Hock Lian Seng: Robust order book at a 3 year high.

I have been a shareholder of Hock Lian Seng's since 2010. 

I accumulated a core position in the stock and also did a bit of trading for extra pocket money. 

In the last couple of years, however, I have mostly been accumulating the stock because I thought Mr. Market was too pessimistic.





The last time I bought more of the stock was in February 2014 at 25.5c a share. 

Before that, I bought more in May 2013, at 26c a share. 

As some readers might have guessed, I developed an interest in Hock Lian Seng because of its attractive dividend payouts. 

Hock Lian Seng pays out about 40% of its earnings as dividends to shareholders every year and the yield is upwards of 5%.

I was waiting for more weakness in its share price to accumulate and since the stock was hardly covered by analysts, I thought the chances were quite good. 

Well, I think I can stop waiting.

Why?



There could be much more interest in the stock now that The EDGE published an article on it and after UOB Kay Hian published a report that highlighted a few points regarding Hock Lian Seng:





1. Company has a net cash position of $88 million or about 58% of its market cap.

2. Its two industrial properties, Ark@Gambas and Ark@KB, in Sembawang and Kaki Bukit are 80% and 99% sold. They are expected to obtain TOP in end 2014 and early 2015, respectively. So, Hock Lian Seng's cash position will improve as it recognises net proceeds of $60 million to $70 million from the projects.


3. Consistent and attractive dividend payout of a third or more of its earnings. Special dividends possible. See point 2.

4. Order book with contracts worth $345 million as at September. This is a 3 year high.






If Hock Lian Seng should attract coverage from more analysts and if they are mostly positive about the stock like I am, I think opportunities to accumulate the stock on weakness could be harder to come by in future.

Click to enlarge.

Looking at the chart, Hock Lian Seng's share price could retrace to 27c, the support provided by the trend line. 

If it should happen, it could be an opportunity for me to buy more although I would have liked to buy at prices lower than that.




Related post:
Hock Lian Seng (My last done analysis in April 2014.).

Home made waffle with a twist for Sunday lunch.

What did I have for lunch today?

I had some leftover waffle made by my sister but instead of having them with maple syrup and butter, a style more in keeping with breakfast, I decided to prepare a savory version instead for lunch:

Heat up both sides of the waffle on a frying pan.

Layer on cheese, cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes.

Voila! A warm and savory waffle sandwich is served!

Bon appetit!

Now, what should I do for dinner? Hmmm... I wonder.

Related post:
Save money and have a good dinner.

How to grow my wealth as I approach 40 years of age?

"Big money prefers practicality over opulence."
This is my reply to a recent email from a reader approaching the big 4 in life:
Welcome to my blog. :)
I have to say that I am not a financial advisor. So, I can only share with you what I think makes sense to me. There are a few issues here:

1. Emergency fund - Generally, people keep 6 to 12 months worth of routine expenses in this fund. Personally, I keep a lot more, about 24 months. So, ask if your emergency fund is excessive. Could the amount actually be lower?

2. 2 room BTO flat - I gather from your email that you are a single. So, I think this is a super choice for a home. Good value for money and most practical. You will be paying for this with your CPF-OA funds, I guess. Of course, you want to set aside some money for furnishing and stuff. Call this your renovation fund or something. For me, I think $10K is probably enough.

3. Endowment policies - These sound like they are going to behave like annuities (for you). Sounds like good retirement income tools although without further details, it is hard to tell if the returns are attractive. If the returns are attractive enough for you and they give you peace of mind, just keep them.

4. Take a look at your CPF-SA. You can do minimum sum top ups yearly up to $7,000 a year. Try to hit the MS ceiling as soon as possible. Let the magic of compounding do the rest. It will ensure that you have a meaningful monthly income from your CPF Life annuity from age 65. It could be as much as $1,300 a month (for now).

5. As for investments, the first rule is that you must only use money you can afford to lose. This means that you should be able to suffer short term losses on paper without having to worry. Money that has been earmarked for specific purposes or might be needed in an emergency should not be used. Then, you have to read up. Pick up some knowledge. If you do not have the inclination to do this, you could consider regular investment plans offered by OCBC or POSB.

Many of the things I have mentioned in this reply are found in my blog. So, just do a search and you will find them. ;)
Best wishes,
AK

All genuine and constructive comments are welcome. No direct or indirect advertisements, please. Thank you.
Related posts:
1. Why emergency fund is important?
2. Affordability and value for money.
3. About life insurance and grapes.
4. $100K to $225K? (CPF-Life)
5. POSB Invest-Saver account.