KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 10): Based on corporate announcements and news flow today, companies that may be in focus tomorrow ( Jan 11) may include the following: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, AWC Bhd, Atlan Holdings Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Industronics Bhd, Hai-O Entreprise Bhd and Eversendai Corp Bhd.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) missed its passenger volume target last year partly due to the shift of airlines seat capacity by some of the local carriers and the anticipated higher passenger movements related to the 14th general election (GE14) that did not take place.

The airport operator saw 2.5% more passengers passing through the 39 airports in the country it operates last year, to reach 99.03 million from 96.64 million in 2017. MAHB had expected passenger volume to grow 6.5% in 2018.

For 2019, MAHB has set a lower passenger growth target of 4.9%, with international and domestic passenger traffic growing at 2.4% and 7.6% respectively.

AWC Bhd’s Singaporean unit Stream Environment (S) Pte Ltd (SEPL) has secured a sub-contract worth S$8.57 million (RM25.97 million) to undertake works on pneumatic waste and linen chute system, and foodwaste treatment system, in the republic.

The sub-contract, awarded by SDK Consortium, forms part of SDK’s proposed development of six blocks of seven-storey health campuses comprising acute hospital, specialist outpatient clinics, community hospital, nursing home and four basement levels in Woodlands.

SEPL’s work is expected to be completed by Jan 13, 2021.

Atlan Holdings Bhd’s third quarter net profit rose over seven-fold to RM13.69 million from RM1.6 million a year earlier, on the back of higher revenue and better margins in terms of operating expenses.

Revenue grew 15.76% on-year to RM215.39 million from RM186.07 million, on higher contribution from its duty-free goods trading business and higher orders from its automotive parts manufacturing business.

The group declared a dividend of 10 sen per share, bringing its cumulative dividend in the first three quarters to 20 sen.

Net profit for the nine months ended November 30, 2018 rose 50.43% to RM34.12 million from RM22.68 million a year ago, although cumulative revenue fell 7.77% to RM555.88 million, from RM602.73 million.

Atlan said it will focus on expanding market presence, strengthening operational efficiencies and monitoring key cost drivers closely.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has secured RM144 million financing for its second large-scale solar (LSS) project in Malaysia.

It said its special purpose vehicle TNB Bukit Selambau Solar Sdn Bhd (TBSS), together with MUFG Bank (Malaysia) Bhd, recently achieved financial close for financing the project located at Bukit Selambau, Kuala Muda, Kedah.

The 21-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project was inked in March 2018 between TNB and TBSS. The project is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Industronics Bhd, whose share price halved last year, wants to place out a big block of shares that is equivalent to 30% of its existing paid-up capital to raise nearly RM2.8 million for working capital.

The loss-making company has earmarked RM2 million to grow its system integration business which is currently primarily involved in the provision of light information display systems for airports, with remaining portion of the proceeds for necessary expenses, and additional inventory purchases under the luxury timepiece trading business.

The first tranche of private placement, which is 10% of the paid-up capital, will be priced at nine sen per share, compared with today’s closing of 10.5 sen, to third-party investors. The remaining shares will be placed out later at no less than 8.95 sen per share.

Hai-O Enterprise Bhd has seen cost of doing business increase due to the re-introduction of the sales and service tax (SST), according to its managing director Tan Keng Kang.

Tan said Hai-O continues to maintain its selling prices amid soft market sentiments, and is planning a promotion campaign for new product launches in order to boost sales in the second half of the financial year ending April 30, 2019.

To recap, Hai-O's net profit for the second quarter ended Oct 31, 2018 fell 37% year-on-year to RM13.6 million from RM21.44 million, on lower sales from its multilevel marketing segment. Quarterly revenue also fell 25% to RM92.17 million from RM123.53 million a year ago.

Eversendai Corp Bhd has landed projects in Singapore, India and Qatar worth about RM406 million in total.

In Singapore, Eversendai will be building a new hi-tech data processing and computing facility for Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd.

The company will be providing services in connection design, supply, fabrication, painting and construction of structural steel diagrid and floor beams for APCRDA Office Building (HOD Towers 3 & 4) at Amarawati, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh in India; and engineering, connection design, fabrication, painting supply and installation of structural steel works for Lusail Expressway Al Wahda Arch in Qatar.

Eversendai expects the projects to contribute positively to earnings for financial years 2019 and 2020.