FRONTKEN (FRCB MK)
MALAYSIA | TECHNOLOGY | RESULT
FRONTKEN (FRCB MK): Strong result momentum
6 August 2025
- 6M25 core earnings grew 35% YoY to RM85m, above expectations
- 2Q25 revenue and core net profit achieved record high on the back robust demand and better operating leverage
- We revise our 12-month TP higher to RM5.20 after raising 2025-27E earnings by 16-19%. Frontken is our country and sector top pick
BUY (maintain)
COMPANY DATA
MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS (%)
PRICE PERFORMANCE (%)
1MTH | 3MTH | YTD | |
---|---|---|---|
COMPANY | 2.3 | 16.6 | (8.0) |
FBMKLCI RETURN | (0.5) | (0.2) | (4.6) |
PRICE VS. FBMKLCI
[Chart depicting PRICE VS. FBMKLCI is omitted]
Source: Bloomberg
Jianyuan TAN, FCCA
tan.jianyuan@phillipcapital.com.my
2Q25 core earnings rose 60% YoY
Frontken delivered a solid set of results in 2Q25. Stripping out the RM19m forex loss, core net profit surged to RM53m (+60% YoY). Revenue rose 16% YoY to RM157m, primarily driven by stronger contributions from Taiwan operations (+21%) on the back of increasing customer demand, driving higher utilisation levels. In tandem with the stellar revenue, normalized EBIT surged 45% YoY. Notably, Taiwan operations recorded a record-high EBIT margin of 48% (+6ppts) on better operating leverage. Overall, EBITDA margin expanded to 44% (+8ppts), which we attribute to a more favorable product mix and improved operational efficiency.
6M25 results beat expectations
6M25 core net profit came in above expectations at RM85m (+35% YoY), making up 57% of our previous full-year forecast and 50% of consensus estimates. The result beat was mainly due to the better Taiwan operations. Operationally, Frontken has completed preliminary qualification for a new customer in Singapore and is awaiting final approval, targeted for Sept25. To support rising demand, the group has added new production lines at P1 and P2 facilities and plans to relocate less critical processes to the newly acquired P3 site, freeing up space for more complex and higher-value operations. Management shared that discussions are ongoing with a US-based company exploring potential collaboration as part of planned expansion into Malaysia.
Maintain BUY with a higher TP of RM5.20
We increase our 2025-27E earnings forecast by 16-19%, and raise our 12-month TP to RM5.20 (from RM4.50), based on an unchanged target PE of 40x on 2026E EPS. We continue to view Frontken as a compelling front-end semiconductor value chain play with direct Al exposure. Key downside risks include a sharp appreciation of RM, customer attribution, and a slower-than-expected semiconductor sector recovery.
Key Financials
Y/E Dec | 2023 | 2024 | 2025E | 2026E | 2027E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue (RMm) | 500.1 | 569.2 | 654.0 | 776.5 | 873.8 |
EBITDA (RMm) | 183.6 | 208.0 | 271.6 | 312.0 | 348.9 |
Pretax profit (RMm) | 167.1 | 198.4 | 255.2 | 296.0 | 333.5 |
Net profit (RMm) | 112.0 | 136.8 | 178.7 | 207.2 | 233.4 |
EPS (sen) | 7.0 | 8.6 | 11.2 | 13.0 | 14.6 |
PER (x) | 61.9 | 50.7 | 38.8 | 33.5 | 29.7 |
Core net profit (RMm) | 111.7 | 132.3 | 178.7 | 207.2 | 233.4 |
Core EPS (sen) | 7.0 | 8.3 | 11.2 | 13.0 | 14.6 |
Core EPS growth (%) | (11.3) | 18.4 | 35.0 | 16.0 | 12.7 |
Core PER (x) | 62.1 | 52.4 | 38.8 | 33.5 | 29.7 |
Net DPS (sen) | 2.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.9 |
Dividend Yield (%) | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
EV/EBITDA (x) | 36.3 | 30.0 | 23.6 | 20.2 | 17.7 |
Chg in EPS (%) | +18.5 | +15.5 | +15.7 | ||
Phillip/Consensus (%) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Sources: Company, Bloomberg, Phillip Research forecasts
Results at a glance
Y/E Dec (RMm) | 2Q24 | 1Q25 | 2Q25 | QoQ % chg | YoY % chg | 6M24 | 6M25 | YoY % chg | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue | 134.9 | 132.6 | 156.4 | 18.0 | 15.9 | 275.4 | 289.0 | 4.9 | Driven by higher contribution from Taiwan operations |
Op costs | (85.4) | (79.2) | (87.0) | 9.8 | 1.8 | (171.4) | (166.2) | (3.0) | |
EBITDA | 49.5 | 53.3 | 69.4 | 30.2 | 40.3 | 104.0 | 122.7 | 18.0 | |
EBITDA margin (%) | 36.7 | 40.2 | 44.4 | 4.2ppt | 7.7ppt | 37.8 | 42.5 | 4.7ppt | |
Depreciation | (5.2) | (5.2) | (5.4) | 3.6 | 3.9 | (10.5) | (10.7) | 1.1 | |
EBIT | 44.3 | 48.1 | 64.0 | 33.1 | 44.5 | 93.5 | 112.1 | 19.9 | |
EBIT margin (%) | 32.8 | 36.3 | 40.9 | 4.6ppt | 8.1ppt | 33.9 | 38.8 | 4.8ppt | |
Interest expense | (0.2) | (0.2) | (0.2) | (3.3) | (15.4) | (0.4) | (0.4) | (16.2) | |
Interest income | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 11.9 | 55.6 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 54.6 | |
Exceptional items | 0.5 | (1.7) | (19.0) | n.m | n.m | 0.2 | (20.7) | n.m | 2Q25 largely consist of forex loss |
Pretax profit | 46.4 | 48.7 | 47.6 | (2.2) | 2.6 | 96.7 | 96.3 | (0.3) | |
Core pretax | 45.9 | 50.4 | 66.6 | 32.2 | 45.2 | 96.5 | 117.0 | 21.3 | |
Taxation | (9.9) | (14.6) | (11.1) | (24.0) | 11.7 | (26.8) | (25.7) | (4.1) | |
Tax rate (%) | 21.6 | 28.9 | 16.6 | (12.3ppt) | (5.0ppt) | 27.7 | 26.6 | (1.0ppt) | |
MI | (3.1) | (3.1) | (3.0) | (0.1) | (3.1) | (6.5) | (6.1) | (6.4) | |
Net profit | 33.3 | 31.1 | 33.5 | 7.8 | 0.5 | 63.4 | 64.6 | 1.8 | |
EPS (sen) | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 7.8 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.8 | |
Core net profit | 32.8 | 32.8 | 52.5 | 60.2 | 60.0 | 63.2 | 85.3 | 34.9 | Exceeded our forecasts (57% of our 2025E forecast and 50% of street) |
Sources: Company, Phillip Research
Segmental Revenue Breakdown
Y/E Dec (RMm) | 2Q24 | 1Q25 | 2Q25 | QoQ % chg | YoY % chg | 6M24 | 6M25 | YoY % chg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taiwan | 96.4 | 98.2 | 116.5 | 18.6 | 20.8 | 186.9 | 214.7 | 14.9 |
Singapore | 15.7 | 12.6 | 14.0 | 11.1 | (10.3) | 32.1 | 26.7 | (16.9) |
Malaysia | 18.4 | 17.3 | 21.4 | 23.4 | 16.3 | 47.5 | 38.7 | (18.5) |
Philippines | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 0.7 |
Total | 134.9 | 132.6 | 156.4 | 18.0 | 15.9 | 275.4 | 289.0 | 4.9 |
Segmental EBIT Breakdown
Y/E Dec (RMm) | 2Q24 | 1Q25 | 2Q25 | QoQ % chg | YoY % chg | 6M24 | 6M25 | YoY % chg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taiwan | 40.7 | 43.1 | 37.0 | (14.3) | (9.2) | 80.4 | 80.1 | (0.4) |
Singapore | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 137.4 | (14.0) | 5.7 | 3.3 | (42.4) |
Malaysia | 0.7 | 1.6 | 4.9 | 204.5 | 612.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 8.4 |
Philippines | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 4.4 |
Indonesia | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.2) | (32.1) | (21.6) | (0.4) | (0.5) | n.m |
Total | 44.8 | 46.4 | 45.0 | (3.0) | 0.4 | 93.7 | 91.4 | (2.4) |
Segmental EBIT Margin
Y/E Dec | 2Q24 | 1Q25 | 2Q25 | QoQ ppt | YoY ppt | 6M24 | 6M25 | YoY ppt |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taiwan | 42.2% | 43.9% | 31.7% | (12.2ppt) | (10.5ppt) | 43.0% | 37.3% | (5.7ppt) |
Singapore | 17.3% | 7.7% | 16.6% | 8.8ppt | (0.7ppt) | 17.9% | 12.4% | (5.5ppt) |
Malaysia | 3.7% | 9.3% | 23.0% | 13.7ppt | 19.2ppt | 12.7% | 16.9% | 4.2ppt |
Philippines | 21.5% | 21.8% | 21.9% | 0.1ppt | 0.4ppt | 21.1% | 21.8% | 0.8ppt |
Total | 33.2% | 35.0% | 28.8% | (6.2ppt) | (4.4ppt) | 0.3ppt | 0.3ppt | (2.4ppt) |
Sources: Company, Phillip Research
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PRSB Investment and Sector Definition:
Equity:
BUY: Total stock return expected to exceed +10% over 12-month period
HOLD: Total stock return to be between -10% and +10% over a 12-month period
SELL: Total stock return is expected to below 10% over a 12-month period
Sector:
OVERWEIGHT: The sector is expected to outperform the overall FBMKLCI over the next 12 months
NEUTRAL: The sector is to perform in line with the overall FBMKLCI market over the next 12 months
UNDERWEIGHT: The sector is expected to underperform the overall FBMKLCI market over the next 12 months
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