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New Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
SD Guthrie's Q1 earnings meet expectations; HLIB ups forecasts on normalisation outlook
KUALA LUMPUR: SD Guthrie Bhd's earnings in the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (Q1 2025) came in within research firms' expectations, as its earnings are expected to normalise in coming quarters due to lower crude palm oil (CPO) prices. Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd (HLIB) raised its earnings forecasts for the company by 4.8 per cent, 6.4 per cent and 4.5 per cent for financial years 2025 (FY25), FY26 and FY27, respectively. The higher forecasts reflect higher pre-tax earnings margin assumptions for SD Guthrie at the downstream segment and the recalibration of the earnings model. It also remained optimistic on the company achieving fresh fruit bunch (FFB) output growth for FY25, driven primarily by sustained recovery in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. "That said, uncertainties persist over the pace of recovery for Malaysia due to continued adverse weather conditions," said the firm. HLIB maintained a 'Buy' call on the stock with a higher target price (TP) of RM5.17. SD Guthrie's net profit in Q1 2025 more than doubled to RM550 million, boosted mainly by marginally higher FFB output, higher realised palm product prices, and lower finance costs. In a separate note, RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB Research) also considered SD Guthrie's earnings to be in line with its expectations in light of the moderating CPO prices. It noted output should improve in the coming quarter ahead of the peak output season in the second half of 2025. "We still like SD Guthrie for its new earnings catalyst, coming from land monetisation and the renewables segment," it said. It added that SD Guthrie's downstream margin slipped to 1.8 per cent in quarter-on-quarter, mainly due to weaker profits at its bulk segment as a result of margin compression and lower demand. "While SD Guthrie expects margins to recover in the coming quarters, we choose to remain wary and trim our FY25-27 margin assumption accordingly." The firm maintained 'Buy' on SD Guthrie with a TP of RM5.65. Meanwhile, CIMB Securities maintained its earnings forecasts for SD Guthrie, which took into account weaker earnings in the upcoming quarters. It said that the CPO price for July delivery on the Bursa Derivatives market is currently trading at RM3,754 per tonne, which is about 17 per cent lower than the RM4,576 per tonne achieved by SD Guthrie in Q1 2025. Given the lack of near-term catalysts, the firm downgraded its call on the stock to 'Hold' from 'Buy" with a lower TP of RM5.06 from RM5.50 previously. "We expect CPO prices to trend lower in Q2 2025 and Q3 2025 and are cautious that the recent US reciprocal tariffs could dampen demand for processed palm oil and delay land monetisation plans," it said.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Palm oil futures fall on production increase outlook, lacklustre demand
JAKARTA: Malaysian palm oil futures extended losses on Wednesday, continuing their decline for the seventh straight session, on worries about an increase in palm production and lacklustre demand from major consumer countries. The benchmark palm oil contract for July delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange lost RM38, or 1 per cent, to RM3,754 (US$886.63) a metric ton by the midday break. "With increasing palm production, the US government policies for biofuels and lacklustre demand from major consuming countries, palm prices have taken a fast dip," said Sandeep Singh, director of The Farm Trade, a Kuala Lumpur-based consulting and trading company. These are now good levels for consumers to come in, and prices are expected to recover from these levels before they fall again in the third quarter, he added. Dalian's most-active soyoil contract rose 0.44 per cent, while its palm oil contract shed 0.95 per cent. Soyoil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade were up 1.65 per cent. Palm oil tracks the price movements of rival edible oils as it competes for a share of the global vegetable oils market. Oil prices rose on Wednesday, holding slightly above recent four-year lows, as investors focused on US-China trade talks and signs of lower US production. Stronger crude oil futures make palm a more attractive option for biodiesel feedstock. The ringgit, the palm's currency of trade, slightly weakened 0.09 per cent against the US dollar, making the commodity cheaper for buyers holding foreign currencies. Palm oil may fall to RM3,702 per metric ton, driven by a wave, according to Reuters' technical analyst Wang Tao.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Macomb County mom sentenced to 24-50 years in prison in son's starvation death
A mother charged in the starvation death of her 2-year-old son two years ago was sentenced to 24 years to 50 years in state prison on second-degree murder, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office and court records. Sierra Pearl Zaitona, 29, was sentenced April 9 in Macomb County Circuit Court. She pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and second-degree child abuse in February. She was sentenced to 43 months to 10 years in prison on the child abuse charge, with the sentences to run concurrently, according to a release from the prosecutor's office. She received credit for 754 days, or more than two years, that she served in the county jail, according to online court records. The records indicate Zaitona also must register and comply with Wyatt's Law, which provides greater access to the Central Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect, which is maintained by the state health department's Children's Services Agency. "Ms. Zaitona deeply regrets the tragic loss of her son and mourns him every day. She endured a severe and prolonged domestic violence situation, which tragically delayed her ability to secure safety for herself and her children. Ms. Zaitona has fully accepted responsibility for her role in these events and is prepared to serve the sentence imposed by the court," her attorney, Marissa Kulcsar, an assistant county public defender, wrote in an email Friday to the Free Press. More: Jackson County is first Michigan municipality to sign warrant agreement with ICE More: Michigan school bus audit reveals safety inspection failures, drivers lacking training Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a release: "The tragic circumstances surrounding this case are heartbreaking as they involve the loss of a young life. An entire family is also permanently impacted in a terrible way. Our thoughts are with the family during this incredibly difficult time. We hope this resolution brings some measure of healing and closure while providing justice for the victim." The boy's father, Jonathon Matthew Cheek, 27, was sentenced in December after he pleaded no contest to the same charges in the same court. He also was sentenced to 24 years to 50 years in prison on a second-degree murder charge. As with Cheek, a circuit judge adhered to a sentence agreement between Zaitona and the county prosecutor's office for 24 years to 50 years in prison with credit for time served in the county jail. The boy was found dead in his crib March 16, 2023, in Clinton Township, the prosecutor's office said, indicating previously that the medical examiner determined the boy's cause of death was starvation. A release from the prosecutor's office in March 2024 indicated Zaitona found her son dead in his crib, and Cheek was at his mother's house visiting when the boy was found dead. After the death, he returned to his home, according to the release. Contact Christina Hall: chall@ Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press. Submit a letter to the editor at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Macomb County mom gets 24-50 years in prison in son's starvation death
