Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 12.6K other subscribers
Stocks

Asian Pay Television Trust (APTT) share price on red alert

Call it sheer madness or whatsoever. Within the span of two days, Asian Pay Television Trust (APTT) share price plunged by nearly 50%. Investors with weaker hearts might have suffered serious heart attacks watching in horror at the meltdown of Asian Pay Television (APTT) share price. After all, you don’t often get to see value of business trusts being eroded by so much in a matter of days. Well, that’s investing in SGX stocks for you.

In my previous article, Asian Pay Television Trust dances with the wolves, I wrote that investors should “hope for the best but expect the worst”. I was also bearish on this counter as I was not convinced that the management had the ability to turn around the trust. My view was that the unit price would come under further pressure. Recent Asian Pay Television Trust (APTT) share price vindicated my thesis.

As the saying goes, cheap things don’t come good and good things don’t come cheap. When a business trust is trading at such abysmal level, the price level may not represent value. There are investors who insisted on accumulating more units of Asian Pay Television Trust instead of cutting losses. Well, they had better be sure of what they are buying into.

Read More
Stocks

Frasers Property Bond and CapitaMall Bond

Another day, another market correction. The recent stock market performance must have freaked out many investors new to the game. Long-term investors and financial bloggers should be having great difficulties sleeping well at night as their stock portfolio plunged in value. Should stock investors run for their lives and turn to bonds like Frasers Property Bond and CapitaMall Bond?

In the pursuit of investment returns, many had ignored the age-old wisdom of wealth diversification. In this article, the investment merits of retail bonds (Frasers Property Bond and CapitaMall Bond) and government-linked bonds are discussed.

Frasers Property

Dark side of bonds

Most wealth builders dismiss bond investing because of the perceived low yields and illiquidity. Furthermore, investing in bonds is less exciting than stocks, which is comparatively more dynamic. In my perspective, I am not a big fan of bonds either because I am currently at the asset accumulation life-stage. However, as a fixed-income asset, bonds could offer a viable form of financial instrument, especially for retirement planning purposes.

In 2018, Temasek Holdings decided to join in the fun by offering the Astrea IV Private Equity Bond (4.35%) and the Temasek Retail Bond with 2.7% interest. The difference between the two is that the former is not guaranteed by Temasek Holdings or its subsidiaries while the latter is guaranteed by Temasek Holdings.

Read More
Stocks

Sembcorp Marine share price see red

The past is history and the future remain a mystery. Would Sembcorp Marine continue to fulfil its destiny as the world no.2 oil rig builder or would it collapse in style? Sembcorp Marine share price is set for a roller-coaster ride as the company faces yet another explosive full-year loss for FY2018. The last time Sembcorp Marine reported an annual loss was in FY2015, which saw it recording a massive loss of $289 million.

For sure, the winter had lasted longer than expected. It has been four years since Sembcorp Marine share price was trading at $4.00. Currently trading at $1.66, Sembcorp Marine share price is a shadow of its former self.

Although Sembcorp Marine is operating in a cyclical industry, there is no guarantee that the share price would restore to its heyday form. Should investors throw in the towel or keep faith with the management? In my view, I fear the worst for Sembcorp Marine share price if things do not improve in the coming quarters because of its grim financial data. In this regard, investors should brace themselves for a potential meltdown of Sembcorp Marine share price.

Sembcorp Marine

A whole new world

On looking back, 2018 has proven to be another false dawn for Sembcorp Marine as recovering oil price has not revived the global demand for new oil rigs.

Read More
Self improvement

Programming your mind to financial success

Have you ever been told that you are stupid and that you will never achieve financial success? I ever did suffer from such traumatic experience when my Chemistry tutor (who happened to be my civic tutor) labelled me as “stupid” in front of the class during a laboratory experiment.

In life, our encounters and experiences shape our perspectives. Subconsciously, the actions and words of those around us could have significant impacts on us,  though they may not harbour any ill-intentions. To achieve financial success, we need to overcome such negativity.

But simply telling people who are slow to “buck up” or “work harder” will not serve to motivate that person to improve. Conversely, you are likely to trigger a defensive mechanism than inspiring him to change for the better.

In this article, I will share my insights on how we can achieve financial success by programming our mind to accomplish greater things. Read on if you are interested to become a better wealth builder and achieve financial success in your life.

In school, we don’t learn such stuff. And nobody ever coached me on mind programming. Thus, when I was being labelled as “stupid”, I felt lost. But through this blog, I hope to encourage fellow Singaporeans to become a better version of themselves.

Read More
Investments

Return of the Structured Deposit and Structured Note

For many years, the loose monetary policy of United States led to a period of low interest rates across many countries, fuelling investors’ interest for alternative high yield products to grow their wealth. Singapore is no exception. Since 2014, Structured Products like Structured Deposit and Structured Note had been making their way back into Singapore market due to the low interest rate environment. Local banks have been promoting these financial products to satisfy investors lust for yields.

While Structured Deposit and Structured Note are in vogue (again), it does not mean you should throw all caution to the wind. On the contrary, you must understand the catch behind such alternative products to avoid losing your hard-earned money.

structured deposit

Era of wealth

Many wealth builders would recall that Structured Products like Minibonds and High Notes 5 were notorious for triggering the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. Thousands of Singaporeans lost their life savings when they bought these risky products, which they thought to be safe instruments.

As a result of the financial crisis, Monetary Authority Singapore (MAS) banned these products for a period of time to conduct investigations on whether the financial institutions selling these products complied to the guidelines and regulations. The bans were lifted shortly after the completion of the investigations.

Read More
Gold

Best price for bullion in Singapore

Where can wealth builders find the best price for bullion in Singapore? Against the backdrop of plunging stock market performance, plenty of investors must be on standby to purchase gold bullion to protect and de-risk their wealth portfolios.

Best Price Guaranteed

Amid the challenging operating environment, BullionStar go one step further by signalling its intent to be the price leader for bullion in Singapore through its “Best Price Guaranteed” for bullion in Singapore. If you find a bullion product with a lower listed price for an available identical bullion product with the same delivery method at one of their Singaporean competitors, BullionStar will match this price and add a FREE GIFT to your order completely free of charge.

Since 2012, Singapore government exempted Goods and Services Tax (GST) for investment grade precious metals. This pro-enterprise move led to a slew of bullion dealers setting up shops in Singapore. Among the first movers was BullionStar. Initially located in the Marina Bay Financial Centre, BullionStar had gone from strength to strength and had expanded into its current location at 45 New Bridge Road, adjacent to both Clarke Quay MRT.

BullionStar

Over the years, BullionStar had become a leading bullion dealer in Singapore. Such achievement is indeed notable because Singapore is a very small and competitive market.

Read More
Stocks

OUE share price plunged to 14-year low

Since my last coverage on 28 March 2018, OUE share price had a devastating spell of run. Share price nose-dived from $1.80 to a shocking low of $1.37. After being walloped left, right, centre, OUE share is currently trading at a stunning 14-year low. Even during the dark days of The Great Financial Crisis, OUE share price had never crashed to such abysmal level. What could have happened?

A quick look at OUE shares revealed that the average 3-month volume stood at a mere 0.33mm. This means that OUE shares are thinly traded and may present some form of liquidity issue for long-term investors. In addition, despite having a market capitalization of $1.23 billion, this counter is seldom heavily shorted over the past three months. This means that even the big boys cannot be bothered with this real estate giant. Is OUE a value trap for retail investors?

OUE share price

Troubles come in troops

In all respect, 2018 has proven to be a mighty difficult year for most real estate developers in Singapore. The increase of Additional Buyer Stamp Duty (ABSD) to 12% and the tightening of loan limits had dampened demand for investment properties.  Of course, the unexpected cooling measures knocked the wind out of many listed property developers’ share price.

Read More
Stocks

iFAST share price on steroid!

Against the backdrop of market correction, the share price of numerous Singapore blue chips have retreated to new lows over the past one year. But one shining stock stands out among the sea of red. Of note-worthy, iFAST share price runs against the turn of tide and continues to be bullish despite headwinds in the market.

And I am still slapping myself for missing this multi-bagger as iFAST share price went on a majestic bull run since mid-June 2017. The stunning pace of iFAST share price caught many investors by surprise. Can iFAST share price continue to run? A lot will depend on how the management write the next chapter of growth for this enigmatic listed company, which has a lofty ambition of hitting $100 billion group asset under administration by 2028.

The attractive aspects of iFAST are that it is debt-free, has strong cash-flow and a scalable business that thrives in good times and bad times. Apart from Singapore Exchange, I struggle to find similar stock with such traits. In addition, iFAST has managed to reinvent itself successfully through significant capability enhancements recently. Henceforth, this article will examine whether iFAST share price is a good buy at current price level.

Read More
Stocks

Genting Singapore share price stormed by casino raiders

Being the only listed casino operator, Genting Singapore stands out as a rare breed of billion dollar enterprise among the pantheon of banks, GLCs and Reit counters in Singapore Exchange. Current market capitalization is $11.4 billion, while liquidity for this counter is also excellent, with average 3 month volume of 32.33 mm. Genting Singapore is also crazily rich, with $4 billion cash on hand. Given such pedigree, it certainly makes sense for investors to invest in Genting Singapore shares.

However, since the start of the year, Genting Singapore share price has corrected by 30%. The plunge in Genting Singapore share price had given investors a wild ride, not least plenty of sleepless nights. Indeed, it had been a turbulent period for Genting Singapore as it had to retrench 400 staff in 2016 as a result of regional economic slowdown and bad debts problem. Should investors run for their lives or hang on for their dear lives?

While the past has been a treacherous journey for Genting Singapore investors, the future could be an exciting one as the casino operator prepares its bid to enter Japan, the world’s third largest economy which recently just legalized gambling.

In my opinion, Genting Singapore share price is currently trading at attractive level and this could be an interesting counter to invest because of the huge positive catalyst for Genting Singapore share price.

Read More
Stocks

Alibaba’s Jack Ma to revive SingPost share price?

Nowadays, it is not surprising that many of the blue chips in Singapore Exchange suffer from poor stock performance because of the global headwinds and challenging operating environment. But this is certainly not the case for SingPost share price, which plunged after the announcement of 40% decline in net profit for Q1FY18/19.

Upon the release of the financial result in August 2018, investors sent SingPost share price reeling from $1.38 to as low as $1.03. Till now, SingPost share price has not recovered its form and is on course to retreat below the $1.00 mark. Should investors run for their lives?

Before writing this counter off, it should be noted that Alibaba’s Jack Ma is a major shareholder of SingPost, with stake amounting to 14.5%.

Question now is: will Jack Ma buy over SingTel’s stake of 21% in SingPost? Given that Alibaba’s stakes were bought in two tranches – 2014 and 2017 – at SingPost share price of about $1.40, the current valuation seems attractive for a surprise buyout. In life, never say never. Just look at M1 buyout offer by Keppel and SPH a couple of weeks ago.

Those who enter at current SingPost share price should be betting on potential Alibaba’s acquisition but a lot actually hinges on whether SingTel wants to unlock value through the divestment of stake in SingPost.

Read More
Stocks

Is Imperium Crown Limited a nightmare investment?

As an investment blogger, I think every stock deserves an unbiased coverage, no matter how good or bad the business or management performs. Thus, it is with an open mind that I decided to initiate a review on the investment merits of Imperium Crown, a Catalist-listed company that is based in Singapore.

Although Imperium Crown falls under the radar of many stock analysts, its story is nothing short of intriguing. Those who have invested in this counter would have a roller-coaster ride as the share price plummeted from $0.14 to $0.03. The stock would have been put under the SGX’s Watch List long time ago if not for the fact that this ruling is not applicable for Catalist-listed stocks.

When you have a stock trading at crazily cheap level like Imperium Crown, you do not know if there is any value left in the shares. After all, cheap does not equate to value. When investing in companies, there is a need to identify their competitive edge and then assess if the business fundamentals provide the sound basis for investments.

For investors of Imperium Crown, they would look back and lament that it is almost a case of a successful turnaround as management had engineered a brief success in a very niche market.

Read More
Stocks

Black October for SGX stocks

On 11 October 2018, Wall Street ripped the world apart with Dow Jones plunging by 832 points. Local stock market index, Straits Times Index (STI) took the cue and fell by 84 points. The sharp decline marked the sixth consecutive day of losses for local stock market. Overall, it was a sea of red for SGX stocks.

The chaos in the market came on the back of new legislation by Monetary Authority of Singapore to report short selling activities. The move is aimed at reducing significant market disorders and improve transparency. Effective 1 October 2018, short sellers are not only required to disclose to SGX their short sell orders, but also to MAS if they hit the short sale threshold.

Whether the new policy would be effective in curbing the big boys’ movements remain to be seen. But I reckon the data collated would be helpful in allowing the authorities to do data analytics and make timely interventions during market chaos.

STI down syndrome

Since the start of October, STI has dropped by 200 points. At the rate of decline, STI appears to be on course to retreat below the support level of 3000 level. Is it the right time to buy SGX stocks now?

Read More
Stocks

SingTel share price sitting on epic time bomb

What a year it has been for the Singapore telecom industry. The crazy competition has seen StarHub retrenching 300 staff while M1 is the subject of buyout offer by Keppel and SPH. Despite the extensive shake-up in the local telecom industry, leading player SingTel stands tall against the relentless waves of changes. SingTel share price also remains resilient in the face of the unprecedented disruptions that had impacted StarHub and M1. With 735 million mobile customers in 21 countries, SingTel’s investment moat is indeed unassailable.

Investors would note that SingTel share price has been bearish in recent months. However, the recent M1 general offer had led to a mini recovery for SingTel share price because many observers deemed that the industry consolidation would benefit SingTel. But investors should not rejoice as a looming nightmare unfolds. As a matter of fact, the key battles to be fought for SingTel are in overseas markets, and not in Singapore.

In July, I wrote in the article “SingTel share price destined to collapse after ex-dividend day?”, that the sluggish performance of SingTel share price is due to seasonal trend but I anticipate a rough ride for this Singapore blue chip because of the company’s unique strategy of penetrating emerging overseas markets.

Read More
Stocks

Can Creative Technology conquer the world again?

For a company that has sold 400 million Sound Blasters, Creative Technology is an iconic homegrown company that I always admire and respect. The founder and CEO, Sim Wong Hoo is a legendary entrepreneur who had put Singapore on the world map and made us proud to be Singaporeans. Certainly, there are  not many people who could challenge technology giants like Apple and Huawei and sued them successfully for millions. But it really pains me that Creative Technology has fallen hard in recent times.

Can Creative Technology roll back the time and restore its former glory? Earlier this year, share price stormed back in style, surging from $1 to an incredible $9 within a week upon the release of its new marquee audio product. The resurgent share price indicated all is not lost for Creative Technology.

Indeed, it has been treacherous journey for investors of this venerable technology company. Share price of Creative Technology had plummeted from $60 in 2000 to an abysmal $1 as recent as 2017. Long-term investors could be forgiven for giving up on this counter. But is this stock really worthless?

Recent revival in the share price demonstrated that Creative Technology is still capable of staging a comeback and we should not write off Sim Wong Hoo’s team yet.

Read More
Stocks

StarHub retrenchment underscores dark chapter of telco industry

I can imagine SingTel CEO Chua Sock Koong rubbing her hands in glee as she read news of how arch rival StarHub struggles amid the unprecedent shake-up in the telco industry. Just months after StarHub failed to renegotiate contract with popular Discovery Channel, SingTel snagged the rights to broadcast the channels in October 2018. SingTel victory must be bitter to StarHub as the latter also lost the English Premier League broadcast to the leading telco more than ten years ago. Then, there is the StarHub retrenchment.

In my previous article, “StarHub share price to plunge after being booted out of STI”,  I have highlighted how StarHub share price is expected to face destiny after being demoted from the prestigious Straits Times Index.

But the announcement of the StarHub retrenchment was a bomb-shell and illustrated a dark chapter of the local telco industry. Perennially seen as one of the top dividend stocks in Singapore Exchange, should StarHub investors throw in the towel?

StarHub massacre

News of StarHub retrenchment raised eyebrows because of the sheer number of culling cited. According to the company’s press release, 300 full-time employees will be axed no later than the end of October 2018. The StarHub retrenchment is part of a so-called “strategic transformation programme”, which is expected to realise $210 million in savings over a three-year period from 2019.

Read More
Stocks

Top 5 dividend stocks with excellent ROE

In Singapore, dividend investing has been gaining popularity among wealth builders seeking yield for their investment capital. However, dividend investing may not be so straightforward because there are many factors to consider when investing in stocks. This means that there is a need to delve deeper into a company business fundamentals instead of just using a screener to come out with a list of top dividend stocks to invest in.

In my previous articles, I have shared my insights on the top three dividend stocks in Singapore: Asian Pay TV Trust (dividend yield: 19.4% – 26%), Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (dividend yield: 9.9% – 12.9%) and HPH Trust (9.8% – 12.8%). In those articles, I have highlighted that although these counters offer mind-boggling high yields, there are risks involved as well.

In this article, I will share my research on the top 5 dividend stocks with excellent Return on Equity (ROE). The criteria used are minimum of 5% dividend yield for the past 5 years and minimum of 10% achieved for the past 5 years. The reason why I decided to refine the search is because I believe management’s efficiency in growing a company is important as well. A company that consistently has high dividend pay outs may not be sustainable if its growth lacks resilient in the context of a competitive market.

Read More
Stocks

Nightmare of Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust

Dividend investing offers investors an opportunity of building wealth through passive income derived from periodic dividends. In recent years, real estate investment trusts (REITs) had emerged as a favourite among investors hungry for yields. However, simply looking at a stock or REIT from the perspective of dividend yield without gaining a deeper understanding of the business fundamentals can be dangerous. In this article, we will examine whether Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust is a value trap.

As the adage goes, high returns comes with high risks. There are REITs like Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust that offer yields above 5%. But whether such pay outs are sustainable is another issue. You also need to pay attention to other factors like the debts, growth momentum, management efficiency and tenancy profile. Sometimes macroeconomic plays a part too.

Lippo Malls Indonesia

Since the Great Financial Crisis in 2008, the quantitative easing by United States led to a slew of hot money flowing to emerging markets like Thailand and Indonesia. The aim of these hot funds had been to seek high yields that these emerging markets offered. Time flies and now the United States’ economy is improving. As a result, the Federal Reserves is deleveraging balance sheet, causing funds to flow back to United States.

Read More
Stocks

Bonds to the rescue for SGX share price

It is the right time to invest in SGX? Share price has fallen from a high of $8.50 in January 2018 to the current $7.30 level. The volatility in the share price is not surprising given that the financial market is very sensitive to the economy condition.

Over the years, I have seen SGX become more business-friendly vis-à-vis the antagonistic approach taken by the previous CEO, Magnus Bocker. The recent new rule on the dual-class listing of shares and the resumption of midday break in the securities market are just some of the examples of SGX trying to improve its corporate image. I am also excited over its on-going consultation to reduce the settlement cycle and streamlining of quarterly reporting. These changes would go a long way in making the investment community a progressive one in the long-term.

With dividend yield of 4.1%, I do think that current valuation may represent good opportunity to buy and hold the shares for the long-term. But do you know that apart from a leading regional stock bourse, SGX is also the largest exchange in Asia for the listing of international bonds?

SGX

Volatility is good for SGX

If investors look back, they would realize that the net profit for FY2008 was at $478 million, much higher than FY2018’s $363 million.

Read More
Stocks

Dark side of Ascott REIT

As a hospitality S-Reit heavyweight, Ascott REIT offers a form of passive income stream and exposure to a geographically diversified portfolio. Henceforth, for a period of time, I was very tempted to invest in this REIT supremo as revenue for Ascott REIT surged from $357 million in FY2014 to $496 million. Net income powered from $122 million to $214 million in the same period.

Indeed, it appears to me that investing Ascott REIT is an absolute safe bet. But certain aspect of its business strategies made me changed my mind. In this article, I will share my insights on Ascott REIT.

Profile of Ascott REIT

Since its establishment in 2006, Ascott REIT has grown into a top S-Reit with market capitalization of $2.33 billion and total assets worth a cool $5.3 billion. As a leading serviced residence player, its investment moat lies in having 11,430 apartment units across 37 cities.

Part of the reason for the success story of Ascott REIT is its unique business model of maintaining a balanced “stable income” and “growth income” management contracts for its property portfolio. I also love its growth strategies of acquisitions from its Sponsor (20 pipeline properties via ROFR) and the continuous asset enhancement initiatives to increase the market value of its properties.

Read More
Stocks

DBS stock rallied on issuing of $1billion perpetual securities

It is the return of DBS stock. On 21 September 2018, DBS stock surged to a month’s high to reach $26. The performance of DBS stock is remarkable, given that the counter rose by 7% within 10 days. The rally followed the recent issuance of $1billion perpetual securities.

While DBS stock is still some way off the record high of $31 seen on 31 April 2018, recent data suggested that DBS stock may have been oversold. It is still too early to suggest that DBS stock price is poised for another bull run but recent recovery was supported by several factors.

As the bellwether of the economy, DBS stock price is obviously very volatile and sensitive to market conditions. Thus, I view DBS stock more of a growth stock instead of looking at it from a dividend stock perspective. In this regard, my opinion is that this counter is good to invest, but not ideal to invest and hold. Due to the volatility of bank stocks, the key to making money out of DBS stock is to set appropriate entry and exit strategies.

DBS stock

Then again, there are many critics who may argue that I should not advocate short-term investing or even trading.

Read More
Stocks

Crazy Rich Mapletree Logistics Trust

From a high of $1.36 in January 2018, unit price of Mapletree Logisitics Trust plunged to the current $1.24 level. The correction must have caused much agony for investors even if the DPU of $0.06 issued in 2018 had been factored in. In my humble opinion, the fall of Mapletree Logistics Trust unit price could be attributed to the equity fund-raising exercises in recent months.

Private Placements

On 19 September 2019, Mapletree Logistics Trust launched yet another private placement to raise estimated proceeds of about $475 million to fund the acquisition of the 5 logistics properties from CWT International Limited. A total of 309,917,000 New Units will be issued pursuant to the Private Placement, at discounted price between $1.196 and $1.234 per new unit.

This is the third private placement by Mapletree Logistics Trust in a row since August 2017. In May 2018, Mapletree Logistics Trusts launched a $220 million private placement to fund the acquisition of a 50.0% interest in each of 11 Hong Kong special purpose vehicles. Prior to that, in August 2017, a massive equity fund-raising consisting of private placement and preferential offering of $670 million was launched to fund the acquisition of Mapletree Logistics Hub Tsing Yi, located at 30 Tsing Yi Road, Hong Kong.

Read More
Stocks

StarHub share price to plunge after being boot out of STI?

Can it get any worse for StarHub? On 6 September, FTSE announced that Starhub will be booted out of Straits Times Index (STI) on 24 September. With this latest development, I fear the worst for StarHub share price.

In recent years, there had been a few cases of local blue chips suffering from terrible fate after being booted out of the prestigious STI. Examples are SIA Engineering and Noble Group. In this regard, is StarHub share price poised for another major correction? Should investors sell everything and run for their lives?

In this article, the dynamics of the local telco industry are examined and the outlook for StarHub share price is discussed.

StarHub share price

Another wild ride for StarHub share price?

Drawing from recent cases, shareholders should brace themselves for another roller-coaster ride of StarHub share price. Shares of aviation heavyweight, SIA Engineering, went on a tailspin after being kicked out of the STI, dropping from $3.50 in September 2017 to the current $2.90. And let’s not even talk about Noble Group. After bowing out of STI in 2016, Noble Group had been in financial wilderness, going from crisis after crisis. Currently, Noble Group’s shares are almost worthless.

According to Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the mobile penetration rate in Singapore is about 150%, making Singapore one of the most well-connected countries in the world.

Read More
Stocks

mm2 Asia to self-destruct or win big?

In 2014, mm2 Asia debut in Singapore Catalist with minimal fanfare. But in 2017, the share price went on an unstoppable bull run when the share price increased 7 fold in value, creating immense wealth for shareholders. To top it off, it also got upgraded to the SGX Mainboard list, an impressive feat for a company that just got listed in Catalist in two years. For a penny stock, mm2 Asia is certainly a very interesting stock but in recent months, the share price got bombed out.

What on earth has happened? Is it the end of the party for mm2 Asia?

In my previous article, “The Outrageous Story of mm2 Asia“, I wrote that I would enter this counter at $0.35. On the basis of the current form, the share price of mm2 Asia seems likely to reach this price level soon. However, I have decided to stick to my strategy of not investing in a stock which IPO within 5 years. There are three reasons which I would like to share in this article.

mm2 Asia

Pre-IPO investors

Being a TV and film production company, mm2 Asia occupies a very niche area in Singapore stock market. As a content producer, I like mm2 Asia’s business model because this is an evergreen field that can never be made obsolete by technology.

Read More
Stocks

Devastating crash of ThaiBev share price

In the good old days, it was considered to be prestigious for a listed company to join the Straits Times Index (STI). It still is. But nowadays, it seems that being in the local benchmark index carries the unwelcome added risk of being prime target for short-selling attacks. Many components of STI had a torrid run so far this year. ThaiBev share price is no exception.

But is short-selling attacks the real culprit for the devastating fall of ThaiBev share price? I honestly doubt so.

In this article, I will share my perspective on the key reason behind the meltdown of ThaiBev share price and also explain why the current price level may represent a good window of opportunity for investors to accumulate ThaiBev shares on the cheap.

Currently trading at dividend yield of 4.12% and Price/Book Value of 3.03, ThaiBev share price may seem attractive for investors seeking yield. But then again, I view ThaiBev more of a growth stock, rather than a dividend counter. In this regard, I feel investors should have a strategy of setting the appropriate entry level and aim instead for capital appreciation.

The message I am putting across is that there would be pocket of opportunities for investors to make money out of the ThaiBev share price volatility.

Read More
Stocks

SingTel share price on course for explosive meltdown?

For the past two weeks, SingTel investors must be feeling wretched as SingTel share price free fall from $3.26 on 30 August to $3.10 on 11 September. The shares had not reverted to the dismal 6-year low witnessed on 3 July 2018 yet. But given the bearish trend, I will not be surprised if SingTel share price experienced yet another explosive meltdown and crashed to below the $3.00 mark in no time.

Although SingTel is the second largest cap in Singapore stock market, investing in this leading light of STI is not easy because this counter is susceptible to short-selling attacks. Unlike local banks, it is also not Temasek Holdings’ style to defend SingTel share price through aggressive shares buyback. Instead, it appears to me that the management of SingTel prefers to let the financial results of the company do the talking. Due to these factors, SingTel share price is expected to experience much volatility in the coming months and investors must have the stomach to withstand the roller coaster ride.

SingTel share price

Seeking the truth from facts

In my previous article (24 July), I wrote that “SingTel share price destined to collapse after ex-dividend day”. In that article, I shared that it is not a matter of whether SingTel share price would drop but by how much it would plunge after ex-dividend day.

Read More
Stocks

OCBC share price encountered “earthquake”

From a high of $14 in May, OCBC share price suffered a major “earthquake” and corrected 25% to reach a dismal level of $11.10 on 6 September. The plunge in OCBC share price also led to the dividend yield to reach the alluring level of 3.51%. Incidentally, OCBC issued a SGD1 billion perpetual securities with coupon rate of 4% in August. In the past, OCBC had also issued preference shares as well.

OCBC perpetual securities was issued at a time when investors were hungry for yield in a highly volatile environment. Being ranked senior than ordinary shares, perpetual securities are usually considered to be a safer investment product as compared to the shares of the same company. But it is interesting to note that the coupon rate of OCBC perpetual securities is 4%, slightly higher than the dividend yield of 3.51%. If OCBC share price drops further, the dividend yield will increase further.

As a bank stock, OCBC share price is obviously very volatile because banks are the bellwether of the economy. Thus, like DBS and UOB, OCBC share price is very sensitive to the changes to geopolitical and global financial health. In this regard, it may not be appropriate to view OCBC stock as a dividend counter.

Read More
Stocks

Can Raffles Medical share price ever rock again?

From a high of $1.50 in 2016, Raffles Medical share price plunged to a low of $0.99 on 6 July 2018. What a horror ride! Previously in 2017, I have written a few articles highlighting that the time was not ripe to invest in Raffles Medical shares. Also, I had set a personal entry level between $0.60 to $0.80 for Raffles Medical share price, which many investors scoffed at.

Can the embattled Raffles Medical share price rise from the ashes like a phoenix or should investors run for their lives before the Raffles Medical share price got bombed out again?

Raffles Medical share price in limbo?

My views had, at that point of time, touched on many readers’ raw nerves and might have riled many investors. There are also quite a number of readers who dismissed my strategy and claimed that my valuation of Raffles Medical share price was flawed. But I guess the performance of Raffles Medical share price in the past two years vindicated my viewpoints.

Those who had bought at the high side of $1.50 would be staring at massive paper losses now. Of course there is no point in crying over spilled milk but there are important lessons to be learned for those who suffered losses from this counter.

Read More
Stocks

Perfect storm for StarHub share price

Nowadays, investors of StarHub cannot sleep well. From a high of almost $4.40 in 2015, StarHub share price crashed like a fallen star to reach the abysmal level of $1.64. The stunning decline of StarHub share price caught many investors off-guarded and caused much wealth destruction to many long-term investors. At the rate of decline, StarHub share price is definitely spiralling out of control. How low will it go?

On looking back, StarHub has managed to punch above its weight since it was launched in 2000. With share capital of only $300 million, this telco has managed to generate amazing Return-on-Equity (ROE) in the past. Henceforth, given its track record, it may be too early to dismiss the long-term potential of StarHub share price.

StarHub share price

StarHub share price lost form

The intriguing meltdown of StarHub share price must have left investors slapping their foreheads in astonishment. It seems so surreal as investors reminisce those good old days when StarHub was one of the leading lights of SGX.

Of course, nobody in his right mind would have predicted Starhub share price to suffer such a devastating run. This counter is, after all, considered one of the brightest blue chips that has consistently paid out handsome dividends.

Read More
Stocks

End of Suntec REIT stock rally?

From $2.25 in January 2018 to $1.66 in June 2018, Suntec REIT stock crashed in bizarre fashion and in the process, roasted many investors alive within the span of six months. The incredible rally of Suntec REIT stock started in 2016 and gained pace rapidly in 2017 on the back of market rumours of potential takeover by sponsor, ARA Asset Management. What on earth has happened? Is the sky falling for Suntec REIT stock or will it rise like phoenix from the ashes?

Market speculation on Suntec REIT being privatized peaked in late December 2017, a period of time when a slew of local homegrown companies were exiting Singapore Exchange bourse. Big names like Eu Yan Seng, Tiger Airways, SMRT, Popular Holdings and Keppel Land were just a few of many local stocks that had been delisted from SGX in the past two years, wiping off billions of liquidity from the stock bourse.

At a point of time, Suntec REIT seemed destined to be the next counter to be privatized. As a result, this sparked a frenzy rally in Suntec REIT stock price.

Suntec REIT

Well, I suppose in the stock market, the old saying of “Man proposes, God disposes” still holds true.

Read More
Insurance coverage; medical shield; financial planning; personal finance

The Dark Side of Investment Linked Policy (ILP)

In relation to my previous article “My NTUC Income Life Insurance Policies”, a member requested for my opinion on investment linked policy (ILP). He also wrote that the investment linked policy that he had bought was not profitable. Is investment linked policy really that bad and is it worth your time and money?

In this article, I am going share my candid views on investment linked policy. Readers would know that I don’t mince my words, so I am going to pull no punches.

For a period of time, investment linked policy used to sell like hotcakes in Singapore because it has been marketed as a unique financial product that offers potentially high returns and insurance coverage. The commission fees for investment linked policy are usually very lucrative. Thus, obviously insurance agents would attempt to sell this type of insurance product in a bid to make more commission fees. But in my opinion, this is one of the worst insurance products for consumers and one should avoid buying it unless he is 100% sure of what he is buying into.

investment linked policy

As a matter of fact, I have examined this topic before in 2015 (Frightening Truth about Investment Linked Policy).

Read More