Portfolio update September 2025
A weak month for the portfolio, but with three deep dives published, plenty to think about.
Indonesia's leader auto maker at 6.1x P/E. Estimated reading time: 21 minutes
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In less than a year, Indonesia has transformed from one of the hottest stock markets in Asia into a relative pariah.
One company that’s suffered recently is the Indonesian automotive conglomerate Astra International. It has a 56% market share and is widely regarded as one of the best-managed companies in Indonesia. From this perspective, it’s surprising that the stock trades at just 6.1x P/E.
I’ve written about Astra’s parent, Jardine Cycle & Carriage, in the past. But this time, I want to revisit the story from the perspective of Astra to understand why the company has become out of favor. And to explore what might change over the next few years.
Table of contents:
1. Quick recap
2. Update since my first write-up
2.1. Financials
2.2. The post-2021 auto sales recovery
2.3. A boom and bust in heavy equipment sales
2.4. A series of acquisitions
3. What will change for Astra?
3.1. Cautious guidance
3.2. Interest rate declines
3.4. Electrification of vehicles
3.5. Indian and Chinese demand for coal is rising
4. Valuation multiples
5. Conclusion
I wrote about Astra’s parent Jardine Cycle & Carriage (JCNC SP - US$8 billion) )(“Jardine C&C”) back in 2021. It’s listed in Singapore and owns several consumer-related businesses, the largest of which is Indonesian automaker Astra International (ASII IJ - US$13 billion).
Here’s my presentation on Jardine C&C from back then:
My key points were as follows:
Since my first presentation of Jardine C&C back in August 2021, the share price has risen about 30% from about SG$20/share to SG$26.
Jardine C&C’s Indonesian auto subsidiary Astra International has performed worse, especially considering that it’s denominated in Indonesian Rupiah - a currency that has dropped 12% against the Singapore Dollar over the past three years:
So, what’s the explanation for this decline? In my view, two separate factors:
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