KL Kepong 4Q net profit up 48% to RM460m, FY RM1.57b

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 23): KUALA LUMPUR KEPONG BHD [] (KLK) reported a 48% increase in earnings to RM460.61 million in the fourth quarter ended Sept 30, 2011 from RM311.04 million, boosted by the PLANTATION []s sector and disposal of an associate, Esterol.

It said on Wednesday its revenue increased by 48.9% to RM2.999 billion from RM2.014 billion while its earnings per share were 43.25 sen compared with 29.21 sen. It declared an interim dividend of 70 sen per share versus 45 sen.

“The group's pre-tax profit increased 38.3% to RM599.2 million. The current quarter's result was boosted by the non-recurring surplus of RM200.6 million arising from the disposal of an associate, Esterol, whilst last year's quarter had a writeback of RM76.0 million on the allowance for diminution in value of investment,” it said.

KLK said the plantations sector recorded a 27.7% improvement in profit to RM447.5 million due to better selling prices of commodities and increase in fresh fruit bunches production despite higher production cost and FRS 139's fair value loss of RM27.1 million.

However, the manufacturing sector's performance was adversely impacted by the uncertainties and concerns over the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and global macroeconomic environment which had eroded customers' buying confidence and disrupted the supply and demand pattern.

This sector reported a loss of RM49.3 million (4QFY2010: profit RM26.1 million) with substantial stocks write-down as a result of falling prices and FRS 139's fair value loss of RM33.9 million.

For the financial year ended Sept 30, its earnings jumped 55.2% to RM1.571 billion from RM1.021 billion while its revenue reported a 43.4% increase to RM10.743 billion from RM7.490 billion.

KLK said the Group's pre-tax profit for the financial year at RM2.066 billion had surpassed the preceding year's profit by 49.4%.

The increase in profit was due to a 41.9% surge in plantations profit to RM1.596 billion, driven by strong selling prices of commodities which had over-shadowed the impact of higher production cost.

KLK said the manufacturing sector reported a 40.1% increase in profit to RM201.9 million despite the loss suffered in the fourth quarter.

“The results for the year had benefited from added capacities coming on-stream as well as relatively strong business environment in the earlier part of the year,” it said

It also said retailing profit fell 33.6% to RM18.4 million due to narrower margins and increase in operating cost.

The disposals of two associates, Esterol and Barry Callebaut Malaysia Sdn Bhd (BCM), had generated a total surplus of RM244.0 million.