Friday, 14 December 2012

Top Glove Corp - Off to a Good Start


Top  Glove  delivered  strong  1QFY13  earnings  of  RM57.5m  on  the  back  of  lower raw  material  costs  and  improved  operation  efficiency.  While  the  earnings  were 9.5% weaker q-o-q due to the utilisation of a tax benefit in the last quarter, it was well within our and street estimates. We are generally upbeat on the company’s as well as the sector’s outlook. Although its share price has performed well this year, we are maintaining our BUY recommendation and RM6.25 FV, which still offers a 10% price upside.   

A good start. Top Glove’s FY13 performance took off to a good start as its first-quarter net  profit  came  in  at  RM57.5m  (+82.9%  y-o-y,  -9.5  q-o-q)  –  well  within  our  and consensus estimates. On a quarterly basis, net profit slid 9.5% as the group had utilised its tax benefit in 4QFY12. Overall, we attribute the commendable y-o-y results to easing raw  material  costs  (latex  and  nitrile  prices  dropped  30%  and  31%  y-o-y  respectively), improved  production  efficiency,  as  well  as  rising  demand  from  the  developed  and emerging  countries.  Although  revenue  dipped  3.7%  q-o-q,  dragged  down  by  lower average  selling  prices  (ASPs),  Top  Glove  still  managed  to  reap  a  healthy  margin  of approximately  15.3%  at  the  EBITDA  level,  backed  by  plunging  raw  material  costs  and better operating efficiency. 
 
All  is  intact.  As we highlighted previously, we think that the operating environment for glove makers is favourable in view of the lower raw material costs, stable exchange rate, and resilient global demand. Meanwhile, we believe the cost increments in labour wages and gas prices may not make a significant impact on glove makers. With the company’s immediate and long-term expansion plans to complete each of its three new factories d by April, June and August 2013 respectively, as well as upstream venture in rubber tree plantations firmly on track, we remain upbeat on Top Glove’s outlook.

Maintain  BUY,  with  RM6.25  FV.  We  are  confident  that  Top  Glove  is  set  to  perform strongly  this  financial  year,  backed  by  its  leadership  in  the  medical  gloves  industry  as well  as  positive  outlook  for  the  sector.  Although  the  company’s  share  price  has performed reasonably well so far, we think there is still a 10% upside potential to our FV of RM6.25, based on a 18.7x FY13f PE. Maintain BUY. 
Source: OSK

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