Media Prima down at mid-morning

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of MEDIA PRIMA BHD [] declined at mid-morning on Friday, May 13 after its net profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 fell 23.7% to RM34.79 million from RM45.57 million a year ago, in line with general seasonal advertising trends.

At 10.30am, Media Prima shed two sen to RM2.66 with 258,800 shares done.

Revenue for the quarter rose to RM354.19 million from RM323.67 million in 2010. Earnings per share werea 3.36 sen while net assets per share was RM1.27.

Reviewing its performance, Media Prima said on Thursday, May 12 that the first quarter of the year had always been the lowest in terms of advertising spending as compared to other quarters, when most advertisers start their promotional roll out.

MIDF Research has downgraded Media Prima to Neutral with a lower target price of RM2.70 (from RM2.80).

'We are maintaining our FY11 and FY12 top line estimates. However, to reflect the lower negative''goodwill, we are revising downwards our FY11 and FY12 net profit estimates by 26.6% and 20.0%.

'Although, we believe Media Prima will register growth operationally, we are downgrading''Media Prima to Neutral due to the recent run up of its share price. Our adjusted target price is based on PE/Growth ratio of 0.85 times, based on average PEG of its regional peers,' said MIDF Research in a note May 13.

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#Stocks to watch:* Dialog, Maybank, Fitters, Media Prima

KUALA LUMPUR: Stocks which could see strong trading interest on Friday, May 13 include DIALOG GROUP BHD [], MALAYAN BANKING BHD [], FITTERS DIVERSIFIED BHD [] and MEDIA PRIMA BHD [].

Petroliam Nasional Bhd is reported to be investing up to RM50 billion in new integrated downstream project to expand its business and further spur the growth of Malaysia's oil and gas downstream sector. This will be the single largest investment in the country in a project.

The signing ceremony will be on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Then project would likely be the independent deepwater petroleum terminal project at Pengerang, Johor which is jointly undertaken by Dialog and Vopak.

To recap, Dialog and Vopak's combined investment in the terminal would be RM5 billion and over a seven year period. Dialog's investment would be RM2.5b of which 30% would be from equity and 70% from project financing.

Dialog and Vopak are the core facilitators for the project, which is viewed as an entry point project (EPP) under the government's Economic Transformation Policy (ETP).

Maybank expects earnings for FY11 ending June 30 to surpass the record net profit it achieved in FY10.

Maybank's net profit for 3QFY11 rose 11%''to RM1.14 billion from RM1.03 billion. Revenue for the three months in review was 11.8% higher at RM5.13 billion compared with RM4.6 billion a year ago.

Fitters' earnings rose 107% to RM5.73 million from RM2.56 million a year ago, boosted by its new palm oil extraction business. Revenue was RM102.74 million, up 193% from RM35.03 million. Earnings per share were 2.65 sen versus 1.29 sen.

Media Prima's net profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 fell 23.7% to RM34.79 million from RM45.57 million a year ago, in line with general seasonal advertising trends.

Revenue for the quarter rose to RM354.19 million from RM323.67 million in 2010. Earnings per share werea 3.36 sen while net assets per share was RM1.27.

Reviewing its performance, Media Prima said on Thursday, May 12 that the first quarter of the year had always been the lowest in terms of advertising spending as compared to other quarters, when most advertisers start their promotional roll out.