Companies in China show a big rise in profits

MORE THAN 70 percent of Chinese listed companies reported strong profits for the first half of the year. As of Monday, 1 004 Chinese listed companies had disclosed their first-half reports with total net profit up 21.2 percent year-on-year to 297.1 billion yuan (R588.26bn), according to data compiled by Wind, a leading information service provider.

About 74 percent of the companies registered year-on-year net profit growth in the first half of the year. A total of 223 companies witnessed a year-on-year profit surge of more than 100 percent in H1, and 233 companies reported year-on-year profit growth of between 30 and 100 percent.

Most companies in both traditional sectors such as coal and steel, as well as a number of newly emerging industries posted strong growth on the back of the country’s economic restructuring and business environment improvement.

Shanxi Xishan Coal and Electricity saw net profit growth of 739 percent in H1 due to rising coal prices and expanded output. Nanjing Iron & Steel witnessed a net profit surge of 730 percent, as China continues to slash excess steel capacity.

“The profit growth of coal, steel-related listed companies is the result of deeper supply-side structural reform, which improves the business environment and productivity,” said Gui Haoming, chief analyst of Shenwan Hongyuan.

China’s manufacturing sector in June stayed above the boom-bust mark for the 11th consecutive month, with traditional sectors like oil refining and metal smelting witnessing robust growth.

“China’s manufacturing sector and the broader economy are likely to continue steady growth on the back of favourable macroeconomic conditions and rebounding market demand,” Gui said.

China is seeking to transition from an economy reliant on investment and exports of lowvalue-added goods to an innovation and service-driven one.