PT PP (Persero) Tbk reported a net profit attributable to the parent entity of Rp34.22 billion in the first quarter of 2023.
This represents a 21.5% year-on-year (yoy) increase compared to the net profit of Rp28.18 billion in the first quarter of last year.
The increase in profit for the PTPP-coded issuer was supported by a 1.9% yoy increase in operating revenue to Rp4.36 trillion.
PTPP also achieved growth in its share of the profit of associated entities, which surged 1,057% (yoy) or approximately tenfold to Rp3.81 billion. Meanwhile, PTPP's share of profit from joint ventures increased by 26.5% (yoy) to Rp78.31 billion.
For 2023, PTPP has secured a number of new project contracts, including the construction of infrastructure for the new Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan.
"In IKN, we are working on the presidential office, the presidential palace, the state secretariat office, and the toll road. In 2023, there will be several IKN tenders underway, ranging from toll roads to low-cost apartments for civil servants, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the Indonesian National Police (Polri)," said PTPP President Director Novel Arsyad in a press conference last month (April 12, 2023).
Currently, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Erick Thohir, is reviewing a plan to merge several state-owned construction companies, including PTPP with PT Waskita Karya Tbk (WSKT).
According to state-owned enterprise observer Toto Pranoto, this merger could improve company performance.
"Because of the many similarities in the line of business, a merger could be an alternative to increasing the competitiveness of state-owned construction companies," Toto told Katadata.co.id on Friday (May 5, 2023).
Toto also believes that a merger could prevent state-owned construction companies from competing for jobs and allow them to share production facilities to improve efficiency, considering that all state-owned construction companies currently have significant debt.