Goh Ban Huat declares 12 sen dividend

KUALA LUMPUR: Ceramic products manufacturer Goh Ban Huat Bhd (GBH), whose net profit fell 95% to RM241,000 in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2014, declared a first interim dividend of 12 sen per RM1 share on Tuesday.

The company will have to fork out RM22.3mil based on its 185.9 million shares.

The dividend will go ex on May 6.

GBH had RM58.4mil in cash and bank balances as at Dec 31, 2014. 

It also recently sold freehold and leasehold lands in Kuala Lumpur with combined net land area of 13.9 acres plus the buildings erected on them for RM192.4mil to property developer Keladi Maju Bhd, whose major shareholders include GBH chairman Tan Sri Tan Hua Choon and GBH executive director Tan Han Chuan. 

In its fourth quarter results announcement to Bursa Malaysia, the company had said the board expected the group’s existing business, mainly in the ceramic building materials industry, would remain challenging this year due to intense competition from alternative products and imports from lower-cost manufacturing countries.

In addition, profit margins were expected to continue to come under pressure for the foreseeable future in anticipation of higher natural gas and electricity tariffs.

“After careful deliberation on the future direction of GBH, the board is of the view that the proposed disposal of the group’s properties is in the best interest of the company as it represents an opportunity for the group to restrategise its financial and capital resources,” it said.

According to an earlier circular to shareholders dated Sept 15, 2014, most of the proceeds were to be used for its diversification into the oil and gas (O & G) sector via the proposed acquisition of a 100% equity interest in Dynac Sdn Bhd, which provides contract work, support products and services for the O & G industry, for RM632mil and of a 35% equity interest in Globalmariner Offshore Services Sdn Bhd (GMOS), which specialises in floating production storage and offloading solutions, for RM38mil.

However, GBH and the vendors decided to mutually terminate the Dynac acquisition on Sept 30 last year. Subsequently, on Oct 17, even the GMOS acquisition was unwound and it was no longer an associate company
of the group.

The property disposals were, however, completed on March 30 this year.