25/02/2026

BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | FEB 25, 2026

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Pharmaniaga fourth-quarter earnings surge 228%

Petronas Dagangan FY25 net profit increases to RM1.1b KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas

PETALING JAYA: Affin Group and MBSB Bank Bhd have jointly committed RM3.8 billion in a syndicated facility to support Mawar Setia Sdn Bhd’s acquisition of a controlling stake of over 50% in U Mobile Sdn Bhd. Under the syndicated arrange ment, Affin Group has committed RM2.4 billion, while MBSB Bank has committed RM1.4 billion. Proceeds from the facility will part-finance Mawar Setia’s purchase of shares from Straits Mobile Investments Pte Ltd. Mawar Setia is a Malaysian investment holding company founded by Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun and Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim. The acquisition is expected to increase Malaysian ownership in U PETALING JAYA: Pharmaniaga Bhd’s net profit for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2025 (Q4 FY25) leaped 227.87% to RM7.69 million from RM2.34 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue eased higher to RM938.27 million, an increase of 1.28%, from RM926.44 million in Q4 FY24. For FY25, Pharmaniaga’s revenue rose 4.48% to RM3.92 billion from RM3.75 billion, attributable to heightened customer demand within the concession segment, underpinned by the inclusion of new products in the approved products purchase list. According to a Bursa Malaysia filing, the group realised interest savings of RM10.6 million following the stock optimisation and partial repayment of borrowings through proceeds from its regularisation plan. Consequently, the group’s profit before tax (PBT) increased by 7.9% to RM74.7 million, from RM69.2 million in the previous financial year, excluding the penalty waiver. In the filing, Pharmaniaga said 2025 marked an important milestone for the group, with the successful completion of the regularisation plan and a return to financial stability. This strengthened foundation has enabled Pharmaniaga to focus on reinforcing its core capabilities and positioning the group for growth in 2026 and beyond. The achievement of the eighth consecutive profitable quarter reflects the business’s resilience and improved cash management, it said. The biopharmaceutical segment recorded full-year sales of RM13 million in 2025, underpinned by strong demand for EuvaxB and SkyCellFlu. Looking ahead, the group expects this positive momentum to continue in 2026, supported by an increasing number of planned corporate vaccination pro grammes. In parallel, development of the PCV13 and Hexavalent vaccines is progressing well, with support from government grants. Looking ahead to 2026, the group plans to introduce six major new products, further strengthening its portfolio and positioning Pharmaniaga to capture growing demand, particularly within the private healthcare market.

ensuring secure and convenient access for Malaysians in line with national initiatives,” he said. Looking ahead, Azrul said PDB plans to broaden its portfolio with new offerings, including Blueshark electric two-wheelers and its first franchise quick-service restaurants featuring South African brands Steers and Debonairs, marking its expan sion into the non-fuel segment. He added that Visit Malaysia 2026, infrastructure investments under the 13th Malaysia Plan and the govern ment’s focus on sustainability and energy transition are expected to create growth opportunities. “PDB is well positioned to benefit from higher travel demand, improved road connectivity and the gradual shift towards cleaner mobility solutions,” he said. – Bernama

o Total dividend for FY25 amounts to 112 sen per share, representing 100% payout ratio

Dagangan Bhd’s (PDB) net profit for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2025 (FY25) edged up to RM1.10 billion from RM1.09 billion a year earlier. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the company said revenue rose 1% to RM38.27 billion from RM37.95 billion, underpinned by a 2% increase in sales volume despite a 1% decline in average selling prices. The retail segment’s revenue increased by RM253.4 million, or 1%, supported by a 6% rise in average selling prices, which offset a 4% decline in sales volume. The commercial segment recorded a RM98.1 million, or 1%, rise in revenue, driven by a 12% increase in sales volume, mainly from growth in Jet A1 and diesel,

The group declared an interim dividend of 26 sen per share and a special dividend of 20 sen per share for the quarter ended Dec 31, 2025, bringing total dividends for FY25 to 112 sen per share, representing a 100% payout ratio. In a separate statement, mana ging director and CEO Azrul Osman Rani said FY25 marked a defining year for PDB, with the group playing a trailblazing role in supporting the government’s BUDI95 programme. “Through the Setel app, we enabled seamless MyKad verifi cation for BUDI95 eligibility,

which mitigated a 10% drop in average selling prices. In contrast, the convenience segment’s revenue fell 12%, or RM33.0 million, to RM253.8 million, mainly due to lower merchandise sales. For the fourth quarter, net profit rose to RM258.88 million from RM249.06 million a year earlier, while revenue climbed to RM10.58 billion from RM8.99 billion. Quarterly revenue increased 18%, driven by a 9% rise in average selling prices and an 8% increase in sales volume.

Petronas Dagangan’s CEO says the group played a trailblazing role in supporting the government’s BUDI95

programme. – BERNAMAPIC

Affin, MBSB commit RM3.8 billion to support Mawar Setia’s deal for controlling stake in U Mobile

“Aligned with the Affin Axelerate 2028 Plan, anchored on Unrivalled Customer Service, Digital Leadership, and Responsible Banking with Impact, we will continue to support the advancement of a secure and scalable digital ecosystem for the nation’s future.” MBSB Bhd group CEO Rafe Haneef commented: “This financing supports a change in control at a pivotal point in U Mobile’s trajectory and Malaysia’s digital ambitions. “MBSB’s RM1.4 billion commitment reflects our focus on transactions that expand digital connectivity, an enabling layer for productivity, competitiveness and inclusion across households, SMEs and industries.” – Bernama

investment discipline and opera tional focus as U Mobile advances its next stage of development. I am

Tan said: “Malaysia’s next phase of growth will be defined by execution – building digital infra structure that is reliable, scalable and delivered on time. With this acquisition, Mawar Setia is increasing Malaysian participation in a strategic national asset and stepping up our responsibility to support U Mobile’s nationwide 5G deployment. “Our focus is to strengthen governance and long-term funding support, so the management team can accelerate rollout and meet the coverage expectations set for the country’s second 5G network. We intend to back this with sustained

Mobile by reducing foreign share holding and consolidating domestic participation in one of Malaysia’s key mobile and broadband operators, as the company advances its next phase of corporate development. U Mobile has been appointed to deploy Malaysia’s second nationwide 5G network and continues to expand its ULTRA5G infrastructure through strategic technology partnerships with Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corporation of China. Recent milestones include delivering ULTRA5G coverage at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and launching a 24-hour ULTRA5G Tourist eSIM offering 100GB of data, reflecting continued progress in its network rollout.

delighted to share that U Mobile has been pro gressing well and is ahead of deployment schedule.” Affin Group president and group CEO Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah said: “We are pleased to participate as the

largest financier in this syndicated facility, with a RM2.4 billion com mitment. This financing strengthens Malaysia’s long-term digital infra tructure capacity and supports U Mobile’s next phase of growth with deeper domestic participation.