Reuters Jakarta scores exclusive interview with Matahari, shares jump

Shares in PT Matahari Putra Prima, Indonesias biggest retailer by market value, jumped almost 7 percent on Jan 21 after Reuters on Jan 20 exclusively interviewed the companys COO who revealed its ambitious plans to overtake Carrefour to grab top spot in the countrys hypermarket sector. The gains made it the only leading Indonesian firm to rise on a day when the stock index fell 4 percent and equities dropped across the region on worries about growth. Mataharis chief operating officer Carmelito Regalado, who rarely speaks to the media, also told Reuters that he expected 2011 revenue to rise 20 percent, above market forecasts. The Reuters story, out after the market close, gathered a lot of attention from analysts. Brokers Bahana, CLSA and Danareksa cited the story in research notes the next day.