Stocks to watch: SIA, Singtel, CapitaLand Ascendas Reit, ST Engineering, Delfi

THE following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Wednesday (May 17): 

Singapore Airlines (SIA): The national carrier on Tuesday reported that its net profit increased by 32.7 per cent to S$1.2 billion for the second half of the year ended March, versus a loss of S$125.2 million in the corresponding year-ago period. The results helped the group post its highest full-year net profit in its 76-year history to S$2.2 billion for FY2022/23, versus a net loss of S$962 million in FY2021/22. Before the news, shares of the company were up 0.3 per cent or S$0.02 to S$5.92, at the end of trading on Tuesday. Singtel : Bharti Airtel, a regional associate of Singapore-based telecoms giant Singtel, announced its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday. Its consolidated revenue from operations rose to 360.1 billion rupees (S$5.9 billion) for the quarter ended Mar 31, from 315 billion rupees a year earlier. However, it missed analyst expectations, which projected on average 365.52 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Before the news, shares of Singtel ended Tuesday up 1.2 per cent or S$0.03 to S$2.58. CapitaLand Ascendas Reit (Clar): The real estate investment trust (Reit) has closed its private placement at S$2.727 apiece. The private placement, which was 3.1 times subscribed, was upsized to raise gross proceeds of S$500 million, said the Reit’s manager on Wednesday. Part of the gross proceeds will be used to partially finance its acquisition of Seagate’s facility. Clar closed on Monday up 0.7 per cent or S$0.02 at S$2.88, before it requested a trading halt the following morning. The Reit resumes trading on Wednesday. Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering): STE TransCore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ST Engineering, will issue US$500 million in three-year notes with a 4.125 per cent fixed-rate coupon. The notes will mature on May 23, 2026, ST Engineering said on Tuesday. The counter rose S$0.10 or 2.8 per cent to close at S$3.72 on Tuesday, before the news.  Delfi : The chocolate maker on Tuesday posted a 24.5 per cent increase in its first quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation to US$25.5 million, thanks to increased consumer demand driving the growth of its core strategic products and post-Covid recoveries. Shares of Delfi lost 1.6 per cent or S$0.02 on Tuesday to close at S$1.26 before the news.