- Nine-month net profits of listed companies up y-o-y on higher sales
- All industry posts rising sales, up 12 pct in total in Jan-Sep
- Q3 net profit increased 35 pct from a year earlier, and up 66 pct from Q2
Companies listed on The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) report a net profit of THB 560.87 billion (approx. USD 18.1 billion) in January-September, up 0.38 percent from a year earlier, dragged by a sharp fall of commodities prices in the second quarter, with banking, property development, and property fund sectors making continued rising profits and sales.
Aggregate earnings were compiled from 449 listed firms, or 93.93 percent of the total 478 companies (excluding non-compliance and non-performing groups), in the first nine months of this year, ending September 30. There were 373 companies making net profits, representing to 83.10 percent of the total listed companies disclosing their financial statements.
By quarter, net profits of the 449 listed firms were at THB 216.8 billion in July-September, up 34.67 percent from the same period last year, while sales rose 8.14 percent to THB 2.57 trillion and gross profit margins increased to 18.50 percent from 17.83 percent, due mainly to upbeat performances of energy companies benefiting from higher product prices and volumes, as well as foreign exchange gains.
"Excluding earnings of energy and consumer products groups, the overall listed companies still posted rising sales and profits, up 9.65 percent and 13.49 percent, respectively. Sectors relating to domestic consumption and investment, such as banking, property, information and communication technology, health care services, and commerce grew strongly in both sales and profits from a year earlier. Compared with the second quarter, sales and gross profit margins remain good," said SET President Charamporn Jotikasthira.
Total sales of the 449 listed firms rose 11.80 percent to 7.61 trillion (USD 246 billion) in the first nine months. In addition, three sectors making continued sales and profits growth over the last three quarter of this year are banking, property development, and property funds.