Australian Stocks Listed in SGX

Seeing the ASX-SGX merger being the talk of the two cities, here are some interesting facts. Currently, there are only 7 Australian companies listed in SGX:



1) AUSTRALAND PROPERTY GROUP
- Australand is one of Australia’s major diversified property groups, with activities across Australia covering development of residential land, housing and apartments, development of and investment in income producing commercial and industrial properties, and property management.
Australand was listed on Australian and Singapore Stock Exchanges in June 1997 and was formed into a stapled group in November 2003 with the stapling of units in Australand Property Trust to the ordinary shares in Australand Holdings Limited. In October 2005, Australand Property Trust No.4 and Australand Property Trust No.5 were merged with Australand. As a result of this merger, Australand has four listed entities (namely Australand Holdings Limited, Australand Property Trust, Australand Property Trust No.4 and Australand Property Trust No.5) whose securities are stapled together and trade on the Australian Stock Exchange and Singapore Stock Exchange as the one stapled security.

Australand has been involved in property development for approximately 80 years and Australand has progressively widened the scope of its activities to satisfy the needs of an ever changing and more sophisticated client base.

Australand has three operating divisions being Residential, Commercial and Industrial and Investment Property. It employs approximately 640 people with operations in Sydney, Melbourne, South East Queensland and Perth and a sales office in Hong Kong servicing the Asian market. Australand now has development assets of $1.7 billion and owns 49 income producing properties with an aggregate value of approximately $1.3 billion.

As at February 2006, Australand has approximately 12,700 security holders and a market capitalisation of approximately $1.8 billion. Its major security holder is the Singapore based property group, CapitaLand Limited, which owns approximately 53 percent of the issued capital.

2) AUTRON CORPORATION LIMITED

The Company is a listed public company limited by shares, which was incorporated under the Corporations Law of the Commonwealth of Australia on 10 January 1985 as Pacific Communications Holdings Limited. On 11 June 1998, the Company changed its name to Australasian Technology Corporation Limited and to its present name on 5 July 2000. The Company’s shares were listed on the ASX on 30 January 1986 and subsequently dual listed and traded on the SGX-ST on 3 May 2001.

The principal activities of the consolidated entity are as follows:-
- Assembly and manufacturing of printed circuit boards and electronics accessories;
- Design and manufacturing of industrial machinery and robotic and automated systems; and
- Investment in the potential of good commercially viable assets.


3) AVJENNINGS LIMITED
-In 1995, the Long Homes Ltd acquired AVJennings Hldgs Ltd and changed to its present name. It is a low-rise residential developer targeting second and subsequent home purchasers. The company is listed on the Melbourne and Singapore stock exchanges.

4) GLOBAL MASTERS FUND
-EBB-AFG Global Masters Fund is an Australian domiciled unit Trust. Its issued by EBB-AFG Capital Management Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong on 9 January 2007 as trustee of the Fund is a joint venture company between EBB and AFG and. The Units will not be tradable on the SGX-ST upon the listing of the Units on the SGX-ST.

The investment objective of the Fund is the generation of strong, risk-adjusted, absolute investment returns over the medium to long term and in all market conditions.
The investment strategy of the Fund is to initially obtain exposure to a Portfolio of international Absolute Return Funds managed by some of the world’s leading absolute return investment managers. This fund of funds approach enables the construction of a portfolio diversified by investment strategy, investment manager and geography.

5) MACARTHURCOOK PROP SEC FUND
- MacarthurCook Property Securities Fund is a diversified, listed property fund that invests in a range of listed property trusts, unlisted property trusts and listed property-related companies registered in Australia. It was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange since 17 December 2004, established with the aim of providing investors with a diversified property-based investment offering a stable level of income with the opportunity for long term capital growth.

The Fund is managed by MacarthurCook Fund Management Limited, a subsidiary of MacarthurCook Limited, a specialist international real estate investment manager.

As at 30 June 2006, the Fund had investments in over 46 funds managed by more than 27 specialist real estate investment managers with more than 1,200 underlying properties under management across office, retail and industrial sectors as well as “non-traditional” sectors like healthcare and childcare. Properties owned by the funds in which the Fund invests are located in Australia, the United States, Europe and New Zealand.

6) SP AUSNET
-SP AusNet is a stapled group comprising SP Australia Networks (Transmission) Ltd, SP Australia Networks (Distribution) Ltd and SP Australia Networks (Finance) Trust or SP Australia Networks (RE) Ltd (the Responsible Entity).

SP AusNet's business consists of an electricity transmission business and electricity and gas distribution businesses. These networks are all located in the state of Victoria where they provide for the supply of energy from producers to consumers. SP AusNet is 1 of 5 providers of electricity distribution services and 1 of 3 providers of gas distribution services.

7) UNITED OVERSEAS AUSTRALIA LTD
- The Company was incorporated in Australia on 17 June 1987 a public company under the name of United Overseas Securities Ltd. Listed on the “Second Board” of the Australian Securities Exchange Limited (ASX) since February 1988. The name of the Company was subsequently changed to United Overseas Australia Ltd on 12 December 1990. It successfully transferred its listing from the “Second Board” to the Main Board of the ASX in 1992.

United Overseas Australia Limited is a property developer and property investment company based predominantly in Kuala Lumpur and focuses on middle to high-end residential and commercial property development and investments in Kuala Lumpur.

The Group believes that its established track record in developing high quality residential and commercial property developments in prime locations within Kuala Lumpur have helped the Group builds brand loyalty in the “UOA” name. Its residential property developments are typically highvalue, multi-phased projects with a focus on the quality of workmanship, interior design and integrated landscaping to create an upmarket, desirable living environment aimed at attracting middle to high
income purchasers. Its residential property projects include fully-fitted villas and apartments. Its commercial property developments comprise mainly office buildings with retail space, for sale and lease. The Group is also co-operate and collaborate closely with Dats Management, which provides building management services for the projects its developed.

The Company’s business can be categorised into four principal activities:
(a) Property Development;
(b) Construction;
(c) Property Investments; and
(d) Building Management (carried out in close co-operation and collaboration with a company known as “Dats Management Sdn. Bhd.”).

Significance of ASX and SGX merger better faster investment options

The buzz surrounding the merger of ASX with SGX is on the news daily in Australia. Every TV news update will have touch-base with this scenario. And about the sovereignty of Australia, a sensitive issue in this patriotic nation. Seeing foreigners buying properties and buying stocks and now buying up their stock exchange. But is it that bad or merely a notion of ill informed citizens?

The case in point is a merger. Not a buyout. The case is a cooperation of resources and size. Not one swallowing up the other. Therefore the outcry is not suppose to resonate much in the longer run.

Now let us look at the significance of this deal. Possibly Singapore investors or those using SGX will be able to access Australian stocks in real time. Currently if your stock brokerage firm is allowing DMA (Direct Market Access) there is a delay time of 15 minutes on stock prices. Not real time. And thus vital changes and price sensitivity advantage is clouded in that delayed relay of pricing. 

Lower fees. Perhaps a lower fees to buy and no more custodian fees on the foreign Australian stock.

I find the whole deal a positive move for investors and for market liquidity as a whole. There is better access to the precious metal and mining companies based in Australia. Remember one of my articles highlighted there are over 200 Mining and Oil stocks in the ASX. And picking up these gems will be easier. Those who are unfamiliar with commodities trading can now buy into the shares of these commodities producers and miners. A better direct investment rather than by proxy. BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Orocobre will be easily accessible to investors. There are over 20 Gold companies in ASX alone. Investors have the option now to invest in gold mining companies rather than just Gold.

Comments and suggestions welcome. 

SGX and ASX merger

In Australia, there is a big buzz surrounding a possible merger between SGX and ASX (Australia Stock Exchange). Trading was halted. It is a friendly deal and would create the world's 5th largest exchange. Local investors welcome the offer and ASX price closed 18% higher.

But some events never get halted in Australia, horse racing event Cox Plate still went on. And So You Think has won again. This top winning runner is owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam.