PRTASCO : The Slow and Steady Tortoise

I invested in PRTASCO about three years ago when its share was priced at about 99 to 1.05 sen. The good thing about this construction company is it gives a steady dividend between 5 to 8 sen a year and last year it gave a special dividend of 6 sen making the annual total of 14 sen.

As I was looking for a short term gain, I was not patient enough to ride this slow tortoise.  For almost two years its unit price hovered between 1.00 to 1.05 and so I cleared my position after a couple of dividend issues.

This company which traditionally has a contract on road maintenance and later migrated to construction. It has consistently been issuing an annual dividend for more than seven years. Another feature I like about this construction company is its wealth sharing with employees. I suppose many big companies have already been doing this through Employee Sharing Scheme (ESS). I know Westports has such an arrangement.

Late last year (2013) I reviewed my portfolio and in the process decided to re-purchase PRTASCO shares at 1.42 much to the the mirth of my better half. Well, he is no longer laughing at me now as PRTASCO has climbed up to 1.84  as at 1pm today.

PRTASCO_The Turtle seems to be sprinting
Source:BURSA MALAYSIA

I invested all my 2013 dividend from AS1M and a hefty loan from Jeff (already paid up with no interest) on this stock and the capital appreciation is now about 26.8% in less than six months, albeit unrealised gain. Last January 2014, I received its dividend at 4 sen a unit. I was quite pleased with it.

A dig at my better half ;)

I bought PRTASCO for two reasons; firstly I like its dividend policy , secondly I have been following its development, diversification activities and looking at its fundamentals generally. It's now into oil and gas as well.

I should have bought the stock much earlier but was mulling over it a long time and eventually forgot about it till last October 2013 when the tortoise has traversed so far ahead and now is crawling fast steadily.

I am glad I made a considered choice as far as investing in PRTASCO is concerned but really it's not always like this though. Take it from me, a small time investor who has gone through the up and down of the market, at times gritting my teeth.

Look What A Virus Can Do to Your Skin

A 31 year old man came to the clinic yesterday afternoon complaining of itchiness and pain over his left back extending to the front of his abdomen. He could not sleep the night before due to pain and itchiness. He said the skin condition started off with a few blisters on the described skin area four days ago and thinking nothing of it he did not see any doctor.

Well, the eruptions became more extensive with intense itching and pain which became so unbearable that he hardly could sleep. He had applied an anti-itch lotion bought over the counter (OTC) for relief. And when the spread became larger and pain worsened, he decided to seek medical attention.

I just took one look and I knew what the condition was. If he had come to the clinic a day following the appearance of blisters, he could be given medication to prevent more extensive eruptions hence reducing itchiness and alleviating pain which he described as sharp and pricking.

Crops of blisters starting from the midline to the left

Eruptions extending around his right side

The blistering crops kept traversing till just before the frontal body midline

The skin condition is called Herpes Zoster (shingles) and it is as a result of reactivation of Chickenpox (varicella) virus which have been dormant in the spinal nerve of the patient following an earlier infection. The infection follows the nerve distribution area called dermatome and so you see a characteristic pattern on the body.

It can occur in any part of the body like the face , the neck or upper part of the body.

It is unknown why this virus become reactivated. Most likely the immune system changes could have something to do with the condition.

I had another patient a female who came to see me some time last year with a complaint of pain and fleeting numbness on the right side of her face of about two day-duration and later she noticed small crops of tiny blisters on the right side of the face nearer to her right year. She came to the clinic the next day.

I made a diagnosis of Herpes Zoster and treated her with a course of anti-viral and on review 21 days later, the blisters had subsided and there was no new eruptions and extension. She no longer complained of any pain or discomfort over the right facial area.

An early crops of blisters on the face of a 30 + yr old woman

The condition would not have been as extensive like the above male patient had he come to the clinic within 24 hours of the blisters appearing as an anti-viral treatment would have been prescribed. Yet, not many people know as to when to visit a doctor so the best thing to do is to just come and ask for an opinion if you suspect abnormal crops of tiny clear, fluid-filled swellings on your face or any part of your trunk that may be accompanied by pain or uneasy numbness or less commonly itching.

IHH - Solid Performance and Planned Expansion

I remember when IHH was about to be listed, I had already made up my mind that I would apply for its IPO, failing which I would still purchase it on the market. In fact one of my best friends advised me to ensure I wouldn't miss this stock. She is one of the country's heads of major hospitals who was offered the pink form ( apply and you would sure get) How lucky could one be!

Well, I managed to get 75% of my applications at an IPO price of 2.80 per share and proceeded to buy  more after waiting for about a week and the price had never gone down following its opening price! And I thought Westports would follow the same trend but I was dead wrong. Anyway, IHH has gradually uptrended right up to 4.16 and had a jolt late December 2013 following reports of the political turmoil with high inflation in Turkey and the decline of its currency. IHH has stakes in  Turkish hospitals (the group’s newly opened Acibadem Bodrum Hospital and Acibadem Ankara Hospital)

IHH showing a decline in its share price due to anxiety
on political upheaval, high inflation and weak Lira in Turkey.
(Source: Bursa Malaysia)

I am not perturbed as when you are looking for growth and long term prospects, you would see this kind of glitches as an opportunity to buy additional shares due to its lower price. The stock has since remained volatile and its closing price last Friday 14 March was 3.69 ( target price is 3.60)

According to Alliance Research,the company's 4QFY13 is within expectation.The group has proposed a first and final single tier cash dividend of 2 sen for FY13. Management has also announced its newly formulated dividend policy of paying minimum 20% of PATMI (  profits after tax and minority interests)  , excluding exceptional items. A low rate but the unrealised capital appreciation has been more than 30% as of last week. Under normal circumstances,  a fully established healthcare business with good governance would generally generate profit allowing it to distribute dividend to its shareholders on a regular basis.

I will stick with this company for a fair bit longer while hoping that things will improve in Turkey. Its operations (Gleneagles Hospitals) in Malaysia and Singapore are on track and it is building another 500-bed hospital in Hong Kong that is scheduled for operation in early 2017. The one in Kota Kinabalu is being completed by 2015. I am actually tempted to buy more IHH shares at the current price and keep them.

Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

Today Saturday 15 March 2014, we are entering the eighth day of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370's sudden disappearance.

This so-called unprecedented "aviation Mystery" began at about 40 minutes after the Boeing 777-200 ER departed from KLIA en route to Beijing on early Saturday morning,12.41 am local time, 08 March 2014 whence it disappeared from the civilian (ATC) radar screen. The aircraft's transponder was apparently switched off.

Till today it remains missing much to the frustration of the passengers' relatives and anxiety of concerned Malaysians.

As a frequent traveller on Malaysia Airlines I found the whole episode disturbing as the latest development based on satellite data pointed to the fact that the plane was deliberately diverted from its intended flight path by people extremely familiar with the plane's intricate security system. It is apparently hijacked but the strange thing is how come the hijacker (s) have not made any demand to land in the country of their choosing?

The authorities are now looking (investigating) at the crew of the plane. What transpired in the cockpit?

You can read the voluminous reports of flight MH370 online. I just want to highlight related information on my blog to remind myself of this tragedy and record my prayer to the existing million.

Boeing 777-200 ER graphic and the passengers' list

The Longest Week indeed. Source: The Star

What is a Transponder?

Possible areas MH370 could have travelled after being off the civilian radar
and turning westwards and captured by military radar.
Source: Washington Post

Missing MH370: Five scenarios of what could have happened based on latest data analysis by international crash investigators.

• Terror attack
• Pilot involvement
• Pilot suicide
• The plane landed and is hidden
• Cover up

Read more here....

The relatives,Malaysians and in fact the whole world need closure. And in the meantime..

Joining all Malaysians in prayers