Earnings season is in full swing and the bulk of the blue-chip companies and REITs have reported their results.
With most stocks having a December fiscal year-end, this means that investors can expect to receive an interim dividend.
Although businesses had to contend with higher costs arising from surging inflation, there were several that either kept their dividends constant or even raised them.
That said, it is important to study the underlying business to determine if the payout can be sustained because of macroeconomic uncertainties.
We highlight five companies that are slated to pay out their dividends later this month.
Boustead Singapore Limited (SGX: F9D)
Boustead Singapore Limited, or BSL, is a conglomerate with four main divisions – energy engineering, real estate, geospatial technology, and healthcare.
BSL reported a resilient set of earnings for its fiscal 2023 (FY2023) ending 31 March 2023.
Revenue dipped by 11% year on year to S$561.6 million due to lower contributions from its energy engineering and real estate divisions.
Core net profit (adjusted for one-off and exceptional items) slid by 3% year on year to S$31.5 million.
Despite the weaker result, free cash flow jumped 44.5% year on year from S$51.2 million to S$74 million.
The group declared a final dividend of S$0.025, taking FY2023’s dividend to S$0.04, unchanged from the prior year.
This final dividend will be paid on 18 August.
For FY2023, BSL secured S$565 million in new contracts including a record contract of approximately S$300 million by its real estate division.
As of 31 March 2023, the engineering firm’s order backlog has more than doubled from S$274 million a year ago to S$556 million.
DBS Group (SGX: D05)
DBS Group is Singapore’s largest bank by market capitalisation and is one of a trio of local banks.
The lender reported a record-high net profit and return on equity for its 2023’s first half (1H 2023) earnings report.
Because of this, the bank hiked its quarterly dividend by 33% year on year to S$0.48, taking 1H 2023’s total dividend to S$0.90.
The S$0.48 dividend will be paid on 24 August.
DBS still expects low single-digit year on year loan growth even as the business outlook turns cautious.
The good news is that CEO Piyush Gupta sees an upward bias for the bank’s net interest margin as further interest rate increases are expected in the second half of this year.
Parkway Life REIT (SGX: C2PU)
Parkway Life REIT, or PLife REIT, is a healthcare REIT with a portfolio of 61 properties worth around S$2.2 billion as of 31 December 2022.
The REIT owns three hospitals in Singapore, 57 nursing homes in Japan, and strata-titled lots/units in MOB Specialist Clinics in Malaysia.
For 1H 2023, the healthcare REIT saw revenue climb 23.6% year on year to S$74.4 million.
Net property income (NPI) rose 25.1% year on year to S$70.1 million while distribution per unit (DPU) improved by 3.3% year on year to S$0.0729.
This DPU will be paid out on 30 August.
PLife REIT enjoys a very low all-in debt cost of just 1.19% with a high interest cover ratio of 13.8 times.
The REIT manager intends to strengthen its presence in existing markets while also seeking out a third market for growth and diversification.
Sheng Siong Group (SGX: OV8)
Sheng Siong operates one of the largest supermarket chains in Singapore with 68 outlets across the island.
The retailer sells a wide variety of fresh and chilled produce as well as general merchandise such as toiletries and household products.
Sheng Siong reported a mixed set of results for 1H 2023 as higher costs took a toll on the business.
Revenue edged up 2% year on year to S$690.5 million but net profit slipped 2.9% year on year to S$65.5 million.
Sheng Siong proposed an interim dividend of S$0.0305 that will be paid on 30 August.
The group is looking to grow its network of stores in Singapore, especially in areas where it does not have a presence.
Six more HDB units will be put up for tender in the remainder of 2023, opening opportunities for the retailer to bid for them.
Meanwhile, the group will also increase the selection and types of house brand products and continue to automate work processes to improve efficiency.
CDL Hospitality Trusts (SGX: J85)
CDL Hospitality Trusts, or CDLHT, is a hospitality trust with around S$3.1 billion of assets under management as of 30 June 2023.
The trust enjoyed a strong recovery for 1H 2023, posting a 20.9% year on year jump in revenue to S$119.2 million.
NPI leapt 23.3% year on year to S$62.9 million while distribution per stapled security (DPSS) shot up 23% year on year to S$0.0251.
This DPSS will be paid out on 29 August.
CDLHT saw its revenue per available room (RevPAR) for 1H 2023 improve in all the countries it operates in except New Zealand and the Maldives.
With its aggregate leverage at 37.9% as of 30 June 2023, the trust has a debt headroom of S$715 million to hit the 50% ceiling set by Singapore’s central bank.
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Disclosure: Royston Yang owns shares of DBS Group and Boustead Singapore.