock: [TGUAN]: THONG GUAN INDUSTRIES BHD Jan 30, 2018 11:01 AM | Report Abuse
The raw material price i tracked for Q4 up by approximately 5.84% compared to immediate Q3 (mainly due to 1 off price surge resulted from in USA), there after the resin price has gone substantially lower and back to norm. Thanks to stable natural gas price.
I think will have some minor impact to the gross profit margin. However, i also expect more contribution in term of volume from new blown lines plus 2nd unit of 33 layer nano machine with better margin in Q4.
All in, i think up coming result should not be bad..but will not be outstanding either. Expecting Revenue to record historical high. Earning should be doing ok.
Share Split in the card?
cheers!
Posted by YiStock > Nov 14, 2017 08:48 PM | Report Abuse X
The raw material price i tracked for Q3 up by approximately 3.1% comparer to previous quarter. I think will have some minor impact to the gross profit margin. However, i also expect more contribution in term of volume from new blown lines plus 2nd unit of 33 layer nano machine with better margin in Q3.
All in, i think up coming result should not be bad..but will not be outstanding either
@YiStock, was the recent Q4 margin compression within ur expectations?
After complete reading the 4q...... got shock......... the avenue in plastic wrap so huge...... but cannot command good price..... either the product quality so Teruk..... or major profit margin line 33 nano have not set in.... mee business still at infant stage.... no fangs yet.... the 2018 pvc warp line might be so so only..........2019 only come in another nano....if jadi..... these 2 years..... kena pray hard Leah.....
Fabien, is way below my expectation. It was like totally NO cost-past-through.
The gross margin for Q4 had fallen to only 10.9% in comparison to immediate 3 quarter average of 15.7%. Roughly 4.8% spike in resin price; which is equivalent to RM10.1 mil profit roughly, did not pass over to customers. Why no cost pass through? My speculation of reason is the spike is not caused by oil/ natural gas but 1 off natural disaster. I hope somebody can go to question the management in coming AGM.
Together with RM 2 mil forex loss, i would say approximately RM 12 mil of knee jerk in Q4 2017.
Marche restaurant did not really impact the earning i think. I say so because of the 1% different of administrative cost compared to total revenue between Q3 & Q4 2017.
Furthermore, the higher cost could be due to set up cost, thereafter, the running cost should stabilized too.
Anyway, the resin cost has now stabilized. Restaurant already buka for biz.
Conclusion: I hope this Q4 17 is 1 off knee-jerk. Total revenue is still pretty impressive.
Fabien Extraordinaire Stock: [TGUAN]: THONG GUAN INDUSTRIES BHD Jan 30, 2018 11:01 AM | Report Abuse
@YiStock, was the recent Q4 margin compression within ur expectations? 02/03/2018 11:31
don't guess how much is the price will be, when u see it's value buy just grab it, sooner or later it'll go back to its value. nobody can guess the where's the lowest price
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Posted by Flintstones > 2018-02-28 21:16 | Report Abuse
Blue hor fun and hairy teo counter dont touch. They are always quite late into the party