Building a long-term portfolio takes more than a “buy-and-hold” strategy.
Investors have to own resilient businesses with sustainable competitive advantage to grow through market cycles.
Here are five blue-chip stocks that have struck a balance between having a durable business model and growth drivers.
DBS Group Holdings Ltd (SGX: D05)
DBS is Southeast Asia’s largest bank providing a range of services such as consumer banking, wealth management and corporate banking across the region.
For the first quarter of its financial year 2026 ended on 31 March 2026 (1Q2026), the bank reported a growth in total income by 1% year-over-year (YoY) to a record high S$5.95 billion.
DBS also saw a 1% YoY rise in net profit to S$2.93 billion.
This strong financial performance can be attributed to record wealth management fees, higher transaction services fees and stronger markets trading income.
The bank’s wealth management fee income climbed 25% YoY to a record S$907 million.
Another driver was DBS’s strong deposit growth and hedging strategies which helped mitigate the fall in net interest income due to lower interest rates.
At the current price of S$61.75, this translates to a trailing dividend yield of 5.1%.
Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX: S68)
Singapore Exchange, or SGX, is Singapore’s national and sole stock exchange operator.
For the first half of its financial year 2026 ending 30 June (1HFY2026), SGX reported a surge in net revenue by 7.6% YoY to S$695.4 million.
In the same period, the bourse operator had a boost in adjusted net profit of 11.6% YoY to S$357.1 million.
The adjusted figure excludes non-cash and non-recurring items such as impairment losses and amortisation of purchased intangibles.
The growth was mainly driven by the increase in equities-cash net revenue of 16.2% YoY to S$223.9 million from stronger market sentiment.
Additionally, SGX’s fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC) net revenue rose by 12.5% YoY to S$178.9 million.
The rise was driven by higher trading volume in commodities and currency derivatives.
SGX generated net cash from operating activities of S$363.7 million for 1HFY2026.
For FY2026, SGX expects 6% to 8% organic top-line growth, and S$90-S$95 million in capex, while remaining confident in maintaining its 0.25-cent quarterly dividend increase through FY2028.
Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (SGX: S63)
Singapore Technologies Engineering, or STE, is a global defence and engineering powerhouse specialising in aerospace and smart city capabilities.
In 1Q2026, STE had a jump of 11% YoY in revenue to S$3.26 billion.
The uplift can be linked to the surge in commercial aerospace revenue of 15% YoY to S$1.32 billion.
The commercial aerospace segment was supported by higher maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activity and nacelle deliveries.
In addition, the strong international defence demand and contract wins resulted in a climb in its defence and public security segment by 7% YoY to S$1.41 billion.
As a result of increasing urbanisation and smart city solutions, its urban solutions and satcom segment also grew by 18% YoY to S$525 million.
As of 31 March 2026, STE’s contract wins of S$4.8 billion in 1Q2026 brings its total order book to S$34.5 billion, supporting a strong growth outlook.
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SGX: Z74)
Singapore Telecommunications, or Singtel, is Southeast Asia’s leading telco group, providing mobile, fibre broadband and digital services across Singapore and regional associate networks.
For the nine months of its financial year ended 31 December 2025 (9MFY2026), Singtel reported revenue of S$10.6 billion, stable on a reported basis but up 2% YoY on a constant currency basis.
The telco’s underlying net profit also soared by 12% YoY to S$2.1 billion.
One of the largest contributions to its performance was from its regional associates with an increase in profits after tax of 13% YoY to S$1.4 billion.
The increase was supported by strong India mobile growth at Airtel, which had a 53% YoY jump in profits after tax to S$700 million.
NCS revenue also rose by 7% YoY to S$2.33 billion, with growth across all its strategic business groups and strong bookings of S$2.6 billion.
At a current price of S$4.64 , this translates to a trailing dividend yield of 3.9%.
Sheng Siong Group Ltd (SGX: OV8)
Sheng Siong is Singapore’s leading supermarket chain providing quality budget-friendly groceries and produce for everyday consumers.
For 1Q2026, Sheng Siong’s revenue had an uplift of 12.4% YoY to S$452.8 million.
The company also had a boost in net profit of 12.6% YoY to S$43.4 million.
In 1Q2026, net cash from operating activities rose 41.5% YoY to S$39.4 million, signalling strong cash generation to support future store expansion plans.
The strong financial performance can be attributed to the success of the twelve new stores which opened in 2025 and 3.5% YoY climb of same store sales growth.
Management also highlighted investments in automation and technology, as well as resilient demand in value-oriented groceries to help navigate macroeconomic challenges.
Get Smart: Great Businesses Reward Patience
Building wealth over the long term comes down to owning businesses that can consistently earn across different market cycles.
Singapore’s blue-chip stocks provide investors with exposure to resilient business models with long-term growth potential.
Although share prices may fluctuate in the short term, companies with robust balance sheets and durable competitive positions will be well-positioned to create shareholder value over time.
Don’t let market uncertainty hijack your financial dreams. While headlines scream gloom, 5 Singapore companies have been quietly building wealth and paying reliable dividends. You’re probably overlooking them. Discover these resilient giants and their secrets to sustained income, even through global storms. Click here to download your free report now and secure your financial future!
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Disclosure: Gabriel L. does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
