Most rubber companies were setting cautious profit targets for this year over forecasts that rubber prices will stay at low levels. — VNA/VNS Photo Đức Tưởng

HÀ NỘI — Most rubber companies are setting cautious profit targets for this year over forecasts that rubber prices will remain at low levels.

The Việt Nam Rubber group (VRG) at its shareholders meeting in late February announced the 2021 business plans which set the after-tax profit 12 per cent lower than 2020.

Specifically, VRG targeted to earn revenue of VNĐ27.1 trillion and after-tax profit of VNĐ4.6 trillion, an increase of 4.2 per cent in revenue by a drop of 12 per cent in profit against 2020.

VRG predicted that 2021 would be a difficult year, especially for latex production which was the core business of the group, as rubber prices were forecast to stay at low levels.

In 2020, the company earned revenue of more than VNĐ25.9 trillion and after-tax profit of VNĐ5.23 trillion, representing rises of 5.67 per cent and 29.8 per cent over 2019, respectively. The profit mainly came from the VNR’s divestment of 11.8 per cent of stakes at Sài Gòn VRG Investment Corporation.

According to Bản Việt Securities Company, VRG earned net profit worth VNĐ1.1 trillion from the divestment, which helped the company to reach such high profit.

Lowering profit target in 2021 in the context of unpredictable market would be understandable for VRG, Bản Việt Securities said.

Other rubber companies also set cautious targets.

Tây Ninh Rubber Joint Stock Company (TRC) set a profit target for 2021 nearly 50 per cent lower than last year. TRC targeted to earn revenue of VNĐ301 billion and pre-tax profit of VNĐ57 billion, 29.6 per cent and 48.8 per cent lower than last year, which were said to be very cautious targets after the company reported revenue of VNĐ326 billion, up 8.3 per cent and net profit of VNĐ93 billion, up 11 per cent, in 2020.

Even rubber companies which had advantages for developing industrial property – a sector considered to be profitable – set modest targets.

Phước Hòa Rubber set revenue at VNĐ1.921 trillion, a drop of 15 per cent, and after-tax profit of VNĐ715 billion, a drop of 35 per cent, against 2020. This was the lowest profit target of Phước Hòa Rubber since 2019 when the company started to convert its land into industrial property.

Phước Hòa Rubber said that the company was facing difficulties from anticipated low rubber demand in 2021, a shortage of labour and impacts of weather and diseases. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic would cause difficulties in attracting investments in its industrial zones.

According to a report of FPT Securities, rubber prices were forecast to stay at low levels in 2021, around VNĐ32-33 million per tonne, which would continue to have negative impacts on the latex production of rubber companies and forced many companies to sell rubber wood instead and convert land into industrial property.

Rubber wood prices were predicted to be high this year, driven by the high demand for export of wood and wooden products. Rubber wood prices were forecast at VNĐ250 million per ha, up four per cent against last year.

The global production shift was providing opportunities for rubber companies which converted their land into industrial zones.

This year would see a strong divide in business results among rubber companies, FPT Securities said. — VNS