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MMHE to face challenging times ahead as margin thins
by Sharon Kongsharonkong@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 12, 2014, Monday
KUCHING: Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd (MMHE) is likely to face challenging times ahead as its margin thins, after recording a weak first quarter of 2014 (1Q14).
In a financial statement to Bursa Malaysia, MMHE stated that the group’s operating profit is lower at RM34.6 million for 1Q14 against RM55.7 million in the corresponding quarter of 2013.
The earnings came in below most analysts’ expectations, which has resulted in some lowering their financial year 2014 (FY14) and FY15 forecasts.
According to analyst Aaron Tan Wei Min from the research arm of MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd (MIDF Research), MMHE is likely to have a lag in earnings recognition.
Tan noted that management had guided that it has yet to recognise any profit from the Malikai tension leg platform (Malikai TLP), adding that project earnings are expected to be recognised earliest in 2Q14.
“In addition, earnings from the SK316 project will be recognised earliest in 3Q14. As such, we foresee rough quarters ahead arising from lag in timing recognitions,” he pointed out.
Overall, MIDF Research is revising its FY14 and FY15 earnings downwards by 21.5 and 16.8 per cent respectively.
“We are assuming lower margins from the offshore segment given tight competition locally and globally. This is evident from the weakening offshore operating margin.
“In addition, we are negative on MMHE due to the tail-end nature of the orderbook and mid-to-back-end loaded earnings recognition of its major contracts,” the analyst projected.
MIDF Research further noted that the offshore business is also expecting potential new job orders to come in by the tail-end of the year, whereas the marine business segment is facing stiff regional competition from increased vessel repair capacity.
“Given its current predicament, FY14 could be an unfavourable year for the group,” Tan opined.
On the other hand, RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd (RHB Research) has a more positive outlook on MMHE, believing that the group is expecting more news flow in the second half of FY14 (2HFY14).
“We expect new platform fabrication projects to be announced in 2H of 2014 (2H14), driven by Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) effort to increase the domestic oil production via enhanced oil recovery (EOR) initiatives.
“We expect the turnkey central processing platform, Bardegg 2 project to be awarded by 3Q14,” it projected.
The research housed added that it believes this project could fetch RM1 billion to RM1.2 billion, of which MMHE stands a fair chance of winning with ample yard capacity.
That said, it trimmed its FY14/FY15 forecasts by 5.1 and 7.5 per cent respectively as it lowers its estimated contribution from associates and value of works to be done in both years as it conservatively build in delays in project deliveries.
As for the research arm of Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB Research), it highlighted that its forecasts for MMHE are unchanged.
The research arm expects higher RM2.5 billion to RM3 billion of job wins for 2014 based on MMHE’s RM4 billion RM5 billion tender book (50 per cent international) versus RM2.6 billion won in 2013.
“MMHE, in our view, is heading in the right direction to be regionally competitive. While still reliant on domestic works, plans are in place to break into overseas markets,” Maybank IB Research opined.
It further noted that MMHE’s cost control is improving as the group progressively adopts good operating practices.
“The on-going yard optimisation allows MMHE to target sizeable platform structure jobs, worth over RM1 billion each,” the research arm added.
All in, Maybank IB Research maintained its ‘buy’ rating on MMHE while RHB Research reiterated its ‘neutral’ call on the stock. In contrast, MIDF Research reiterated its ‘sell’ recommendation on MMH.
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