Lockdown easing, US-China tension boost industrial estate stocks
Industrial estate shares are on a rising trend thanks to the lockdown easing, while the trade war between Washington and Beijing might drive more manufacturers out of China and into Thailand, Kasikornthai Securities senior director Soraphong Jaktheerangkur said today (May 26).
“All key players in this group are enjoying rising prices, including WHA Corporation and Amata Corporation, which have marketed their strengths in modern infrastructure to attract investors to move their facilities out of China,” he said. “However, it remains to be seen whether the trend will continue to the year-end or stop after the second quarter as Thailand has rivals in this region, such as Vietnam and Indonesia – countries that are also proving an alternative to China.”
Meanwhile, Capital Nomura Securities analysts estimate that WHA might not be able to reach its goal of selling 1,400 rai of land in its industrial estates due to the economic contraction and the slump experienced by automaker, which are its major clients.
“However, the company’s goal of renting 250,000 sqm of factory space should be easily fulfilled as an increasing number of e-commerce operators are looking to expand their warehouse bases thanks to the Covid-19 situation that has driven up demand for online shopping,” they said. “We estimate that WHA’s 2020 net profit will be Bt3.21 billion, or a 1 per cent contraction, from last year.”
In the past month WHA’s stock price rose 24 per cent to Bt3.28, while Amata’s stock price rose 11.5 per cent to Bt14.5. WHA’s business turnover in the first quarter contracted by 75.6 per cent to Bt99.25 million, while Amata’s turnover contracted by 19.6 per cent to Bt222.46 million.
