KUALA LUMPUR (March 1): Here is a brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Friday:

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd’s (KL:CIMB) net profit for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2024 (4QFY2024) grew nearly 5% to RM1.8 billion from RM1.72 billion a year ago, lifting its full-year net profit to a record high of RM7.73 billion. It declared a second interim dividend of 20 sen, bringing annual dividend for the full year to a record high of 47 sen per share. The banking group’s net interest income rose marginally to RM2.79 billion in 4QFY2024, while non-interest income was down 5.72% to RM782.34 million. Income from Islamic banking operations grew 7.29% to RM1.2 billion. — CIMB’s annual net profit exceeds RM7b in FY2024; declares 20 sen more dividend

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) (KL:TENAGA) said a reversal on impairment in receivables and financial instruments lifted its net profit by 64% to RM954.5 million in 4QFY2024 from RM583.9 million a year ago. Revenue was 5% higher year-on-year (y-o-y) at RM14.39 billion from increased electricity sales. In FY2024, its total net profit surged nearly 70% to RM4.69 billion, its highest since FY2018, boosted by gains in foreign exchange translation and higher electricity sales. Total revenue increased by 6.9% to RM56.74 billion from RM53.06 billion. A dividend per share of 26 sen was declared, bringing total dividend for FY2024 to 51 sen — the highest since FY2020. — TNB to pay out four-year high dividend for FY2024

Allianz Malaysia Bhd’s (KL:ALLIANZ) net profit rose 19.1% y-o-y to RM230.71 million in 4QFY2024, up from RM193.69 million, driven by higher net insurance and investment results from its investment-linked protection business, partially offset by lower contributions from its employee benefits business. Quarterly revenue rose 14.8% to RM1.50 billion from RM1.31 billion previously, primarily due to higher insurance revenue across both its life and general insurance segments. For the full year, its net profit rose 5.4% to RM770.74 million from RM730.91 million in FY2023, while revenue increased 14.4% to RM5.65 billion from RM4.94 billion. No dividend was declared for the quarter. — Allianz Malaysia's 4Q net profit rises 19% amid higher general, life insurance revenue

PPB Group Bhd’s (KL:PPB) net profit fell 17.3% to RM365.20 million in 4QFY2024 from RM441.40 million a year ago, dragged by lower contributions from its 18.8%-owned associate Wilmar International Ltd, despite a strong performance by the group's core business segments. Quarterly revenue for PPB rose 13.3% y-o-y to RM1.43 billion from RM1.26 billion, as all its segments except for property registered higher revenue. For FY2024, its net profit fell 12.5% to RM1.22 billion from RM1.39 billion in FY2023, as total revenue fell 5.9% to RM5.39 billion from RM5.72 billion. It declared a final dividend of 30 sen per share, bringing total dividend for the year to 42 sen, matching the previous year. — Lower Wilmar contribution drags PPB's 4Q net profit down 17%

Hospital operator KPJ Healthcare Bhd’s (KL:KPJ) net profit surged 64% to RM120.52 million in 4QFY2024 from RM73.39 million a year ago, as revenue growth from higher patient visits and bed capacity outpaced increases in costs and expenses. Revenue for the quarter rose 15% y-o-y to RM1.05 billion from RM911.46 million. For FY2024, its net profit grew 34% to RM353.82 million, with more patients visiting the group's hospitals, on the back of an increase in bed capacity. Revenue climbed nearly 15% to RM3.92 billion from FY2023. It declared a special dividend of 0.10 sen per share, alongside an interim dividend of 1.05 sen per share. Total dividend for FY2024 stood at 4.15 sen per share, up from 3.35 sen in FY2023. — KPJ Healthcare logs another record quarterly profit, declares special dividend

Pharmaniaga Bhd (KL:PHARMA) is banking on newly-approved products for growth in 2025 after turning around in the final quarter of 2024 on higher sales and absence of impairments. Regulatory approval for eight insulin products has been secured and launches have been set in phases beginning February, while the manufacturing line is undergoing sterility process simulations with full commercialisation targeted by end of 2025. Net profit was RM2.35 million in 4QFY2024, compared with a net loss of RM35.4 million a year ago. Quarterly revenue rose 17.3% y-o-y to RM926.4 million, supported by new products and price adjustments as well as growth in Indonesia, where the company opened new branches. It was also back in the black on a full-year basis with a net profit of RM131.8 million, compared to a net loss of RM80.2 million in FY2023. Revenue also increased 10.4% to RM3.76 billion. No dividend was declared during FY2024. — Pharmaniaga turns around in 4Q, expects new products to drive growth

Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) ended the final quarter of 2024 with a bigger net loss of RM1.57 billion versus losses of RM345.31 million a year earlier, dragged by foreign exchange (forex) losses, despite registering higher revenue from its continuing operations. This is Capital A's biggest quarterly loss in the post-pandemic period, after incurring a net loss of RM2.44 billion in 4QFY2020. Quarterly revenue, however, rose 33.87% to RM443.33 million compared with RM331.16 million in 4QFY2023, thanks to improved performance in its logistics, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) services and digital businesses. For FY2024, it posted a net loss of RM475.11 million from a net profit of RM255.32 million in FY2023. Full-year revenue of continuing operations increased 16.98% to an all-time high of RM1.5 billion, compared with RM1.28 billion. No dividend was declared during the quarter. The last dividend from Capital A was 90 sen per share for FY2019. — Forex loss drags Capital A into the red in FY2024, non-aviation revenue hits new record

AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX) reported a 17.6% decline in net profit to RM22.56 million for 4QFY2024, from RM27.37 million a year earlier, as forex losses weighed on its bottom line. The medium-haul low-cost carrier booked a RM34.48 million net forex loss during the quarter, reversing a RM50.6 million gain in 4QFY2023. Despite the lower net profit, revenue grew 6.6% to RM872.35 million, driven by a 20% higher passenger volume and a 9% rise in ancillary revenue per passenger. For FY2024, AAX’s net profit dropped 37.5% to RM229.14 million, while revenue climbed 28.4% to RM3.25 billion. This marked the company's third consecutive full-year profit since FY2022. No dividend was declared for the latest quarter. — AirAsia X 4Q net profit slips 17.6% on forex losses

Batu Kawan Bhd’s (KL:BKAWAN) net profit rose 14.2% to RM127.6 million for the first quarter ended Dec 31, 2024 (1QFY2025), from RM111.74 million last year, driven by higher selling prices of palm products, sales volume as well as a paper gain. Quarterly revenue edged up 5% to RM6.12 billion in 1QFY2025 versus RM5.83 billion in 1QFY2024. No dividend was recommended for 1QFY2025. — Batu Kawan's 1Q profit up 14% on higher palm product selling prices, sales volume

Its plantation segment, which comprises the group's 48.2%-owned unit Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KL:KLK), posted a 2.9% y-o-y fall in its first-quarter net profit to RM220.46 million, as the plantation group's other businesses — manufacturing, property and investments — recorded subdued results.  Quarterly revenue was 5.5% higher at RM5.95 billion, compared with RM5.64 billion in 1QFY2024, driven by higher crude palm oil and palm kernel (PK) prices. No dividend was declared for the quarter. — KLK posts slightly lower 1Q profit, expects improved full-year results

S P Setia Bhd’s (KL:SPSETIA) 4QFY2024 net profit dropped 30% y-o-y to RM103.57 million from RM148.24 million last year, due to lower contributions from its Australian project and higher interest costs. Quarterly revenue fell 23% to RM1.06 billion from RM1.38 billion in 4QFY2023 on lower property development revenue following the handover of UNO Melbourne in 2023, as well as project timing differences in the central region. Its full-year net profit, however, surged 93% to RM575.95 million, compared with RM298.57 million in FY2023. Revenue soared 21% to a record high of RM5.29 billion from RM4.37 billion, supported by higher land sales. It declared a dividend of 2.88 sen per share for FY2024 — the highest since FY2018 when it paid an 8.55 sen per share dividend. — S P Setia posts record FY2024 revenue but drop in 4Q earnings, declares six-year high dividend

Tropicana Corp Bhd (KL:TROP) returned to profitability in 4QFY2024 as revenue surged 41.1% y-o-y to RM520.9 million, driven by higher progress billings and land disposals. It posted a net profit of RM224.54 million, reversing from a net loss of RM158.92 million in 4QFY2023. The surge in revenue was supported by key projects in the Klang Valley — both southern and northern regions — alongside the completion of land disposals in Gelang Patah, Johor worth RM185.3 million. For FY2024, however, Tropicana recorded a widened net loss of RM195.91 million from RM174.19 million in FY2023, largely due to one-off losses from the divestment of investment properties. Without this, the group would have reported a profit before tax of RM172.7 million. — Tropicana swings to profit in 4Q as revenue jumps 41% on project billings, land disposals

FGV Holdings Bhd (KL:FGV) posted a 65% y-o-y rise in net profit for the fourth quarter to RM116.21 million, from RM70.44 million, on higher fresh fruit bunch prices as well as its sugar division’s higher capacity utilisation. Quarterly revenue rose 10.4% to RM5.92 billion in 4QFY2024 versus RM5.36 billion in 4QFY2023. For FY2024, its net profit more than doubled to RM276.25 million as compared to RM101.62 million in FY2023, as full-year revenue rose 14.4% to RM22.16 billion versus RM19.36 billion a year earlier. It announced a final dividend of five sen per share, higher than the three sen per share paid in FY2023. — FGV sees better year ahead after FY2024 profit more than doubles, dividends rise

FGV is considering alternative options to expand its dairy farming business, after its RM4.5 billion plan to develop an integrated dairy farm in Chuping, Perlis, lapsed two months ago. — FGV to explore other options for dairy farm expansion after lapsed RM4.5b Chuping plan

Farm Fresh Bhd's (KL:FFB) net profit rose 26.5% to RM25.86 million in the third quarter ended Dec 31, 2024 (3QFY2025) from RM20.44 million last year, driven by higher sales of premium-margin products, partially offset by increased administrative costs due to an expansion of Inside Scoop outlets. Quarterly revenue grew 16.5% y-o-y to RM246.6 million from RM211.6 million, boosted by strong Malaysian sales from new product launches. For 9MFY2025, its net profit nearly doubled to RM78 million from RM39.6 million in 9MFY2024, as revenue increased 23.9% to RM737.4 million from RM595.4 million. It did not propose any dividend for the quarter under review. — Farm Fresh’s 3Q net profit jumps 26.5% on strong sales and margins

Unisem (M) Bhd’s (KL:UNISEM) net profit plunged 69.4% to RM8.7 million in 4QFY2024 from RM28.44 million a year earlier, as higher operating costs and weaker margins from changes in its product mix weighed on earnings. This was despite revenue increasing 17.4% to RM411.78 million from RM350.79 million, driven by higher sales volume. For FY2024, its net profit declined 24.4% to RM60.67 million from RM80.24 million a year ago, even as revenue grew 9.8% to RM1.58 billion from RM1.44 billion, supported by stronger demand from the US and Europe. It declared a fourth interim dividend of two sen per share, payable on April 3. — Unisem’s 4Q net profit drops 69% on higher costs, weaker margins

PIE Industrial Bhd’s (KL:PIE) 4QFY2024 net profit fell 38.2% y-o-y to RM17.29 million from RM27.97 million, owing to weaker demand for its electronics manufacturing services (EMS), coupled with higher administrative and distribution expenses. Quarterly revenue dropped 15.4% to RM251.53 million from RM297.15 million in 4QFY2023, due to lower demand from new and existing customers for EMS products. The company ended FY2024 on a weaker note as it posted its weakest annual earnings and revenue in four years since FY2020. Annual net profit declined 27.8% to RM53.13 million from RM73.57 million in FY2023 on lower revenue, higher administrative and distribution expenses, and a loss from foreign currency exchange transactions. Revenue contracted 19.8% to RM975.45 million from RM1.22 billion previously. No dividend was declared for the quarter. — PIE Industrial logs weakest annual performance in four years as 4Q earnings drop 38%

Cape EMS Bhd (KL:CAPEEMS) posted its second straight quarterly net loss of RM48.84 million for 4QFY2024, hurt by weaker demand, allowance for expected credit loss and reduced gross profit margin. This marks the weakest result since the group was listed on Bursa Malaysia in March 2023. It posted a net profit of RM5.5 million on revenue of RM153.54 million in 4QFY2023.  Cape EMS logged its first annual loss of RM45.68 million for FY2024, compared to an annual net profit of RM44.38 million in FY2023. No dividend was declared for the quarter. — Cape EMS posts second straight quarterly loss on weak demand and allowance for expected credit loss

Guan Chong Bhd (KL:GCB) plans to undertake a bonus issue on the basis of four bonus shares for every three existing shares held to reward its shareholders and enhance the trading liquidity of its shares. After the bonus issue of shares, the cocoa grinder will undertake a bonus issue of warrants to raise RM470 million in fresh funds over the coming three years for its working capital.  The bonus issue of warrants will be on the basis of one warrant for every four shares held. — Guan Chong to raise RM470m via bonus issue of warrants

Inta Bina Group Bhd (KL:INTA) has secured a RM181 million contract to undertake the construction of a mixed commercial development project in Kuala Langat, Selangor. The contract, awarded by Eco Sanctuary Sdn Bhd, covers phases one to four of the proposed Seruma Integrated Development at Eco Santuari. — Inta Bina clinches RM181m mixed development construction contract