Westports shares rise as nine-month net profit tops RM1b

File picture of shipping containers at Westports Pulau Indah in Klang, September 27, 2024. Shares in Westports Holdings Bhd rose in early trading today after the port operator’s financial results for the first nine months of the financial year ending December 31, 2026 (9M 2026) exceeded market expectations. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

First Published: Thursday, 22 Oct 2026 12:00 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Shares in Westports Holdings Bhd rose in early trading today after the port operator’s financial results for the first nine months of the financial year ending December 31, 2026 (9M 2026) exceeded market expectations.

At 11.33am, Westports jumped 13 sen to RM6.90, with 1.71 million shares traded.

For the third quarter ended September 30, 2026 (3Q 2026), Westports’ net profit jumped 26 per cent to RM342.55 million from RM271.1 million in the same quarter a year ago.

The quarter’s improved performance was driven by higher gross profit, supported by a 42 per cent increase in revenue to RM1.06 billion from RM751.99 million in 3Q 2025.

Meanwhile, Westports’ 9M 2026 net profit rose to RM1.02 billion from RM725.19  million, while revenue climbed to RM2.83 billion from RM2.06 billion previously.

MBSB Investment Bank Bhd said Westports’ 9M 2026 core earnings came in slightly ahead of the investment bank’s expectations, with container throughput accounting for 74 per cent of its financial year ending December 31, 2026 forecast.

“We raise our financial year ending December 31, 2026-2028 earnings forecasts by 2.8 per cent to 3.0 per cent, factoring in lower operating costs (primarily depreciation and electricity expenses),” it said in a research note today.

The investment bank noted that Westports’ 9M 2026 electricity costs fell 28.9 per cent year-on-year, supported by a more favourable tariff classification, green energy tariff exemptions and higher solar self-generation. — Bernama