KUALA LUMPUR (May 10): UEM Edgenta Bhd said today that it is confident of sustaining its performance this year, minus the contribution following its disposal of a 61.2% stake in New Zealand-based Opus International Consultants Ltd.

The group is also set to grow its topline at a moderate pace and to remain profitable.

"Our aim is not to let the sale of Opus impact our profits. For 2018, our target is the same level of profitability and in 2019, it is to grow beyond that from what we had when we still had Opus," its managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Merican told a press conference after UEM Edgenta's annual general meeting today.

Azmir recognised the significant contribution from Opus to the group, but expects UEM Edgenta to be able to fill in the gap, despite the sale of Opus.

UEM Edgenta made a net profit of RM418.19 million in the financial year ended Dec 31,2017 (FY17), which included an one-off gain from the sale of its stake in Opus for RM274.91 million, up from RM80.06 million in net profit in FY16. Revenue for FY17 also grew to RM2.12 billion from RM1.58 billion in the previous year.

The group is allocating a capital expenditure of RM100 million this year, of which 40% will be used for technology, automation and mechanisation and 40% for plant, machineries, equipment and vehicles.