Stocks

Lifetime Membership Christmas comes early for Singtel share price (SGX: Z74)! The counter is in buoyant form following the release of a set of stellar first half financial result that saw net profit more than doubled to $954 million. In my last article, I had suggested that winter may be over for Singtel share price (SGX: Z74). On the basis of the latest financial result, it seems that the telco has managed to turnaround.

Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) was also given a boost as the management made a couple of shares buybacks in the past few days. 620,989 shares were bought back on 12 November while 620,500 shares were bought back on 15 November. It is unknown if the shares repurchase will continue in the coming days. Year-to-date, Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) has climbed about 10%.

Looking at the results, there are several factors that led to the revival of Singtel’s businesses, namely the resumption in regional economic activities and Airtel’s turnaround. If the telco continues to perform like this for the next two quarters, Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) should be able to breakthrough $3.00 – the level at which Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) used to be traded during pre-pandemic period.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Hurry! The train is leaving! What a swashbuckling return in form for AEM share price (SGX: AWX). Following the release of the 3^rd quarter business update on 10 November, the counter surged 4.5% the next trading day. As of 12 November, AEM share price (SGX: AWX) rocketed 9% to hit a record high of $4.78. Can anything stop AEM share price (SGX: AWX)?

Although net profit for 9MFY2021 plummeted 33.4% to $53 million, the latest business update revealed a glowing outlook for AEM share (SGX: AWX).

In the business update, the management raised the full-year revenue guidance to between $525 million and $550 million. For AEM to meet this revenue guidance, the Group needs to achieve about $200 million in the 4^th quarter. The management has a strong track record of meeting its revenue guidance, so I am confident that AEM is able to meet this target. However, the key sentence in the business update that could turbocharge AEM share price (SGX: AWX) is “the Group expects the ramp to continue through 4Q2021 and into FY2022”.

Based on the above statement, AEM should be raking in about $200 million of revenue in each quarter of FY2022 due to the volume ramp of their test platforms to key customer, Intel.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP My last coverage on Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) was in June 2020. Back then, the counter was recovering from the initial impact of the pandemic. Nonetheless, Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) remained sluggish for most of 2020 until news of vaccines broke out in November 2020. Since then, global roll-out of vaccine programmes and easing of border restrictions led to Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) rocketing to a near-record high of $1.55 in October 2021.

Unexpectedly, the bullish form Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) was brought to a screeching halt when the shares plunged 12% to reach a low of $1.35 on 3 November 2021. To be honest, the volatility of Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) is rather rare and it prompted a Lifetime Member of SG Wealth Builder to seek an insight from me.

There are analysts who claimed that the recent correction of Raffles Medical share price (SGX: BSL) is due to the revised on-arrival COVID PCR test requirements for travellers arriving in or transiting through Singapore (from 7 Oct 2021 onwards, travellers from CAT II, III & IV countries do not need to do on-arrival PCR tests). For perspective, Raffles Medical conducted over 600,000 COVID-9 tests and screened more than six million travellers in 2020.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It seems that OCBC share price (SGX: O39) have lost its way. On 3 November 2021, the local bank released a set of financial result that saw 3^rd quarter’s net profit rose by an impressive 19% year-on-year to reach $1.22 billion. Nine months’ net profit rose by a staggering 58% to $3.88 billion. With such a solid performance, most investors would have popped the champagne. Yet OCBC share price (SGX: O39) confounded investors by retreating 0.75% on that fateful day.

To be honest, the tepid performance of OCBC share price (SGX: O39) is truly bizarre. Like many investors, I had expected plenty of fireworks for OCBC share price (SGX: O39) following the release of the excellent 3^rd quarter business update. I do think that it is reasonable to expect OCBC share price (SGX: O39) when you see such good result. But then again, Man proposes, God disposes. OCBC share price (SGX: O39) went missing in action instead.

The trend of OCBC share price (SGX: O39) is eerily similar to that of Wilmar, another Straits Times Index heavyweight. In October 2020, Wilmar share price suffered an explosive meltdown following the hugely successful listing of Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co.,

Lifetime Membership Will the latest financial result set fire on Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U)? The counter has been in buoyant mood in recent days following the release of a set of stellar financial result that saw 1^st half gross revenue increasing 24.4% year-on-year to $328 million while net property income surged 21.4% to hit $289 million. Amount distributable to unitholders increased 19.2% to $186 million.

It has not been a bed of roses for Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U) in 2021. The counter crashed from $2.00 in January to a low of $1.78 in March. To be frank, I could not explain the root cause for the correction of Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U). So far, there were no equity financing nor were there any adverse news affecting Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U). Hence, the tepid performance of Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U) had been puzzling.

Year-to-date, Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U) increased by a mere 1.5% only. This is despite the S-REIT continuing to deliver good financial results for the past few quarters. Looking back, one of the plausible reasons for the lethargic trend of Mapletree Logistics Trust share price (SGX: M44U) could be due to the lack of interest from institutional fund houses.

Lifetime Membership As the saying goes, one man’s poison is another man’s meat. While the energy crisis in China threatens to derail the country’s economic growth, it has inadvertently led to an increased in demand for oil. As a matter of fact, crude oil price is currently trading at a 3-year high of US$81.33 per barrel. Against this backdrop, what is the implication for SGX stocks?

For SGX stocks in the oil and gas sector, the current oil price boom is like a cup of hot chocolate amid the fierce winter. The last time that oil price was so buoyant was in October 2014. That was seven years ago. Since then, the emergence of US shale oil and supply glut from Organization of Petroleum Producing Countries (OPEC) caused oil price to plunge by a devastating 70%. The lowest point for crude oil price had to be April 2020. That was the peak of the pandemic which saw demand for oil vaporized due to the global lockdowns.

Looking back, the meltdown of crude oil price and the fallout from the pandemic had been a turning point for many SGX stocks in the oil and gas sector. Big boys like Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Marine had signed a non-binding MOU in June 2021 to merge their oil-rig building businesses.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Christmas comes early for investors as SIA share price (SGX: C6L) went on a rampage following news of the launch of the eight Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) with countries in US and Europe. Surely, it is a case of being at the right time and right place for SIA share price (SGX: C6L). The year-end festive season is traditionally SIA’s best quarter as travel demands typically increase with the December school holidays. So is it really the proverbial “U-shape” recovery or yet another false dawn for SIA share (SGX: C6L)?

Expectation of a long-awaited recovery for SIA share price (SGX: C6L) has reached an almost hysterical level for many investors. After all, we are talking about Singapore Airlines, the pride of our nation.

For SIA investors, it must have been a bitter sweet feeling. The rights issues and the two tranches of Mandatory Convertible Bonds (MCBs) had diluted the share’s value to the $3.50 bandwidth in 2020. That was really the darkest chapter for SIA share price (SGX: C6L) as air travel was decimated by the devastating pandemic with no ends in sight. Subsequently, the revelation of a 90% effective vaccine (Pfizer) sent SIA share price (SGX: C6L) soaring by 21% in November 2020.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Crisis? What crisis? Being the oldest bank in Singapore, OCBC has seen the ebbs and flows of Singapore financial landscape, overcoming crises after crises for nearly 100 years. The unfolding pandemic crisis is no exception. Yet as we enter the endemic phase, uncertainties engulfed OCBC share price (SGX: O39) over concerns of potential exposure over the China’s Evergrande Group.

OCBC owns two banks in China – Wing Hang Bank and a 20% stake in Bank of Ningbo. Thus, it is not unreasonable for investors to be worried over the potential fallout from the embattled Evergrande Group. To make matters worse, the bank had not made any official clarifications that it does not carry any bad debts from Evergrande, probably due to the banking secrecy law. Arising from the uncertainties, OCBC share price (SGX: O39) turned bearish from August to September 2021.

Nonetheless, the lethargic form of OCBC share price (SGX: O39) did not last long as Monetary Authority Singapore (MAS) confirmed that Singapore banks have “insignificant” exposure to Evergrande. Following this revelation, OCBC share price (SGX: O39) surged 3.5% from 5 October to reach $11.90 on 14 October. On the basis of the current form, it seems that OCBC share price (SGX: O39) will recover lost ground and could smash past $14 by year end.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP What a devastating train-wreck for Medtecs share price (SGX: 546)! After reaching an incredible record high of $1.80 on 21 August 2020, Medtecs share price (SGX: 546) collapsed 78% to reach the current low of $0.40. What the hell has happened to this healthcare product provider?

The meteoric rise of Medtecs share price (SGX: 546) on the back of an unprecedented health crisis created one of the amazing fairy-tales in Singapore stock market. Prior to COVID-19, Medtecs share price (SGX: 546) was trading at merely $0.08 (similar to current Sembcorp Marine share price). With the onset of COVID-19, Medtecs share price (SGX: 546) turbocharged to high heavens. Those who exited at the highest price would have laughed their way to the bank. On the other hand, those who entered at the highest would have lost their pants when the stock crashed.

Buying into a hype always carry risks but I have to be honest with readers of SG Wealth Builder. When Medtecs share price (SGX: 546) was surging in 2020, I was actually contemplating to adopt a “hit-and-run” strategy for this counter. Ultimately, after much consideration, I chose to invest in AEM instead. The reason for writing this article is because a long-time Lifetime Member of SG Wealth Builder has requested an insight on the fall of Medtecs share price (SGX: 546).

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It seems that winter may be over for Singtel share price (SGX: Z74). The counter has been on a bullish form in recent weeks following the announcement of its A$1.9 billion divestment of Australia Tower Network (ATN), a wholly-owned subsidiary which operates Optus’ passive telecommunications tower infrastructure. To put the icing on the cake, Singtel is also creating a regional data centre to capture digital growth. Has Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) reached a turnaround?

Singtel share price (SGX: Z74) has been on such a trashy form for the past two years that many investors have been left wondering will there be light at end of tunnel for this counter. Nevertheless, the revelation of three new pivots by CEO Yuen Kuan Moon on 27 May 2021 provided much hope for investors. The latest deals affirmed the management’s resolve to execute the CEO’s vision for Singtel growth.

In my previous article, it was highlighted that Singtel’ strategy is to focus on 5G network business, transforming NCS into a B2B powerhouse in Asia and divesting the telco infrastructure assets. Indeed, for the ATN divestment, the management shared that the proceeds will be used to fund “the rollout of 5G and other growth initiatives, including expanding the B2B digital services business in Singapore and Australia through NCS”.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It turns out that the mandatory offer by Temasek Holdings is a “non-event” for Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51). Following the controversial $1.5 billion rights issue, Temasek Holdings’ stake in Sembcorp Marine increased to 46.6%. Consequently, this triggered the mandatory general offer in accordance with Rule 14 of the Singapore Code on Takeovers and Mergers. True to its words, the offer price from Temasek Holdings remains at $0.08 per share. Given that the current Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51) is higher than the offer price, the chance of privatisation is extremely remote.

There has been so many twists and turns for Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51) that investors must feel like the past two years had been a terrifying nightmare. Question now is when will this nightmare end? Will there ever be light at end of tunnel for Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51)?

The next baptism of fire for Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51) should be the upcoming proposed merger with Keppel Offshore and Marine (KOM). As part of the deal, Sembcorp Marine and KOM will combine to form a new listed entity. The newly listed stock would provide an opportunity to “reset” the ailing Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51).

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Can CEO Loh Boon Chye make Singapore Exchange great again? Since the onset of the pandemic, SGX share price (SGX: S68) rocketed from a low of $8.20 in July 2020 to a mighty high of $12.05 on 4 August 2021. The bubble finally burst for SGX share price (SGX: S68) when the bourse announced a full-year financial result that saw net profit dropping 6% on year-on-year basis. While the drop is not alarming, the market reacted – SGX share price (SGX: S68) crashed by a staggering 18% by the end of August from the high of $12.05.

To put things into perspective, SGX share price (SGX: S68) thrives on crisis. In fact, the previous record high of SGX share price (SGX: S68) was $15.90 recorded in October 2007. That was the period of the Great Financial Crisis. Back in 2007, the average daily trading value was $1.6 billion and there were 46 new equity listings. Fast forward 14 years later, the average daily trading value shrunk to $1.4 billion while there were only 10 equity listings.

Yet the most worrisome thing about SGX share price (SGX: S68) is not really the short-term volatility. Rather, it is the devastating long-term decline of SGX that gives investors the jitters.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP When former Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing visited AEM last year, it was a harbinger of things to come for AEM share price (SGX: AWX). With Temasek Holdings now officially onboard as the biggest shareholder of AEM, the narrative for AEM share price (SGX: AWX) has changed. For a Singaporean company to make it internationally, we need a Singapore Inc approach. After all, AEM is a home-grown company. The next step forward should be a Nasdaq IPO to enhance AEM’s visibility.

The entry of Temasek Holdings, coupled with the presence of institutional investors like Morgan Stanley, Aberdeen Standard Investment (Asia) and Malaysia Employees Provident Fund, also means that the stars are finally aligned for AEM to IPO in Nasdaq. If so, AEM could be the first homegrown company to be dual-listed in SGX and Nasdaq in recent years, thereby turbocharging AEM share price (SGX: AWX) to high heavens. Non-executive Chairman Loke Wai San, who had rescued AEM from collapse in 2012, should know that the support from Temasek Holdings will be helpful in the IPO journey.

Temasek’s investment comes at a time when Temasek, MAS, EDB and SGX recently announced initiatives to help high growth technology companies raise funds through dual-listing in overseas exchanges and SPACs.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Will SIA share price (SGX: C6L) do a Sembcorp Marine? The latter recently concluded a second billion dollars rights issue that took place less than a year, causing the share price to bomb out to less than $0.10. On 16 September 2021, SIA updated “that the remaining S$0.6 billion of the gross proceeds of S$8.8 billion raised from the 2020 Rights Issue has been applied towards aircraft and aircraft-related payments between 1 July 2021 and 1 September 2021”. Against this backdrop, investors must be wondering if another cash call is on the way.

In one year, SIA burnt through $9.3 billion of cash (including $500 million which had been used for the redemption of SIA’s 10-year Fixed Rate Notes on 9 July 2020). While there is more than sufficient cash for the airline to sustain till the end of this financial year, what will be the situation for the next financial year, which will begin in March 2022? Will there be another round of rights issue that rupture the form of SIA share price (SGX: C6L)?

SIA share price rises from ashes

SIA share price in explosive destiny

SIA share price smashed into rock

The hallmark of Singapore Inc is its ability to plan ahead.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It could be an event that will move Heaven and Earth, at least for DBS Group Holdings share price (SGX:D05). In a bombshell revelation, DBS CEO Piyush Gupta mentioned in the transcript of DBS second quarter 2021 conference call that the bank is looking at unlocking one of its assets, Remit, through IPO for an eye-popping $10 billion. If the plan does materialize, it will be one of the largest IPOs to grace the Singapore stock market in recent years.

In 2019, I wrote that DBS Group Holdings share price (SGX: D05) will hit $50. Though that day has not arrived, I do think that it is only a matter of time that DBS Group Holdings share price (SGX: D05) reaches this incredible milestone. On 10 August 2021, DBS Group Holdings share price (SGX: D05) hit a record $31.70 after Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) lifted the dividend restrictions on local banks. On the basis of its current run, it is not impossible for the counter to hit $40 by year-end if the bank continues to deliver good financial results and lists its digital assets.

Question now is when will CEO Piyush Gupta set fire on DBS Group Holdings share price (SGX: D05) by unleashing the Remit $10 billion IPO?

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP For Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51), is it a case of light at end of tunnel or light from an on-coming train? Given the devastating meltdown of Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51), investors can ill-afford to ignore this rhetoric. The $1.5 billion announced on 24 June 2021 had erased more than 50% from Sembcorp Marine share price, causing the counter to plunge from $0.17 to $0.08. Question now: is there any value left in Sembcorp Marine share price? Make no mistake, sometimes cheap does not mean value.

Investors who had subscribed to the 2020 and 2021 rights issues should be betting on the recovery of Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51). While that day may eventually come, it could be a long wait. To put things into perspective, the oil and gas industry suffered a severe downturn since 2015 due to the collapse of oil prices and emergence of US’ shale oil. The pandemic arrived to cause a protracted downturn for Sembcorp Marine. In addition, the long-term demand for crude oil is likely to drop as countries commit to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) pact signed in 2015.

Looking at the financial track record, the road ahead will be challenging for Sembcorp Marine share price (SGX: S51).

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It seems that OCBC share price has a strange affinity with Dr Mahathir. When Mahathir became the Prime Minister of Malaysia for the second time in May 2018, it promised to be a political fairy-tale that will be remembered for generations to come. But surely no one in his right mind could have predicted the kind of impact it would have on OCBC share price, which tumbled from a high of $13.65 in May 2018 to a low of $10.40 in October 2018.

Even more bizarrely, when Dr Mahathir announced his resignation on 24 February 2020, OCBC share price crashed from $11.00 in February 2020 to a low of $8.35 in March 2020. For unknown reasons, it appears to me that Dr Mahathir has that TVB drama “Ting Hai” stock market effect, at least for OCBC share price. Although I am not exactly sure about the correlation between OCBC share price and the venerable leader, one thing for sure is that Dr Mahathir’s B40 policy has a massive impact on OCBC’s Great Eastern Holdings.

When Dr Mahathir returned to power in 2018, one of his many initiatives was the B40 Health Protection Fund, which was meant to address social welfare protection coverage for the lower income group in Malaysia.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Keppel DC REIT (SGX: AJBU)’s ascend to the Straits Times Index (STI) has been the stuff of legend in SGX mainboard. Debuted in SGX only in 2014, the data centre REIT knocked the former CapitaLand Mall Trust off the pedestal in October 2020. That spectacular feat sent Keppel DC REIT (SGX: AJBU) share price flying to a record high of $3.04. Since then, the stellar form appears to lose plenty of steam in recent months. What on earth has happened?

A Lifetime Member has written in to request for an explanation of the recent downtrend of Keppel DC REIT (SGX: AJBU) share price. If you are keen on coverage of other stocks, do sign up as member! For the longest time, I have been contemplating to invest in an S-REIT with special focus in data centres. Hence, I have been monitoring Keppel DC REIT and Mapletree Industrial Trust (MIT). Both counters are majority-owned by Temasek Holdings and listed in the Straits Times Index (STI). Between the two players, Keppel DC REIT stands out for being a “pure-play” data centre REIT but the acquisition of M1 started to complicate things.

Year-to-date, Keppel DC REIT (SGX: AJBU) share price has slumped by 9.32%.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP In my last article on Wilmar share price (20 June), I wrote that this counter could face huge turmoil in the short-term. Indeed, Wilmar share price continued to meltdown since 20 June, falling from $4.55 to the current $4.16. At current trading level, Wilmar share price is 25% off the 5-year high of $5.57 seen in February. Should investors run for their lives?

A Lifetime Member has written in to request for an explanation of the downtrend Wilmar share price. If you are keen on coverage of other stocks, do sign up as member! In 2020, I invested in Wilmar and exited at a profit of $2,700 in early 2021. My lowest entry for Wilmar share price was $4.84 and I exited at $5.20. While I did not exit at the highest point of $5.60, I have no regrets selling my Wilmar stocks. In life, you can never sell at the highest price. I am happy as long as I made decent profits. Although I am not vested in this counter any more, I am still bullish about Wilmar share price in the long-run because of the business strategies undertaken by the management.

The current train-wreck for Wilmar share price may be puzzling and gut-wrenching for many retail investors.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP What an ambush! It seems to me that the big boys had staged a sneaky ambush on OCBC share price (SGX: O39). From a high of $12.46 on 10 August, OCBC share price collapsed by 7.3% to reach a low of $11.55 on 27 August. The spectacular fall of OCBC share price within the span of two weeks certainly caught many investors by surprise. To make matters worse, the correction of OCBC share price was the worst among the three banks (DBS shares fell by 5.0% while UOB shares fell by 4.7%).

Looking back, the lifting of dividend restrictions by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) had provided plenty of fireworks for all three bank stocks, including OCBC share price. Subsequently, the OCBC’ stellar 1HFY2021 financial result pushed OCBC share price to a high of $12.46. Then again, Man proposes, God disposes. Despite the tailwinds, the big boys decided to pull the rug on OCBC share price.

For four consecutive weeks, OCBC has been in the top ten institutional net sell list. In the week of 26 July, big boys net sell $30.5 million worth of OCBC shares. In the week of 2 August, $52.8 million worth of OCBC shares were net sold.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP For Singtel share price, it should be light at end of tunnel instead of light from an on-coming train. Of course, long-term investors could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. After all, Singtel share price has endured so many false dawns in recent years that investors must be wondering when will Singtel share price ever become great again.

For sure, Singtel share price has lost that aura of invincibility. Perhaps the billion dollars penalty imposed by Indian Supreme Court for its subsidiary, Airtel, had knocked the wind out of Singtel share price. Or maybe the cut in dividends had demolished investors’ confidence in Singtel share price. Whatever the case it may be, the counter is a shadow of its former self.

Singtel share is extremely popular among Singapore investors as many retirees depend on the dividends for passive income. So you can imagine the shockwaves for Singtel share price when the telco announced an interim dividend of just 5.1 cents in November 2020. That dividend was the lowest in a decade and sent Singtel share price to the rock bottom. To be exact, all hell broke loose when Singtel share price crashed to record low of $2.00 on 2 November 2020.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP What a devastating plunge! On 16 August, Nanofilm share (SGX: MZH) crashed 30% following the double bad news concerning the resignation of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a set of financial result that fell short of analysts’ expectations. The swift meltdown of Nanofilm share price certainly raised many eyebrows as this counter just smashed $6.50 on 26 July. How will Nanofilm share price unravel in the coming weeks?

Back in March 2021, I have written an article that stated Nanofilm share price is worth $4 only. Even though Nanofilm share price has reached my target price, I will not enter this counter at the moment because I do not invest in a company that just got listed within five years. In my opinion, the current turmoil of Nanofilm share price is largely due to the recent departures of former CEO Lee Liang Huang and COO Ricky Tan. So until the day that Nanofilm addresses this issue, it is too early to claim that Nanofilm share price will see bottom soon.

It is certainly not business as usual when two senior managers departed from a company within a short span of time. Dr Shi Xu, the founder and Executive Chairman of Nanofilm, has been appointed as the interim CEO.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It seems that DBS Group Holdings share price may have peaked. During the report of 1QFY2021 financial result, DBS Group reported first quarter net profit doubled from the previous quarter. That feat set DBS Group Holdings share price on fire. However, recent 2QFY2021 financial revealed 15% decline of net profit on quarter-to-quarter basis. In this regard, is this the end of an era for DBS Group Holdings share price?

Make no mistake. The local bank is not facing any crisis. In fact, DBS Group is still raking in healthy level of profit. Year-to-date, DBS Group Holdings share price had also increased by a whopping 21.35%. Notwithstanding these, it should be noted that the powerful surge of DBS Group Holdings share price was built upon the bank’s recovery from the low “base effect” seen in the first half of FY2020 – the onset of the pandemic.

As we enter the second half of FY2021, that “base effect” will gradually reduce. Moving forward, investors will be examining how the bank fares in comparison to pre-pandemic. Against this backdrop, whether DBS Group Holdings share price could sustain its bullish run in the coming months will be a big question mark.

Just like OCBC, DBS’ first half stellar performance was largely due to lower amount of allowances, which dropped to just $89 million in comparison to the staggering $1.94 billion in last year.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP It’s official! On 28 July, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) lifted the dividend cap on Singapore banks. The lifting of dividend cap set OCBC share price on fire. From 28 July, OCBC share price surged from $12.07 to a high of $12.46 on 10 August. On the basis of the current run, can OCBC share price hit $15 by end of the year? While OCBC share price has taken some knocks following ex-dividend on 13 August, the catalysts could drive OCBC share price to new heights in the coming months.

OCBC share price nearly hit $14 in 2018. That was the year in which the bank recorded full-year net profit of $4.5 billion. Fast forward to FY2021, the first half net profit had already hit a high of $2.75 billion, surpassing the $2.3 billion profit in 2018. Assuming OCBC recorded $5.2 billion earning for full-year, the annualized EPS could be $1.15. Applying multiple of 13, my target OCBC share price is about $15.

Apart from the lifting of dividend cap by MAS, another tailwind that will aid OCBC share price is the shares buybacks by the bank. Traditionally, OCBC is considered the most aggressive when it comes to share buybacks in recent years.

Lifetime Membership On 6 August 2021, AEM share price staged a return of the prodigy. The night before, the management had released a set of dismal 1HFY2021 financial result that saw revenue plunging by 30% and net profit collapsing by 46% on year-on-year basis. To be frank, I could not sleep well that night and was expecting AEM share price to plummet the following day. I was actually boiling inside, not at the poor result because I was expecting the financial result to be disappointing. To be exact, I was angry at the management for the lack of traction in securing of new major customers. But non-executive Chairman Loke Wai San, being Loke Wai San, managed to outfox everyone once again.

When companies announce financial results in the middle of the night, it can only mean that the result is disappointing. Indeed, this has been the case for AEM. Then again, drawing from the experience of the 1QFY2021 result saga, Loke Wai San probably knew that he could not afford to let AEM share price collapses again. Nonetheless, surely nobody could have predicted the bombshell revelation of the entry of Temasek Holdings. Honestly, I must really hand it to Loke Wai San for pulling this off!

Lifetime Membership On 2 August 2021, Keppel Corp stunned Singapore investment community with the announcement of the $2.2 billion strategic acquisition of Singapore Press Holdings ex-Media. Whilst the media segment had been carved out, the destiny of the remaining assets of SPH remained a mystery until the fateful announcement. Will the latest turn of event throw a spanner in the works for the recovery of Keppel Corp share price?

Keppel Corp share price turned on the style following report of a net profit amounting to $300 million for half year ended 30 June 2021. Notwithstanding the strong results, what truly turbocharged Keppel Corp share price was the surprising bonanza cash dividend of 12.0 cents, which is significantly higher than 2020’s interim dividend of 3.0 cents and also higher than the interim dividend of 8.0 cents declared in 2019.

With the proposed acquisition of SPH ex-Media, it is evident that Keppel Corp management is very determined to execute one of its much-touted Vision 2030 – recycling of assets to generate cash. The biggest components of Vision 2030 are to become asset-lite and pivot in renewable energy sector. To do so, Keppel Corp needs a mega asset monetization programme. The monetization initiative is well-underway but the assets from SPH is going to provide more platform for recycling.

Lifetime Membership Many investors thought it is light at the end of tunnel for China stock market. But as it turned out, the light was actually from an on-coming train instead. The recent crackdown by Chinese authorities on education and technology companies had wiped off about US$1 trillion off Chinese shares in the past week. The speed and magnitude of the China stock market correction had caught most investors flat footed. Is it really the end of the road for China stock market?

Back in November 2020, the Chinese authorities had torpedoed Alibaba’s Ant Group IPO. Since then, Alibaba’s share price had never really recovered from that devastating blow, falling from the high of US$307 to the present US$189. So for those who think that the current correction in China stock market represented a good opportunity for bargain hunting, it is better to think twice. The fate of Alibaba share price means that investing in China stock market is going to be very, very challenging.

China stock market sees red

Following the Ant IPO saga, the important messaging from China is [This is a premium article. The rest of the content is blocked and can be accessible by SG Wealth Builder Members only.

Lifetime Membership Since May 2021, ESR REIT share price staged a rebound following acquisition of a 10% stake in ESR Australia Logistics Partnership (“EALP”), which is 80% owned by Singapore sovereign wealth fund, GIC. For a long time, I have been following developments of industrial S-REITs that are majority-owned by Temasek Holdings, such as Ascendas REIT and Mapletree Industrial REIT. The recent bullish form of ESR REIT share price led to an SG Wealth Builder member requesting for a coverage on this counter.

Singapore has two sovereign wealth funds – Temasek Holdings and GIC. While Temasek Holdings has stolen the limelight through its various investments in finance, industrial, technology and commodity firms, GIC tends to form partnerships with private equity firms to invest in overseas real estate assets. The recent aggressive moves by GIC to acquire industrial assets with ESR could have a major bearing on ESR REIT share price in the years to come.

Before touching on the outlook of ESR REIT share price, let’s cover some background on this industrial S-REIT. The sponsor of this S-REIT is ESR, which was formed in 2016 through the merger of Japan’s Redwood Group and Chinese e-Shang, co-founded by private equity firm Warburg Pincus in 2011.

Lifetime Membership What an impressive run for Mapletree Logistics Trust share price! From $1.78 in March 2021, Mapletree Logistics Trust share price turned on the style to reach $2.10 lately. This represented an increase of 18% within four months. The breath-taking form of Mapletree Logistics Trust share price certainly caught many investors by surprise as this S-REIT is behaving more like a growth stock instead of a dividend stock.

Admittedly, I did not manage to catch Mapletree Logistics Trust share price when it bottomed in March. Instead, I bought 40,000 shares at an average price of $1.965. Given the recent bullish run of Mapletree Logistics Trust share price, I decided to cash out this counter at $2.12 per share. Excluding the distributions, I had made a tiny profit of $6,200. The profit represented 15.5% within the span of three months.

The decision to exit this counter is mainly because Mapletree Logistics Trust share price had hit my exit target price. I am not exactly a buy-and-hold type of investor. Usually, I set entry and exit prices for my investments. Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with Mapletree Logistics Trust as the business outlook remains strong and the management is growing the S-REIT well.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Sembcorp Marine share price became the talk of the town. And for all the wrong reasons. The $1.5 billion rights issue had led to a devastating meltdown in Sembcorp Marine share price, which plunged from $0.19 to the current low of $0.11. The correction amounted to about 42% across the span of nearly a month. Given the horrendous train-wreck of Sembcorp Marine share price, shareholders have every right to be angry with the management.

From a blue chip among the prestigious Straits Times Index (STI) in 2016 to a cheap penny stock in 2021, Sembcorp Marine share price has become one of the biggest falling stars in SGX. How this counter managed to land in such a dismay state is beyond my understanding. But I reckon what riled shareholders the most is that the previous rights issue of $2.1 billion took place just in September 2020. And now, within a span of less than a year, Sembcorp Marine has come back to ask for more money from shareholders.

Admittedly, I have a special interest in Sembcorp Marine share price because I made a successful contra in this counter in April 2021. Through the volatility of Sembcorp Marine share price, I have made a small profit of $900.