Stocks to watch: Dialog, Malton, Tanjung Offshore, AMMB

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 17): Stocks which could see trading interest on Thursday include DIALOG GROUP BHD [], MALTON BHD [], TANJUNG OFFSHORE BHD [], AMMB HOLDINGS BHD [], Amway (Malaysia) Holdings Bhd and ALLIANCE FINANCIAL GROUP BHD [] (AFG) following the release of their financial results for the quarter ended Sept 30.

Dialog posted net profit of RM44.54 million in the first quarter ended Sept 30, 2011, an increase of 34.6% from the RM33.09 million a year, underpinned by a strong increase in revenue, mainly from its New Zealand operations. Its revenue rose 35% to RM355.24 million from RM263.81 million while earnings per share were 2.26 sen compared with 1.69 sen.

Malton’s earnings jumped 118% to RM12.11 million in the first quarter ended Sept 30 from RM5.54 million a year ago, boosted by an improvement in the property development division from a year ago.

Revenue rose 44.3% to RM99.27 million from RM68.78 million while earnings per share were 2.90 sen versus 1.59 sen. Malton said pre-tax profit improved by 111.4% to RM16.7 million from RM7.9 million.

However, Malton's financial performance was slightly weaker compared with the immediate preceding quarter. Revenue declined from the preceding quarter’s RM167.9 million.

Tanjung Offshore Bhd swung into the red with net losses of RM429,000 in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2011 compared with net profit of RM807,000 a year ago. Its revenue fell 14.3% to RM117.64 million from RM137.25 million a year ago. Loss per share was 0.15 sen compared with earnings per share of 0.29 sen.

For the nine months ended Sept 30, its net profit fell 51.9% to RM3.42 million from RM7.12 million a year ago while revenue was marginally lower at RM401.33 million compared with RM401.95 million. Tanjung Offshore had borrowings totaling RM560.53 million.

AMMB Holdings Bhd’s earnings rose 10.9% to RM369.47 million in the second quarter ended Sept 30,2011 from RM332.87 million a year ago, boosted by the group’s retail banking operations. Its revenue increased by 20.5% to RM2.138 billion from RM1.773 billion while earnings per share were 12.35 sen versus 11.08 sen. It declared a single tier dividend of 6.6% per share.

For the first half, its earnings increased by 15.6% to RM810.99 million while its revenue increased 17.6% to RM4.092 billion from RM3.477 billion.

Amway’s net profit rose 19.8% to RM25.77 million in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2011 from RM21.51 million a year ago as it benefited from higher sales and improved gross margins due to the favourable foreign exchange impact. Its revenue rose at a slower pace of 5.4% to RM211.52 million from RM191.50 million while earnings per share were 15.68 sen compared with 13.08 sen.

Amway declared a third interim single tier dividend of 9.0 sen net per share and special interim single tier dividend of 30.0 sen net per share for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2011.

AFG reported a strong set of financial results for the second quarter ended Sept 30, 2011, with earnings up 18.2% to RM120.95 million from RM102.27 million a year ago. Revenue increased by 5.9% to RM314.60 million from RM296.98 million. Earnings per share were 7.9 sen compared with 6.7 sen.

For the first half, AFG's earnings rose 8.2% to RM250.51 million from RM213 million while its revenue increased 8.9% to RM624.37 million from RM573.20 million.