Stocks to watch: Wilmar, SIA, Genting Singapore, Seatrium, StarHub, FEHT, The Hour Glass

THE following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Friday (Feb 21):

Wilmar : It posted on Thursday a 39.4 per cent fall in net profit to US$590.2 million for the six months ended December. Revenue for the half year rose 5.3 per cent to US$36.4 billion on stronger sales volumes. Full-year revenue rose 0.3 per cent to US$67.4 billion and net profit fell 23.3 per cent to US$1.2 billion. The company proposed a final dividend per share of S$0.10, slightly lower than S$0.11 the year before. Wilmar shares ended Thursday at S$3.21, up 0.9 per cent or S$0.03, before the announcement.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) : The national carrier’s net profit surged 146.7 per cent to S$1.6 billion for the third quarter ended Dec 31, from S$659 million in the year-ago period. Revenue climbed 2.7 per cent to S$5.2 billion, from S$5.1 billion. The company attributed the boost to a one-off non-cash accounting gain of S$1.1 billion, it said on Thursday. SIA shares closed down 0.2 per cent or S$0.01 at S$6.42 on Thursday, before the business update.

Genting Singapore : The company on Thursday recorded a 34 per cent fall in net profit to S$222 million for the half year ended Dec 31, from S$334.9 million in the corresponding year-ago period. Half-year revenue slid 12 per cent to S$1.2 billion from S$1.3 billion. For the full year, net profit fell 5 per cent to S$578.9 million and revenue rose 5 per cent to S$2.5 billion as earnings per share came in at S$0.0479, from S$0.0507 previously. Shares of Genting Singapore closed flat at S$0.775 on Thursday, before the results were released.

Seatrium : The offshore and marine specialist swung into the black with a net profit of S$120.9 million for the second half ended Dec 31, compared with a net loss of S$1.7 billion in the same period a year earlier. This was attributed to higher contributions from revenue recognition, fair-value gain on investments, as well as share of profit from associates, it said on Friday. With the group’s return to profitability, Seatrium proposed a final dividend of S$0.015 per share. Shares of Seatrium closed 2 per cent or S$0.05 lower at S$2.50 on Thursday. 

StarHub : The telco on Friday posted a net profit of S$78.4 million for the second half ended December, up 7.5 per cent from S$72.9 million in the previous corresponding period. The group declared a final dividend of S$0.032 per share, bringing the total dividend to be distributed for the full year ended Dec 31 to S$0.062. Shares of StarHub ended Thursday flat at S$1.26. 

Far East Hospitality Trust (FEHT) : The stapled security group entered a sale and purchase agreement with an unrelated third party to acquire Four Points by Sheraton Nagoya, a freehold 319-room hotel operated by Marriott International. FEHT will buy the upscale property at an initial price of six billion yen (S$52.8 million). The deal is expected to be completed on Apr 25. Stapled securities of FEHT closed at S$0.565 on Thursday, down 0.9 per cent or S$0.005, before the news.

The Hour Glass : Valid claims against high-society figure Jannie Chan, co-founder of luxury timepiece retailer The Hour Glass, ballooned by S$18.9 million after the High Court on Wednesday accepted a creditor’s previously rejected debts. This was for a loan that she guaranteed for JASC, one of the firms at which she was the sole director and shareholder, was overdue and landed her in bankruptcy when licensed moneylender SME Care sought to have her honour the guarantee. Shares of The Hour Glass closed Thursday flat at S$1.57. 

UOL : Its unit Qin Rui Jia (Shanghai) Realty Co and its industry partner China Jinmao won a nine billion yuan (S$1.7 billion) government land sales tender, which closed on Thursday. The tender is for a residential site in the Hongkou district of Shanghai. The acquisition, expected to expand UOL’s development footprint in China, is not expected to have a material impact on UOL’s earnings for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2025. UOL shares ended Thursday at S$5.12, up 0.2 per cent or S$0.01, before the news.