Expectation of higher the coal sales volume is supported by the completion of the two coal-fired Banjarsari power plants in South Sumatra (2x135 MW). These power plants, which already started to operate commercially in mid-2015, will require about 1.4 million tons of coal per year,. This coal is to supplied by the developer of these plants: Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (Bukit Asam). Meanwhile, another plant - the Banko Tengah power plant - is currently being planned and should come online in 2021. In recent years, several Indonesian coal miners have expanded into the power sector due to unattractive coal prices. Moreover, in Indonesia there is a shortage of electricity supply (implying strong demand for the end-product of these power stations), while coal miners have easy access to coal. The expansion into the coal-fired power plant sector is therefore a logical corporate move.

Another factor that is estimated to boost Bukit Asam's coal sales this year is the increase in carrying capacity of its coal train to 22.7 million tons per year (from an annual 15.8 million tons last year).

However, despite expectation of rising sales, the Bukit Asam's net profit is estimated to fall 27 percent (y/y) to IDR 1.49 trillion (approx. USD $113 million) in 2016 due to the weaker coal price. Indonesia's benchmark thermal coal price (harga batubara acuan, abbreviated HBA), which is set (on a monthly basis) by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, stood at USD $52.32 per ton in April 2016. The HBA is expected to stabilize around USD $50 per ton this year. Last year the average HBA was USD $60.1 per ton, implying the price has been declining for the past four years. Despite expectation of sliding net profit, Trimegah Securities states that other Indonesian miners are expected to see a larger net profit decline because they have more difficulty to find a market for their coal and have more difficulty to cut operational costs further.

Indonesian Government's Benchmark Thermal Coal Price (HBA):

Month    2012    2013    2014    2015
   2016
January   109.29    87.55    81.90    63.84    53.20
February   111.58    88.35    80.44    62.92    50.92
March   112.87    90.09    77.01    67.76    51.62
April   105.61    88.56    74.81    64.48    52.32
May   102.12    85.33    73.60    61.08
June    96.65    84.87    73.64    59.59
July    87.56    81.69    72.45    59.16
August    84.65    76.70    70.29    59.14
September    86.21    76.89    69.69    58.21
October    86.04    76.61    67.26    57.39
November    81.44    78.13    65.70    54.43
December    81.75    80.31    69.23    53.51
Average     95.5     82.9     72.6     60.1

in USD/ton
Source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

Trimegah Securities set its target price for Bukit Asam shares at IDR 9,600 a piece. So far this year, shares of the coal miner have surged a whopping 64 percent to IDR 7,450 in line with rising crude oil prices.

Future Projection Financial Performance Bukit Asam:

     2014    2015   2016F   2017F   2018F
Revenue  13,078  13,734  15,015  16,411  17,567
EBITDA   2,225   2,693   2,109   2,408   2,662
Net Profit
  1,861   2,036   1,496   1,555   1,669
P/E Ratio (x)
    8.8     8.1     11    10.6     9.8
PBV (x)      2     1.8     1.6     1.5     1.3

in billion IDR rupiah, except stated otherwise
Source: Trimegah Securities (20/04/2016)

Discuss

lugano |

Remarkably - moreover in China have recently been approximately 1.000 coal mines closed - coal passé ?

lugano |

.. BHP Biliton weighs getting out of Indonesian coal

lugano |

Unexpected move yesterday announced by one of the largest mining companies globally. Showing it may be bailing out of a country that used to be one of the world’s go-to minerals destinations: the firm is BHP Billiton — and the place is Indonesia. . (oilprice.com)