FBMKLCI 1492.09 DJ+161.29 CRUDE OIL 103.86 RM 3.036

Boustead Holdings Bhd will see some steady recurring income from Pharmaniaga Bhd now that the latter has entered into a 10-year concession agreement with the Health Ministry to supply medical products to Government-owned hospitals.

Sabah-based downstream timber manufacturer Focus Lumber Bhd’s public issue of 6.9 million new shares under its planned listing exercise on Bursa Malaysia has been fully underwritten by Bank Islam and BIMB Securities.

Adhesive and sealant manufacturer OCI Bhd’s entire issued and paid-up capital would be removed from the official list of Bursa Securities with effect from Monday.

Karambunai Corp Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Karambunai Resorts Sdn Bhd, has signed a joint venture agreement with China Central Asia Group Co Ltd (CCAG) to develop the RM1bil first phase of the Karambunai Integrated Resort City (KIRC) in Kota Kinabalu.

SP Setia Bhd’s earnings rose 62.41% to RM62.03mil for the quarter ended Jan 31 versus a year earlier, on property development activities in the Klang Valley, Johor Baru and Penang.

Kencana Petroleum Bhd’s net profit for the second quarter ended Jan 31, 2011 grew by 56.69% compared with the corresponding quarter a year ago to RM50.60mil largely due to progress achieved for contracts in hand and better management of relevant costs, as well as contributions from drilling services.

Department store operator Parkson Holdings Bhd has entered into an “exclusivity agreement” with PT Tozy Bintang Sentosa for a period of 90 days for the purpose of developing and expanding in Indonesia.

Faber Group proposed to cancel 75 sen of the existing par value of its RM1 share in a move to reduce its accumulated losses. Based on its paid-up share capital as at Dec 31, 2010 of RM363.0 million, it said the credit arising from the reduction of the par value would be about RM272.3 million.

Cypark plans to invest RM94.29 million to build a 10Mw renewable energy plant with grid connection, at the RE Park in Pajam. The project is expected to generate gross national income (GNI) of RM12.16 million each year for the next 21 years, totaling RM255.36 million.

FBMKLCI 1492.44 DJ-242.12 CRUDE OIL 98.56 RM 3.02

Top Glove Corp Bhd’s net profit fell 63.9% to RM25.4mil for the second quarter ended Feb 28 against RM70.5mil a year ago due to persistently high latex prices and the continued weakening of the US dollar. The glove maker said the time lag in passing on the higher costs to its customers had also affected the group’s profit margins. “The decline in performance compared with last year was also due to the exceptionally high sales volume experienced last year during the H1N1 virus outbreak,” Top Glove said in the notes accompanying its financial results.

Pharmaniaga Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd has entered into a concession agreement with the Government for the right and authority to purchase, store, supply and distribute approved products to public sector customers.

SEGi has been appointed by the government to lead the development of integrated early child care education (ECCE) in Malaysia under the education National Key Economic Area (NKEA). With the appointment, SEGi will lead the initiative in training and developing high quality early childhood and childcare practitioners.

FBMKLCI 1484.14 DJ-137.74 CRUDE OIL 99 RM 3.005

Oil prices fell sharply Tuesday on deepening fears about Japan's economy after its nuclear crisis worsened following a devastating earthquake and tsunami. Potentially dangerous levels of radiation have been reported leaking from a crippled nuclear complex in the disaster area. More than 10,000 people are thought to have died after the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on Friday. Investors worried about diminished demand for oil and other products in Japan, the world's third-largest oil importer. However, Wall Street analysts expect that Japan will eventually increase imports of oil, coal and natural gas.

BJToto net profit for the third quarter ended Jan 31, 2011 rose 17.4% to RM114.87 million from RM97.85 million a year ago, driven by an increase in revenue, mainly contributed by Berjaya Philippines Inc. group. BToto declared a third interim single tier exempt dividend of 6 sen per share in respect of the financial year ending April 30, 2011.

Brem's 75%-owned subsidiary Harmony Property Sdn Bhd is acquiring two parcels of industrial land in Petaling Jaya from ROCA Malaysia Sdn Bhd for RM48 million cash as part of its plan to accumulate strategic land bank. Brem said the acquisition represented an opportunity for the group to accumulate strategic land bank at a reasonable price as the PROPERTIES [] are situated in a prime location with positive commercial property development potential within the popular Petaling Jaya area.

GD Express could be in focus after Singapore Post Ltd raised its stake in the company to 27.08% from the initial 4.98%, positioning itself as a strategic investor in the Malaysian express delivery and logistics services provider. Singapore Post on Tuesday acquired 56.84 million shares — representing a 22.1% stake, in GD Express — for a total purchase consideration of RM45.47 million cash or 80 sen a piece.

MALAYSIAN AIRLINE SYSTEM BHD and AIRASIA BHD, meanwhile, could see some selling pressure following HwangDBS Vickers Research lowering its target price for the two stocks on Tuesday. The research house said it expected high oil prices to drag the airlines' earnings.

TAN Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun's plan to buy back his company Berjaya Retail Bhd, barely seven months after listing it, has got most people perplexed. Why would someone privatise a company so soon after listing it? If the deal goes through though, this would most likely mark the fastest exit of a listed company from the stock exchange. It isn't entirely clear what the rationale of the privatisation is, although indications are that he could be driven by the “undervaluedness” of his company. In its letter to Berjaya Retail's board, Tan's vehicle undertaking the offer, Premium Merchandise Sdn Bhd, pointed out that both the company's stock and irredeemable convertible preference shares (ICPS) “have not performed well” since their listing. This indicates that Tan may be privatising the company as the market has not valued it sufficiently.

FBMKLCI 1494.42 DJ-51.24 CRUDE OIL 102.23 RM 3.007

Timber companies will benefit from the surge in demand from Japan as post-construction activities in the country take place following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred there. However, the quantum of demand from the surge for timber products is hard to quantify at the moment. Malaysia is already the largest exporter of timber to Japan and imported timber products like plywood easily make up more than half of timber consumption in the country, according to analysts. In a timber sector update yesterday, RHB Research said Malaysian companies were likely to benefit; specifically WTK Holdings Bhd and Ta Ann Holdings Bhd given their focus on the Japan market which constituted 80% to 90% of their timber product sales.

George Kent (M) Bhd plans to invest up to RM100mil in the next three to four years to expand its meter and original equipment manufacturing (OEM) businesses. Chairman and CEO Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock said the company had embarked on a RM50mil plan to upgrade its manufacturing facilities at its plant in Puchong, Selangor to accommodate higher sales in the meter and OEM businesses.

Berjaya Retail Bhd share price soared by 21.5 sen to 64 sen yesterday after it announced that it would be taken private by its major shareholder, Premier Merchandise Sdn Bhd, controlled by Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun.

Johor Corp (JCorp) and its 55% subsidiary Kulim (M) Bhd have denied the claim made by Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim that there were plans for Kulim to be sold. Both companies said that they were not aware of any such proposal. Kulim, in an announcement to Bursa Malaysia, said it “was not the source of the statement that appeared in the articles in local newspapers”.

Cocoaland Holdings Bhd said its wholly-owned unit CCL Food & Beverage Sdn Bhd entered into a S&P agreement yesterday with Riviera Properties Sdn Bhd to buy freehold industrial land in Rawang for RM7.85mil.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has lowered its long-term corporate credit rating on Ranhill Bhd to B minus from B due to its weak liquidity and exposure in the political instability in Libya. Due to the same reasons, it also lowered the issue rating on US$220mil, 12.5% senior unsecured notes due October, issued by Ranhill (L) Ltd to CCC plus from B minus. Ranhill guaranteed the notes. Both the ratings remained on CreditWatch, where they were placed with negative implications on Dec. 30, 2010, it said in a statement.