Aboitiz Equity Ventures shares rise on power, real estate developments

By Matthew Miguel L. Castillo, Researcher

STOCKS of Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) rose last week as the company announced multiple developments across its power and real estate subsidiaries, analysts said.

Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) data showed that AEV was the 15th most traded stock by value last week, with a total of 15.04 million shares worth P508.19 million changing hands by Friday.

At the close of last week, the Aboitiz firm’s stock price inched up 1.2% to P33.60 from P33.20 the previous Friday, outperforming weekly declines in both the holding firms sector, which fell 0.14%, and the PSE index (PSEi), which dropped 0.1%.

From its P28 close at the end of 2025, AEV has jumped 20%, outpacing the sector’s 5.7% gain and the PSEi’s 5.5% rise over the same period.

On Monday, the group’s energy arm, Aboitiz Power Corp., acquired the 797-megawatt Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric power complex from the government through its majority-owned Thunder Consortium.

The acquisition followed a bidding process conducted by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. last year, in which the consortium offered P36.27 billion for the facility.

Meanwhile, Aboitiz Land, the group’s real estate branch, turned over 400 units across its two villages in LIMA Estate, Batangas, on the same day.

The two property blocks, Brook Village and Sierra Village — spanning 17 hectares and 18 hectares, respectively — offer amenities such as modern clubhouses, swimming pools, and basketball courts.

Linconn M. Lahip, equity trader at Regina Capital Development Corp., said AEV was actively traded last week as investors reacted to the company’s announcements.

“[This was] led by AboitizPower’s takeover of the CBK hydro, which improved long-term earnings visibility [and] strengthened AEV’s power portfolio and reinforced its exposure to stable, renewable energy assets,” he said in a Viber message.

Mr. Lahip added that the 400-unit turnover at LIMA Estate also boosted investor interest, reflecting the group’s diversified growth.

Timson Securities equity trader Juan Alfonso G. Teodoro said in a separate Viber message that the turnover signaled the company is “steadily delivering projects forward,” attracting investor attention and giving a short-term boost to the stock price.

Aside from last week’s developments, Mr. Lahip said AEV may also have benefited from “renewed interest in conglomerates” and portfolio rebalancing ahead of its earnings report on March 9.

According to its latest quarterly report, AEV saw a 22% year-on-year increase in attributable net income for the July-to-September period, reaching P8.95 billion. This brought the nine-month cumulative figure to P17.33 billion, down 7.7% from P18.77 billion in 2024.

Meanwhile, the company’s revenues rose 2.8% to P228.19 billion for the first nine months of 2025.

Mr. Teodoro’s forecasts for attributable net income stand at P10.5 billion for the fourth quarter and P22.41 billion for the full year.

Despite last week’s gains, both analysts noted that the stock fluctuated above and below the previous week’s P33.20 close before ending higher at P33.60 on Friday, Feb. 13.

Mr. Lahip attributed the swings to a “tug-of-war” in investor sentiment — balancing the 20% year-to-date gain against company developments and market fluctuations.

Mr. Teodoro said some dips may have resulted from investors immediately pricing in the Feb. 10 announcements, followed by profit taking as the stock attracted more attention.

For this week, Mr. Lahip placed near-term support at P32.70 to P33 and immediate resistance at P34-34.50, noting that a sustained break of these levels could open room toward P35.50.

Mr. Teodoro set his short-term support at P32.50 and immediate resistance at P34.50, with the next resistance at P35.50-P36 if broken.