Raffles Medical Group Ltd - Phillip Securities 2017-02-21: Searching for the right remedies

RAFFLES MEDICAL GROUP LTD BSL.SI

Searching for the right remedies - Raffles Medical Group Ltd

FY2016 Revenue of S$473.61 mn was in line with our forecast of S$486.26 mn.
FY2016 PATMI of S$70.21 mn missed our forecast by 8.1%. Surprise mainly came from higher-than-expected losses from MCH and higher effective tax rate.
RafflesMedical to drive FY17F topline; Expect further margin compression before MCH breakeven while RMG continues to gear up for expansion.

... particularly from the newly acquired International SOS (MC Holdings) Pte Ltd and its subsidiaries (collectively known as “MCH”).
Excluding MCH, top line would have grown by only 7.5% year-on-year (“yoy”). However, the increased staff costs from MCH remains a drag. Raffles Medical Group Ltd (“RMG”) has stepped up its cost management effort and expects to see better results in next few quarters.

Although RafflesHospital has the highest margins, it is expected to grow at a mid-single digit rate in FY2017 amid challenging macro environment.
Hospital Services growth has slowed to single-digit rate in the past three years due to slower growth in foreign patient load and a stretched space in RafflesHospital. Although RafflesHospital Extension is on track for completion, we do not expect a significant contribution to FY17F earnings as it is slated to be operational by 4Q FY2017.
On the other hand, its expanding network of clinics as well as growing corporate clients will support RafflesMedical’s double-digit growth rate.

MCH has yet to breakeven in FY2016 due to the high integration costs incurred and higher-than-Group level’s operating expenses. MCH’s staff costs as a percentage of revenue is still at 56% as at end-FY2016, albeit improved from 60% when it was initially acquired.
Management reiterated that RMG had only started managing MCH in April 2016 and would require few more quarters before it turns around. RMG has appointed two General Managers to improve operational efficiencies at the Healthcare Services business in IndoChina and to ultimately improve margins there.
RMG’s expansion plans by leveraging on MCH’s network of clinics, particularly the fast-growing clinics in China, could open up RMG’s potential customer base to the top 20% of China population, which are considered as the upper income group. The Group intends to add two or three more MCH clinics in China this year.

Improved net cash position (increased to S$81.5 mn from S$53.8 mn a year ago) and its strong operating cashflows (cashflow from operating activities of S$78.9 mn in FY2016) will enable the Group to support its investments in MCH, RafflesHospital Extension, and partially RafflesHospital Shanghai.
The remaining CapEx are estimated at:
1. c.S$94 million for RafflesHospital Extension; and
2. c.S$98 million earmarked for RafflesHospital Shanghai.
RMG has a healthy cash position of S$111.9 million as at 31 December 2016. We expect the Group to partially fund its RafflesHospital Shanghai project with debt.
Investment risks which could dampened healthcare demand in Singapore:
1. slower economic growth and uncertainties in Singapore and the region
2. strong SGD against neighbouring currencies
3. intensifying competition for medical tourism between Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

We have cut our FY17-18F Revenue by c.6% and adjusted for higher operating costs, which translates to a slightly lower DCF-derived target price of S$1.60 (previously S1.62).
We expect its RafflesHospital Extension and the RafflesHospital Shanghai to boost its revenue after its launches in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Expansion of its domestic and regional business operations will keep FY17-18F operating expenses high as RMG continues its recruitment drive to cater to the expansion of its Hospital and Healthcare Services operations in Singapore as well as in Indochina region.
We have also cut our FY17-18F dividend as we expect RFMD to reinvest at least half of its earnings into MCH, RafflesHospital Shanghai and RafflesHospital Extension.

Soh Lin Sin Phillip Securities | http://www.poems.com.sg/ 2017-02-21

Phillip Securities SGX Stock Analyst Report ACCUMULATE Maintain ACCUMULATE 1.60 Down 1.620