KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 16): Here is a brief look at some corporate announcements and news flow on Tuesday (Aug 16), which include Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Guan Chong Bhd, Apex Healthcare Bhd, Duopharma Biotech Bhd, Berjaya Food Bhd, GuocoLand (Malaysia) Bhd, MK Land Holdings Bhd, Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd, Swift Haulage Bhd and PLS Plantations Bhd.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) total passenger movements soared 138% to 7.83 million in July 2022, versus 3.29 million in the same period last year. The airport operator said international passenger movements recorded 3.1 million passengers, reaching 51.3% pre-pandemic level, while domestic passenger movements recorded 4.7 million passengers, reaching 72.2% pre-pandemic level.

Guan Chong Bhd's net profit for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 grew 22.6% to RM44.61 million from RM36.39 million in the same period a year ago, in line with improving grinding margins, apart from being boosted by higher sales tonnage of cocoa ingredients, following a recovery in global chocolate consumption in post-pandemic era. Revenue grew 36.7% to RM1.2 billion — its best ever quarterly revenue — from RM876.23 million in the same period last year, mainly due to an increase in sales volume of cocoa butter, as the previously delayed shipments were shipped out in this quarter. The group declared a second interim single-tier dividend of two sen per ordinary share, to be payable on Oct 10.

For the cumulative six months ended June 30, 2022, Guan Chong's net profit climbed 39.26% to RM97.88 million from RM70.28 million, while revenue was up 19.15% to RM2.19 billion from RM1.84 billion.

Apex Healthcare Bhd's net profit jumped 83% to RM23.5 million in the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 from RM12.8 million in the same quarter last year on improved operating profit from its subsidiaries as well as a significantly stronger share of net-of-tax earnings from its associated company. Revenue rose 14.62% to RM209.2 million from RM182.6 million in line with rising business optimism and strong private sector sales in Malaysia and Singapore. The group also declared an interim single-tier dividend of three sen per share, with an ex-date of Sept 5, to be paid on Sept 15. Cumulatively, the group's net profit for the six months ended June 30, 2022 jumped 58.9% to RM39.26 million from RM24.7 million while revenue grew 17.4% to RM425.17 million from RM362.04 million.

Duopharma Biotech Bhd posted a 6% increase in net profit for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 to RM16.31 million from RM15.39 million a year earlier, underpinned by a higher revenue. Its quarterly revenue jumped by nearly 17% to RM181.74 million from RM155.44 million, fuelled by higher sales to the ethical classic market and public health sector during the period. The group declared a first interim dividend of 0.5 sen per share, to be payable on Sept 14.

For the cumulative six months ended June 30, 2022, net profit went up by 10.9% to RM36.6 million from RM33 million in the same period last year.

Berjaya Food Bhd's (BFood) net profit soared 185% to RM40.66 million in the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2022  from RM14.27 million a year ago, due to higher same-store-sales growth, particularly from its Starbucks outlets.  Quarterly revenue came in sharply higher at RM291 million versus RM180.7 million a year ago. This lifted the group's annual revenue to a record high of RM997.7 million for the financial year ended June 30, 2022 compared with RM717.3 million in FY21. The group's annual net profit soared to RM122.7 million — the highest since the financial year ended April 30, 2015. BFood has declared a fourth interim dividend of two sen per share, to be payable on Sept 22.

GuocoLand (Malaysia) Bhd's net profit for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2022 jumped over three times to RM23.79 million from RM7 million a year before, due to higher contribution from the property development division and lower loss incurred by the hospitality division. Revenue for the quarter grew 29% to RM172.08 million from RM133.31 million a year earlier. However, its net profit for the financial year ended June 30, 2022 dropped 66% to RM26.3 million from RM77.41 million a year ago, with annual revenue down 33.27% to RM434.07 million from RM650.46 million.

The Energy Commission has granted MK Land Holdings Bhd a four-year extension to its power purchase agreement (PPA) for its 10.95 MW Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plant in Kerian, Perak. Consequently, the tenure of the PPA will be 25 years after the extension.

Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd has secured a contract from Sarawak Shell Bhd/Sabah Shell Petroleum Co Ltd (SSB/SSPC) for the provision of one unit landing craft tank known as Dayang Cempaka. Dayang Enterprise said that its wholly owned subsidiary DESB Marine Services Sdn Bhd has been awarded the contract, value of which is based on work orders issued by SSB/SSPC approximately within 548 days from Sept 26, with a six-month extension option.

Swift Haulage Bhd has announced that it is disposing of a 4.816-hectare piece of land in Klang, Selangor for RM38.36 million. This comes after Sentiasa Hebat Sdn Bhd, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Swift Haulage, entered into a sale and purchase agreement with TPC Land Sdn Bhd for the disposal of the piece of industrial land held under state lease located in Bandar Sultan Sulaiman, Klang.

PLS Plantations Bhd intends to invest RM50 million in a 51:49 joint venture with one Landasan Erajaya Sdn Bhd to undertake cash crops plantation activities over land areas located in Pahang, which would enhance the group's cash flow by optimising its large tracts of land assigned for forest plantation.