No accountant to say it is also more tax efficient?

Revenue from solar down but revenue from earthing & lightning protection up.
Sad to see it is unable to grow its solar installation bizness for past 6 mths.
Eventually back to its roots as an ELP solutions provider....

Spritzer's Share Buybacks and Dividend-in-specie?
This iconic move of more share buybacks and several dividend-in-specie as a follow-through can keep the shareholders fully invested and may be a good shark-repellant.

This will also project Spritzer as a resilient stock rather than as a income stock, ironing out the kinks in the stock prices and volatile currencies.

Awarding cash dividend once a year to shareholders is just so 'old school'.

Is Sparkling Mineral water Good?
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/health-and-wellness-articles/2023/may/is-carbonated-water-good-for-you

Spritzer said that no microplastics have been detected in the listed group's natural mineral water following an analysis conducted by SIRIM...

https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/sirim-analysis-finds-no-microplastics-spritzers-mineral-water

Time to Stock up Spritzer mineral water ... water crisis in Penang n Kedah soon.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/08/11/water-levels-in-two-penang-dams-decline-to-danger-levels-between-26pc-and-30pc/146692

Christina Tee need to sell her shares.
But, why Ivy Tee offload her stake so early?
Make me wonder? The curious case of the Tee sisters....

Snippets extracted from 'The curious case of Cape EMS'
......to understand the Cape EMS story, one needs to go further back to the first block sale of shares post-IPO. That took place on Sept 13 last year, filings show, and it was a block of more than 113 million shares of Cape EMS that was sold by Fortress Capital Asset Management Sdn Bhd. Notable also is that days after that block sale, Tee Kim Yok, the younger sister of Christina and a substantial shareholder and executive director of Cape EMS, sold 20 million shares in Cape EMS through an off-market trade. She sold another 42 million shares late last year Cape EMS share price hovered around RM1.07.
This RM1.07 is another key number in the Cape EMS story because on Dec 11, 2023, 69 million shares of Cape EMS (7.5% of total shares) were placed out at a price of RM10% apiece to fund the company's acquisition of a United States-based firm called iconn Inc. Another concern for some investors is the acquisition of iconn Inc, which took place last September for which Cape EMS paid Rm76.6mil.
Soon after that 7.5% placement exercise, the company posted a significant decline in its net profit for 4Q23. Net profit plunged 64% from the previous quarter, dropping to Rm5.5mil from Rm15.2mil in the previous quarter.
The cause was a deferred tax that hit the company, leading to a massive 56.7% effective tax rate for Cape EMS in that quarter. Notes to the accounts stated that the higher tax rate was due "to the under provision of tax liabilities in preceding quarters".
Investors say they were shocked by this revelation as they were not guided by this.
"That in turn caused them to offload their shares”
The falling share price then led to the trigger of forced selling by institutions holding Christina's pledged shares.
Fund managers tell Starbizweek that this came about after company officials guided for lower earnings in the next quarter.
All eyes will be on the coming quarterly results of Cape EMS. "The profits from iconn need to come through. Anything less will be another red flag that this company does not need"

Wonder why Spritzer highlights the 'silica content' on its water label?
https://www.living-water.co.uk/blog/drinking-mineral-water-every-day-can-prevent-memory-loss-from-alzheimers/

Prospects for Spritzer?
- increased production output to 1.2 B litres (volume & capacity)
- higher pricing of products, more demand for sparkling water
- investment of rm80M for new production plant of sparkling water
- lower PET resin prices or raw material costs
- higher tourist arrivals in Malaysia 2024
- Hot weather in some states
- higher demand for mineral water, improved export sales, higher ASP
- double digit growth in the past 2 quarters YoY
- cash flow positive
- current PE is 14.5, fair value at PE 16, Div Yield 2.1%
(F&N is PE 19, Div yield 2.5%)

Spritzer growing ROCE and increasing Capital Employed...
Last year ROCE 12%, 3 yrs ago 7%

If Labour wins UK Ekections, will it jeopadise the Ping's Avalon project?

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/labour-confirms-no-new-oil-33024065

China can help Malaysia with EV plants startups…

When it comes to Malaysia's transportation sector, electrification is no doubt the most viable way to decarbonise and help the country achieve its net zero goals by 2050. This will be especially impactful with the electrification of fleet vehicles as well as public transportation.

XPeng can also be an investor in Bermaz, just as VW invests in Rivian….
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/25/volkswagen-rivian-stake.html

Bermaz can also initiate an EV production plant of XPeng G6 EVs for exports to US , EU n Asia?

https://www.reuters.com/markets/chinese-companies-seek-assurances-malaysia-avoiding-us-tariffs-ft-reports-2024-06-25/

Malaysia has aimed for EVs to account for 15% of the total industry volume (TIV) by 2030 and 80% by 2050.
Very unlikely can achieve such targets, probably only 15%.....
Consumers have given up on EVs in USA.....only in California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OprBrJ2qrnM

BAuto FY25 drivers....
√ Philippine car sales
√ Kia Electrics
√ XPeng Electrics
√ Mazda Hybrids

Positive Economic transformation starts in Malaysia....
√ Diesel n Petrol price increase Jun 2024- June 2025
√ Consumption, car sales, traffic jams, parking rates, etc. will also increase....

BAuto results better than expected….
Gross Profits FY24 vs FY23….
Malaysia +30M or up 9%
Philippines +30M or up 97%
Associates(Inokom) +11M up 28%

Overall Net Profits +50.5 M or up 15%
Dividend per year at 26 sen is better than last year 22 sen

Let it ride….FY25 will be electrifying as fuel price n inflation heats up….

Tan Teng Boo @CapitalDynamics is optimistic on China, on EVs, on autonomous driving and on XPeng EV G6....
XPeng G6 to be launched soon.
BAuto is now on autonomous driving with one foot on the Forward gear (XPeng & Kia EVs) and another foot on the Reverse gear (Mazda SUVs).....

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxVuCpjVSkBcItQI48vyIMD4qYsOvJxEwC?si=vnBHRf3Q-ksGQU14

Malaysia’s TIV, which is estimated to have grown by 20.7% to about 70,000 units in May, and rose by 8.8% to 330,236 units year-to-date.

Proton has announced its car sales have gone up by 14% in May.
No news yet from Mazda, Perodua, Toyota, etc......

Proton Edar Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said May saw a return to positive growth as TIV increased both year-on-year and month-on-month basis, reflecting the resilience of the local automotive industry.

“With the cumulative TIV until May already making up 44.6 per cent of Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA)’s full-year projection of 740,000 units, we believe there is still room for growth in the local automotive industry,” he opined.

Malaysia TIV (Total Industry Vehicles)
2023 (Feb-Apr) =190,244 vehicles
2024 (Feb-Apr) =193,333 vehicle
In Malaysia, number of cars sold in 4QFY24 are about the same as 4QFY23.
Likely similar revenue for BAuto of about RM 1B. for 4QFY24.

In the first quarter of 2024, the GDP of the Philippines grew by 5.7% compared to the same period in the previous year. This growth was driven primarily by the financial and insurance activities sector, which grew by 10%, as well as the wholesale and retail trade, and the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles sector, which expanded by 6.4%. The manufacturing sector also contributed with a growth of 4.5%.

We also have growth in Malaysia....more in traffic jams...

On ESOS shrs for employees...
perhaps BAuto can look into rewarding more ESOS for employees based on merit rating on performance. Like for Bermaz Philippines CEO & team that has performed extremely well in FY24 vs FY23. As todate 9 mths FY24, Bermaz Philippines has already exceeded the 12 mths FY23's revenue by some rm50 M. So, we can some expect some 60% increase in revenue contribution from Bermaz Philippines for FY24. Such CEO & team should be rewarded exemplarily....

https://www.autodeal.com.ph/articles/car-features/mazda-leads-in-after-sales-service-satisfaction-2023-can-2024-surpass

Yes, the high car sales in Malaysia in 2023 compared to 2022 can be attributed significantly to the exemption of the Government's Sales and Services Tax (SST) on cars. The SST exemption was a policy introduced to stimulate the automotive industry, especially in the wake of the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This tax incentive effectively reduced the cost of purchasing a vehicle, making it more attractive for consumers to buy cars.

Here are some key points that explain this trend:

SST Exemption Policy: The Malaysian government reintroduced the SST exemption for cars as a measure to boost the automotive sector. This exemption effectively reduced the overall price of new cars, encouraging more people to make purchases.

Economic Recovery: As the economy started to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, consumer confidence improved, and people were more willing to spend on big-ticket items like cars.

Pent-Up Demand: There was a significant pent-up demand from consumers who delayed their car purchases during the pandemic years. With the SST exemption and improved economic conditions, many chose to buy cars in 2023.

Automotive Industry Support: The government and automotive industry stakeholders, including car manufacturers and dealers, actively promoted the benefits of the SST exemption, further driving sales.

Overall, the combination of the SST exemption, economic recovery, and pent-up demand played a crucial role in driving the unusually high car sales in Malaysia in 2023 compared to 2022.

golden cross 20 days x 50 days....better days ahead?

https://www.dsf.my/2024/05/xpeng-g6-electric-suv-launch-in-august-with-rm180k-possible-price/

A good replacement to go EV....

https://soyacincau.com/2024/03/15/xpeng-ev-coming-to-malaysia-bermaz/#:~:text=XPeng%3A%20Another%20Chinese%20EV%20maker%20is%20coming%20to%20Malaysia&text=Chinese%20electric%20vehicle%20maker%20XPeng,of%20XPeng%20in%20our%20market.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/volkswagen-xpeng-ink-deal-develop-two-b-class-battery-evs-2024-02-29/

Bermaz Auto Bhd (BAuto) awarded the distributorship and rights for the sale of spare parts and provision of after-sales services of China’s XPeng smart electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia....

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2024/03/15/bermaz-auto-gets-buy-call-after-xpeng-deal/

Expect more options and more new car launches in 2H2024

Watch Bermaz Auto Philippines performance on sales of Mazda cars for FY24…
…..a 100% increase yoy

Is valuation of Pekat a bit stretched above PE 30?
SLVest is currently above PE 35 and Samaiden PE 50...
Which sponsor can perform n deliver?

Air Conditioning and AI Are Demanding More of the World’s Power—Renewables Can’t Keep Up.
Renewables can’t keep up with growth, which means more coal and more emissions............

https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/air-conditioning-and-ai-are-demanding-more-of-the-worlds-powerrenewables-cant-keep-up-987a58f3?mod=business_feat3_energy-oil_pos2

Malaysian homebuyers surging interest in solar panels because of heat wave and new electric cars? Imported pets and young children need air-conditioning whole day?
What's next? All playschools & schools need air-conditioned classrooms too?
Welcome to New Malaysia...a tropical isle that never runs out of energy...

https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2024/04/23/17-surge-in-homebuyer-enquiries-for-solar-homes-amidst-malaysias-heat-wave/

SLVEST, SAMAIDEN & SUNVIEW's results all seems to stall due mainly to the competitive pricing of PPA of the LSS4 solar projects? A proper rework may be needed before launching the LSS5...

The cabinet has just approved the expansion plans for the Penang airport (RM 1B).

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/27/green-light-for-penang-international-airport-expansion-project

Ten years ago in 2014, Tan Sri Bashir installed solar power on KLIA that generated 26MW of energy that saved more than RM 2M of energy costs per year...plus other green technology that put KLIA and KLIA2 the most energy-efficient airport in Malaysia.

Today, let's watch how energy-efficient is the new Airports(MAHB) team...knowing that...
Penang is a major industrial hub, contributing significantly to the national economy and relying solely on an aging power plant (Sultan Abdul Halim power station) that has faced several power outages. There are major concerns on its reliability and potential power disruptions....

The future energy sufficiency of Penang for its factories and International airport depends on the successful implementation of these solutions and the ability to meet the ever-increasing demand of green energy....

Locally, MFCB and Pekat Bhd have established a 55:45 joint venture (JV) called MFP Solar Sdn Bhd to undertake solar projects of up to 10MW in Malaysia, believed to give far better investment returns of 10% to 12%. MFP Solar would be an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contractor to undertake the installation of solar power projects on rooftops of industrial and commercial buildings under various models, namely build–operate–transfer, outright sale or leasing. MFCB would ride on Pekat Teknologi’s vast experience in the solar industry. For a start, the JV intends to tap multinational companies for opportunities.

In 2022, MPF-Pekat installed solar PV on 16 sewage plants of IWK (project value RM18.1 million of estimated energy generation: 8 GWh per annum).

https://themalaysianreserve.com/2021/09/01/pekat-secures-contract-worth-rm18-1m-to-build-solar-pv-system-for-iwk/

Lots more of IWK sewage plants need solar PV to run the pumps .... if it works, just execute...

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/21/natural-resources-minister-396-iwk-sewage-treatment-plants-selected-for-solar-pv-tech-phase-1/103330

If you want EVs (electric vehicles), you'll need a solar PV for your home.....
...and on your charging stations....

https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2024/02/25/tnb-shifts-30-of-fleet-to-evs-plans-500-charging-stations-by-2025/

Is the solar panel industry a growth sector in Malaysia this year?

G Gemini: Yes, the solar panel industry is expected to be a strong growth sector in Malaysia in 2024 and beyond. Here are some of the factors driving this growth:

Government support: The Malaysian government has ambitious renewable energy targets and has implemented various policies to support the solar industry, such as the Net Energy Metering (NEM) program and the Large Scale Solar (LSS) program. These programs provide financial incentives for businesses and individuals to install solar panels.

Declining solar panel costs: The cost of solar panels has been declining steadily over the past few years, making them more affordable for businesses and individuals.

Increasing awareness of climate change: Malaysians are becoming increasingly aware of the need to address climate change, and solar energy is seen as a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

Strong economic growth: Malaysia's economy is expected to grow by around 4% in 2024, which will boost demand for energy. Solar energy can help to meet this demand in a sustainable way.

Here are some of the specific predictions for the growth of the solar panel industry in Malaysia:

Mordor Intelligence predicts that the Malaysian solar energy market will grow at a CAGR of more than 9% during the period 2023-2028.

HLIB Research expects the renewable energy industry in Malaysia to see strong growth in 2024, driven by the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP), which is expected to generate between RM2.7 billion to RM3 billion of EPCC contract flows.

Overall, the outlook for the solar panel industry in Malaysia is very positive. The government's support, declining costs, and increasing awareness of climate change are all factors that are likely to drive growth in the sector in the coming years.

Which country is the largest producer and consumer of energy and also solar energy? China.
Which country is the largest producer of petroleum? USA.

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Solar-Energy/Could-Solar-Power-Become-Americas-Leading-Electricity-Source.html

Pekat - a sustainable business with sustainable projects...
Projects secured for 2024 - Tok Bali Kelantan 1MWp, Kuala Penyu Sabah 1.7MWp, Hybrid solar PV at Langsat CSTP Kajang, Off-Grid solar PV system at Setapak Central Mall, with MPF-Solar 6.5MWp, and the development of a 29.99-MWac solar power plant project under the corporate green power programme (CGPP) conducted by the Energy Commission.

The complex relationship between Islamists and Christians has spanned centuries, marked by a mixture of cooperation, conflict, and mutual influence.
It's better to take a stance of "Marie, let the eat cake..."

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor (7203.T) said on Wednesday it will recall 1.12 million vehicles worldwide because a short circuit in a sensor could cause air bags not to deploy as designed.

If Japan halt sales of Daihatsu & Toyota small cars, will Malaysia do the same?

Just a Christmas wish.....
EPF holds some 156.5 m shrs - another 17 m shrs more and it will be the top shareholder.
EPF together with PNB, Tabung Haji n KWP already own almost one-third of total shareholdings.
Together, can they make a 'mandatory general offer' for a takeover to complete the big picture?

est profit 114m as sales improved by 14%

‘tis ChristMaz season…and in e-madani support…
Tan Sri Dato Sri may give 12 sen div on 12.12.

Tesla??! Try driving the new Model 3…it’s just like using your smartphone while you’re driving…
You’ll notice there aren't the usual left-right indicator stalks on the steering column. The turn signals have been replaced by 2 tiny buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. That's the part that people seem to be most mad about…imaging you need to look at your steering wheel just to turn on a roundabout. For a left hand drive on a roundabout in China, you’d be looking down at your dic…

Why you don't see many American cars in Malaysia....
https://youtu.be/V6Qimcb6Wxs?si=aE5dGJT2rrTdPqr4

Bermaz and Peugeot parted ways - 'tis good as it's not a fit for BA strategy.
Peugeot is a very low profit and low margin marque and that's a drag to the momentum & resources of BAuto.
Kia will provide the electric range for the future and Mazda the ICE & hybrids as an alternative.
We will see whether the World is right about electric cars or the Japanese sleep walking to the future with ICE & hybrid cars. Whatever the case, Bermaz has both legs on the road...

Results of LayHong not so eggciting...
First half revenue this year less than last year!

This yr qtr3 results include extraordinary gain of RM28M from disposal of property....
that means own car sales not so great, only associates make more gains...

Japan (Daihatsu & Toyota included) are holding back as the world rushes into electric cars... Japan have their reasons to progress slowly and this stance may be on the wrong side of market trends...
Japan has problems with electricity supply for decades, but Malaysia do not.
Sarawak has the cheapest electricity rates and can even export electricity...
Unless Daihatsu make small electric cars for MBMR, we would be stuck in this petrol subsidy conundrum for ages...and imagine its boundless leakages that are simply unsustainable.