Market pessimism on TOP’s earnings is overdone, with a fall of 11% in share price over the past three months outdoing the SET’s -5%. We expect 2Q24F profit to slip 12% QoQ, better than the 52% QoQ plunge in Singapore GRM, thanks to stock gain and a gain from US$ bond buyback. Core profit is likely to decline in line with market GRM. In 3Q24, a seasonally stronger GRM (+12% QTD) is expected to lift core profit via higher crack spread for diesel and jet fuel. The share is trading at an undemanding PE of 5.7x (2024F) vs. 5-year average of 11.6x. We stay Outperform on a better outlook for GRM and aromatics with TP of Bt77 (1x PBV 2024F), implying 8.7x EV/EBITDA.
2Q24F net profit to soften QoQ on lower GRM. We expect 2Q24F net profit to weaken 12% QoQ to Bt5.2bn, but surge 362% YoY on a stronger GRM. Behind the QoQ slip is a fall in GIM to US$5.6/bbl (-46% QoQ) due to unfavorable GRM (-59% QoQ) but this was offset partly by better aromatics product spread, contributing US$1.5/bbl to GIM, and stable GIM contribution from lube base oil at US$0.4/bbl. TOP will also record a net stock gain of Bt2.4bn (~US$2.4/bbl), including Bt800mn in reversal of crude and petroleum product inventory. Further, we expect Bt970mn (before tax) extra gain from a US$ bond buyback in its efforts to rebalance FX exposure of asset and liabilities.
Higher QoQ crude run expected. Although TOP’s crude oil offloading facility or single buoy mooring-2 (SBM-2) remained offline in 2Q24, the hit to its crude run was limited. We expect TOP’s total intake to increase 5% QoQ to 305kbd after an unplanned shutdown of CDU-3 in 1Q24, though still down 3% YoY. Oil refinery utilization is expected to rise back to 110%. A higher utilization rate will also slice operating cost from US$1.7/bbl in 1Q24 to US$1.6/bbl in 2Q24, including US$0.5/bbl higher freight cost for crude shipments until the single-buoy mooring facility reopens.
3Q24F outlook. Core profit is expected to grow QoQ in 3Q24 on the seasonal impact of GRM in the third quarter, with average Singapore GRM in 3Q24TD up 12% QoQ to US$3.92/bbl. Although GRM is coming back more slowly than expected in 3Q24, we believe higher demand for middle distillate products (diesel and jet fuel) will continue to fuel GRM as travel demand continues to grow. Moreover, weak crack spread in 2Q24 caused global oil refineries to reduce crude run to balance the market and global middle distillates inventories have thus fallen to below the 5-year average in all regions. Crack spreads of diesel and jet fuel have risen 12% and 11% QoQ in 3Q24TD to US$15-16/bbl but remain much weaker than 12MMA of >US$21/bbl. The key factor to watch is new capacities, which are gradually ramping up production in 2H24.
TP of Bt77 maintained. We maintain our 2024 profit forecast, expecting core profit to decline 6.4% on a lower crude run. 1H24F profit is expected to account for 53% of our full-year forecast. Our valuation method for TP is still based on PBV of 1x (2024F), slightly below 5-year average, implying 8.7x EV/EBITDA. The stock is trading at 0.7x PBV or -1.5SD, marginally above 0.5x during the pandemic years.
Key risks: Volatile oil price and GRM, weaker oil price causing inventory loss and lower demand for aromatics. Other risks are GHG emission regulatory changes. Key ESG risk factors include the environmental impact of its business and how it adapts during the transition to clean energy.
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