Sam Goi ups Envictus stake; more companies conduct buybacks

FOR the five trading sessions that spanned Oct 1 to 7, the Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.5 per cent, with the Hang Seng Index gaining 0.5 per cent and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI gaining 1.6 per cent.

While the FTSE China A50 Index was closed for Golden Week, the SGX Oct FTSE China A50 futures contract declined 1.3 per cent.

Within the STI, UOB U11 , CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust C38U , Singapore Telecommunications Z74 , Singapore Airlines C6L and Singapore Technologies Engineering S63 received the highest net institutional inflows from Oct 1 to 7.

Outside the STI, Geo Energy Resources RE4 , Singapore Press Holdings T39 , First Resources EB5 , Raffles Medical Group BSL and Rex International 5WH received the highest net institutional inflows.

Overall, institutions were net buyers over the five sessions, with S$52 million of net inflow, while Singapore Exchange S68 , UMS Holdings 558 and Venture Corporation V03 saw the highest net institutional outflows.

Share buybacks

There were 20 primary-listed stocks conducting share buybacks over the five sessions with a total consideration of S$26.0 million. UOB, OCBC O39 and The Hour Glass AGS led the consideration tally.

Secondary-listed Hongkong Land H78 also bought back shares for each of the five sessions between Oct 1 and 7, paying between US$4.88 and US$4.79 per share.

On Oct 5, secondary-listed Jardine Matheson Holdings J36 also bought back 254,489 shares at US$51.79 per share.

Its director Y K Pang also acquired 10,000 shares of the company at an average price of US$52.83 between Oct 5 and 7.

Director and substantial shareholder transactions

The five trading sessions saw 70 changes in director interests and substantial shareholdings filed for fewer than 40 primary-listed stocks.

This included 13 company director acquisitions with no disposals filed, while substantial shareholders filed six acquisitions and three disposals.

Envictus International Holdings

On Oct 6, Envictus International BQD Holdings vice-chairman Sam Goi Seng Hui increased his total interest in the company from 25.23 per cent to 25.61 per cent.

He acquired 935,500 shares for a consideration of S$107,583 at 11.5 cents per share.

His preceding acquisition was on Sep 29, 2020, with 3,700 shares acquired at 9.8 cents per share.

Envictus International Holdings is a food and beverage group with a portfolio of businesses and brands operating under its key business divisions.

Asian Pay Television Trust

Between Oct 1 and 4, Dai Yung Huei, non-executive director of the trustee-manager of Asian Pay Television Trust S7OU (APTT), acquired 2,090,800 units at 13.0 cents per share.

With a consideration of S$271,804, this increased his deemed interest in the business trust from 16.82 per cent to 16.93 per cent.

It followed his acquisition of 1.6 million APTT units at 13.0 cents per share between Sep 23 and 27.

Dai was appointed a non-executive director of the trustee-manager of APTT on Aug 13.

The Straits Trading Company

On Oct 5, The Straits Trading Company S20 independent and non-executive director Tan Tiong Cheng acquired 30,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$91,500 at S$3.05 per share.

He maintains a 0.02 per cent direct interest in the conglomerate-investment company.

His preceding acquisition was on Aug 31 with 20,000 shares acquired at S$3.18 per share.

Tan is also an independent and non-executive director of UOL Group, the lead independent director of Heeton Holdings and a non-executive independent director of Amara Holdings.

Pan Hong Holdings Group

Between Sep 29 and Oct 4, Pan Hong Holdings Group P36 substantial shareholder Wong Lam Ping increased his direct interest in the company from 5.07 per cent to 5.16 per cent.

Wong acquired 402,100 shares for a consideration of S$73,953 at an average price of 18.4 cents per share.

Wong and Chan Heung Ling hold 52.0 per cent and 48.0 per cent of the issued share capital of Extra Good Enterprises respectively, which brings Wong's total interest in Pan Hong Holdings Group to 64.20 per cent.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, with its subsidiaries, Pan Hong Holdings Group is a property developer focused on developing residential and commercial properties in the second and third-tier cities in China.

For its fiscal year 2021 (FY21, ended Mar 31), the group's revenue increased to 1,340.9 million yuan (S$282 million), compared to 643.9 million yuan in FY20, on the back of a transfer of control of residential units of Pan Hong Run He to buyers.

The group is expected to report its H1 FY22 (ended Sep 30) results by mid-November.

AnnAik

Between Oct 4 and 5, AnnAik A52 executive director and COO Ng Kim Keang acquired 355,000 shares of the manufacturer and distributor of stainless steel products for a consideration of S$25,050.

At 7.1 cents per share, this took his direct interest in AnnAik from 2.14 per cent to 2.28 per cent.

Ng's preceding acquisitions were in November 2019, with 1.54 million shares acquired at 6.0 cents per share.

He joined the company in January 2003 as financial controller, then was promoted to executive director in January 2005 and chief operating officer in March 2015.

Currently, he is responsible for managing the overall operations and the finance and accounting matters of the group.

Between Oct 5 and 6, AnnAik executive director and sales director Benedict Ow Eei Phurn acquired 655,000 shares for a consideration of S$49,882.

At 7.6 cents per share, this increased his total interest in AnnAik from 0.17 per cent to 0.40 per cent.

Ow's current role is to assist in the overall distribution business of the group and manage its supply chain operations

On Aug 13, AnnAik announced that its H1 FY21 (ended Jun 30) profit attributable to owners of the company was S$1.23 million, compared to a loss of S$0.18 million recorded in the prior year.

The significant improvement in results was mainly due to the higher demand for steel products and increase in steel prices, lifting the revenue and gross profit of both the distribution and manufacturing of steel flanges divisions.

Within the environmental division, the increased engineering procurement and construction project deployment in hazardous wastewater treatments also contributed positively to AnnAik's overall performance in H1 FY21.

LHT Holdings

On Oct 1, LHT Holdings BEI chairman, managing director and CEO, Yap Mui Kee acquired 57,300 shares of the listed company for a consideration of S$37,239.

At an average price of 65.0 cents per share, this took Yap's total interest in the manufacturer of high quality wooden pallets, boxes and crates from 14.32 per cent to 14.43 per cent.

Her preceding acquisition, on Sep 21 also saw Yap acquire 110,000 shares at 65.0 cents per share.

Prior to that, she had not acquired LHT Holdings shares since June 16, 2020, with 78,100 shares bought at 62.6 cents per share

Yap has been the executive director of the company since Jan 2, 1988 and is in charge of all sales and marketing functions of the group.

After her appointment as acting managing director on Feb 26, 2016, she became chairman, managing director and CEO on Feb 10, 2017.

She has over 35 years of experience in sales and marketing and plays a key role in exploring opportunities in new markets.

Part of her responsibility is also to monitor market developments and streamline the company's product development efforts according to market demands.

LHT Holdings has been in the timber industry for more than 40 years. Since its establishment in 1977, it has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of high quality wooden pallets, boxes and crates in Singapore, with facilities occupying 63,568 square metres of land in Singapore.

Hafary Holdings

On Oct 4, Hafary Holdings 5VS executive director and CEO, Low Kok Ann acquired 100,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$16,970.

This increased Low's total interest in the leading building material supplier from 8.52 per cent to 8.54 per cent.

The transaction followed his acquisition of 97,700 shares at 16.6 cents per share between Sep 17 and 20 and 200,000 shares at 16.5 cents per share between Sep 3 and 6.

With its subsidiaries, Hafary Holdings is a leading supplier of premium tiles, stone, mosaic, wood flooring, quartz top and sanitary ware and fittings in Singapore.

Low was one of the founders of the main subsidiary of the company, Hafary Pte Ltd, and has been an executive director since its incorporation in 1980.

Far East Group

On Oct 5, Far East Group 5TJ CEO and executive director Steven Loh Mun Yew acquired 92,000 shares of the Catalist-listed company for a consideration of S$10,120.

This took his total interest in Far East Group from 61.51 per cent to 61.59 per cent.

Loh's preceding acquisition was on Nov 13, 2020, with 750,000 shares acquired at 15.0 cents per share, and on July 9, 2018, with 600,000 shares acquired at 15.5 cents per share.

Appointed to the board of Far East Group in 1990, Loh has over 30 years of experience in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration industry.

He is responsible for the formulation and execution of the group's business strategies, strategic directions and expansion plans, as well as managing the group's overall business development and financial performance.

For its H1 FY21 (ended June 30) the group's gross profit increased 23.3 per cent year on year to S$6.7 million, due to the increase in sales.

Founded in 1953, Far East Group is one of the pioneers in the refrigeration and air-conditioning business in Singapore.

• The writer is the market strategist at Singapore Exchange (SGX). To read SGX's market research reports, visit sgx.com/research.