Four stocks to benefit from the soaring cost of coal
With almost two-thirds of Asia's power plants running on coal and new plants being fired up every other day, coal stocks are hot property. We pick some of the companies with the greatest profit potential.
In Asia, coal and coal stocks are "piping hot", says Assif Shameen in Barron's. Almost two-thirds of Asia's power plants run on coal and new Asian plants "are being fired up every other day". Demand in Asia, particularly China, has never been so strong, according to Helen Wang of DBS Vickers. Asia is soaking up supplies across the Pacific region, and is increasingly looking to South Africa and Canada to meet its needs, as Reuters.com points out. China, which already consumes more coal than Europe, the US and Japan combined, has become a net importer. Given all this, it's no wonder that regional coal prices have doubled in three years, and analysts are pencilling annual price rises of 8-10% over the next three years, says Shameen.
There is scope for further gains of around 40% for both Hong Kong-listed China Shenhua Energy (1088:HK), and China Coal Energy (1898:HK), reckons Thomas Wriggleworth of Citigroup. But Lawrence Lau of BOC International points to a cheaper option: Yanzhou Coal Mining (1171:HK). This stock is on a 2007 p/e of 21 with earnings expected to grow by 30% this year. There are options beyond China too. One solid bet, according to UBS's Wei Ouyang, is Straits Asia Resources (AJ1 SG), a Singapore-listed group with mines in Indonesia, currently the world's number one coal exporter.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
-
Private school fees soar and VAT threat looms – what does it mean for you?
Rising private school fees could see more than one in five parents pull their children out of their current school. Before you remortgage, move house or look to grandparents for help, here’s what you need to know.
By Katie Williams Published
-
Best and worst UK banks for online banking revealed
When it comes to keeping your money safe, not all banks are equal. We reveal the best and worst banks for online banking when it comes to protecting your money from scams
By Oojal Dhanjal Published