The Straits Times Index (SGX: ^STI) has remained resilient this year despite President Trump announcing a raft of reciprocal tariffs on more than 180 countries.
Since the first quarter of 2025 (1Q 2025) through 7 May, the index has declined just 2.7%, with dividends helping to reduce this further to just -1.1%.
We compiled the best-performing Singapore blue-chip stocks year-to-date and present them to you.
You can assess their prospects and risks to determine if they should form part of your investment portfolio.
Singapore Technologies Engineering (SGX: S63)
Singapore Technologies Engineering, or STE, is an engineering and technology group with businesses that serve customers in the aerospace, smart city, and public security segments.
The group is the best-performing blue-chip stock this year with its share price soaring 59% year-to-date (YTD) to hit S$7.41.
STE reported that revenue for 1Q 2025 rose 8% year on year to S$2.9 billion.
All three of the engineering group’s divisions reported year-on-year revenue increases.
The group also reported strong contract wins for the quarter, snagging around S$4.4 billion of new contracts.
STE’s order book stood at S$29.8 billion as of 31 March 2025, with S$7.3 billion of these contracts expected to be delivered for the remainder of 2025.
An interim dividend of S$0.04 was declared, similar to a year ago.
The engineering firm released its Investor Day goals for 2029 while also announcing a progressive dividend policy.
For 2025, the group plans to pay out a total of S$0.18 in dividends, one cent higher than 2024, and from 2026 onwards, one-third of the year-on-year increase in net profits will be paid out as incremental dividends.
Singtel (SGX: Z74)
Singtel is Singapore’s largest telecommunication company (telco) offering a range of services such as mobile, broadband, cybersecurity, and pay TV to its customers.
Singtel’s shares have risen 23% YTD to S$3.80, and are just shy of its 52-week high of S$3.90.
The telco reported a slightly higher underlying operating revenue of S$10.6 billion for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 (9M FY2025) ending 31 December 2024.
Underlying operating profit jumped 12.8% year on year to S$1.1 billion while underlying net profit climbed 11.3% year on year to S$1.9 billion.
Singtel has upgraded its FY2025 outlook and believes that operating profit can grow in the high-teens to low 20% range.
Regional associates are also projected to contribute S$1.3 billion of dividends, up from the initial projection of S$1.1 billion.
Singtel is targeting to pay out a total dividend of S$0.165, higher than FY2024’s S$0.15.
Sembcorp Industries (SGX: U96)
Sembcorp Industries, or SCI, is an energy and urban solutions provider.
The group has a balanced energy portfolio of 25.1 GW, which includes 17 GW of renewable energy capacity.
It also has urban development projects spanning 14,400 hectares across Asia.
SCI’s shares have done well this year too, with its share price climbing 19.5% YTD to S$6.61, close to its 52-week high of S$6.70.
The utility group reported a mixed result for 2024 with revenue dipping 9% year on year to S$6.4 billion because of a major planned maintenance shutdown of a cogeneration plant in Singapore.
Net profit excluding exceptional items stayed flat year on year at S$1 billion.
Despite the flat net profit, SCI more than doubled its final dividend to S$0.17, taking its 2024 dividend to S$0.23.
Earlier this month, the group announced new energy and utilities partnerships with Aster Chemicals and will provide a comprehensive suite of gas, power, and utilities solutions to Aster.
DFI Retail Group (SGX: D01)
DFI Retail Group is a pan-Asian retailer operating over 10,700 outlets through various retail formats such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, health & beauty, and convenience stores.
The multi-format retailer’s share price shot up 18.7% YTD to US$2.73, and is just slightly below its 52-week high of US$2.79.
DFI Retail Group reported a mixed set of results for 2024.
Revenue dipped by 3% year on year to US$8.9 billion, but underlying net profit jumped 30% year on year to US$201 million.
The retailer upped its full-year dividend per share by 31% year on year from US$0.08 to US$0.1050.
Management is optimistic about the growth potential for its health and beauty business, which makes up 55% of the group’s operating profit.
There are also strong growth opportunities in its Convenience business.
Earlier this year, DFI Retail Group sold off its Singapore Cold Storage and Giant outlets to Macrovalue for around S$125 million.
Hongkong Land (SGX: H78)
Hongkong Land, or HKL, is a property development, investment and management group with a real estate footprint spanning more than 830,000 square metres across Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai.
HKL’s share price climbed 17% YTD to close at US$5.18, close to its 52-week high of US$52.4.
HKL also reported a mixed set of results for 2024.
Revenue rose 8.6% year on year to US$2 billion, but underlying net profit plunged 44% year on year to US$410 million.
This result includes Chinese mainland non-cash provisions.
However, dividend per share rose slightly from US$0.22 to US$0.23.
HKL announced a strategic review last year to transform its business, where it will focus on ultra-premium commercial properties and cease to invest in property development activities.
The group intends to leverage third-party capital to achieve its objectives of growing its assets under management and hopes to double its dividend by 2035 (from 2024 levels).
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Disclosure: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
