the Outsider - PSE Points to Ponder

First-half results suggest the Philippine coal producer is conserving capital, preserving borrowing room and holding back dividends as uncertainty over its flagship mining contract approaches a decisive stage. **MANILA—**Semirara Mining and Power Corp.’s first-half results tell two stories. The first is an operating story: a surging power business offset a sharp deterioration in coal profitability, allowing the company—listed under the ticker SCC —to report a modest increase in consolidated earnings. The second, and potentially more consequential, is a story of financial preparation. SCC ended June with ₱18.34 billion in cash , more than four times the ₱4.36 billion it held at the end of 2025. The increase appears designed to give the company room to maneuver as the Philippine government prepares to auction off coal development areas on Semirara Island, where SCC’s existing Coal Operating Contract No. 5 is scheduled to expire in July 2027. The cash buildup reflects three related decisi...

  The financial-technology company generated ₱43.3 billion in first-half revenue and an estimated ₱5.1 billion dividend for its shareholders as preparations for a public offering advanced. Mynt Inc., the company behind the GCash mobile wallet, continued to expand rapidly in the first half of 2026. But its latest figures contained a cautionary signal: More revenue did not translate into more profit. Mynt generated ₱43.3 billion in revenue during the six months ended June, an increase of about 10 percent from ₱39.2 billion a year earlier, according to the quarterly report of Globe Telecom, one of Mynt’s principal shareholders. Net income, however, slipped about 2 percent to ₱10.8 billion , from ₱11 billion. The divergence suggests that Mynt’s costs, investments and other charges grew faster than its top line, although Globe’s filing did not provide a detailed breakdown of Mynt’s expenses. The result portrays a company that is still growing at a substantial pace, but whose expansion...

  The Philippine food maker reported modest revenue growth in the first half of 2026, aided by currency translation and higher prices. A sharp improvement in cash generation came mainly from working capital management rather than from a surge in operating profit. For Universal Robina Corporation, the weaker Philippine peso provided an unlikely source of strength. The food manufacturer behind Jack ’n Jill snacks, Great Taste coffee and C2 beverages reported revenue of ₱89.34 billion for the first six months of 2026 , up 4 percent from a year earlier. Part of that increase came from the company’s overseas operations, whose sales are translated back into pesos for financial reporting. International branded-food revenue rose 7 percent to ₱19.50 billion , even though it was essentially unchanged from the previous year in constant United States dollar terms.  In other words, the international business did not sell substantially more once currency movements were stripped away. But be...

  The Philippine gaming company is attracting more bettors but generating less revenue from them. Cost cuts have lifted margins, while a multibillion-peso investment in a Manila casino offers a new—and riskier—path to growth. For several years, DigiPlus Interactive Corp. appeared to have found the ideal formula for the Philippine gambling market: put familiar games on a smartphone, spend aggressively to attract players and make depositing money nearly effortless. In the first half of 2026, that formula showed signs of strain. DigiPlus, the company behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, reported ₱32.9 billion in revenue for the six months ended June 30, a 31 percent decline from a year earlier. Retail gaming revenue, which accounts for nearly all of the company’s business, fell by the same rate, to ₱32.3 billion. The deterioration was also visible in cash generation. Net cash provided by operating activities fell to ₱4.4 billion from ₱8.8 billion a year earlier, a decline of near...

  The Philippine food company has already declared ₱900 million in dividends this year. Matching last year’s roughly ₱1.5 billion distribution appears within reach, though much depends on whether a sharp buildup in inventory turns back into cash. RFM Corporation entered 2026 with a familiar attraction for investors: a generous dividend backed by a profitable food business and billions of pesos in liquid assets. Halfway through the year, that dividend still looks secure. The company has declared ₱900 million through June , leaving it about ₱600 million short of matching the roughly ₱1.5 billion distributed in 2025. RFM has enough cash and marketable investments to bridge the difference. But its latest financial statements present a less straightforward picture of where the money is coming from. RFM’s dividend is currently well supported by earnings and balance-sheet liquidity . It is not yet fully supported by reported 2026 free cash flow . The company remained profitable in the fi...

The Philippine developer reported stronger residential sales and higher quarterly profit, but heavy project spending, contracting operating margins and weaker hotel profitability complicated the picture. Shang Properties, one of the Philippines’ most prominent luxury-property developers, entered the middle of 2026 with more buildings under construction, more condominium revenue recognized, and sharply higher quarterly profit. But beneath the favorable headline numbers, the company’s latest financial report presented a more complicated story: Revenue grew, but costs grew faster. Cash continued to leave the business. Although Shang Properties reduced its bank borrowings, its net debt increased because its cash reserves fell faster. For the three months ended June 30, Shang Properties — traded on the Philippine Stock Exchange under the symbol SHNG — reported revenue of ₱2.73 billion , an increase of 9.3 percent from ₱2.50 billion a year earlier. Net income rose nearly 24 percent to ₱1.12...