Bukit Sembawang H2 earnings up 13% at S$51.4 million; company proposes higher special dividend
The increase was mainly due to higher profits being recognised for residential development projects Pollen Collection, Liv@MB and Fraser Residence Orchard, said the property developer via a bourse filing on Monday (May 26).
However, revenue fell 24 per cent to S$225.9 million from S$297.7 million over the same period mainly due to the absence of revenue contribution from a completed project call The Atelier, which had its revenue fully recognised in the previous half-year reporting period.
Cost of sales was down 34 per cent at S$166.5 million. However, gross profit rose 32 per cent to S$59.4 million in H2 FY2025.
As a result, earnings per share increased to S$0.1984 from S$0.1762 over the same period.
While higher profits were recognised from the property development segments, there were lower profits from the hospitality segment.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights
Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond.
Sign Up
Sign Up
This was due to lower impairment loss on property, plant and equipment at Fraser Residence Orchard.
The company said that the cooling measures implemented in April 2023 – when the government hiked Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty rates to 60 per cent for foreigners – continue to dampen property demand, particularly from foreign buyers as well as investment-driven purchases by Singaporeans and permanent residents.
'At the same time, a cautious economic outlook, both globally and locally, is weighing on investor sentiment. Within this context, the residential property market remains challenging, with elevated construction and development costs continuing to put pressure on margins,' the group said.
'The group will continue to monitor the progress of construction of our ongoing projects to ensure timely completion. It will also adopt a prudent and measured approach in calibrating the timing of upcoming launches of residential projects, in alignment with prevailing market conditions and buyer sentiment,' it added. For the full year, earnings surged 61 per cent to S$114 million on a 2 per cent dip in revenue to S$550 million.
The group has proposed a final dividend of 4 cents and special dividend of 16 cents a share; compared with 4 and 12 cents the year before.
Shares of Bukit Sembawang Estates fell 0.3 per cent, or S$0.01 to close at S$3.92 on Monday.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
2 hours ago
- Business Times
Evergrande to delist in milestone for China housing crisis
[HONG KONG] China Evergrande Group said that its Hong Kong stock will be delisted, marking the end of an era for the former high-flying developer whose demise came to symbolise the country's property bust. The Guangzhou-based company said that the stock exchange has decided to cancel its listing, according to a filing to the Hong Kong bourse on Tuesday (Aug 12). The shares will be removed on Aug 25 and the company will not apply for a review of the exchange's decision, it added. Evergrande's collapse was by far the biggest in a crisis that dragged down China's economic growth and led to a record spate of distress among builders. The company, which first defaulted on a US dollar bond in December 2021, was once the country's largest developer by sales, and was worth more than US$50 billion in 2017 at its peak. In a separate filing on Tuesday, court-appointed liquidators said that Evergrande's debt load is far bigger than earlier estimated, and any 'holistic' restructuring is out of reach. The clock started ticking for the delisting in late January last year, when Evergrande received a liquidation order from a Hong Kong court and trading of its shares was suspended. It has remained halted since then, having failed to meet requirements for a resumption of trading. In Hong Kong, a stock can be delisted if suspension lasts 18 months or longer. The move will further diminish hopes for any recovery for Evergrande's shareholders, who have seen the value of their investment evaporate in recent years. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Shares of Evergrande last traded at less than 20 Hong Kong cents on Jan 29, 2024, giving it a market value of HK$2.2 billion (S$360 million). The stock has had a low free float, with its founder Hui Ka Yan, owning a roughly 60 per cent stake. 'Whether or not there's a delisting, Evergrande's shareholders will likely have to prepare for near-total loss,' Kristy Hung, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst, said before the announcement. 'The developer's liquidation and substantial claims from creditors who are ahead in the order suggests equity holders face a material risk of getting nothing.' Delisting risks Several other Chinese developers face similar delisting risks, according to the latest tally by the bourse. They include mid-sized builders Modern Land (China), which has been suspended for more than 16 months, and Dexin China Holdings, which received a liquidation order in June last year. To resume trading, some of them will have to file more updated audited results, have winding-up petitions withdrawn or dismissed, or have any liquidators discharged. 'The golden era of real estate is gone,' said Glen Ho, Asia-Pacific contingency planning and insolvency leader at Deloitte. 'The business model for builders has totally changed.' Evergrande still has two other units listed in Hong Kong, a property service provider and an electric vehicle maker. China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group, which has been suspended since April, could be delisted, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Andrew Chan and Daniel Fan wrote in a recent note. Following its 2009 listing under the ticker 3333, Evergrande rose to become one of China's hottest stocks in its heyday, powering founder and chairman Hui to become Asia's second-richest person. Much of Hui's known wealth was derived from his controlling stake in Evergrande and the cash dividends he received from the company. Beijing's crackdown on the property sector since 2020 capped the developer's borrowing capacity, effectively cutting it off from credit markets. Following failed restructuring attempts, Evergrande was given a winding-up order in Hong Kong in 2024. Later that year, a mainland Chinese court accepted a liquidation application filed against one of its major onshore units. Evergrande's debt pile amounts to US$45 billion, according to the developer's court-appointed liquidators. The company is facing 187 debt claims, with the total amount far exceeding the US$27.5 billion of liabilities disclosed in its financial statement in December 2022, the liquidators said in a progress report released on Tuesday. The new figure is not to be taken as final since additional claims could emerge and all are subject to formal review. The liquidators said the realisation of assets has so far been 'modest' at US$255 million. Some US$167 million has been 'upstreamed' and linked to Evergrande. Stakeholders should not assume that all of the money will be available to the company due to complex ownership structures, they said. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
3 hours ago
- Business Times
Protecting workers before AI widens digital divide
While artificial intelligence (AI) is all the rage these days, there is no need for Singapore to 'rush headlong' into AI without first understanding its impact on workers. Such was the message from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at an SG60 conference on Jul 29. Amid fears of AI replacing jobs, especially entry-level ones, the prime minister's nuanced take is refreshing and should offer some reassurance. He said pioneers of cutting-edge technologies do not necessarily become industry leaders, and that economies only reap the real benefits of a technology when there is broad-based adoption – the latter is what Singapore should pursue. Yet, PM Wong also acknowledged concerns about jobs. Even if every new wave of technology over the millennia ends up killing some jobs and creating new ones, history may not guide our future, he said, given how much more powerful AI is. 'I would say that even as we think about broad-based adoption of AI – which we have to do because we have no choice, we have to harness technology – we also have to think equally hard about applying technologies like AI in a meaningful and deliberate manner that creates jobs for Singaporeans,' he said. Last month, a piece in the Financial Times similarly advocated being a 'second mover' in situations of high uncertainty and risk, arguing that 'what you lose in speed, you gain in information'. This presents a difficult balancing act. While a deliberate strategy is wise, the ground is already shifting as global companies rapidly deploy AI. Therefore, the need to protect and reskill workers is an urgent response to a transformation that is already underway. The force of AI is unstoppable, particularly among multinational companies, many of which also operate in Singapore. For example, over three quarters of McKinsey employees now use its proprietary AI tool to create PowerPoint slides, Bloomberg reported in June. As AI tools produce work once done by junior staff, Spanish economist and politician Luis Garicano suggests AI could destroy the economics of professional development. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up He argues that companies have long relied on entry-level roles to function as a self-funded training ground, creating a sustainable talent pipeline. By automating these tasks, AI dismantles the system. This creates a 'supervision threshold', where workers skilled enough to supervise AI thrive by leveraging its power, while those below this threshold compete directly with it, facing wage pressure and obsolescence. In other words, if AI is allowed to cut entry-level roles – which it is starting to do – we could end up with a profound digital divide. In April, a United Nations report sounded a similar warning. While AI is on course to become a US$4.8 trillion global market by 2033, its benefits may remain in the hands of a privileged few 'unless urgent action is taken'. Up to 40 per cent of global jobs are at risk, the report estimated, but government investment in reskilling, upskilling and workforce adaptation may help enhance employment opportunities. Garicano said any viable solution would need to satisfy three economic constraints: first, compress the time required to reach the supervision threshold; second, public policy must create new incentives for private-sector investment in training; third, prepare workers for the possibility that the supervision threshold will continue rising.

Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
SG60: How Singapore's SMEs are shaping a sustainable future for Asean
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox They can catalyse responsible action locally and in the region, especially with better tools and stronger support Singapore's 60th birthday this year is an opportune time to reflect on how the nation has grown, and how the country's SMEs will carry us forward. The Singapore story is one of pragmatism, adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit, and nowhere is this better reflected than among the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that constitute more than 99 per cent of all locally registered companies. SMEs employ 70 per cent of Singapore's workforce and play a pivotal role in driving our economy. As suppliers to large enterprises, they are also vital links in the local, regional and global supply chains. With a small domestic market, Singapore's SMEs are under constant pressure to innovate, move quickly and look abroad to preserve long-term viability. The decisions they take have an outsized impact on how Singaporeans work and live. Singapore's 60th birthday this year is an opportune time to reflect on how the nation has grown, and how the country's SMEs will carry us forward. As we consider the role that SMEs play in our economic future, we should also reflect on their broader impact – both environmentally and socially. These businesses influence everything from carbon footprints to community well-being, and understanding these dimensions can help us identify ways to support their growth, resilience and sustainability. The sustainability challenge Sustainability pressures on SMEs are building on multiple fronts. In a 2024 survey conducted by Schneider Electric, 78 per cent of SME respondents reported losing contracts due to emissions reporting gaps. In another survey by the Singapore Business Federation, in partnership with Bain & Company, 60 per cent reported upstream supply chain pressures. Meanwhile, the average consumer is requiring more from retail brands. According to a PwC survey in partnership with UOB FinLab, 46 per cent of Asean consumers are making the more sustainable choice at checkout. SME business leaders are certainly ready and willing to adapt, as evidenced by the 87 per cent of respondents in the UOB Business Outlook Study 2024 who said that they believe in the importance of sustainability. Another survey, conducted by NTUC LearningHub and the Global Reporting Initiative, showed that 63 per cent of SMEs are open to training and toolkits. The sustainability opportunity This openness to change is good news, as new business opportunities are popping up for SMEs that are willing to invest in new ideas and capabilities. Consider the example of Novowatt, which is offering landlords a cost-effective way to install electric vehicle chargers on their premises. Novowatt bears the cost of installation and maintenance, and even shares charging fees with the landlords under a profit-sharing arrangement. Its innovative solution has allowed it to roll out 800 charge points at 200 condominiums in just within 30 months of operations. While Novowatt is a startup entering a new field with new technology, older companies can participate in the green economy too by upskilling their workers, seeking adjacencies and adapting their operations to new needs. Hup Lian Engineering, a 34-year-old steel fabrication and installation specialist, has been involved in solar panel installation projects for the Housing and Development Board (HDB). The company, a unit of Singapore Exchange-listed Chasen, has built on its expertise to fabricate and install steel frame structures for solar panels. Steel fabrication and installation specialist Hup Lian Engineering has been involved in solar panel installation projects for the HDB. PHOTO: HUP LIAN ENGINEERING It secured this win by offering HDB an innovative design using lighter composite materials that are more cost-effective. Sustainable regional supply chains Both Novowatt and Hup Lian Engineering demonstrate the role that SMEs can play in lowering carbon emissions. By spreading their wings and becoming exporters of sustainability services, they could extend their impact further. Singapore's various government incentives and its conducive environment for incubation already prime our SMEs well to support regional supply chains, while the country's reputation for strong governance and sustainability reporting should give them a competitive edge in building trust and alignment with international standards. Singapore SMEs are therefore well-positioned to lead by example and influence. With international buyers increasingly expecting their suppliers to report emissions and demonstrate sustainable practices, Singapore SMEs that act promptly can stand out. Building the Singapore SME brand As some companies dial back their environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments, Singapore has a unique opportunity to build an SME brand in sustainability – one that is practical, reliable and regional in outlook. A Singapore SME that embraces sustainability today does not just protect its bottom line; it strengthens its licence to operate across Asean. To build such a brand and grow such a culture among our nation's SMEs however, requires a robust ecosystem that includes the participation of both the public and private sectors. UOB's suggestion for such an ecosystem consists of three pillars: clarity, capability and capital. First, SMEs need help with figuring out their first and subsequent steps. Free playbooks, advisory services and easy-to-use online tools do exist, but the volume of options can be overwhelming for a smaller organisation without the bandwidth to sift through them all. Second, SMEs need support to build their internal capabilities. Although grants are available to offset the cost of sustainability reporting, these need to be made more accessible and they also need to support capacity building. Finally, SMEs need patient capital to fund their expansion. While the sustainable financing industry is growing, SMEs remain on the periphery of this industry and deserve more attention. Doing our part Even as we advocate for Singapore SMEs, we are conscious of the need to do our part. UOB's FinLab Sustainability Innovation Programme has helped around 1,800 SMEs kickstart their ESG journeys. UOB also offers a free diagnostic tool, called the UOB Sustainability Compass, to help SMEs figure out their starting points; there is also the UOB Sage Programme to help SMEs access sustainability-linked financing. The bank also funded S$7 billion of green trade finance and recorded S$58 billion of sustainable financing last year. These are only small steps in what is a long journey though. If Singapore's first 60 years were about growth and resilience, we strongly believe that its next 20 years must be about leadership – and not just economic leadership, but also leadership in sustainability and inclusion. With the right scaffolding, we believe Singapore's SMEs are transition enablers that can help decarbonise value chains; nature-positive operators that safeguard our environment; and economic multipliers that help every member of the workforce step up into a greener economy.