Only five plantation companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) managed to post higher revenue in the first quarter of 2016 (compared to the same quarter one year earlier). Of the 14 plantation companies listed on the IDX, four still need to publish their Q1-2016 corporate earnings (Golden Plantation, Sawit Sumbermas Sarana, Multi Agro Gemilang Plantation, and Tunas Baru Lampung). Sampoerna Agro was the company with the highest revenue growth among Indonesia's listed plantation companies in Q1-2016.

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Indonesian companies engaged in the production of crude palm oil (CPO) recorded impressive financial figures in the first quarter of 2014. Combined, 13 CPO companies that are listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange posted IDR 3 trillion (USD $260.9 million) in net profits over the first quarter of 2014, a 116.1 percentage growth from the same period last year. Main reasons for this growth are the sharply depreciated Indonesian rupiah exchange rate in combination with the rising global CPO price and looming new El Niño cycle.

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On 27 April 2014, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website in the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic topics such as investment realization in Q1-2014, a revision of the Negative Investment List, company profiles of Adaro Energy and Astra Agro Lestari, and more.

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Indonesia Investments updated the company profile of Astra Agro Lestari in our Indonesian Companies section. Astra Agro Lestari is Indonesia's largest agribusiness company by value. The company, majority-owned by diversified conglomerate Astra International, is engaged in palm oil and rubber plantations as well as industrial activities. It currently manages a total plantation area of 281,378 hectares - including nucleus and plasma - in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

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Indonesia's largest supplier of crude palm oil (CPO), Astra Agro Lestari, is expected to see improving corporate earnings in the years ahead on the back of the rising CPO price and expectation of the company's climbing CPO production volume. The year 2016 was a good year for Astra Agro Lestari as it reported a 224.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) jump in net profit and a 7.6 percent (y/y) increase in sales, led by sales of CPO and derivative products. This was a great recovery from the preceding year. CPO and derivative products account for more than 86 percent of the company's total sales.

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Expectation of rising fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and crude palm oil (CPO) volumes in the second half of the year should boost the corporate earnings of Astra Agro Lestari, one of Indonesia's leading agribusiness companies. Meanwhile, sentiments related to the La Nina weather phenomenon and rising CPO demand on the back of the Indonesian government's biodiesel program should support CPO prices. Astra Agro Lestari is the plantation unit of diversified conglomerate Astra International.

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The plan of Indonesian palm oil producer Astra Agro Lestari to raise IDR 4 trillion (approx. USD $305 million) through a (preemptive) rights issue by issuing 450 million new shares has caused great volatility in the performance of the company's shares listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). On 11 April the rights issue plan will be discussed at an extraordinary general meeting and if approved the rights issue will be conducted within 12 months. The company decided to seek this corporate action in order to pay off debt.

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Agribusiness company Astra Agro Lestari, one of Indonesia's leading crude palm oil (CPO) producers, is expected to show a better performance in 2016 on an expected rise in palm oil prices. Although palm oil futures currently feel the negative effects of tumbling global crude oil prices, these futures are estimated to have risen to about 2,700 ringgit per ton by May 2016 from around 2,385 (approx. USD $540)  per ton currently.

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At least 17 Indonesian companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) have announced to pay out dividends to shareholders for the financial year 2013. The payouts will be conducted between 23 April and 30 June 2014. These dividend payout announcements are expected to have a positive impact on the performance of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG). However, the payout is usually followed by a short period of profit taking as investors sell certain stocks.

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Today (27/01), Indonesia's benchmark stock index (the Jakarta Composite Index, abbreviated IHSG) fell 2.58 percent to 4,322.78 points. This sharp decline can only be explained by profit taking amid market uncertainty. As I have reported before, the IHSG is highly susceptible to profit taking when negative sentiments arise in the market. Factors that accounted for these sentiments were the continued depreciation of the rupiah exchange rate and falling Asian stock markets (that were impacted by Wall Street's negative ending last week).

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Although Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) ended the first trading session down, it recovered in the second half of Wednesday's trading day (08/01). Investors were eager to buy stocks that have experienced a significant correction since May 2013. Moreover, as the Indonesia Stock Exchange reduced trading sizes to 100 shares per lot from 500 shares (to increase market liquidity and attract more retail investors), investors were able to benefit from these premium prices.

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Shareholders of Astra Agro Lestari, Indonesia's largest agribusiness company by value (which is particularly engaged in palm oil and rubber plantations), agreed to distribute IDR 1.08 trillion (USD $111 million) in dividends to its shareholders. The allocated amount is equivalent to about 45 percent of the company's net profit in 2012. Dividend per share is set at IDR 685 (USD $0.071). Last November, the company had already paid interim dividend of IDR 230 per share. Final dividend will be paid on 3 June 2013.

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