More Update on Timber Sector

A lot of bullish news on the timber sector lately: Timber product prices on the rise.

• Timber product prices on the rise
  By LEONG HUNG YEE
  
  PETALING JAYA: Prices of Malaysian timber products have been rising steadily as the raw materials shortage became critical as a result of tropical thunderstorms.
  
  CIMB Research said in a recent report the heavy rain in the country since February had affected timber-harvesting activities and could dent log and plywood supply over the next few months.
  
  “This could lead to a log shortage over the next few months, which is likely to translate into much higher timber prices if demand from Japan picks up quickly during the same period,” it said.
  
  CIMB said China could be one of the key factors in a major turnaround for plywood prices. It said China’s plywood production had declined since the government reduced the export rebate from 20% to 5% at end-2007. If the output continued to fall, a further recovery of plywood prices in the coming months could be expected, it said.
  
  “Although we believe the worst is over for the timber sector, we take a neutral stance until we see strong signs of a catalyst for the sector,” the research house said.
  
  Meanwhile, analysts said timber products prices were not soaring but gradually improving. They said the prices had risen partly because of the constraints on supply and high transportation costs due to rising oil prices.
  
  “While the construction industry in Japan is recovering, plywood manufacturers were not prepared to ease prices further.
  
  “Rising fuel costs had caused many manufacturers to resist cutting prices. Moreover, some manufacturers were expecting demand to pick up as several reconstruction projects will be launched in China to fix damage caused by recent winter storms,” an analyst said.
  
  Analysts continued to be optimistic about price stabilisation in the near future. However, they expressed concern over the volatility of oil prices as well as a possible recession in the US.
  
  According to Malaysian Timber Association president Datuk Sheikh Othman Rahman, industry players could expect to see better times ahead now that the worst is over for the local timber industry.
  
  He viewed the timber industry as a vibrant industry, contrary to market perception of it being a sunset industry.
  
  “Malaysia’s timber exports have risen to RM23.3bil in 2006 from only RM14bil in 1996, with the largest export markets being Japan, the US and China,” Othman said, adding that timber exports were forecast to reach RM50bil by 2020.
  
  Going forward, Othman expected timber companies to move towards more downstream production. He added that the Government had set up a special purpose vehicle to disburse RM1bil under a 15-year programme to plant 375,000ha of high-value timber trees by 2020.
  
  Meanwhile, two foreign brokerages, Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse also issued calls to upgrade the timber sector last month.
  
  Credit Suisse issued a note to upgrade the Asian timber sector from neutral to overweight. Merrill Lynch's March 4 report said plywood prices had reached a bottom and had started to pick up.

And here is another news clip: Merrill: Plywood prices starting to rebound

• KUALA LUMPUR: The recent rising plywood price trend is lending support to our view that prices have reached a trough and are starting to rebound, said Merrill Lynch Research.
  
  It said according to forest products industry players, the recovery of plywood prices is gaining visibility and the upside impetus is expected to flow through to May. It said March concrete panel (CP) prices rose 11% month-on-month to US$480/m3 (RM1,536/m3), adding that indicative prices for April and May are also seeing another 10% higher month-on-month .
  
  “If this actuates, May CP price would be only 20% shy of all the all-time high,” it said.
  
  In a research note, it said that the Russian government will raise the softwood log export duty to 80% by January 2009. It opine that once the 80% duty is imposed, many plywood mills using Russian logs will be out of business, adding that this development would boost prices of log and plywood.
  
  It reiterated it’s buy recommendations on Ta Ann Holdings Bhd (34% upside) at a price objective (PO) of RM10.15 and WTK Holdings Bhd (40% upside) at a PO of RM3.30 on the back of improving industry fundamentals.
  
  “Both companies have long-term volume growth plans in place via forest planting and have also diversified into palm oil plantation.”

I had made 2 postings on this sector, Credit Suisse goes bull on Ta Ann and More on Timber Sector

Today RHB had a report on this sector and I was able to get a hand on the report.

In the second page, RHB analyst wrote abut the possibility that 'History May Repeat Itself'.

• Recall, in late-2006, in anticipation of the Russian export tariff hike from 6.5% to 20% effective July 2007, and coupled with the Indonesian government's efforts in curbing illegal logging, Japanese timber traders and stockists began stocking up logs and plywood. Sequentially, plywood prices soared to record levels in late-2006 (refer to Chart 4)....

I am less than convinced.

Yes, history can always repeat itself... but based on today's variables, I have my doubts.

• Based on current economical environment, with tighter global credits, would Japanese timber traders and stockists want to stock up their lumber???
• Look at the housing chart (chart 2) provided by RHB. The housing starts are showing the glaring difference between 2006 and 2008. Why would Japanese timber traders and stockists want to stock up their lumber??? ( See chart from RHB below)
  
  
  

How now my Dearest MooMooCow?

Would you want to be in this sector?

Do you see enough justifications to be in the timber sector?

Yes, they say that there recent timber prices have shown a rising trend and that it indicates that perhaps timber prices have bottomed but do I see enough strong reasoning that suggest that timber prices should surge?

Do I see clear signs that housing starts in Japan are increasing? And given the massive issue within the housing market in America, could one even contemplate a housing boom in Japan? Reasoning is simple here again, without housing boom in Japan, where will the demand of lumber come from?

And if there is no strong demand for lumber, would one ever see a boom in the timber sector?

However, RHB analyst thinks otherwise. In page 3 of their report, they wrote the following:

How?

Do I want to be in this highly cyclical sector under the current economical environment?