SITC (01308) climbed over 4% again, reaching a record high of HK$29.48. As of press time, the stock was up 4.34% to HK$29.34, with turnover of HK$165 million.
On the news front, SITC recently announced its first-half results, with revenue of approximately US$1.6645 billion, up 28.0% year-on-year. Gross profit reached approximately US$669.4 million, surging 66.3% year-on-year, while gross margin improved from 31.0% to 40.2%. Net profit stood at US$633.4 million, jumping 79.5% year-on-year, with basic earnings per share of US$0.24.
The revenue growth was primarily attributed to a 7.3% increase in container volume and a 22.8% rise in average freight rates. Huatai Securities noted in its research report that the company's significant year-on-year profit growth was mainly driven by tariff disruptions, with Southeast Asian container freight rates rising substantially year-on-year.
The firm remains optimistic about cargo volume growth within the Asian region driven by industry restructuring. Meanwhile, the supply of small and medium-sized container vessels is tightening, giving the Asian container shipping market both resilience and growth potential. The firm raised its target price by 11% to HK$31 and maintained a "Buy" rating.