Stocks to watch: UOB, Sembcorp, CICT, First Sponsor, Advanced Systems Automation, Moneymax

[SINGAPORE] The following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Thursday (Jan 15):

UOB : UOB has priced S$850 million in perpetual capital securities at 3 per cent under the bank’s US$30 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. The issue date is expected to be Jan 21. The securities are first callable in 2033. Shares of UOB ended at S$36.51 on Wednesday, S$0.32 or 0.9 per cent higher before the announcement.

Sembcorp: The company will seek shareholder approval for its acquisition of Alinta Energy, it said on Thursday. The extraordinary general meeting will be held on Jan 30 to vote on the acquisition of Australia’s fourth-largest utilities provider from Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises. The estimated purchase price for the deal is A$5.6 billion (S$4.8 billion), which will be paid in cash through bridge and working capital facilities. The transaction is expected to be earnings accretive but will cause Sembcorp to miss its 2028 decarbonisation targets due to the integration of Alinta’s coal assets. Shares of Sembcorp closed 0.2 per cent or S$0.01 lower at S$6.01 on Wednesday.

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) : The trust has agreed to divest Bukit Panjang Plaza for S$428 million in cash, its manager said on Wednesday. Separately, it will also develop and fully own the commercial component of the mixed-use Hougang Central site that it secured at a recent state tender. Units of CICT closed 0.4 per cent lower at S$2.42 on Wednesday, prior to the announcements.

First Sponsor : The company expects to post a net loss for its second half and full year ended Dec 31, 2025. The net loss is mainly due to fair value loss on its financial derivatives as a result of the strengthening of foreign currencies against the Singapore dollar, and net foreign exchange losses, the property player said on Wednesday. Shares of First Sponsor closed flat at S$1.01 on Wednesday, before the announcement.

Advanced Systems Automation : The precision engineering group on Wednesday said that it intends to make a voluntary conditional offer for all the shares of Asti. This offer will be made only if pre-conditions have been satisfied or waived in the next three months, or by a date determined following discussions with the Securities Industry Council. The company said in a bourse filing that it does not intend to privatise Asti. The counter closed flat at S$0.005 before the news. Asti shares have been suspended since 2022, and last traded at S$0.014.

Moneymax Financial Services : The pawnbroker is looking to transfer its listing to the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange, from its current listing on the Catalist board, it said on Wednesday. Shares of MoneyMax closed 1 per cent higher at S$0.50 on Wednesday, before the announcement.