Maybulk, Maxbiz, PMI, AirAsia

Maybulk's share price has risen fast in the last month, in high volume:

Bursa Malaysia issued a "Unusual Market Activity" (UMA) alert, on which Maybulk responded:

"We refer to Bursa Malaysia’s query today in respect of the recent interest in Maybulk shares and wish to announce that the Company is not aware of any reasons or any corporate exercise that may have contributed to the increase in share price and high trading volume of Maybulk shares."

What definitely has changed lately is that the relentless selling by EPF has finally stopped. Up to December 30th 2011 the EPF routinely sold 2 million shares a day at a price around RM 1.50. Many of these shares were bought at double the price in 2009. Hopefully somebody can explain the logic behind this trading.

I have written a lot about Maybulk in the past regarding the controversial Related Party Transaction that took place in 2008, buying POSH shares at a very high price (more than four times the Net Asset Value) in the midst of the global recession:

http://cgmalaysia.blogspot.com/search/label/Maybulk

I have withdrawn my complaint with the authorities (SC & BM) out of protest against the highly unsatisfactory and even unethical way they have handled it. The only thing they have done really well in this case was dragging their feet.

Even up to today, minority investors have not been informed properly about important issues regarding the Related Party Transactions, either the POSH acquisition in 2008 or the (relatively less important) purchase of a vessel in 2009. In its latest year report less than one page (out of 81 pages) is dedicated to POSH, while about half of Maybulks shareholders equity is invested in it.


Maxbiz announced it is expecting profit margins of between 5% and 15% from its fiber network connection project.

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/200086-maxbiz-expects-5-to-15-profit-margin-from-fibre-network-connection-project.html

It also made some clarifications in an announcement to Bursa Malaysia about some other projects.

The share price has lately retreated, from a high of RM 0.195 to RM 0.11.

A previous write-up of this blog stated "It is hard to find a company with more red flags than Maxbiz". It would be an immense effort if Maxbix can even stay afloat.

http://cgmalaysia.blogspot.com/search/label/Maxbiz


Pan Malaysian Industries (PMI) is forced to comply with the following: "compensate entitled shareholders of PMI who had sold their PMI Shares between 9.00 a.m. on 24 August 2011 and 5.00 p.m. on 25 August 2011 (“Compensation Period”) for the differential amount between the offer price of RM0.045 per Offer Share and the price at which their PMI Shares were sold during the Compensation Period"

http://announcements.bursamalaysia.com/EDMS/edmsweb.nsf/LsvAllByID/06D37FCB8672B1BC4825799200390931?OpenDocument

Apparently there was a timing difference between the moment the General Offer was announced and the moment is should have been announced. Good for shareholders who sold their shares below RM 0.045 during those days, although it will be only a small amount of money, I think, and most of the shareholders will be selling their shares anyhow at huge losses. 

Frankly, this ruling by the SC should be the least worry to PMI. I think there are many, much more serious Corporate Governance issues at stake here:

http://cgmalaysia.blogspot.com/search/label/PMI


The Edge Malaysia reported that AirAsia's airfare issue with the Australian Consumer watchdog (ACCC) has been resolved.

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/199990-airasias-airfare-issue-with-australia-consumer-watchdog-resolved.html

"The problem could have been due to an IT issue, and it has been corrected."

However, the website of the ACCC has not yet issued a statement that the issue has been resolved:

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/2332 

I hope that AirAsia will treat Malaysian consumers as if they were protected by a powerful consumer watchdog similar to the ACCC.