With the earnings season coming to a close, many companies have released their latest business update for the first quarter of 2025 (1Q 2025).
We surveyed the investment landscape and picked out five companies that reported healthy year-on-year revenue growth.
This revenue growth could translate into profit growth when these companies report their first-half results in July and August.
Here are five stocks that you can include in your watchlist as they dish out better top-line performance.
Centurion Corporation (SGX: OU8)
Centurion is a provider of purpose-built worker accommodation assets (PBWA) in Singapore, Malaysia, and China.
The group also has a portfolio of purpose-built student accommodation assets (PBSA) in Australia, the US, the UK, and China.
The group owns and manages a portfolio of 37 accommodation assets totalling 69.929 beds as of 31 March 2025.
For 1Q 2025, Centurion saw revenue rise 13% year on year to S$69 million.
The stronger performance was contributed mainly by PBWA, which saw revenue jump 15% year on year to S$53.4 million.
Financial performance for Centurion was driven by positive rental reversions along with high occupancies in both Singapore and the UK.
For PBWA in Hong Kong, Westlite Sheung Shui became operational in November 2024 and achieved occupancy of 25%, with occupancy rates expected to ramp up progressively.
As for PBSA, two assets became operational in Hong Kong in September last year and achieved occupancy of 32% in 1Q 2025.
Occupancy should continue to ramp up by 3Q 2025 with the start of the academic year.
CSE Global (SGX: 544)
CSE Global is a systems integrator that provides electrification, communications, and automation solutions across many industries.
The group has a presence across 15 countries and has 61 offices employing more than 2,000 staff.
Revenue for 1Q 2025 grew 4% year on year to S$205.5 million, contributed by the Communications and Automation business segments.
Automation division saw the largest year-on-year revenue jump at 19.6% to S$50.1 million.
Order intake, however, saw an 11.3% year-on-year decline to S$155.3 million.
As a result, CSE Global’s order book fell by 14.4% year on year to S$616 million.
Food Empire (SGX: F03)
Food Empire is a food and beverage manufacturing and distribution group with a portfolio comprising instant beverages, snack foods, and food ingredients.
The group operates nine manufacturing facilities in six countries and owns proprietary brands such as MacCoffee, CafePHO, Klassno, and Hillway.
For 1Q 2025, Food Empire reported year-on-year revenue growth of 16.3% to US$136.6 million.
The main contributors were Southeast Asia and South Asia, which recorded year-on-year revenue growth of 33.8% and 31.7%, respectively.
The group adopted a dynamic pricing approach to help buffer against inflation and surging coffee bean prices.
Looking ahead, the group has announced plans to establish a freeze-dried soluble coffee manufacturing facility in Binh Dinh province.
Construction will commence by the end of 2025 and be completed by 2028.
In Malaysia, Food Empire will complete the expansion of its snack manufacturing facility by the first half of this year.
The group is cautiously optimistic about sustaining its revenue performance as its past investments have borne fruit.
However, management is closely monitoring the tariff situation to assess if the taxes have any impact on its cost of operations.
Wilmar International (SGX: F34)
Wilmar is a leading agribusiness group with business activities that include oil palm cultivation, oilseed crushing, and flour and rice milling.
The blue-chip group has more than 1,000 manufacturing plants and an extensive distribution network covering more than 50 countries and regions.
Wilmar released its business update, which saw revenue inch up 3.3% year on year to US$16.2 billion.
The agribusiness group’s net profit for the quarter rose 4.4% year on year to US$343 million.
Sales volume for the Food Products division rose 2.5% year on year to 8.4 million metric tonnes (MT).
However, the Feed and Industrial Products segment saw volume dip 2.8% year on year to 14.2 million MT, led by a sharp year-on-year plunge in sugar volumes.
Operating cash flow stayed healthy, rising 16% year on year to US$2.1 billion for 1Q 2025.
The outlook for the rest of the year remains uncertain because of volatility arising from Trump’s tariffs.
Nevertheless, management expects results to remain satisfactory, buffered by the group’s diversified and resilient integrated business model.
Nanofilm Technologies (SGX: MZH)
Nanofilm Technologies specialises in advanced coatings, nanofabrication, and thin-film equipment.
The group operates facilities and offices in Singapore, Vietnam, China, Japan, India, and Germany.
For 1Q 2025, Nanofilm reported revenue of S$44 million, representing a 12% year-on-year increase.
Its Advanced Materials Business Unit (AMBU) contributed the bulk (89%) of the group’s revenue for the quarter, and this division saw revenue rise 11% year on year.
Nanofabricaton business’s (NFBU) revenue surged 49% year on year and Nanofilm’s Sydrogen business saw revenue leap 158% year on year.
The group’s priorities are to deepen engagement with domestic and international customers and expand in Europe to establish a meaningful presence.
Nanofilm will closely monitor the impact of Trump’s tariffs, and management believes there could be an indirect negative impact.
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Disclosure: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
