IPO - Boustead Plantation Bhd

Here I go again, salivating at an IPO. Since the announcement of the proposed listing of this pure plantation stock following the privatisation of the Al-Hadharah Boustead Real Estate Investment Trust ( BSDReit)  last year, I have made up my mind to apply for this new kid on the block in the plantation counter.

I have a thing about this stock as I had had shares of BSDReit since 2007 purchased at 1.04 and made a substantial gain when I sold all off at 2.06 just before the company's exercise in late 2013. I kept it very long because I was enjoying an annual  dividend rate of about 9%. I had calculated that I would make much more by clearing my position than staying on and be given Boustead Plantation Bhd shares at a given ratio of  three Boustead Plantations shares for every five Boustead REIT units held - without balloting.

And now I am going after its plantation IPO.

The name Boustead itself gives a sense of confidence for me when looking at how the company Boustead Holdings Berhad (Bstead) stock has risen in values over the years. The last closing price on Friday 25 April was 5.56 and currently volatile due to the impending removal of its plantation arm for the new listing.

Lembaga  Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT)-linked Boustead Holdings Berhad, listed on Bursa is involved in businesses of the following sectors: Plantation ,property pharmaceutical,heavy industries, trading & industrial and finance and investment.

To unlock the value of its plantation business, Boustead has decided to list it separately (removing 18 plantation companies from Boustead Holdings Berhad). The indicative price is said to be 1.60 subject to bookbuilding by  AffinBank. So far I am made to understand that the majority of its 580 million new offers of shares are allocated to existing Bstead's shareholders and directors and those of the delisted BDSReit. There are no cornerstone investors as yet. A small proportion (64 million) is allocated to the Malaysian public via balloting.

I used to have several plantation stocks during their heydays before the global financial crisis in 2008: THPlant,Sarawak Plantation,Kwantas,MHC and Unico. I held them for far too long and  as a result made great losses on all those except for THPlant in 2009. It's water under the bridge now. I had wanted to purchase one plantation stock to add excitement to  my portfolio last year but missed the opportunity due to packed commitments. By that time, my target stock (giving generous dividend) THPlant has risen from 1.60 to 2.00.

And so I thought this is another opportunity to own a plantation stock and ride with the current good crude palm oil prices.

The Boustead Plantation Bhd IPO is not launched yet but I would not like to miss the opportunity to compensate for my previous specific losses on those plantation stocks and this time I have to be more aware of factors affecting the crude palm oil (CPO) prices such as rating agency's evaluation of the industry,  production, consumption, "greenie" attacks and competition from other vegetable oil like soya.

Even if I am not successful in my IPO application, I will buy the shares on the open market. And this is when you have to gauge the stock performance on post-listing. A lot may have to do with luck, though, beside good knowledge on the company: one way is through reading its prospectus. And of course, the CPO price factor, which even if it's high may not be reflected in the stock price.

All said, stock market is a playground for people who are not averse to taking risks, and either way, will take it in their stride and move on.

An Update on Boustead Plantation (BPLANT) IPO timetable:

Last day of IPO application : 11 June 2014 at 5pm
Balloting date : 16 June
Allotment of shares to successful applicants : 24 June
Tentative Listing : 26 June, Thursday