KUALA LUMPUR: Leading consumer electrical and electronics (E&E) retailer Senheng New Retail Bhd is aiming to more than double its market share in the sales of home appliances, from 13% presently to 30% by 2025.
“We have to move fast and be more aggressive. From 2022 to 2024, we plan to upgrade and open 61 new stores. Although we are now in every state, there are still many towns where we are not present yet,” said executive chairman Lim Kim Heng after the online launch of the group’s initial public offering (IPO) prospectus yesterday.
Kim Heng added that Senheng, due to list on the Main Market on Jan 25, 2022, had no plans to expand into Asean. “We want to stay focused in Malaysia. There is still a lot of room for us to grow here,” he said.
Kim Heng is also confident of achieving double-digit growth in revenue in 2022, due to “new ways to engage with customers and especially if there are no lockdowns”.
“For 2020, despite the pandemic and lockdowns, the group saw double-digit growth versus 2019,” he noted.
Also present was Senheng president Lim Kim Chieng
In a statement, the group pointed out that it had achieved RM1.3bil in revenue in its financial year ended Dec 31, 2020 (FY20), growing 13.1% from RM1.1bil a year earlier, as the group upgraded stores by increasing floor space, offering a wider product variety, and leveraging on its PlusOne loyalty programme, digital marketing and personalised telemarketing initiatives.
The group is billed as the country’s largest retail chain of consumer E&E products, with 105 retail outlets across 797,000 sq ft in all states, and carrying 280 brands.
It has extensive online channels through a mobile Senheng App and websites, as well as third-party online marketplaces, supported by last-mile delivery capabilities as well as 3.24 million registered members under its PlusOne loyalty programme to-date.
“Today, our customers are increasingly purchasing from our online platforms due to the additional convenience, while our physical retail stores serve as experiential centres for customers to get up close with the brands and products of their liking.
“We aim to be the territory champion within every five km radius of our stores, with the largest floor space and variety of products,” said Kim Heng in the statement.
“Going forward, we will enhance our in-store shopping experience and upgrade our operational capabilities,” he added.
Senheng plans to raise RM267.5mil in new proceeds from its IPO.
The IPO exercise entails the public issue of 250 million new shares and an offer-for-sale of 139.5 million existing shares at an issue price of RM1.07 per share, which would see a market capitalisation of RM1.6bil upon listing.
The group’s earnings per share (EPS) of 3.71 sen, based on FY20’s RM55.64mil net profit and enlarged 1.5 billion shares upon listing, translates into a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 28.84 times.
Regarding its dividend policy, the group targets a payout ratio of at least 30% of its net profit annually.
Of the proceeds from the public issue, 60% or RM160.5mil will be for the setting up of new stores, as well as upgrading existing stores into bigger, more enhanced concept stores.
Another 19.3% or RM51.7mil will be to strengthen the group’s back-end capacities and capabilities. This includes developing a new brand distribution business, expanding and upgrading the warehouse and logistics network, and boosting the group’s digital infrastructure.
The remaining 20.7% or RM55.3mil will be to repay bank borrowings and defray listing expenses.
Of the 250 million new shares, 149.5 million shares will be placed out to institutional and selected investors, and 48 million shares will be placed out to bumiputra investors approved by the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti).
Another 22.5 million shares will be for application by eligible directors, employees, and persons who have contributed to the group’s success.
Applications for Senheng’s IPO opened yesterday and will close on Jan 10, 2022.