AMATA
AMATA to join with Labor Department to develop Thailand’s labor market. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

BECL
BECL’s shareholders okay merger with BMCL. In July, the two companies will hold a joint shareholders meeting. The merged firm is expected to trade in the stock market in August. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)
Comment: What will be interesting is how they will deal with the dissenting shareholders, CK will have to put more cash than they originally expected if the minority shareholders become difficult.

CPF
CPF to invest up to US$50-100mn (Bt3.2-3.3bn) to expand production in Vietnam. The firm also expects to open more stores there. It expects 2015 revenue from this market of Bt77bn, reaching Bt1trn within the next two or three years. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

ECF
ECF expects 12% revenue growth this year. The marketing plan this year is to launch new products with Disney graphics on furniture products. The firm also expects to open 10 new stores within two years. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

INTUCH
INTUCH joins hand with Huidai Home Shopping to set up a new JV under the name of “Hi Shopping”. The registered capital for this new company will be Bt255mn, 51% of which will be held by INTUCH and the remaining (49%) held by Huidai Home Shopping. This JV company is expected to start operations in 4Q15. The aim is to be number one home shopping operator within five years. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)
Comment: The home shopping industry is actually doing incredibly well in Thailand, have a look at TVD and Grammy for ideas.

MEGA
MEGA expects revenue and earnings this year to grow by 10% driven by strong demand in Thailand, China and Vietnam. It is running at maximum capacity to meet the strong demand. The firm expects to launch at least 69 new products this year. It has set aside US$10mn to build a new warehouse and distribution center in Myanmar. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

NPARK
NPARK is changing its name to “U City” on April 8. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)
Comment: I’m still curious to see how this works out between NPARK and BTS, in theory NPARK or U City will have a lot of additional land that they won’t have pay to for and it could lead to many many more projects down the line.

PSTC
PSTC expects revenue to hit Bt2bn in 2016 as it will expand into new businesses, including leasing and energy. The firm will invest in tahe wind power plant called “Triple H Eco”. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

SCB
SCB announced DPS of Bt6, up by Bt0.75 from last year, following the Annual Shareholder Meeting. Khun Artit and Khun Nanon have been appointed to their new positions. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

THANI
THANI expects to issue new loans of Bt15bn in 2015 driven by recovery in domestic demand and accelerating government spending. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

UWC
UWC sets the revenue target of Bt1bn driven by more revenue recognition from electricity poles. For future projects, the firm is working with Thai-Nakhorn Parawood to invest in a 9.9MW bio-power plant. The firm expects this project to have four-year payback period and expects to book beginning in 2016. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)

WHA
WHA successfully tendered for more than 75% outstanding shares of HEMRAJ. This means it will go ahead with its plan to sell some of HEMRAJ’s assets. There is a strong possibility that HEMRAJ will pay a special DPS of up to Bt1/share and the main beneficiary would be WHA as major shareholder. The Annual Shareholder Meeting will be held on April 24; a par split could be on the agenda as well. (Khao Hoon, 03/04/15)
Comment: The upside here isn’t with WHA (although rumours about that they will do a par split) but with HEMRAJ, that 1 baht per share dividend leads to HEMRAJ’s div being clsoe to 15%