Skip to main content

Featured Post

Lazada Unveils AI-Powered Shopping Assistant Ahead of 11.11 Sale

Lazada Malaysia has launched AI Lazzie, an AI shopping assistant powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to enhance the user experience on its platform as the 11.11 sale approaches. AI Lazzie provides users with tailored product recommendations, deals, and curated suggestions based on wishlists and past purchases. Accessible through the Message+ feature on Lazada's app, AI Lazzie will be fully rolled out by the 11.11 sale. Users can also take a personality quiz to discover their shopping “spirit animal” — such as a llama or fennec fox — which grants a unique LazCash voucher code redeemable through Message+. Virtual try-on models are another new feature, allowing users to visualise clothing on virtual models, streamlining the shopping experience for customers and reducing costs for sellers. In October, Lazada released a whitepaper on AI adoption in Southeast Asian e-commerce . The study, conducted with Kantar, surveyed over 6,000 users across Southeast Asia and found that 88% of shoppe

Pentamaster Shares Slide as Quarterly Profit Drops Nearly 50%



Shares of Pentamaster Corp Bhd fell nearly 7% to RM3.73 on Friday after the automated test equipment firm reported a significant decline in quarterly profit. Net profit for the latest quarter was nearly halved, pushing the stock’s market capitalization down to RM2.74 billion with 249,100 shares traded early in the day.

RHB Research maintained its “buy” rating with a target price of RM5.95, though Pentamaster’s 9MFY2024 core net profit came in below projections, meeting only 67% of RHB’s and 70% of consensus estimates.

The automotive segment was heavily affected by US and European tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, contributing to weaker sales. However, 3QFY2024 pre-tax profit margin improved to 9.7% due to higher-margin projects, despite a decline in factory automation solutions (FAS) margin from rising material costs.

Looking ahead, RHB noted that ATE (automated test equipment) sales may remain soft into the first half of 2025 due to macroeconomic pressures. Still, growth is expected in semiconductor packaging and optoelectronic devices as Pentamaster focuses on boosting operational efficiency.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

INTC Share Watch and News

Stock Info Market Monitor Company Profile Intel Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells integrated circuits for computing and communications industries worldwide. It offers microprocessor products used in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, servers, workstations, storage products, embedded applications, communications products, consumer electronics devices, and handhelds. The company also offers system on chip products that integrate its core processing functionalities with other system components, such as graphics, audio, and video, onto a single chip. It also provides chipset products that send data between the microprocessor and input, display, and storage devices, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD or DVD drives; motherboards that has connectors for attaching devices to the bus, and products designed for desktop, server, and workstation platforms; and wired and wireless connectivity products, including network adapters and embedded wireless cards used to translat

3M Raises Profit Forecast After Beating Quarterly Estimates on Electronics Demand

3M Co raised the lower end of its full-year adjusted profit forecast after strong demand for electronics and industrial products helped the company surpass quarterly profit expectations. Shares of 3M were up 4.2% at $140.5 in pre-market trading. An increase in demand for electronics used in vehicles and mobile phones boosted profits for the company, which had previously faced challenges as high inflation led consumers to delay major purchases. The industrial sector is also expected to benefit from the recent US Federal Reserve decision to cut borrowing costs in September, encouraging more consumer spending. 3M has implemented cost-cutting measures, including job reductions and spinning off its healthcare business, to counter the impact of a demand slowdown . Key highlights from the report: Sales in the transportation and electronics segment grew 1.8% year-on-year. Sales in the safety and industrial segment , which produces adhesives for industrial use, increased by 0.5% . 3M&

A Trader’s Guide to Navigating Malaysia's Budget 2025

Malaysia’s consumer and construction stocks are poised to benefit from Budget 2025 , as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to introduce measures aimed at lowering the cost of living and unveiling infrastructure projects . As both Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Anwar will likely announce targeted cash transfers , civil servant salary hikes , and potential revisions to the minimum wage to boost disposable incomes, supporting retailers like AEON Co and Padini Holdings . In the construction sector, analysts expect the budget to include new projects such as the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 and Pan Borneo Highway , with companies like Gamuda , Sunway Construction , and IJM Corp set to benefit. There could also be updates on the Johor-Singapore High-Speed Rail and cross-border economic zones, reigniting interest in the sector. The government’s commitment to growing semiconductor industries may lead to support measures for data center developers like YTL Power Int