UOB Kay Hian has maintained its “market weight” recommendation on the Singapore plantation sector upon improved y-o-y earnings in 1H20, and expectations of a better 2H20. UOB Kay Hian analysts Leow Huey Chuen and Jacquelyn Yeow noted the reason behind most companies’ better 1H20 earnings was d...

Bumitama Agri’s stellar results for 1H20 ended June 30 have led analysts to remain bullish on the oil palm player. RHB Securities, Maybank Kim Eng and DBS Group Research have maintained their “buy” recommendations on the stock. On August 14, Bumitama reported earnings soared 87.6% y-o-y to IDR...

Following months of weak oil prices, crude palm oil prices have rallied to present levels of MYR 2379/tonne ($772.11), with RHB Research recommending plantation stocks as value buys for the coming year. “With the markets in a liquidity-driven rally, we believe cyclical sectors like plantations cou...

SINGAPORE (22 July): Indonesian palm oil producer Bumitama Agri has announced that Chief Strategy Officer Johannes Tanuwijaya has stepped down from his appointment as of July 1, 2020.  Tanuwijaya had served as CSO since 2013, and will remain in the capacity as an Advisor of the Group. ...

SINGAPORE (June 26): The reduction of Malaysia’s export duty on crude palm oil (CPO) to zero in June from 4.5% in May has a contrasting impact on several Singapore-listed and Indonesia-based palm oil companies. While the new export tax structure bodes well for First Resources and Golden Agri-Resou...

SINGAPORE (May 13): Stronger crude palm oil (CPO) prices and lower unit costs have enabled Bumitama Agri’s 1Q FY20 results to exceed analyst expectations. The company’s earnings of IDR262.07 billion ($25 million) beat RHB Securities’ 1Q forecast, comprising 35% of the brokerage’s FY20 for...

SINGAPORE (Apr 29): Analysts at Maybank Kim Eng are optimistic that Singapore-listed Bumitama (BAL) Agri may emerge from the Covid-19 impact relatively unscathed. According to its April 29 report, the Indonesian oil palm plantation operator reported normal operations in its plantations in a confere...

SINGAPORE (Apr 13): The plantation sector has not been spared by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like any other industry, counters have become victims of panic-induced selling.  In a Monday report, DBS analysts William Simadiputra notes that Malaysia’s crude palm oil (CPO) stockpile for March came in at ...

SINGAPORE (Mar 24): RHB Group Research is downgrading its ratings for plantation players Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) and Bumitama Agri (BAL) on the back of lower crude palm oil (CPO) price assumptions. From “buy” calls on both counters previously, the research house is cutting GAR to “sell”...

SINGAPORE (Mar 12): There are two ways to navigate a market crash. You either buy now because stocks are underpriced, or you start selling because you want to reduce your losses. How then, to identify which stocks to buy, and which ones to drop from your portfolio? 1. Determine the situation “Un...