At the end of July 2018, Jardine Strategic Holdings Limited (SGX: J37)  reported its 2018 first half earnings update. As a quick introduction, Jardine Strategic is a conglomerate with interests in a web of Jardine companies such as Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd (SGX: C07), Hongkong Land Holdings Limited (SGX: H78), Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd (SGX: D01), Mandarin Oriental Limited (SGX: M04) and Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (SGX: J336). Here, let’s look at 10 things that investors should know from Jardine Strategic’s latest earnings update: 1. Revenue for the first half of the year increased 13% year-on-year to US$16.9 billion. 2. Underlying operating profit (excluding non-trading items) improved 26% year-on-year to US$1.8 billion. 3. Underlying net p

At the end of July 2018, Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (SGX: J36) reported its 2018 first half earnings update. Jardine Matheson is a conglomerate with interest in the web of Jardines companies. Here, let’s look at 10 things that investors should know from its latest earnings update. 1. Revenue for the six months ended 30 June 2018 increased 14% year-on-year to US$21.3 billion. 2. Underlying operating profit (excluding non-trading items) improved 22% year-on-year to US$1.9 billion. 3. Underlying net profit attributable to shareholders grew 6% year-on-year to US$792 million. 4. Similarly, underlying earnings per share was up by 7% year-on-year to US$2.11. 5. Underlying operating profit margin rose from 8.3% a year ago to 8.9% for the first half of 2018. 6. Year-to-date, Jardine M

Mandarin Oriental International Limited (SGX: M04) continued its recent run of good results, positing a huge 49% increase in its underlying earnings per share. The hotel chain operator, which operates 31 hotels and eight residences across 21 countries and territories, started the first six months of the year strongly. Here are 10 highlights from its interim earnings update: 1. Combined total revenue, which includes the revenue from joint ventures, increased 9% to US$700.2 million from US$644.8 million. Operating profit increased 56.8% to US$35.3 million from US$22.5 million. Together, with share of results from associates and joint ventures, profit attributable to shareholders was 49% higher at US$22.3 million. 2. Underlying earnings per share came in at US$1.77. The group has announced a

Jardine Strategic Holdings Limited (SGX: J37) is a bona-fide conglomerate, given that it has major stakes in many other Singapore-listed companies. These companies include the Indonesia-focused automobile distributor Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd  (SGX: C07), Hong Kong-focused property investor and developer Hongkong Land Holdings Limited  (SGX: H78), pan-Asian bricks-and-mortar retailer Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd  (SGX: D01), and international hotelier Mandarin Oriental International Limited (SGX: M04). One of the things that I like to do when analysing a company is to study its track record. The past is no guarantee of the future. But historical information is the most reliable thing that we can use as our basis to forecast what lies ahead. And this brings me to the main

Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (SGX: J36) is a conglomerate with multiple business interests located across the Asia-Pacific. Presently, it derives income from the following subsidiaries: 100% shareholding of Jardine Pacific 100% shareholding of Jardine Motors 84% shareholding of Jardine Strategic (SGX: J37) As I write, Jardine Matheson is amongst the top 30 constituents of the Straits Times Index and is worth US$23.6 billion in market capitalization. For this article, I’ll bring an overview of each of Jardine Matheson’s subsidiaries over the last 10 years, the group’s financial results, and provide an update on its newest acquisitions made in 2017 and 2018. Here are 12 things you need to know about Jardine Matheson before you invest. Main subsidiaries 1. Jardine Pacific owns a

Income investors will tell you that the key to successful investing is not merely finding a company that can pay consistent dividends, but one that has the ability to grow its dividend distribution over the years. However, it is not easy to find companies that have the capacity to consistently grow their dividends. Companies need to be able to increase their earnings each year, and have consistently stable cash flow to justify the dividend payout. In fact, according to a report by Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX:S68), only five companies out of the 30 constituent stocks in the Straits Times Index (excluding REITs) have grown their dividend each year over the past five years. In an earlier article here, I talked about two of the companies. Here are two more companies that fit the bill. Jar

I’m a value investor. So, I like to search for companies that are trading at good value. A list of stocks that are near their respective 52-week lows is a good place to start my search for a good reason. These are the stocks that are either neglected or beaten down by investors. And, some of these stocks can be bargains in relation to their actual economic worth because market participants can at times react too negatively to certain companies that have sound long-term prospects but that have experienced some short-term stumbles. As such, I will screen for stocks that are trading near 52-week lows nearly once every week. There are many stocks that pop up on my screen each time I run it. So, what are the companies that have shown up on this week’s list? Here are three of them: Jardine

Hotel chain operator Mandarin Oriental International Limited (SGX:M04) was one of the hottest stocks in May. According to stock exchange operator Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX: S68), Mandarin Oriental’s shares gained 9.6% in that month alone. It was also the top-performer in May among the 10 largest consumer discretionary stocks in Singapore. Here are three reasons that may be driving the surge. Aggressive expansion plans for the future Mandarin Oriental currently operates 31 hotels and eight residences in 21 countries and territories. Its portfolio includes the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London and Mandarin Oriental in Singapore. However, the company, as with most successful hotel chains, had humble beginnings. Its story started more than 50 years ago with the opening of The Mand

The widely anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un on 12 June put the spotlight on Singapore’s hotel industry, as both leaders finalised their hotels of stay and the venue of the actual meeting.  The US and North Korean delegations are expected to stay in the Shangri-La Hotel and St Regis respectively, while the meeting is to be held at Capella Singapore. Read Also: Donald Trump Wants You To Follow These 6 Important Investment Strategies Besides the Trump-Kim summit, hoteliers in Singapore had other reasons to cheer, as the Consumer Discretionary sector was the best-performing sector on SGX this month, returning an average total return of 3.1% for the month of May. Stocks classified under the Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines category account for five of the ten larg