This company has been well managed all this time. The slowdown effect in consumer spending has yet to be significant. Perhaps in another few quarter. Pohuat currently is still able to deliver their inventories to US market until the order slows down. Profit will continue to go up but will come down soon enough when the critical point for US market reached. Nevertheless, I would opt to look for entry at current price which is quite interesting.
According to the sensitivity analysis as disclosed in 2021 Annual Report, a 5% appreciation in USD would have increased profit after tax by RM0.48m. Based on FY2021 profit after tax of RM32.2m, it is equivalent to 1.5% increase in PAT, if other factors remain unchanged.
Between end Oct 2021 to today, USD has appreciated by 14% (from 4.14 to 4.72). Let's assume the exchange rate hits 5. The appreciation will be 5/4.14 - 1 = 21%. Based on the disclosed sensitivity analysis, PAT would have increased by 1.5% * (21%/5%) = 6.3%.
However, other factors will NOT remain unchanged. Over the short term, furniture retailers are delaying or cancelling orders as they struggle with inventory problems. Falling revenue will erode profit, offsetting any gain in exchange rate.
A longer term concern is the US 30 year fixed rate mortgage average has almost tripled from the low point of 2.65% in early 2021 to 6.92% lately. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US
Check out the housing start chart below. The US private housing start has increased steadily from 0.5m units per month after Global Financial Crisis in 2009 to 1.8m units per month early this year. The new housing fueled furniture demands over the last decade. The housing boom has provided a tailwind to Asia furniture exporters over these years. But will this multi-year trend go into a reversal if high interest (mortgage) rate persists? How will it impact furniture demand in the coming years? https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
There are many exporters in Bursa. In theory they all benefit from a weak Ringgit. Exchange rate alone is not a sufficient reason to pick Poh Huat over other exporters.
POV noted. The high interest rates environment is only for the short term until inflation is under control Envisioned to taper in 2H 2023. Demand would still be there as the economy is doing well. It would be substantiated by lower prices due to the exchange. Shortfall will be negated by exchange rate. Trading at pe 4 the margin of safety is ample
According to the article, "Paul Krugman has warned the Federal Reserve is at risk of going too far in fighting inflation, causing unnecessary economic damage."
In other words, there is a real danger that in the attempt to regain its inflation fighting credential, the Fed may have gone too far and trigger a deep recession. The Fed would then have to switch back to rock bottom interest rate in order to resuscitate the damaged economy.
I'm not saying this scenario will definitely happen (no one is sure about the future, including the Fed). However based on past experience, when the Treasury 10 year - 2 year bond yield is inverted for a substantial duration, the economy would enter recession in the next few quarters. The yield curve has stayed inverted since Jun. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T10Y2Y
I'm not saying Poh Huat is doomed. Its share price has corrected due to the the darkened outlook. However my view is anyone who hold the stock should have a long term outlook and be prepared to ride though volatility. Exchange rate gain and current high dividend yield (which is based on historical earning anyway) may not be sufficient reasons to own the stock.
US stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Consumer Goods, Utilities and Industrials sectors led shares lower. At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.30%, while the S&P 500 index declined 0.80%, and the NASDAQ Composite index lost 0.61%. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2,059 to 1021 and 112 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2,050 fell and 1,688 advanced, while 216 ended unchanged. (Source: Investing.com)
This book is the result of the author's many years of experience and observation throughout his 26 years in the stockbroking industry. It was written for general public to learn to invest based on facts and not on fantasies or hearsay....
Lukesharewalker
6,535 posts
Posted by Lukesharewalker > 2022-10-11 09:07 | Report Abuse
Exchange is 4.67 today. Hello 4.80