Transport giant ComfortDelGro posted a 4.9 percent drop in net earnings to $301.5 million for the year ended 31st December 2017, on the back of weaker contributions from all but one of its core businesses. With its taxi division continuing to take a beating from private-hire players, stiff competition in its overseas markets and foreign exchange losses, group revenue shrank by 2.2 percent to $3.97 billion.
ComfortDelGro's fleet size has dropped by 22 percent since December 2015
The Singapore-listed group posted a 0.4 percent rise in operating profit for its bus and train division, but all other units reported lower earnings.
Taxi operating profit fell by 19.3 percent to $135.1 million, automotive engineering - which includes fuel sales to cabbies - slipped 33.1 percent to $33.9 million, and its inspection unit shrank by 6.3 percent to $32.6 million on weaker performance in its Setsco testing division.
Even its driving centre business posted a 7.5 percent dip in operating profit to $9.8 million, largely due to the failure of its Chongqing school, which has since been shut.
ComfortDelGro's earnings per share dipped to 13.95 cents, down from 14.72 cents. Its net asset value per share stood at 121.01 cents, up from 114.77 cents. Its operating margin before interests, taxes and depreciation shrank from 21.1 percent to 20.6 percent.
The group posted a net cash outflow of $183.1 million. Its cash and equivalents stood at $596.2 million, down from $779.3 million. After borrowings, it had a net cash position of $273.9 million, down from $434.2 million previously. Its gearing ratio was 10.6 percent, down marginally from 10.8 percent.
The private-hire car population stood at 46,903 as of last year
He said the alliance with Uber - which has yet to be approved by the Competition Commission of Singapore - should 'widen the revenue base for our driver partners'.
He added that about five percent of the group's taxi fleet is currently unhired. The fleet has shrunk by more than 20 percent to 13,200 since 2014.
He said the group will not be buying any more taxis for the 2018 financial year. "We expect the operating environment to remain tough," he added.
ComfortDelGro's revenue contribution from overseas was 37.5 percent last year, with operating profit contribution from markets such as the U.K., Australia and China at 40.4 percent. This indicates the group's overseas businesses have become more profitable than those here.
Directors are recommending a final dividend of 6.05 cents per share - unchanged from the year before. They expect revenue from buses and trains to rise this year, while its taxi and automotive engineering units are expected to dip further.
