OSK188 - 23 April 2012: DAILY RESEARCH REPORT

On The Platter

TIME dotCOM (FV RM0.87 – BUY) Corporate News Flash: Full Speed Ahead

Last Friday, Time dotCom (TDC) announced that the High Court of Malaya had granted its approval for TDC‟s proposals to conduct: (i) a capital restructuring, and (ii) a capital repayment of RM0.02/share. We view the approval by the High Court positively, in the run-up to the much-anticipated acquisition of Global Transit  entities and AIMS Group, which is slated to be completed by 2HFY12. With their inclusion into TDC‟s current business structure, we  expect  the new enlarged entity to leverage on each other‟s strengths to provide a more holistic one-stop solution to their wholesale customers since the enlarged group would  have an extensive regional footprint with connectivity from Asia all the way to the US. We think that with the multiple proposals in the pipeline, there may be a rerating of the stock especially when the operations of the acquirees are consolidated together with TDC‟s later during the year. We are reiterating our BUY recommendation on the company at a fair value (FV) of RM0.87 based on a sum-of-theparts valuation.

BANGKOK BANK (FV THB206.3 – BUY) 1QFY12 Results Review: On Solid Ground

MEDIA SECTOR UPDATE (OVERWEIGHT):  1QCY12 Adex: All Well Within Expectations

AIR ASIA (FV RM4.57  – BUY) Corporate News Flash:  Extending Agreement With Tune Insurance

CHONGQING IRON & STEEL (FV UNDER REVIEW) Results Review:  Narrowing Losses in 1Q

Market Review

Heads south.  The FBM KLCI was down 4.77 pts to close at 1591.85.  News over the weekend include: the consumer price index (CPI) for March increased 2.1% y-o-y to 104.5, AirAsia Bhd enters  into distribution and call option agreements with  Tune Ins Holdings SB and Tune Money SB in relation to the provision of insurance products to AirAsia customers as well as the right to purchase Tune Ins shares, Ajiya Bhd invests RM30m to set up a safety glass processing plant in Thailand and  total advertising expenditure in the country slipped 0.9% y-o-y to RM856.2m according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, the joint venture of MMC Corp Bhd and Gamuda Bhd has accepted the RM8.8bn contract for the underground works package for the  Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit and Bank Negara‟s international reserves totalled RM416.6bn as at 13 April 2012. Finally, US markets closed mix while the crude oil price closed higher  last Friday. The price of crude oil edged up by USD1.21 to close at USD103.78/barrel.

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

RRI land tender out soon

The tender for the re-development of the 926ha out of the 1,215ha Rubber Research Institute (RRI) Malaysia land in Sungai Buloh, that is now controlled by Kwasa Land SB is expected to be called by the third or fourth quarter of this year, sources said. The new developments would give the RRI land a huge physical and economic boost that would lift the land value of the area. The tenders were supposed to be out by June but because this development required considerable scrutiny and strategizing, it might take a little longer. (StarBiz)

Petronas bags Singapore, Indonesia gas deals

Petroliam Nasional (Petronas) made a major coup in the past two weeks, securing two gas supply deals in Singapore and Indonesia. In the latest deal, Petronas signed a gas  sales agreement with Keppel Energy, a subsidiary of Singapore-listed Keppel Corp to supply 43m standard cubic feet per day of natural gas to the latter, a deal which is believed to be worth USD2.2bn (RM6.74bn). (BT)

Redeveloping Old Klang Road

Far East Organization, Singapore‟s largest private developer, plans to redevelop a commercial site in Old Klang Road, here, into an integrated lifestyle mixed development in three years. Chief operating officer, Chia Boon Kuah said the group had commenced  a feasibility study on the supply and demand situation and the best product mix for the area. The group is considering high-rise condominiums targeting the upper-middle income group, and retail components. (BT)

AirAsia signs insurance distribution agreement

AirAsia Bhd has entered into a distribution agreement with Tune Ins Holdings SB, which will see the latter provide insurance products to the company‟s customers, and a call option agreement with Tune Ins and Tune Money SB for the right to purchase shares in Tune Ins. The agreement would help improve performance of the travel insurance business and reduce costs, said the company. (Malaysian Reserve)

MAS to set up JV training school in Hyderabad

Malaysian  Airline System Bhd‟s (MAS) engineering and maintenance unit expects to expand its training programme for licensed aircraft engineers and technicians by setting up a training school in Hyderabad, India, under its joint-venture project with GMR Hyderabad International Airport. The move is expected to help the national flag carrier to generate more revenue and meet the demand for well-trained aircraft maintenance facility personnel, MAS senior vice president, engineering and maintenance, Subang, Khairuddin Hamzah said. (Malaysian Reserve)

ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

Malaysia: CPI up moderately on food and non-food items

Malaysia‟s March CPI didn‟t bear surprises, with a moderate increase of 2.1% to 104.5 y-o-y. The index for food and non-alcoholic  beverages and non-food showed increases of 2.9% and 1.7% y-o-y respectively for March. The CPI remained unchanged at 104.5 m-o-m. The CPI for 1Q2012, meanwhile, rose 2.3% y-o-y. All main groups advanced with the exception of communication, clothing and footwear. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, in particular, rose 3.6%. (StarBiz) Please see accompanying report

Indonesia: S&P sees policy slippages as it considers rating

Indonesia‟s push to lure investment is at risk from “policy slippages” such as the failure to cut fuel subsidies, said Standard & Poor‟s, the only company with a non-investment-grade rating for the Southeast Asian nation. If the government‟s subsidy spending alters the fiscal outcome or markedly deteriorates the quality of expenditure or if policy measures deter fresh foreign direct investment, then the ratings could stabilize at the current level, according to S&P. Indonesian lawmakers last month rejected the government‟s proposal for a 33% increase in subsidized-fuel prices from 1 April, instead allowing it to raise rates only if the Indonesia Crude Price exceeds the state budgetary assumption of USD105 a barrel by 15% over a six-month period. (Bloomberg)

Japan: Lacking fiscal plan may be deflation cause

Japan‟s absence of “concrete reform plans” for the nation‟s finances may be contributing to deflation and sluggish economic growth by discouraging spending by the public on concerns over future fiscal developments, central bank Governor Masaaki Shirakawa said. Shirakawa has pledged to extend “powerful” easing until a 1% price goal is in sight and his policy board next meets on 27 April. The nation‟s borrowings will exceed JPY1,000trn (USD12.4trn) for the first time in this fiscal year, the Finance Ministry projects, while the OECD predicts Japan‟s public debt will reach 219% of GDP. (Bloomberg)

Japan: Loan demand rising a boost for recovery

Demand for loans from Japanese companies, households, and local governments rose in the first quarter as the nation‟s economy  rebounded from a contraction in 2011. An index showing companies‟ demand climbed to 6 from minus 2 in the previous three months, while gauges for local governments and households jumped to 7 from zero. The figure adds to evidence that Japan is recovering from last year‟s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. The Bank of Japan‟s setting of a 1% inflation target and expansion of its asset-purchase program by JPY10trn (USD122bn) in February caused the yen to weaken, helping exporters. (Bloomberg)

EU: Governments urged to fix crisis as G-20 warns of rising stress

Europe‟s governments were told the onus for fixing their debt woes lies with them as the Group of 20 warned the two-year crisis still threatens global growth. Canada and Australia joined the IMF and US in pressing Europe to intensify efforts to quell the turmoil as it spreads to Spain. The G-20 cited “the situation in Europe” first in a list of drags on the world economy. (Bloomberg)

UK: March retail sales surge on warm weather

UK retail sales rose at the fastest pace for more than a year last month as the warmest March for half a century boosted purchases of clothing and gardening products and panic buying lifted auto-fuel demand. Sales including auto fuel gained 1.8% from February, when they fell 0.8%. The data add to evidence that the economy returned to growth in the first quarter, though the outlook remains fragile as inflation outpaces wages, continuing the squeeze on household budgets. Sales were boosted by the warmest March since 1957, increasing demand for clothing and footwear and spending at garden centers. Fuel sales rose 4.9% from February. Sales at non-food stores rose 3%, with clothing sales climbing 2.3% and purchases at department stores increasing 1.6%. (Bloomberg)

US: Consumer spending probably paced growth

The biggest gain in consumer spending in a year probably helped the US economy keep expanding in the first quarter even as fuel costs climbed. GDP is expected to rise at a 2.5% annual rate after advancing 3% in the previous three months. The Commerce Department will release the figure on 27 April. Consumer purchases that account for about 70% of the economy climbed by the most since the end of 2010, the survey of economists showed. Job creation and warmer winter weather helped Americans overcome higher prices at the gas pump as auto sales powered ahead and retailers enjoyed more foot traffic. At the same time, the pace of growth may not be enough  to convince Federal Reserve policy makers meeting this week to stray from their plan to keep borrowing costs low through 2014. (Bloomberg)

Source: OSK188