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UOB KayHian initiates ‘Buy’ call on ASL Marine with target price of 33 cents

Teo Zheng Long
Teo Zheng Long • 2 min read
UOB KayHian initiates ‘Buy’ call on ASL Marine with target price of 33 cents
Shares in ASL Marine closed 3 cents higher or 13% up at 26 cents on Nov 3.
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UOB KayHian analyst Heidi Mo has initiated coverage on ASL Marine with a “buy” call and a target price of 33 cents. Mo’s target price is based on FY2026 P/E of 11.6 times, which is a 15% discount to its peers’ average of 13.8 times, reflecting ASL Marine’s smaller size and liquidity.

In her Nov 3 report, she pointed out that FY2025 marked a major turnaround for ASL Marine, with net profit surging 287% y-o-y to $14.7 million, driven by stronger project execution and margin expansion.

Excluding the $10 million of non-cash amortisation, core net profit would have been $24.7 million. With the legacy restructuring charges now fully rolled off, ASL Marine enters FY2026 with a clean base and steady profitability.

In terms of capital management, ASL’s five-year club term loan refinanced $150 million of maturing bonds with neither lender haircut nor shareholder dilution, signalling creditor confidence. “The facility is collateralised by $268 million of assets at market value and bears a competitive rate of 2.5%,” Mo says.

As part of its fleet optimisation programme, ASL Marine plans to dispose of vessels worth $52.6 million in FY2026-FY2027 to fund debt repayment, targeting net gearing of 0.5x, from 1.32x now. The annual interest savings of $7-$8 million are expected to lift ASL Marine’s net margins by three percentage points and accelerate free cash flow generation.

The higher margin ship repair segment, which contributes 50% of revenue, provides steady earnings for ASL Marine, supported by structural tailwinds from an ageing global fleet and an upcoming third floating dock.

See also: Analysts turning positive on Wilmar following 3Q business update and conclusion of the Indonesia cooking oil case

“Long-term charter contracts worth $82 million and an $83 million shipbuilding orderbook underpin visibility from FY2026-FY2027, alongside exposure to Singapore’s major national infrastructure projects like Tuas Mega Port,” she notes.

Some of the potential re-rating factors for ASL Marine includes sustained deleveraging, margin stability and dividend resumption.

Shares in ASL Marine closed 3 cents higher or 13% up at 26 cents on Nov 3.

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