News in brief

Unisem (M) Bhd'S net loss for the 4th quarter to December narrowed by 31.8% compared with the 3rd due to lower tax charges, as well as a 15.1% improvement in its pre-tax profit as a result of higher business volume and utilisation of installed capacity. 

Fourth quarter pre-tax loss narrowed to RM6.2mil from RM7.3mil in the 3rd, while sales rose 6.4% quarter-on-quarter to RM57.6mil. Unisem said its 2002 net loss widened to RM12.5mil from RM10mil in 2001, with the operating expenses rising to RM231.9mil from RM193.3mil. 

Sales improved to RM222.6mil in 2002 from RM187.9mil in 2001. – AFX 

MALAYSIAN TOBACCO CO BHD, an investment company with satellite network operations as its main business activity, has posted a pre-tax profit of RM6.9mil for the 4th quarter to Dec 31, 2002 compared with RM4.7mil in the previous corresponding period. 

Its revenue for the quarter was RM37.67mil. For the year to Dec 31, 2002, it charted pre-tax profit of RM21.5mil on revenue of RM 95.13mil. 

UTAMA BANKING GROUP BHD has announced a pre-tax loss of RM26.6mil on the back of a 47% drop in revenue of RM90.6mil for the 4th quarter to Dec 31, 2002, compared with RM1.1mil pre-tax profit on revenue of RM171.4mil in the previous corresponding quarter.  

For the year to Dec 31, 2002, its pre-tax profit jumped to RM123mil from RM20mil previously although revenue dropped to RM505mil from RM569.4mil. 

Its earnings per share for the year rose to 14.28 sen from 2.8 sen in 2001. 

IMPROVEMENT in the semiconductor sector has led Hong Leong Industries Bhd to record a pre-tax profit of RM6.28mil for the 2nd quarter ended Dec 1, 2002, compared with a loss of RM17.98mil in the corresponding period in 2001, and a pre-tax profit of RM20.3mil in the preceding quarter. 

This was achieved on a higher revenue of RM478.8mil compared with RM456.8mil, the company said. 

For the half year ended Dec 31, 2002, it recorded a pre-tax profit of RM26.55mil from a loss of RM59.77mil posted on the back of an increased turnover of RM995.57mil against RM937.4mil. 

Hong Leong Industries said it expected to perform better than the last financial year. – Bernama 

BANENG HOLDINGS BHD has posted a higher pre-tax profit for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2002, of RM19.6mil against RM12.8mil for the previous corresponding period. The higher pre-tax profit was achieved on the back of higher revenue of RM318.7mil compared with RM277.8mil previously. – Bernama  

 

Fourth quarter pre-tax loss narrowed to RM6.2mil from RM7.3mil in the 3rd, while sales rose 6.4% quarter-on-quarter to RM57.6mil. Unisem said its 2002 net loss widened to RM12.5mil from RM10mil in 2001, with the operating expenses rising to RM231.9mil from RM193.3mil.