GREATER CHINA Strategy Alpha Picks: May Conviction Call Adding CR Beer, Crystal, Geely, Haier, Kuaishou, Ningbo Tuopu, Pinduoduo, Shenzhou, and Tencent to our BUY list, closing out SELL calls. Small-Mid Cap Monthly Reiterate BUY on Crystal International. Sector Automobile Weekly: EV sales pick up; take...
AALI’s 1Q24 earnings came in within expectations. 1Q24 operating profit grew significantly on lower production costs. Earnings dropped due to higher financing cost and weak downstream margin. Note that AALI’s mill utilisation rate fell significantly to 50% in 1Q24 due to cost management with lower third-party purchases. Maintain SELL as we are concerned about its flat FFB production growth, lower mill utilisation rate and weak downstream margin.
Strategy: Alpha Picks: Slight Outperformance In A Bear Market: Our picks are BSDE, TLKM, ACES, BBTN, CMRY, SIDO, JSMR and AKRA. Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ/SELL/Rp6,425/Target: Rp5,715): 1Q24: Within expectations. Maintain SELL as we are concerned with its flat FFB production growth, lower mill utilisation rate and weak downstream margin. Bank Mandiri (BMRI IJ/BUY/Rp6,325/Target: Rp7,300): 1Q24: Net profit up 1.1% yoy, slightly below expectations. Maintain BUY with a lower target price. Trime...
CPO prices are expected to trade in the range of RM3,800-4,200/tonne for 2024, higher in 1H24 (tight vegoil supply) but seeing some softness in 3Q24 with more vegoil supply coming into the market. The impact from El Nino would be minimal on Malaysia’s production and mild on Indonesia’s production. Demand would still remain sluggish and the market only expects huge imports when CPO prices are lower. Maintain OVERWEIGHT; prefer efficient upstream players with good production growth.
Regional Plantation: We cherry-pick efficient companies with good production growth to leverage good CPO prices to mitigate any unforeseen CPO price volatility. Adaro Energy Indonesia (ADRO IJ/HOLD/Rp2,540/Target: Rp2,400): 4Q23: Core NPAT beats estimates, up 7.1% qoq but down 37.3% yoy. TRADERS’ CORNER Bukit Asam (PTBA IJ): Technical BUY Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGAS IJ): Technical BUY
GREATER CHINA Update The United Laboratories International (3933 HK/BUY/HK$8.17/Target: HK$10.00): 2023 earnings expected to beat consensus forecasts. INDONESIA Results Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ/SELL/Rp6,850 /Target: Rp5,715): 4Q23: Results below expectations. Downgrade to SELL. MALAYSIA Results Greatech Technology (GREATEC MK/BUY/RM4.90/Target: RM6.20): 2023: Within expectations. Orderbook is at an elevated quantum of RM1.04b; aiming to spearhead more projects in 2024. IOI Corporation (IO...
AALI’s 4Q23 core net profit came in below our expectations, mainly dragged by the higher purchase cost of external FFB and lower downstream operations. We expect 2024 earnings to be higher yoy, lifted by higher CPO ASP. However, we remain cautious on the flat FFB production growth for 2024, higher external FFB purchase price and weak downstream margin. Downgrade to SELL with a lower target price of Rp5,715.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS Sector ASEAN Banks: ASEAN Banks: quarterly update. Regional Plantation: Maintain 2024 CPO ASP at RM4,200/tonne, with pricing expected to be higher in 1H24. Accumulate Malaysia upstream players and companies with better-than-peers production growth. TRADERS’ CORNER Sembcorp Industries (SCI SP): Trading BUY Top Glove Corp (TOPG SP): Trading BUY
The potential supply deficit could support elevated CPO prices in 2024, with marginal production growth in Malaysia offsetting weaknesses in Indonesia and other countries. Global vegoil supply faces constraints due to: a) Indonesia increasing domestic use, b) heightened biofuel usage in key oilseed-producing countries, and c) reduced oilseed crushing. Maintain OVERWEIGHT, and focus on Malaysian plantation companies and companies that have better-than-peers production growth.
Banks - Regional: ASEAN Banks: quarterly update. Plantation - Regional: Maintain 2024 CPO ASP at RM4,200/tonne, with pricing expected to be higher in 1H24. Accumulate Malaysia upstream players and companies with better-than-peers production growth. Ace Hardware Indonesia (ACES IJ/BUY/Rp810/Target: Rp1,200): Market yet to account for net margin expansion. TRADERS’ CORNER United Tractors (UNTR IJ): Technical BUY ESSA Industries Indonesia (ESSA IJ): Technical BUY
Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ/BUY/Rp7,000/Target: Rp8,995): 3Q23: Results slightly below our expectations. Bukalapak.com (BUKA IJ/BUY/Rp198/Target: Rp265): 3Q23: Adjusted EBITDA continues to improve. Cisarua Mountain Dairy (CMRY IJ/BUY/Rp3,710/Target: Rp4,800): 3Q23: Dairy margin pressure subsides with 40% growth in consumer food. TRADERS’ CORNER Ciputra Development (CTRA IJ): Technical BUY HM Sampoerna (HMSP IJ): Technical BUY
GREATER CHINA Strategy Small-Mid Cap Biweekly: Pet food exports on track for recovery; beneficiary: Yantai China Pet Food. Results BYD Company (1211 HK/BUY/HK$246.20/Target: HK$630.00): 3Q23: Earnings up 82% yoy and 53% qoq, in line. Maintain BUY. Target price: HK$630.00. China Construction Bank (939 HK/BUY/HK$4.48/Target: HK$6.00): 3Q23: Results in line; earnings up 2.6% on lower credit costs. China Merchants Bank Co. (3968 HK/BUY/HK$30.30/Target: HK$45.00): 3Q23: Results miss; longer wait need...
Indonesia’s domestic CPO prices have been more stable than Malaysia’s, which is attributed to tighter supplies in Indonesia. Production outlook remains weak with the weather getting hotter and drier, which has led to a rising number of hotspots. We may see higher biodiesel blending domestically as diesel prices are getting more expensive. Maintain OVERWEIGHT on expectations of a strong earnings recovery in 3Q23 and CPO prices trending up with tighter supplies going into 2024. Top pick: TAPG IJ.
Key highlights from Mr. Thomas Mielke update session: a) current vegoil prices are not reflecting the prospective global production deficit in 2023/24, b) palm oil will be the price leader in 2024, and c) soymeal prices could be under pressure on higher crush volume while meal demand is relatively weak. CPO prices will appreciate by at least US$100/tonne within the next 4-6 months from the current level of US$860/tonne. Maintain OVERWEIGHT
Regional Plantation: Highlight from Thomas Mielke sessions: CPO will be the price leader in 2024, current price is undervalued, and the price will appreciate within the next 4-6 months. Avia Avian (AVIA IJ/NOT RATED/Rp585): Weak demand from low-to-mid income segment hinders growth. TRADERS’ CORNER Surya Esa Perkasa (ESSA IJ): Technical BUY Erajaya Swasembada (ERAA IJ): Technical BUY
GREATER CHINA Initiation Coverage China Server: AI investment series: Diving into opportunities in the server industry. Sector Automobile: Weekly: Passenger EV sales up 59% yoy/21% wow over 17-23 July, in line. Maintain UNDERWEIGHT. Top BUYs: BYD, CATL and Li Auto. INDONESIA Results Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ/BUY/Rp8,000.00/Target: Rp9,785.00): 2Q23: Lower qoq and yoy but still within our expectations. Sido Muncul (SIDO IJ/HOLD/Rp650/Target: Rp680): 2Q23: Profit warning issued for the rest of ...
Despite AALI’s 2Q23 core net profit being lower qoq and yoy, the results are still within our expectations as we already expected 2Q23 to yield the lowest quarterly earnings for AALI. We expect 2H23 to come in significantly higher hoh on the back of higher CPO ASP and lower cost of production. We reckon that AALI’s high earnings sensitivity to CPO prices would benefit its earnings and share price performance. Maintain BUY with a target price of Rp9,785.
Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ/BUY/Rp8,000/Target: Rp9,785): 2Q23: Lower qoq and yoy but still within our expectations. Sido Muncul (SIDO IJ/HOLD/Rp650/Target: Rp680): 2Q23: Profit warning issued for the rest of 2023. Downgrade to HOLD. TRADERS’ CORNER AKR Corporindo (AKRA IJ): Technical BUY XL Axiata (EXCL IJ): Technical BUY
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