Forensic Analyst

Jason Yap, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) plantation stocks have lagged the rally in CPO prices, as well as other commodity stocks.  Investors have been generally cautious of chasing the CPO rally via plantation stocks even as CPO prices breach new record highs. Market concerns derive from the probability that CPO prices may be in bubble territory and could reverse when supply-side disruptions rebalance. Further, high CPO prices and increased availability of substitute edible oils (such as soybean and sunflower oil) as the latter enters production season could weigh on CPO demand, which has otherwise remained resilient due to strong demand in key markets such as India and China.  The Bursa Malaysia plantation index, which tracks the performance of 43 listed planters on Bursa Malaysia, has lost 6.3% year to date, while CPO benchmark prices surged more than 46% over the same period.  Malaysian plantation stocks trade at 18 times price to earnings while regional ones trade at around 11 times price to earnings, which approximates historical lows.On a brighter note, Indonesia recently announced the downward revision in palm oil export levies, which encourages exports and should be viewed positively by investors. Could this be the catalyst that the overlooked palm plantation sector needs? In this Insight, we examine the following key factors: <ul>
<li>CPO sector overview</li>
<li>supply and demand equation </li>
<li>Investment Catalyst - Indonesia's Export Levies  </li>
<li>historical and current correlation between share price and CPO benchmark price  </li>
<li>comparables and valuation</li>
</ul>We conclude the article with recommendations for investment opportunities in the sector.

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) plantation stocks have lagged the rally in CPO prices, as well as other commodity stocks.  Investors have been generally cautious of chasing the CPO rally via plantation stocks even as CPO prices breach new record highs. Market concerns derive from the probability that CPO prices may be in bubble territory and could reverse when supply-side disruptions rebalance. Further, high CPO prices and increased availability of substitute edible oils (such as soybean and sunflower oil) as the latter enters production season could weigh on CPO demand, which has otherwise remained resilient due to strong demand in key markets such as India and China.  The Bursa Malaysia plantation index, which tracks the performance of 43 listed planters on Bursa Malaysia, has lost 6.3% year to date, while CPO benchmark prices surged more than 46% over the same period.  Malaysian plantation stocks trade at 18 times price to earnings while regional ones trade at around 11 times price to earnings, which approximates historical lows.On a brighter note, Indonesia recently announced the downward revision in palm oil export levies, which encourages exports and should be viewed positively by investors. Could this be the catalyst that the overlooked palm plantation sector needs? In this Insight, we examine the following key factors: 
CPO sector overview
supply and demand equation 
Investment Catalyst - Indonesia's Export Levies  
historical and current correlation between share price and CPO benchmark price  
comparables and valuation
We conclude the article with recommendations for investment opportunities in the sector.

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) - Which Plantation Stock Could Crush Its Competition?

Golden Agri Resources

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) - Which Plantation Stock Could Crush Its Competition?