KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer Plenitude Bhd’s chief executive officer Lee Wee Kee has resigned from the company citing personal reasons.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
TRANSACTIONS (CHAPTER 10 OF LISTING REQUIREMENTS) : NON RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONSPLENITUDE BERHAD ("PLENITUDE" OR THE "COMPANY")
PROPOSED INVESTMENT IN A 4-STAR BEACH RESORT HOTEL BUILDING WITH 238 ROOMS KNOWN AS "HOLIDAY VILLA BEACH RESORT & SPA LANGKAWI" IN LANGKAWI, KEDAH ("PROPOSED INVESTMENT")
KUALA LUMPUR: Plenitude Bhd will remain cost-conscious and focused on profitability in order to maintain a strong financial position while ensuring long-term business operations.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
Analysis and Assessment of Plenitude Berhad (PLENITU): A Comprehensive Overview of a Property and Hospitality Company
Plenitude Berhad ( $PLENITU / 5075 (PLENITUDE BERHAD) ) is a public listed company with a core interest in property development, property investment, and hospitality. Incorporated on 6 November 2000, the Plenitude Group has cultivated a diverse portfolio in the property sector, establishing a dependable reputation in real estate. In 2001, it ventured into the hospitality industry and presently owns over 2,000 hotel rooms across Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, demonstrating significant growth and diversification.
PLENITU, closed at a price of RM1.15 per share on October 24th. Over the past year, the company has demonstrated a healthy price return of 17.3%, indicating its potential for growth and investor confidence. With a market capitalization of RM438.8 million, PLENITU is a significant player in its segment, although relatively smaller when compared to the overall property market capitalization, which stands at approximately RM82.72 billion. The company's last twelve months price-to-earnings (LTM P/E) ratio is 10.01x, where the industry average P/E is at 16.6x, suggesting an attractive valuation. Its earnings per share (EPS) stands at 11.48, showcasing its ability to generate earnings for its investors. Furthermore, PLENITU's dividend payout ratio is 2.61%, indicating that it distributes a portion of its profits to shareholders as dividends, which may be appealing to income-oriented investors.
About the free float ratio for their stock, the substantial shareholders collectively hold 59.21% of the company's shares. This ownership is divided among Ikatanbina Sdn. Bhd. with 32.19%, Fields Equity Management Ltd. with 21.54%, and En Primeurs Sdn. Bhd. with 5.48%. With no shares held by the board of directors and no shares resulting from buybacks or treasury stock, the company's free float stands at 40.79%. This free float is made up of shareholders who individually own less than 5% of the total outstanding shares.
For group financial performance in 4QFY23, The Group registered a revenue of RM131.1 million and net profit of RM20.0 million for the current quarter ended 30 June 2023 as compared to revenue of RM90.5 million and net profit of RM10.6 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The property development division contributed higher revenue of RM90.9 million for the current quarter compared to RM70.3 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The increase in revenue was mainly attributable to the higher sales from completed units Diamond 5, 2 & 3 Strorey Terrace Houses at Taman Putra Prima in Selangor in which vacant possession was delivered during the quarter, along with a newly launched Phase 1 – Magnolia, double storey terrace house at Impian Hills, Ulu Tiram Johor in 3Q 2023 and Cello 3B double storey terrace houses at Taman Desa Tebrau launch in 4Q 2023. On other hand, Hotel operations recorded a revenue of RM39.4 million for the current quarter, an increase of RM20.0 million compared to revenue of RM19.4 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The substantial surge in revenue was driven by the higher hotel business attained in the current quarter coupled with the new addition of Ascott Gurney Penang and Travelodge Honmachi Osaka in year 2022.
Additionally, in yearly basis, for the financial year ended 30 June 2023, the Group recorded a revenue of RM361.7 million and net profit of RM38.5 million compared to a revenue of RM272.7 million and net profit of RM19.0 million for the previous financial year ended 30 June 2022. The higher revenue recorded for the year was mainly contributed by the hotel division which is recovering from the pandemic’s hit, with international arrivals starting to rebound after borders re-opened in April 2022. However, we can see the negative CAGR value for 5-year PAT of the company which stands at -1.6% from 2019 to 2023. It is mainly attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As this pandemic led to economic uncertainty, reduced demand, disruptions in the supply chain, and the rise of remote work contributed to this decline in profitability in that period. Apart from that, the company seems to be on the path to recovery after experiencing a decline that started in 2020 and beyond.
The current P/E ratio for the company is 10.01x, and the earnings per share (EPS) is RM0.11, which looks favorable when compared to the industry's average P/E of 16.6x. In my view, the company's potential growth rate is estimated at 20.70% in a bullish scenario, leading to an increased EPS of RM0.13. This optimistic outlook takes into account market factors, such as the implications of the 2024 budget on the property sector and government efforts to attract foreign investors. Noteworthy developments include the government's plan to make the MM2H program more accessible to foreigners, allocating RM10 billion for the expansion of the Skim Jaminan Kredit Perumahan, and infrastructure projects like LRT 3 and Penang LRT, which can stimulate property demand in specific areas of Malaysia. If this optimistic scenario happens, the price of RM1.73 per share, representing a 50.43% increase is most probably reasonable.
On the other hand, in the bear case, considering the company’s wary on the possibility of interest rate increases towards the end of the year, Worse still, the company's growth rate could be negatively impacted by as much as -10.60%, taking into account their historical growth. As when interest rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive, which can dampen demand for real estate and lead to lower property prices. Higher interest rates can also increase the cost of financing for property development, potentially squeezing profit margins for property companies. In this case, the reasonable price may be around RM1.05. However, it is unlikely that the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will raise interest rates at the end of 2023 as Inflation in Malaysia has moderated in recent months, and is expected to continue to do so in the coming months. Other than that, Global financial markets have been volatile in recent months, and a rate hike in Malaysia could further destabilize markets. The BNM is likely want to avoid this. A few economists have suggested that the BNM could raise interest rates by 25 basis points at the end of 2023, but this is seen as unlikely by the majority of economists. Therefore, I think the probability of this case is anticipated to be lower than that of the bullish case.
Also, it’s worth noting that the company’s Book value per share is at 4.25x currently, whereas the company’s share price is at RM1.15 per share. As for comparison, other companies in property, $UEMS / 5148 (UEM SUNRISE BERHAD) and $TAMBUN / 5191 (TAMBUN INDAH LAND BERHAD), their book value per share are at 1.67x and 1.34x respectively, whereas their current market share is RM0.84 and RM0.77 per share respectively.
1/6
As a continuation of the previous posting for $KSL / 5038 (KSL HOLDINGS BERHAD) and $PLENITU / 5075 (PLENITUDE BERHAD), the Property sector has benefited from the budget 2024 that was announced on 13th October, last Friday.
Firstly, the government's intention to make the MM2H program more accessible to foreigners is a notable development. However, as the specifics are still pending, a stricter MM2H regulation could potentially make it more challenging to apply for the program, limit opportunities for foreigners to reside, work, and invest in Malaysia, and introduce greater uncertainty and instability for current MM2H participants. Consequently, this news may bring to the opposite effect. You can refer to the current MM2H regulations provided below:
"• Those who are younger than 50 years old must have a minimum liquid assets of MYR1,500,000; a Minimum offshore monthly income of MYR40,000; and a fixed deposit account in Malaysia that contains at least MYR1,000,000
• Individuals who are 50 years or older must have a minimum liquid assets of MYR1,500,000; A Minimum offshore monthly income of MYR40,000; and a fixed deposit account with a Malaysian bank that contains at least MYR1,000,000
• Other requirements include: The annual visa fee is MYR500 and there will be a processing fee charged by immigration of MYR5,000 for the principal applicants plus MYR2500 for each dependent; the requirement to stay in Malaysia for 90 days"
Another important point is the allocation of RM10 billion to expand the Skim Jaminan Kredit Perumahan, which will enable 40,000 borrowers to purchase properties. This allocation is twice as much as the previous 2023 budget, which only provided RM5 billion for 20,000 borrowers.
Third, infrastructure projects like LRT 3 and Penang LRT can support the demand for property in certain areas in Malaysia. In this case, both projects are expected to have a significant impact on the property markets in the respective areas. LRT 3 will connect major residential and commercial areas in Klang Valley, while Penang LRT will connect the island's two major cities, George Town and Seberang Perai. As a result of these projects, property prices in areas near the LRT stations are expected to rise. This is because properties in these areas will become more desirable to buyers and tenants, due to the convenience and accessibility that the LRT provides.
Unfortunately, the implementation of the 4% flat rate stamp duty (previously tiered rate of 1-4%) on the Memorandum of Transfer by non-citizens and foreign-owned companies may negatively affect buying interest by foreigners marginally. However, this rate is still lower compared to other cities in other countries as shown in the picture.
So far, these are what I can conclude about the effect of budget 2024 on the property sector. Feel free to post your thoughts!
1/2
$PLENITU / 5075 (PLENITUDE BERHAD) just announced their latest AR FY2023 yesterday,
here's the summary:
Financial highlight
•FY2023 results: Revenue of RM361.7 million, PBT of RM58.6 million, an improvement over FY2022 (RM272.7 million revenue, RM42.3 million PBT).
•Property development is the primary driver, contributing 60% of total revenue.
•PBT increased by 39% due to strong revenue from property sales and higher hotel occupancy rates and room rates.
•Total costs and expenses before finance costs rose to RM132.2 million in FY2023 from RM95.9 million in the previous year due to business growth, including new hotel openings in 2022 (Ascott Gurney Penang Hotel and Travelodge Honmachi Osaka Hotel).
•Plenitude Berhad’s market will sustain its growth growth due to low unemployment, increased tourist arrivals, and higher property transactions.
•Challenges for Plenitude Berhad are from weaker global growth, geopolitical tensions, financial market volatility, and supply chain disruptions.
Property development segment
•This segment managed to conclude RM314.7 million in sales and posted a revenue of RM219.0 million as compared to RM220.6 million in the preceding financial year.
•PBT of RM75.3 million, a decreased from RM81.8 million in FY2022.
•The majority of the revenue in FY2023, amounting to 55%, came from Taman Desa Tebrau in Johor Bahru, Johor.
Hotel Segment
•Revenue increased threefold from RM47.5 million to RM136.9 million, mainly to higher occupancy and room rates.
•Travelodge Honmachi Osaka, a 138-room hotel, started operations on 28 September 2022. It contributed 6% to the total hotel division revenue during the year.
•Plenitude's hotel revenue was distributed evenly among key cities in West Malaysia and their properties in Seoul, South Korea, and Osaka, Japan. In particular, the four hotels in Penang accounted for 40% of the Group's hotel revenue.
Investment property segment and others
•Investments in property generated rental income from various assets including the Gurney Walk, which was officially opened on 1 March 2022. It contributed RM2.5 million to the group, a big increase from FY2022's RM0.4 million.
•Other lease rental income reported in FY2023: rental income of RM4.0 million and operating profit of RM2.9 million versus RM3.6 million and RM2.5 million respectively in FY2022.
Financial Position
•Total assets as at the end of FY2023 stood at RM2.27 billion whilst total equity attributable to owners of the Company stood at RM1.62 billion, translating to Net Assets per Share of RM4.25.
•An increase compared to the previous year, where the total assets in FY2022 was RM2.20 billion and total equity attributable to owners of the Company stood at RM1.59 billion with Net Assets per Share of RM4.16.
Future Outlook
•With the challenging global environment, the Malaysian economy is projected to expand close to the lower end of the 4.0% to 5.0% range in 2023.
•The Group is optimistic about the property sector due to positive factors like the revival of major infrastructure projects, the potential review of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program, the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, and a stable interest rate outlook.
•However, the group is cautious about the possibility of interest rate increases towards the end of the year. In terms of property investment trends, they anticipate a focus on affordability, sustainability, technology integration, and government initiatives.
•The Group’s residential launches are on track with 7 new launches totaling RM713.2 million of gross development value in the pipeline, to cater to current demand for the upcoming financial year 2024.
•For 2023/2024, the government's target is to attract 15 million tourists. Hotels are expecting a better year with strong tourist arrivals and a healthy volume of events.
From a technical point of view, Plenitude Berhad's stock has exhibited a market return of 14.9% over the past year, accompanied by a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 9.4x and a dividend payout of 2.8%. It's interesting that the increase in Plenitude Berhad's share prices matches its performance in 2023. With the company looking promising, could its stock price also go up in the next year?
1/5
TRANSACTIONS (CHAPTER 10 OF LISTING REQUIREMENTS) : NON RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONSPLENITUDE BERHAD ("PLENITUDE" OR THE "COMPANY")
PROPOSED INVESTMENT IN A 13-STOREY HOTEL BUILDING IN SEOUL, KOREA ("PROPOSED INVESTMENT")
Property developer Plenitude Bhd has proposed to invest in a 13-storey hotel in Seoul, South Korea, for about RM114.3mil via its indirectly-owned Singaporean subsidiaries, Plenitude Koi Pte Ltd and Bizcentre Capital Pte Ltd.
KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer Plenitude Bhd has proposed to invest in a 13-storey hotel in Seoul, South Korea, for approximately RM114.3 million via its indirect-owned Singaporean subsidiaries, Plenitude Koi Pte Ltd and Bizcentre Capital Pte Ltd.
TRANSACTIONS (CHAPTER 10 OF LISTING REQUIREMENTS) : NON RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONSPLENITUDE BERHAD ("PLENITUDE" OR THE "COMPANY")
PROPOSED INVESTMENT IN A 13-STOREY HOTEL BUILDING IN SEOUL, KOREA ("PROPOSED INVESTMENT")
AmanahRaya Real Estate Investment Trust (AmanahRaya- REIT) has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Plenitude Bhd’s wholly owned unit Plenitude Gateway Sdn Bhd for the proposed disposal of Holiday Villa Beach Resort and Spa Langkawi for RM145mil.
KUALA LUMPUR: Plenitude Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Plenitude Gateway Sdn Bhd has entered into an agreement with Pacific Trustees Bhd to purchase Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa Langkawi for RM145 million.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
KUALA LUMPUR: AmanahRaya Real Estate Investment Trust (AmanahRaya REIT) has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Plenitude Bhd’s wholly owned unit Plenitude Gateway Sdn Bhd for the proposed disposal of Holiday Villa Beach Resort and Spa Langkawi for RM145 million.
TRANSACTIONS (CHAPTER 10 OF LISTING REQUIREMENTS) : NON RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONSPLENITUDE BERHAD ("PLENITUDE" OR THE "COMPANY")
PROPOSED INVESTMENT IN A 4-STAR BEACH RESORT HOTEL BUILDING WITH 238 ROOMS KNOWN AS "HOLIDAY VILLA BEACH RESORT & SPA LANGKAWI" IN LANGKAWI, KEDAH ("PROPOSED INVESTMENT")