AIRCRAFT maintenance provider SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) reported a net profit of S$33.2 million for the first quarter ended Jun 30 of its 2024/25 financial year. This was up 23 per cent from S$27 million in the corresponding year-ago period.
Demand for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services remained healthy in the three months, SIAEC said on Friday (Jul 26).
Earnings per share stood at S$0.0296 for Q1 FY24/25, up 22.8 per cent from S$0.0241 in Q1 FY23/24.
The group’s revenue, at S$268.7 million, was 2.6 per cent higher than the year-ago period’s S$261.9 million.
Group expenditure rose at a slightly slower rate of 2.4 per cent to $267.7 million, mainly due to higher material and manpower costs. Operating profit was thus also higher than the year-ago period.
“The number of flights handled by line maintenance in Singapore increased by 11.5 per cent year on year,” SIAEC said. “Flight recovery at the end of June 2024 was approximately 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, compared to 84 per cent a year ago.”
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But at base maintenance, fewer checks were completed in the quarter due to more checks for older-generation aircraft with heavier work content, which required longer hangar time.
Supply chain constraints also led to longer lead times to secure spare parts, causing longer durations for certain checks.
In May, the aerospace maintenance provider was appointed as Air India’s strategic partner for the development of its base maintenance facilities in Bangalore, which is expected to be ready in 2026.
SIAEC noted that its share of profits from associated and joint-venture (JV) companies also improved to S$28 million for the quarter. The share of profits from both the engine and component segment, as well as the airframe and line maintenance segment increased year on year, it added.
Its component JV with aerospace company Eaton was incorporated on Jun 7 in Malaysia, increasing SIAEC’s portfolio of strategic partnerships to 24 subsidiaries and JVs across eight countries.
SIAEC expects demand for MRO services to stay healthy, with the upward trajectory of flight activity. But it noted persistent concerns over a tight labour market, supply chain issues and elevated costs.
“To capitalise on the demand recovery and manage the challenges, we remain committed to driving operational efficiency through our continuous improvement programme, maintaining cost discipline, and expanding our capabilities and geographical presence,” it said.
The counter closed at S$2.29 on Friday, down S$0.02 or 0.9 per cent, before the announcement.
