FBMKLCI 1529.91 DJ+95.59 CRUDE OIL 113.57 RM2.95

KFC Holdings (M) Bhd (KFCH) will invest RM45mil to open 25 new KFC outlets nationwide this year.

AmBank (M) Bhd is issuing four new European-style cash-settled call warrants (CWs) to meet investor demand for trading opportunities and alternative investments for current market conditions over the ordinary shares of BIMB Holdings Bhd, IGB Corp Bhd, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd (PChem) and TSH Resources Bhd.

Gateway Benefit Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berjaya Land Bhd, had disposed 4.665 million shares in Berjaya Sport Toto Bhd for RM19.6mil.

Unisem (M) Bhd has posted a lower group net profit of RM5.4mil for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, compared with RM41.3mil in the same period last year.

One of the factors that is being considered by Bank Negara in reviewing the application by China Construction Bank Corp (CCB) to buy into EON Capital Bhd (EON Cap) is the fact that another state-owned bank from China, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), already has a banking licence in Malaysia, industry sources said. Under Malaysia's Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia), no single party is supposed to own more than one banking licence.

Tanjung Offshore Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tanjung Maintenance Services Sdn B hd, had on March 25 been awarded an RM15mil contract for the provision of valve repair and maintenance services for Murphy Sarawak Oil Co Ltd. But comments by Maybank IB Research could weigh down the share price. The research house said it expected Tanjung Offshore’s 1Q 2011 earnings to likely miss street expectations again. “Cost management strategies and operating prospects remain the key concerns. An equity cash-call could ensue should the cash situation worsen. “Tanjung Offshore will also suffer an RM8 million penalty cost for early bonds redemption. Valuations are expensive and consensus forecasts are aggressive. Nonetheless, Ekuinas’ next move remains a wild card,” it said.

EUPE expects pre-tax profit of more than RM30 million from a residential property project with a gross development value (GDV) in excess of RM130 million. EUPE unit EUPE Kemajuan Sdn.Bhd was buying 17.15 acres of land in Petaling district for RM37.35 million from Desaminium Jaya Sdn Bhd.

“The land is purchased for the purpose of residential development targeting about 150 units of terrace and semi detached homes with a GDV in excess of RM130 million and profit before tax estimated above RM30.0 million

TH PLANTATIONS BHD [] targets to increase its land bank to 50,000 hectares from 39,113 ha by 2012, a company official said. TH Plantations plans to acquire the first "substantial parcel" by the end of June and are looking at Sumatera and Kalimantan where land prices are said to be lower compared to Sabah and Sarawak. A total of RM150 million has been allocated this year to build a palm oil mill in Sarawak and the company's replanting programme. The company said revenue for FY2011 could rise 14.8% to RM420 million from RM365.97 million last year if the price of crude palm oil averages between RM3,400 and RM3,500 for 2011.

Masterskill Education Group Bhd (MEGB) is venturing into the provision of undergraduate business programmes in a tie-up with The University of Newcastle. MEGB said on Wednesday, April 27 the proposal covered the bachelor of business and bachelor of commerce programmes.

FBMKLCI 1518.77 DJ no market CRUDE OIL 97.37 RM 3.00

Asian markets experienced choppy trade yesterday as conflict in the Middle East affected investor sentiment with oil prices rising and gold surging to a seven-week high. Crude oil climbed US$1.94 to US$88.14 per barrel at 5pm with spot gold surging US$8.80 to US$1,398.32 per ounce.

 

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) posted a net profit of RM1.13bil, or 15.72 sen per share, for its second quarter ended Dec 31, 13.7% higher than the RM993.5mil, or 14.04 sen per share, reported in the same quarter of 2009 after almost all segments performed better and bad loan provisions were lower.

TH Plantations’ fourth quarter earnings rose 88.7% to RM42.55 million from RM22.54 million a year ago mainly due to higher prices for crude palm oil and palm kernel when compared to a year ago. It said on Monday, Feb 21 its revenue rose 47% to RM128.53 million from RM87.35 million. Earnings per shares were 8.71 sen compared with 4.62 sen a year ago. It proposed dividend payout of 12.5 sen per share. It had cash of RM130.56 million as at Dec 31, 2010.

UNITED PLANTATIONS BHD []’s net profit for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2010 rose 19.9% to RM81.88 million from RM68.29 million a year earlier, due to higher crude palm oil (CPO) palm kernel (PK) selling prices. Its revenue rose 53% to RM302.83 million from RM197.88 million in 2009. Earnings per share were 39.24 sen while net assets per share was RM8.51. The company has proposed a final dividend of 15 sen net per share and a special dividend of 26.25 sen net per share for the year ended Dec 31, 2010.

ALLIANCE FINANCIAL GROUP BHD [] said its net profit rose 11.22% to RM111.12 million in the third quarter ended Dec 31, 2010 from RM99.91 million a year ago, driven by higher net interest income and lower overheads. Revenue rose to RM284.98 million from RM278.27 million. Earnings per share were 7.30 sen while net assets per share was RM2.15.  AFG proposed dividend of 3.70 sen per share. For the nine months ended Dec 31, its net profit rose to RM324.2  million from RM224.17 million a year ago, on the back of revenue RM858.18 million.

Parkson Retail Group Ltd, the Beijing-based department-store chain controlled by Malaysia’s Lion Group, will accelerate its expansion in China in the next three years. The company will open 8 to 9 stores a year through 2013, after opening 5 last year, Managing Director Alfred Cheng told reporters in Hong Kong. The retailer said 2010 net income jumped 9 per cent to 992 million yuan (US$151 million), compared with the 1.07 billion yuan average of 13 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.