SWIRE EXPECTS CONTINUED GROWTH THIS YEAR
Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HKG> expects
continued growth in all divisions this year though it sees
problems in the marine sector, chairman Michael Miles said.
    He told reporters:"1987 has started well for Cathay Pacific
Airways which looks forward to another good year... Swire
Properties expects further good results both from properties
under development for sale and from its investment property
portfolio."
    He did not give any specific projections for earnings. The
company earlier reported 46 pct higher 1986 net profits at 1.78
billion H.K. Dlrs from a year ago.
    Swire also had an extraordinary profit of 1.38 billion dlrs
mainly from the sale of a 15.25 pct interest in Cathay Pacific
Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG>.
    Miles said the company will use the money to develop its
business, primarily in Hong Kong.
    Swire's stake in Cathay was first reduced to 54.25 pct from
70 pct when Cathay was publicly floated, and then cut to 50.25
pct when Cathay issued new shares amounting to 12 pct of the
enlarged capital to the state-owned <China International Trust
and Investment Corp>. Cathay last week reported its 1986
profits rose to 1.23 billion dlrs from 777 mln a year ago.
    Miles said despite last year's rapid expansion in Cathay's
flights and fleet, load factor is still holding up at 70 pct.
    He said Cathay's growth last year was the result of "a
marginal increase in the revenue load factor coupled with
savings in fuel costs."
    "At present fuel prices are stable and will remain stable
for the rest of this year," he said, "though there might be a bit
of increase later this year.''
    Miles said Swire is not abandoning its offshore oil service
operations, even though the marine sector is generally
depressed. "Obviously the marine industry is not getting any
better," he said.
    The real estate market remained strong and Swire last year
revalued its property portfolio up 634 mln dlrs compared with
an increase of 864.4 mln dlrs the previous year.
    Miles said he expects the property market to remain firm
but said the firm has no available land for a major housing
project such as its Taikoo Shing development on Hong Kong
island now near completion.
    He said the company's 50 pct unit <Hongkong United Dockyard
Ltd> is negotiating with the government for the development of
an existing petroleum storage depot into a major housing
estate. "But it's not as big as Taikoo Shing," he said.
 REUTER
