Latest news with #Pentamaster
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Semiconductor shares slide as Trump announces 100% tariff on chip imports
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia started on a flattish note although technology stocks were seen pulling back on news the US was imposing a 100% tariff on semiconductors imported into the country. As trading commenced on the Malaysian stock market, semiconductor-related companies were on the backfoot, including Frontken down seven sen to RM4.29, Pentamaster diving 14 sen to RM3.60 and Unisem shedding six sen to RM2.31. The sector decline was at odds with the country's blue-chip FBM KLCI, which hovered in slightly positive territory at 1,540.4 points minutes into trading. Malacca Securities said investors are expected to stay cautious following US President Donald Trump's announcement of the semiconductor tariff. This is depite an overnight recovery on Wall Street, coupled with a US rate cut expectation in September. On sectors, the research firm said the construction and utilities sectors should be benefiting from the data centre developments and mega infrastructure projects in the country. It added that the recent overnight policy rate cut may boost the interest for the REIT and property sectors, such as Sunway REIT, IGB REIT and EcoWorld. In healthcare, Malacca Securities favours KPJ Healthcare due to its brownfield expansion and opening of new hospitals. "KPJ has experienced a breakout continuation pattern, with a consensus target price of RM2.98," it said in a note. At 9.19am, the most actively traded counters on Bursa Malaysia were Pharmaniaga down one sne to 17.5 sen, TWL flat at 2.5 sen and SNS Network down one sne to 51 sen.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Pentamaster 2Q showing declines
Pentamaster's second-quarter net profit fell 41.6% to RM11.6mil. PETALING JAYA: Pentamaster Corp Bhd remains cautious on its outlook going forward, amid the challenging global environment that has been marked by prolonged macroeconomic uncertainties and trade tensions. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the automation manufacturing and technology solutions provider noted that in the first half of the year, operating conditions remained difficult as the group faced margin pressure stemming from elevated input costs and intensified pricing competition. 'These challenges were compounded by extended customer decision-making cycles given the trade tension uncertainties, global supply chain disruptions and the spill-over effects of geopolitical tensions, all of which contributed to delayed project rollouts and impacted operational efficiency.' For its second quarter ended June 30, 2025, Pentamaster's net profit fell 41.6% to RM11.6mil, or 1.63 sen per share, bringing its first-half earnings to RM24.7mil, or 3.47 sen per share. Revenue declined 15.4% to RM144.9mil in the quarter. Pentamaster said revenue was mainly contributed by the automated test equipment segment and factory automation solutions, constituting approximately 57.1% and 42.2%, respectively, of the group's total revenue during the quarter. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2025, net profit dipped to RM24.68mil from RM39.28mil a year earlier, while revenue slipped to RM276.48mil from RM342.16mil previously. Going forward, the group anticipates a comparatively more favourable performance in the second half of the year supported by improvements in order book visibility. This is particularly from the automated test equipment segment, where customers have gradually resumed capital investments in the next-generation test handling and burn-in systems, said the company. In parallel, Pentamaster said its factory automation solutions (FAS) team remains proactive in expanding its customer base and broadening its industry footprint beyond its traditional strongholds. 'The FAS team continues to intensify efforts to penetrate emerging sectors such as renewable energy, data centres and healthcare automation where rising demand for intelligent, high-precision and flexible automation solutions is being driven by the increased emphasis on precision and output consistency, as well as the growing need for traceability and compliance in regulated industries. 'Additionally, as the trade tariffs imposed by the United States become clearer, manufacturing base positioning with automation is expected to provide positive momentum to the FAS segment.' Following the successful privatisation of Hong Kong-listed Pentamaster International Ltd with Puga Holdings Ltd, a holding company backed by a renowned semiconductor private equity firm, prominent Taiwanese semiconductor companies and global sovereign wealth funds, the group said it has begun to unlock strategic advantages from this partnership. Puga's extensive network and investment portfolios within the global technology ecosystem, particularly in Taiwan and the United States, has provided the group with greater access to new customers, collaborative research and development opportunities and strategic market entry opportunities. Additionally, Pentamaster said it is actively building its capabilities in advanced packaging technologies, supported by the accelerating growth in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and other data-intensive, high-speed applications. 'These developments collectively provide a favourable backdrop for the group's long-term growth trajectory, positioning it well to capitalise on next-generation technology trends in the mid to long term.'
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Pentamaster 2Q net profit drops 41.6% to RM11.6mil
KUALA LUMPUR: Pentamaster Corp Bhd , which reported a 41.6% drop in net profit for the second quarter ended June 30 (2Q25), remains cautious amid a challenging global environment marked by ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties and trade tensions. The automation manufacturing and technology solutions provider said operating conditions in the first half of the year remained difficult, with the group facing margin pressure due to elevated input costs and intensified pricing competition. 'These challenges were compounded by extended customer decision-making cycles given the trade tension uncertainties, global supply chain disruptions and the spill-over effects of geopolitical tensions, all of which contributed to delayed project rollouts and impacted operational efficiency. 'However, the group anticipates a comparatively more favourable performance in the second half of the year supported by improvements in order book visibility, particularly from the automated test equipment (ATE) segment where customers have gradually resumed capital investments in the next-generation test handling and burn-in systems, particularly within the logic and power semiconductor sub-segments,' Pentamaster said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia. In 2Q25, Pentamaster's net profit fell 41.6% to RM11.6mil, or 1.63 sen per share, bringing its first-half earnings to RM24.7mil, or 3.47 sen per share. Revenue declined 15.4% to RM144.9mil in the quarter, lifting cumulative revenue for the first six months to RM276.5mil. Pentamaster said that as the trade tariffs imposed by the US become clearer, strategic positioning of its manufacturing base with automation is expected to drive positive momentum in its factory automation solutions (FAS) segment. Additionally, the group said it has begun unlocking strategic benefits following the successful privatisation of PIL with Puga Holdings, backed by major semiconductor investors. Puga's strong network, especially in Taiwan and the US, has opened up access to new customers, R&D collaborations, and market opportunities. Pentamaster is actively building its advanced packaging capabilities, supported by the growing demand for artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and other high-speed applications.
BusinessToday
10-07-2025
- Business
- BusinessToday
Stock Today: Pentamaster Dips 2.6% Amid Global Tariff Uncertainty
As of 12.05pm on 8 July, shares in Pentamaster Corporation Berhad closed down RM0.09 or 2.62% at RM3.34, with trading volume totalling approximately 1.176 million units. This decline follows a broader sell-off in technology and export-driven stocks on concerns over fresh US tariff measures targeting Malaysian goods. Earlier this July, US President Trump announced a 25% tariff on imports from Malaysia, later clarified to exempt semiconductor hardware but still raising investor caution. While Malaysia's tech sector has seen renewed interest, particularly from companies benefiting from China‑plus‑one supply chain diversification, Pentamaster has not been spared from the risk-off sentiment sweeping global markets. Fundamentally, Pentamaster posted a one-third drop in net profit to RM13.07 million for the first quarter ended March 31 2025, on a 23% fall in revenue attributable to weaker orders in its factory automation segment. This reflects broader caution among clients, with some delaying capital investments in light of geopolitical and tariff uncertainties. Yet there is a silver lining. The company revealed plans to enter the advanced packaging and testing segment for AI chips, investing 5–10% of annual revenue in R&D, with products expected to launch in early 2026. This strategic pivot positions Pentamaster to capitalise on the region's growth in semiconductor equipment. Analysts have also highlighted that Malaysia's position as a beneficiary of shifts away from China could support tech stocks longer term if trade tensions ease. Should the tariff landscape stabilise, particularly with ongoing trade negotiations, Pentamaster may regain investor confidence by delivering its new AI‑chip packaging proposition. For now, the market remains cautious, weighing near‑term revenue pressures against the company's medium‑term pivot into high‑growth tech segments. Related
New Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Pentamaster misses expectations, outlook downgraded
KUALA LUMPUR: Pentamaster Corp Bhd's first quarter net profit of RM9.9 million, which dropped 37 per cent due to weaker revenue from the medical segment, has missed expectations. CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd said the results made up only 12 per cent of its full-year estimates and 15 per cent of Bloomberg consensus. The firm expects medical segment revenue to decline by 20 per cent in financial year 2025 (FY25) as more US-based MedTech companies may increasingly seek to re-shore their manufacturing operations. "This trend could be particularly pronounced for companies with existing facilities in the US, potentially limiting strong order wins for Pentamaster compared to our earlier expectations," it said in a note. The firm lowered its earnings forecasts for Pentamaster by 14 per cent-17 per cent for FY25-FY27 to reflect more conservative revenue growth assumptions for its equipment segment amid rising uncertainties in the automotive sector. The firm said that these uncertainties, driven by reciprocal US tariffs, could dampen demand for the group's known good die and burn-in testers. However, Pentamaster's diversification into new growth areas, such as renewable energy and high-performance computing, may alleviate the emerging challenges pertaining to the US tariff situation, added CGS International. "We expect these new segments to contribute five per cent of FY25F revenue, driven by the group's ongoing efforts to expand its sales pipeline," it said. The firm downgraded its call for Pentamaster to 'Hold' from 'Add' with a lower target price of RM2.70 following the earnings revision.
