MAJLIS Amanah Rakyat’s (Mara) strategic investment and asset management arm, Pelaburan MARA Bhd (PMB), is on the lookout to acquire more stakes in potential public listed companies (PLCs).
PMB chairman Datuk Sohaimi Shahadan said the firm is continuously looking at growing its investment portfolio in the equity space as part of efforts to reap lucrative returns for investors.
“We’re looking to buy stakes and invest in potential PLCs. We have been aggressively looking at viable companies that can give good returns,” Sohaimi said at the company’s Hari Raya celebration, here, yesterday.
Meanwhile, PMB chief executive officer Nazim Rahman said the company currently holds equity interest in numerous entities within various sectors.
“We have two objectives... to reap gains from our investment on a short-term basis or make it a strategic investment. We have identified a few (PLCs) but we can’t disclose yet them,” he said.
Nazim said PMB is also stepping up its game in the private equity investment space, where it plans to acquire more controlling stakes in private companies, especially in the oil and gas, infrastructure, technology and real estate sectors.
“We acquire controlling stakes in investee companies, take over the management and run the company, and then exit as an investor by way of initial public offering or selling them to third parties,” he added.
PMB recently acquired six million ordinary shares in printing services company BHS Industries Bhd through an off-market transaction, representing a 8.32 per cent interest in the latter.
Reports said PMB is planning to increase its stake in BHS to 18 per cent as BHS plots its diversification into renewable biomass and property development ventures.
A report quoting sources said PMB had been looking to acquire another nine million shares to ultimately hold a total of 15 million shares in the company.
PMB has an internal mandate to acquire a stake of between 15 and 18 per cent.
In April, PMB purchased 26.83 per cent, or 233.25 million shares, in container shipper PDZ Holdings Bhd.