Ekovest buys remaining 30% of highway concession for RM230mil
From page 1 PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) is divesting its 30% stake in the concessionaire of DutaUlu Kelang Expressway (Duke) to Ekovest Bhd for RM230mil in a cash deal, sources said.
Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara-Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd is the concessionaire of Duke. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Sources said MRCB held its board meeting yesterday and approved the sale of Duke. These are among some of the few “monetising” deals by MRCB that will take place over the next couple of weeks. These deals will not only pare down the company’s debt but create recurring income, in line with the direction taken by MRCB group managing director Datuk Mohamad Salim Fateh Din after he took control of MRCB. MRCB shares closed the day up six sen to RM1.50. “The price tag of RM230mil for Duke translates to a valuation of approximately 19 times enterprise value (EV) to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), which is in line with recent toll acquisitions,” said an analyst. Back in 2010, UEM Group Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund had acquired PLUS Expressways for RM23bil or RM4.60 per share. “When PLUS Expressways was privatised, the valuation was also around EV/EBITDA of 20 times,” said one property analyst. The move to sell Duke is in line with what MRCB has been saying, which is to hive off its non-core business. MRCB has long-term borrowings of RM1.62bil and short-term borrowings of RM716mil, and a senior and junior sukuk worth RM1.06bil. It has a debt-to-common equity ratio of 234.4%. Ekovest is the 70% owner of Duke via Wira Kristal Sdn Bhd. The owners of Wira Kristal are Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo and Datuk Haris Onn Hussein. Back in 2012, Ekovest had bought a 70% stake in the 18-km Duke under an RM325mil share-swap deal. Under the deal, Ekovest issued 126.72 million new shares at an issue price of RM2.75 each in return for a 100% stake in Wira Kristal. Wira Kristal owns 70% of Nuzen Corp Sdn Bhd, which has a 34-year concession of Duke via its wholly-owned Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara-Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd. Wira Kristal became a unit of Ekovest after it completed the share exchange with Ekovest in May last year. More recently in December, Ekovest, via 70%owned Kesturi, was appointed the master contractor for the RM1.18bil phase two of Duke. The contract is for three years and is expected to be completed by end-2016. Ekovest said the job scope included the design, supply, installation and maintenance of tolling or other equipment for the phase. Ekovest closed the day unchanged at RM2.83.
of course Vin, otherwise where got compensation and TOL collection for EDL, made lost because of penalty and VO for the project???I wouldn't believe that, VO is only some paper work, all the figure can be made up, I think for anyone who worked in project field especially in construction will know better about this!!!
• be xtra careful on this stock.. costly loss experienced.. never touch again.. (heard from the insiders, some high rank managers made deals to benefit themselves e.g. husin.. using undeclared new wife as middle person to deal millions worth project.. not sure true or not)
good show again by MRCB today. block at 1.55 smashed today and the next block is 1.60. Another jolly good show tomorrow?? Something is brewing and brewing delicious smell.
Affin stated the TP of MRCB is RM2.37 and believes the group is trading far below fair value. Affin said MRCB has approved the sale of its 30% stake in the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) to Ekovest for RM230mil cash.
“The report further added that the transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this month, with a few more “monetising” deals expected to take place in the next couple of weeks,” it said.
Interesting period for MRCB and cash coming into its kitty to fuel future big project???
It broke the 1.60 block but now tracing down. Buying momentum keep coming in to push back the price. Tug of war game now. Brave contra player like this game.
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Posted by 31153115 > 2014-01-21 21:03 | Report Abuse
some said the TP is 2.30, can u believe that???