HK's EC Healthcare rises most over 3 years on upbeat sales growth forecast

EC Healthcare

15/06/2021 05:00

** Shares of medical service group EC Healthcare  2138.HK 
rise as much as 15.7% to HK$14.16, for their biggest intraday
percentage gain since May 2018 
    ** Stock hits highest since June 4, on course to snap four
straight sessions of decline; the tenth biggest percentage
gainer on the Hong Kong bourse
    ** Company expects to record sales of at least HK$2.2 bln
($283.43 mln) for the year ended March, up 10% over the previous
year, while net profit is expected to fall 38% because of travel
curbs, compulsory closures of beauty parlours amid COVID-19
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    ** Says sales volume for the month of April is set to jump
75% from a year ago period to HK$230 mln, thanks to a 55% jump
in sales of its clinics and service centers in Mainland China
and says it is optimistic on business performance in the coming
quarters
    ** Company says it has entered the pet industry, acquiring a
51% stake in Hong Kong's veterinary services firms King Equity,
Eternal Harvest, HKVIC and Crown Leader for a total HK$66 mln 
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    ** The benchmark Hang Seng index  .HSI  slips 0.8%
    ** As of last close, the stock had soared 102.3% this year


($1 = 7.7620 Hong Kong dollars)

 (Reuters Messaging: donny.kwok.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)