Singapore stocks news: Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), Mapletree Logistics Trust, ComfortDelGro, and more

Singapore stocks news: Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), Mapletree Logistics Trust, ComfortDelGro, and more
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Here’s a selection of Singapore-listed companies that released noteworthy announcements this week or towards the end of last week.

ComfortDelGro Corporation Ltd 

ComfortDelGro is planning to list its wholly-owned subsidiary ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) on the Australian Securities Exchange.

The transport operator said the initial public offering, which is planned for the fourth quarter of 2021, will unlock the value of its land transport business assets in Australia.

CDC has operations in Australia’s fastest-growing public transport markets of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Darwin.

ComfortDelGro’s Australian business contributed 19 per cent of 2020’s total revenue of $3.23 billion at the group level.

ALSO READ: Stock investment ideas: Singapore-listed companies that are rated as a 'buy'

Mapletree Logistics Trust

Mapletree Logistics Trust is looking to purchase a fully leased, freehold cold-storage facility in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, for A$42.8 million (S$42.9 million).

The property is 100per cent leased to Austco Polar, a national and international red meat exporter, for the next 13 years with annual rental escalations.

This will provide the logistics real estate investment trust (REIT) with a stable and growing income stream.

The acquisition, which will be fully funded by debt, is expected to be accretive at the distribution level .

Post-acquisition, Mapletree Logistics Trust will have a total of 13 assets in Australia.

Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd

Since closing at $5.97 on Aug 13, shares in Singapore-listed Nanofilm have tumbled to $3.96 on Thursday.

Nanofilm reported last Friday that its 2021 first-half net profit was down 3.1 per cent year-on-year to $17.9 million.

The company also announced that its chief operating officer, Ricky Tan, would step down from Aug16 to pursue other opportunities following Nanofilm’s re-organisation.

After Nanofilm went public in October 2020, we shared three risks that we are cautious about with regard to the company.

One of them was valuation risk.

ALSO READ: Singapore Press Holdings’ share price drops below $1: 5 things you should know about its full-year 2020 earnings

Singapore Press Holdings

Evercore, the financial adviser to SPH’s independent directors, recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the proposed restructuring of SPH’s media business.

Here’s an extract of Evercore’s opinion as stated in the circular to SPH shareholders (with emphases) released on Aug 17:

“Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, as at the Latest Practicable Date, the Proposed Restructuring, from a financial point of view, is in the overall interests of the Company and the Shareholders…

…Accordingly, from a financial point of view, we advise the Directors to recommend that the Shareholders vote in favour of the Proposed Restructuring.”

In turn, SPH directors are recommending shareholders vote in favour of the resolution relating to the restructuring after they reviewed the proposed restructuring and took into account Evercore’s opinion.

SPH will hold a virtual extraordinary general meeting on Sept 10 to seek shareholders’ approval on the restructuring and formation of a new constitution.

This article was first published in Seedly. All content is displayed for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice.

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