Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX:LEI) offers a variety of project development and contracting services to public and private sector clients in the Asia-Pacific region. Leighton is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and is a member of the S&P/ASX 200.

Leighton Holdings today lifted its half-year profit guidance, citing improved earnings from its Asia and Australian operations.

The company expects underling profit is expected to be $270 million after tax for the final six months up from the previous guidance of $250 million.

LEI which is due to report the first-half year results on February 13^th, reaffirmed full year underlying profit of between $600 million and $650 million after tax.

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Leighton Holdings (ASX:LEI) is one of the world’s major contracting, services and project development organisations, and also the world’s largest contract miner.

It has been one of the shares to sell from the beginning of 2010, having lost almost 50% of its value since then.

Today, LEI lowered its FY11 net loss guidance to $408 million, from the previous $427 million.

LEI was also expecting to swing back to a $600 – $650 million profit in the FY12, driven by the expected completion of the Brisbane Airport Link.

The group was also more confident in its contracting divisions, which are winning a lot of new work in Australasia.

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Leighton Holdings (LEI) is one of the world’s major contracting, services and project development organisations, and also the world’s largest contract miner.

LEI owns six diverse and independent companies: Thiess, Leighton Contractors, John Holland, Leighton Asia, Leighton International and Leighton Properties and has significant interests in Al Habtoor Leighton Group, Devine and Sedgman.

LEI announced massive write-downs of its assets just over a month ago, and it has been one of the shares to sell since October last year.

On 16 May, LEI said it expects to resume dividend payments in FY12 despite reporting an unaudited $382 million loss for the nine months ending March 31.

The group forecast an FY11 net loss of $427 million, although it anticipates a $600 million – $650 million profit for the FY12.

Leighton Holdings based its optimistic guidance on a positive macroeconomic outlook, underpinned by increased infrastructure spending in Australia.

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Leighton Holdings (LEI) activities focus on contract management, project management, and property development in Australia, Hong Kong and South East Asia.

LEI has been one of the shares to sell since announcing a profit warning last November.

On 14 February, LEI reported a fall in 1H11 net profit to $216.7 million, down 25% from 1H10’s $288.9 million.

Excluding the sale of its 35% stake in Indian-based Welspun Corp, LEI would have reported a profit of just $14.7 million.

Leighton Holdings attributed the weak result to wet weather in Queensland impacting some of its mining projects, a stronger Aussie dollar, and a write-down of its 45%-owned Habtoor Leighton Group in Dubai.

The group declared an interim dividend of 60 cents a share, down from 85 cents a year earlier.

The result, which missed analyst estimates, resulted in LEI downgrading its full year guidance by 5.8% to $480 million.

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Leighton Holdings (LEI) has evolved significantly from the construction company of its origins over 50 years ago, and is now the world’s largest contract miner.

LEI owns seven diverse and independent companies: Thiess, Leighton Contractors, John Holland, Habtoor Leighton, Leighton Asia, Leighton International and Leighton Properties.

The group operates in more than 20 countries from headquarters in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Dubai.

On 29 November, LEI was given an undertaking by ACS – the potential acquirer of LEI’s parent, Hochtief – that it will enshrine existing governance arrangements between LEI and Hochtief in the event of any takeover.

Among these are a promise by ACS not to increase its shareholding in LEI beyond 55% and maintaining LEI’s existing structure.

LEI’s involvement in the potential acquisition of its parent makes it one of the stocks to watch in coming months.

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Macmahon (MAH) is a leading contractor providing services to customers in both the mining and civil construction sectors.

The company employs more than 3,000 people throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

MAH consists of two key business units – mining and construction – and its clients and JV partners are typically big names, including BHP Billiton and Leighton Holdings.

A continuation of the current mining boom is likely to benefit mining services providers such as MAH, so it would be considered one of the stocks to watch over the longer term.

However, on 19 October, MAH warned that its construction business has experienced issues that will impact the division’s earnings in the shorter term.

In WA, a rail contract will not deliver its forecast profit due to cost issues, and a lower number of contract wins will result in weaker-than-forecast revenue for the division.

MAH is now forecasting a breakeven result for the December half, whilst second half profit will grow $20 million more than forecast due to strength in the mining business.

MAH shares plummeted 21% on the day of the profit warning, making it the worst performer in the Australian stock market.

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Blue Chip Stocks – Leighton Holdings (LEI)

Leighton Holdings (LEI) is the world’s largest contract miner, a major mover on the ASX and is one of the world’s largest major project development and constructing organisation.

LEI reported a 39% jump in FY10 net profit to a record $612 million.

Revenue rose 2% to $18.6 billion, exceeding its previous guidance of $18.5 billion in revenue, while work-in-hand reached a record $41.5 billion.

LEI sounded a positive outlook, stating that it expects to deliver increased revenue and operating profit in light of continued economic recovery in its key markets.

LEI declared a final dividend of 85 cents per share, up from last year’s 55 cents per share.

LEI shares leapt almost 6% yesterday and may be one of the stocks to buy.

Hot Stocks – Leighton Holdings (LEI)

Leighton Holdings (LEI) is the world’s largest contract miner and one of the world’s largest major project development and constructing organisation. Currently, it boasts an almost $10 billion market capitalisation.

LEI won a $1.1 billion, six year, contract extension to expand mining services at the MSJ coal mine in Indonesia.

The contract will see LEI’s subsidiary, PT Leighton Contractors Indonesia, expand the overburden removal and coal mining operations to more than 8 million tonnes per year.

The latest contract win brings LEI’s Asian work-in-hand to over $7 billion.

Australian share price for LEI climbed 2.2% yesterday.

Leighton Holdings (LEI) is a major project development and contracting organisation, with services including engineering and infrastructure construction, contract mining and property development.

Recently, LEI reported an 82% on-year jump in net profit to $400.3 million for the nine months ending March 31, making it one of the current stocks to watch.

The result, which missed analyst estimates of a $428 million profit, was attributable to a solid performance across LEI’s mining and infrastructure divisions.

Disappointingly, revenue fell from $13.7 billion to $13.3 billion, which LEI put down to adverse currency movements.

Work in hand increased modestly from $36.5 billion to $37.5 billion – and like the profit result – fell short of expectations.

LEI forecast full year net profit in excess of $600 million, with revenue totalling $18.5 billion.

The market didn’t take too kindly to the result, with LEI shares sinking more than 7% on the day of the announcement.  Of the industrial stocks to watch, investors should definitely keep an eye on LEI.

Share Tips 9 April 2010

Macmahon Holdings (MAH) is Australia’s contracting group and operates in the civil construction and mining sectors.

In Australian stock market news, MAH announced it is likely to receive a $90 million contract from a government department very shortly; however it did not provide any further details.

Also, rumours swirled that Leighton Holdings (LEI) has made a takeover bid for MAH.  MAH, which is already 18.6% owned by LEI, denied the rumours when questioned by the ASX.

The rumours were sparked after a standstill agreement, where LEI would seek MAH’s approval before increasing its stake above 19.9%, expired last November.

MAH Australian share price has displayed solid performance over the last three months, rising from below 60 cents to a recent high of 88 cents and may be one of the shares to buy.