Author: Investment Income for Life

In my last post on 21st July 2018, I have posted the reasons on why the government should step in to bail out Hyflux. I have also mentioned that Temasek linked companies such as Keppel and Sembcorp should step forward to rescue Hyflux. My wishes came through-both Keppel Corp and Sembcorp appeared as white knights in shining armour along with other interested parties. Out of 8 interest parties approved by the PUB, only one submitted a bid. It was believed that the only bid was submitted by Sembcorp.  As I mentioned before, Hyflux investors will have to suffer a...

Global Investment Limited (“GIL”) has announced on 28 September 2018 that it intends to hold a Special General Meeting (“SGM”) to pursue a few ordinary resolutions. Most of the resolutions proposed are due to technicality issue when GIL transfer the domiciliation of the Company from Bermuda back to Singapore. Hence by virtue of the Singapore Companies Act and SGX Listing requirement, it required shareholders to give a new mandate such as on existing share buyback and Scrip Dividend Scheme that are already in existence under the law of Bermuda. I will give a quick highlight of the 2 ordinary...

Frankly speaking, I am extremely disappointed with the financial performance of Asian Pay TV Trust (“APTT”) for Q2. Disappointing as in the ARPU has not stabilized at all as per asserted by APTT management for many prior quarters. Q2 2018 saw further decline instead of “stability” in the key performance indicator of all its business segments. I have previously posted that in the absence of visibility of earnings upgrade from the ARPU, I will not put in more investment into APTT due to the intense competition disrupting its business. Basic Cable and Premium Digital Cable TV Q2 2018 Performance...

The Global Financial Crisis is back again in 2018! Another Era (再创世纪) is currently being broadcasted. This is an amazing show which draws invaluable lessons from the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 but of course with elements of drama added into it. Also, I find it closely resembling the various office politics in real life and is able to draw parallel to it.  The great Roger Kwok (郭晋安) plays a resourceful man who was only a low level salaried staff and how he rose up to riches. Roger is some of those folks out there that you will meet ...

This is awesome! Our Prime Minister had announced during the National Day Rally that HDB will be launching (albeit in another 20 years time) the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (“VERS”). Under VERS, HDB owners of flats aged 70 years old will be able to vote (akin to enbloc for private properties) for the government to buy back their homes before the end of the lease. Considering that more than 80% of our fellow Singaporeans live in HDB flats, this is certainly a right step in resolving the depreciation and eventual zero value of HDB flats upon the end of...

The faster than expected development of the 5G network caught me by surprise. Just last month (July’18), Singtel and Ericsson announced that they will be launching a 5G pilot network test by the fourth quarter of 2018 to support drone and self-driving car tests in the one-north district. Also, Optus (Singtel’s Australian subsidiary) and Globe (Singtel’s Philippine Associate Company) have announced plans for the rolling out of commercial 5G services next year. I have done up some technical readings and post it here on the 5G technology characteristics so as to analyze the potential implication on Netlink Trust, which...

It was poignant to read from the news that there was a retail investor who risk losing a certain portion of his S$250K of capital investment into Hyflux bond. The retail investor in this case was a retiree who originally intent to use it to finance part of his retirement income and also to fund his children upcoming university expenses. For all retail investors caught in the current Hyflux Tuaspring crisis, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the eventual divestment and re-organisation is successful so that they can get back most of their capital. Types of Bond There...

SPH recently announced its 3rd quarter ending 30 June 2018 financial results and more insights into Management strategy in its Property Business. While investors must be happy to know that SPH is embarking on a transformation journey by riding on its new growth engine, the traditional Media business is still in doldrums.  Key Highlights: 1. New strategy by SPH is to focus on the acquisition of cash yielding, real estate assets overseas.  2. SPH is particularly interested in Aged Care business which it believes to be a recession proof business. There are also opportunities for investments into overseas student...

Singtel dropped to a 5 year all time record low of S$3.02 per share on 3 July 2018 (Tuesday) before rebounding to S$3.23 per share on 6 July 2018  (Friday). The plunge to the lowest point is a 16% dropped from S$3.60 at the start of this calendar year. The mind blogging part is many well known analysts over the past 2 months have predicted a targeted price of over S$3.57 to S$4.22 per share for Singtel. Hence it is certainly bewildering to see the price of Singtel flopping and wiping billions of dollars off its market capitalisation and...

From my last review, Global Investment Limited (“GIL”) had S$88Mil of cash on hand as at 31 December 2017. Total assets is S$337Mil. This represented a 26% of unproductive assets held as cash and cash equivalent at the end of the previous financial year.    For Q1 2018, GIL had deployed S$59.11Mil into purchase of a basket of 21 China domestic bonds. These fixed income securities have a weighted average coupon of 4.28% and have a weighted short term maturity of 2.22 years. The invested fixed income securities are classified by management as held at fair value. This is a...