Stocks to watch: EON Capital, United Plantations, MMC, IOI Corp, Faber

KUALA LUMPUR: The market will continue to see strong newsflow especially from the oil and gas companies’ positive earnings, economic data, while EON Capital Bhd will see a price surge after a hefty dividend plan when Bursa Malaysia resumes trading on Wednesday, May 18

Bank Negara Malaysia will release its first quarter GDP data after market close and economists expect 5% growth. The economy grew 4.8% in 4Q of 2010.

Also on tap is the consumer price index in April. The CPI for rose 3% year-on-year in March from 99.4 to 102.4 and when compared with the previous month, the CPI increased by 0.1%.

EON CAPITAL BHD [] has declared a special tax exempt dividend of RM5.16 per share. The dividend will go ex on June 9 while the entitlement date is June 13.

United PLANTATION []s Bhd posted net profit of RM86.09 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, up 76% from RM48.90 million a year ago and it expects the current financial year results to be better, boosted by more replanting.

It declared a final dividend of 20% per share or 15 sen net per share and a special dividend of 35% per share or 26.25 sen net per share. The dividends will go ex on June 30.

Investors can expect more upside from United Plantations after its comments that palm oil production in Malaysia and Indonesia was expected to recover in 2011 based on the recovery in the biological yield cycle after a pronounced setback in 2010.

MMC CORPORATION BHD [] plans to list its subsidiaries -- Gas Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Malakoff Bhd -- and also its unit Johor Port.

MMC group managing director Datuk Hasni Harun said the first company to be likely listed would be its 51% owned Gas Malaysia.

Hasni said Malakoff is worth about RM7 billion currently while Gas Malaysia and Johor Port are worth RM5 billion and RM1.5 billion respectively.

IOI CORPORATION BHD [] reported net profit of RM656.71 million in the third quarter ended March 31, 2011, up 19.6% from the RM549.02 million a year ago, boosted by the better overall performance of the group, especially plantations.

Its 3QFY11 pre-tax profit of RM780.86 million was 10% higher than the RM709.27 million a year ago. Revenue rose 37.7% to RM4.34 billion from RM3.15 billion while earnings per share were 10.25 sen versus 8.6 sen.

For the nine-months ended March 31, 2011 (9MFY11), it said net profit was RM1.74 billion compared with RM1.52 billion a year ago. Revenue was higher at RM11.83 billion versus RM9.48 billion.

Digistar Corp Bhd’s earnings surged to RM4.57 million in its second quarter ended March 31, 2011 from only RM457,000 a year ago underpinned by better profit margins from its system integration and broadcast engineering projects.

Its revenue jumped 91.5% to RM23.57 million from RM12.31 million a year ago while earnings per share were 2.31 sen compared with 0.26 sen.

FABER GROUP BHD []’s subsidiary and the joint venture partner have been unable to secure any of the business in the building maintenance services and clinical waste management in Brunei.

Its 70% owned Faber Medi-Serve Sdn Bhd and its joint venture agreement (JVA) with Brufors Technical Services had acknowledged the JVA had lapsed as they had failed to sure any business.

ESSO MALAYSIA BHD []’s earnings surged 154% to RM154.82 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 from RM60.94 million a year ago, boosted by inventory holding gains.

Revenue rose 30% to RM2.6 billion from RM2 billion reflecting higher average product prices and increased retail volume. Earnings per share were 57.30 sen compared with 22.60 sen.