Saturday, March 16, 2024

Net Worth Update Mar 24

    

S$1.587m


My net worth stagnates at S$1.587m as my Reits-heavy investment portfolios took a beating due to market expectation of prolonged high interest rate environment.

CPF still forms the bulk 37% of my net worth. I have already achieved full retirement sum (FRS) in CPF SA.

Cash and war chest constitute 16% of my wealth. My cash is being stashed away in bank fixed deposits yielding more than 3% p.a., in Fullerton cash funds under custody of Moomoo and Tiger Broker, and in Money Market Funds held by Phillips Capital yielding more than 3.5% p.a. with interest paid daily.

My bonds consist of Singapore Savings Bonds ($140k) and Astrea 7A PE bond ($9k) which are low-risk bonds contributing to 10% of my wealth. 

CPF, cash and war chest, and bonds amount to 63% of my net worth as relatively safe assets. 

In recent weeks, I have completed the $15.3k annual contribution limit to my SRS account which forms 8% of my wealth. I plan to subscribe to the coming Apr 24 tranche of SSB with average yield of 3.04% using my SRS idle funds. 

Currently, 23% of my net worth is in stocks and Reits. This, combined with the local holdings in SRS, brings my exposure to riskier assets up to 31%. For the sake of diversification and reducing portfolio risk, I am happy to increase exposure to risk-free SSB in my SRS portfolio.

I resolve to remain steadfast on the track towards financial freedom, remaining disciplined and focused. I will not let the noises and distractions influence my decisions. As Warren Buffett said, 'Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.' By staying content with my long-term plan, I won't be swayed by emotional decisions.

Thank you for reading.

With love & peace,
Qiongster

Monday, March 11, 2024

Completed $15.3k SRS Contribution Cap for 2024



I have completed the annual contribution of $15,300 to my Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) account today.

This feat is achieved before end of 1Q 2024 and now I can focus on building up war chest and long-term investment for the rest of the year.

The main benefit of SRS is to save taxes aka cash outlay to the taxman next year.

Another benefit is to build up a cannot-touch ultra-long term portfolio using SRS funds.

There are also other options of endowment or insurance plans, annuity plans, bonds, funds or robo-advisor investment portfolios that we could invest with SRS funds.

However, SRS savings may not be for everyone because of the long lock-down period. We can only withdraw up to $40k from SRS tax-free for 10 years from the first penalty-free withdrawal, upon reaching the statutory retirement age (63 w.e.f 1 Jul 2022). There is a penalty incurred for withdrawing funds from SRS prior to retirement age, on top of being slapped with tax on the withdrawn amount.

I believe SRS will be beneficial for people who are earning income qualifying at least in the 7% tax bracket.

I have already contributed $8.4k to SRS earlier.




There it goes. $6.8k to complete the quota for 2024!



Thank you for reading.

With love & peace, 
Qiongster
 

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Portfolio Update Feb 2024 | Shopping spree

This is a quick update of my investment portfolios for this short month of February.

My SGX Income Portfolio value rises to $340k from $328k mainly due to capital injection for scooping up MPACT, CLCT and nibbling of DBS.

My US/HK Growth Portfolio value stagnates at US$17k.

My SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio value increases to $147k from $139k mainly due to my contribution of around $7.5k to SRS.

The US stock markets have attained fresh record highs before recent retracement, amidst uncertainties over interest rates, ongoing wars and diminishing fears of global recession. US 10-year and 30-year government yields have rebounded slightly and the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates high for the short-term before cutting up to 6 times this year.

Despite being clouded by uncertainties, immense noises and fears, it is crucial that long-term investors like us always remain calm, unwavered and focused on our investment objectives. Stick to our own plan and continue deploying our financial resources into high quality income-producing instruments such as government-backed risk-free bonds, property assets, or strong growth businesses tactfully according to our own risk appetite. 

I have gone on a shopping spree as I strongly believe in taking strides towards financial freedom by building up my passive income streams.

I have started contributing to my SRS account and has added more OCBC to my SRS portfolio. I have no plan to add US/HK stocks.

Portfolio Actions

1. Bought 200 shares of DBS at $32.38 on 9 Feb.

2. Bought 383 shares of UOB at $28.68 on 22 Feb.

3. Bought 5,000 shares of Capitaland China Trust at $0.75 on 28 Feb.

4. Bought 500 shares of OCBC at $13.02 using SRS on 28 Feb.

5. Bought 5,000 shares of MPACT at $1.35 on 28 Feb.

Portfolio Dividends

1. Received $128.70 of dividends from Savings Bonds on 1 Feb.

2. Received $93.30 of dividends from Suntec Reit on 28 Feb.

3. Received $309.50 of dividends from Capitaland Ascott Trust on 29 Feb.


SGX Income Portfolio

Portfolio Value = $340k


US/HK Growth Portfolio

Moomoo


US$3.9k





Tiger Broker



US$12.7k




Syfe Trade


US$0.9k


Portfolio Value = US$17k

SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio

Portfolio Value = S$147k



Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 
Qiongster

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Added MPACT

  


My order for 5,000 shares of Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (SGX:N2IU) is filled today.


This will bring my existing holdings of MPACT to 20,000 shares.

The share price of MPACT has weakened severely ever since its merger with Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust to lose its status as a pure Singapore Greater Southern Waterfront commercial property asset play.

The last time I increased my investment in MPACT was in July 2022 during its preferential offering at $2.0039 to raise funds for the merger with MNACT. I bought from open market 4,000 shares at $1.78 instead of subscribing to the preferential offer.

I have long been wanting to increase my investments in MPACT especially after every visit to the ever crowded Vivo City. However, I have not visited its other APAC assets such as Festival Walk in Hong Kong, Gateway Plaza in China and commercial properties in Japan which will require much more time to recover from tourism, retail and office space demand. 

I sensed opportunity this time because my investment is driven by passive income for the long-term horizon and attracted by great value of paying below the NAV of around $1.76. Its share price has rebounded from the lows of $1.27 in Oct 2023 on the back of potential interest rate cuts in the short future. Generally, at $1.30s, MPACT is below its fair value and historical valuation.

I believe MPACT is still a high quality income producing Reit which is able to pay dividend consistently above 6% for the next few years or even decade.

Today's high interest rate environment will not last forever. The FED will most likely start to reduce interest rates later this year to avoid any onset of economic recession and interest rates will taper to around 2% next year. Lower interest rates will certainly benefit Reits such as MPACT by reducing financial costs and improving net property income for more distributions as dividends to investors like us.

Even though MPACT will continue to suffer in terms of price weakness and volatility in the short-term, I am optimistic that in the long run, its share price will recover above $1.60 and slowly climb towards its NAV of $1.80.

Thanks for reading. Stay safe and remain strong always!

With love & peace,
Qiongster

Doubled Up on Capitaland China Trust

CapitaMall Xuefu, Harbin, China

My order for Capitaland China Trust (CLCT) shares is filled today.


This effectively doubled up my small initial position in CLCT to 10,000 shares.

The share price of CLCT has tanked in recent weeks and has been on a poor bear run by diving more than half from the high of $1.65 before the onset of pandemic in 2020 to hit a 52-week low of $0.74 today.

As the largest China-focused REIT in Singapore, CLCT is facing strong headwinds in China's economy, including slowing growth and lingering impacts of its previous zero-COVID policies. High debt levels among many Chinese property developers have fueled anxieties about the sector's stability, spilling over into the REIT market as institutional investors worry about the health of properties that CLCT hold. Prolonged high interest rates and depreciating RMB versus SGD dollar only serve to exacerbate the fears of investors in CLCT.

Even though CLCT seems like junk now, it is crucial to remember that REITs like CLCT can offer immense long-term potential as its fundamentals never change. CLCT reported higher revenue and net property income in the latest financial results and is able to deliver 3 cents of dividends on enlarged unit base, higher expenses and unfavourable forex rates.

At a share price of $0.75, assuming a dividend of $0.06 for 2024, it yields around 8%. With a book value of $1.21, it is trading at 38% discount. A crisis breeds opportunity. CLCT has become too attractive and undervalued for me to ignore as I smell a great opportunity for me to lower my investment cost and rideout for a possible turnaround in its fortune and fate.

This will be a long-term value, recovery investment play for me. CLCT is not just a major retail player in China but has added business parks containing industrial properties, logistics warehouses and data centers to its portfolio in 2020. Investing in CLCT is one way to ride on the turnaround of China's economic environment as its government has introduced stimulus measures to stabilise the property market recently. Besides, the retail malls owned by CLCT have recovered from increase in tenant sales and shopper traffic to pre-pandemic levels 

I am not too concerned about the volatility of its share price in the short term. I am happy and patient to wait out at 8% yield and sitting on a diversified, heavily discounted portfolio of China's retail, industrial and logistics property assets.

Thanks for reading.

With Love & Peace,
Qiongster

Added more OCBC to SRS Portfolio

  


The share price of OCBC (SGX: O39) has corrected from the recent peak of $13.45 to $12.90 today, after announcing its 2023 full year results.

OCBC has attained 12% increase in Q4 profit to $1.62 billion and 27% increase in 2023 profit to $7.02 billion. A slightly higher dividend of $0.42, compared to interim dividend of $0.40, is announced and payable on 21 May, maintaining a dividend payout ratio of 50%. However, the results have fallen short of expectations, disappointing the market.

This near 5% correction is enough to trigger my temptation to accumulate shares.

The book value of OCBC is around $11.77 and ideally I would prefer to pay lesser than the book value.

However, I added 500 shares to my ultra long-term SRS portfolio when my order got filled at $13.02 this morning.

As OCBC is currently on cum dividend of $0.42, net cost less dividend is $12.60 which is just 7% above book value, at a fairly attractive dividend yield of more than 6%, assuming OCBC maintains an annual dividend of at least $0.84 for the next few years. The next dividend in Aug 24 of at least $0.42 should drive down my net cost to closer to book value.


I last added OCBC share last year at $11.93added OCBC shares in 2022 at $11.56 and also added OCBC shares in 2020 at $7.87 during the market shake-up from onset of the pandemic.

With this addition, I will own 5,000 shares of OCBC at an average net cost of $9.17 only, positioned to collect at least $4.2k of dividends this year and for many years or decades to come optimistically.

My long-term plan for SRS remains the same - to slowly and steadily accumulate OCBC shares via dollar cost averaging every year, because my SRS account is owned by OCBC and I intend to own the bank which owns my retirement funds.

Be greedy when others are fearful!

Thanks for reading.

With Love & Peace,
Qiongster

Monday, February 26, 2024

The Trifecta of Life: Navigating Time, Money and Energy

 


Living the Balance: Time, Money and Energy

Life is a precious journey woven from three intertwined threads: time, money, and energy. While we often chase these resources independently, true fulfillment lies in striking a harmonious balance between them.

As time relentlessly marches forward, our vitality naturally declines like a battery nearing its end. While we can recharge through rest and sleep, our capacity for boundless energy diminishes with age. Money, however, offers a different perspective. Through dedication and hard work, we can accumulate financial resources by exchanging time for financial gain.

However, the question remains: is reaching retirement synonymous with enjoying our "golden years" filled with leisure, financial security, and good health? The reality, unfortunately, is not so straightforward. As we age, our bodies naturally face limitations, including a decreased appetite and reduced energy levels.

This is where the concept of financial freedom, achieved at a younger age than the traditional retirement path, becomes intriguing. Imagine having the freedom to choose how you spend your time, whether pursuing passions, traveling the world, or simply relaxing, without being solely driven by the need to earn a living. It presents the unique opportunity to experience all three precious resources simultaneously while still young and vibrant.

While achieving financial freedom, especially in metropolitan cities like Singapore, may seem like a steep ascent, it's not an impossible climb. Through dedication, discipline, and a sound financial plan, we can strive for it. Even if full financial freedom eludes us, aiming for financial stability fosters a sense of security and empowers us to make choices without being solely dependent on income.

The ever-evolving job landscape further underscores the importance of diversifying income streams and securing passive income sources. This could involve exploring investments, building an online business, or acquiring new skills relevant to the changing job market. It's crucial to remember, though, that while enjoying life is essential, a mindset solely focused on spending everything earned (YOLO - You Only Live Once) can leave us vulnerable in unforeseen circumstances.

Ultimately, the key is to be mindful of the passage of time. While we can accumulate more money as we age, accepting and planning for the natural decline in energy levels is paramount. By striking a balance between time, money, and energy throughout our lives, we can navigate a fulfilling and enriching journey that transcends the limitations of traditional retirement.

Call to Action: Take the first step towards achieving balance. Explore resources and create a plan that prioritizes your needs and aspirations in each of these three aspects. Remember, true fulfillment lies not in maximizing each resource in isolation, but in orchestrating them to create a beautiful and harmonious symphony of life.

Remember the shortness of life. Precious yet fragile. Be content with what we have. Be fearless and ungreedy. Learn to let go and be free in our minds.

Thanks for reading. 

With love & peace,
Qiongster

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Unveiling and Analysing my $150k SRS Portfolio

 

I realised that my SRS porfolio has surpassed S$150k today!

This is upon tallying the cash balance and the market values of the stocks in my SRS as I have started contributing funds to my SRS in the past weeks.

I opened my SRS account with OCBC in Dec 2016 after more than 5 years of working.

My SRS portfolio has grown slowly and steadily from $0 over the past 7 years to $150,608.69 now.

I decided to analyse my SRS portfolio which was neglected largely as I believe this is a vault which can only be activated after 62 years old or upon retirement.

In my net worth tracking, I conservatively account my SRS component as cumulative amount of funds contributed over the past. This amounts to $124,664.43 now.

Hence, my gains are almost $26k or 20% over 7 years from capital gains and dividends collected. This translate into a modest 2.7% annualised rate of return.

With the benefit of hindsight, I believe that I could have done better for my SRS. However, as a novice investor managing my own idle funds, I am contented to be able to generate decent returns with minimal effort instead of incurring losses.

From the pie chart, the bulk of my SRS is invested into OCBC and this investment turns out to be the best performer as my average cost is less than $10 and its market share price is above $13 now. I have reaped around $7k of dividends from it too.

My second best performer is ST Engineering as I bought it at $3.22 in 2017 and has collected more than $4k of dividends over the years while enjoying capital gains.

My third best performer is Keppel Reit even though its share price now at $0.885 is lower than my buy price of $1.03 in 2016. I have collected close to $4k of dividends hence it is still a winner overall.

My poorest performers are actually ComfortDelgro, Keppel DC Reit and Wilmar as I bought them at high prices at $2.09, $2,88 and $4.33 respectively and they are still in the red after a few years of investment and dividends collected. Fortunately, they only constitute 17% of the portfolio collectively. Since they are still able to pay my dividends consistently and their fundamentals did not deteriorate much, I will not consider cutting losses on them.

Moving forward, I plan to increase my OCBC ratio to 50% and hope that I could get rid of the losers to recycle into other local bank stock such as DBS or UOB. I may also consider getting T-Bills or SSBs before interest rates start to fall.

Thanks for reading. Happy Full Moon on 15th day of CNY!

With love & peace,
Qiongster

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Added UOB: A Steady and Growth Bank Play without the Fireworks



Amidst great expectations of bonus shares or special dividends like its DBS counterpart, the share price of UOB (SGX: U11) has corrected from the high of $29.68 in past days to test short term support level of $28.50 at 1.14 times its book value of around $25.

UOB has announced a record $6.1 billion profit for the financial year 2023 early this morning, underpinned by strong net interest income, trading and investment income. This is a 26% increase from FY 2022. If factoring in the Citigroup integration costs, net profit is S$5.7 billion, also a landmark high.

Most notably, net interest income rose 16% to S$9.7 billion. Net interest margin rose 23 basis points to 2.09% and loan growth of 2% in constant-currency terms.

Net fee income increased 4% to S$2.2 billion as credit card fees surged to S$382 million.

However core operating expenses rose 15% to S$6.8 billion and total allowance for credit and other losses on a few non-systematic accounts rocketed 53% to $921 million, higher than $590 million by DBS.

Asset quality remained stable with non-performing loan (NPL) ratio at 1.5%, which is higher than DBS's NPL ratio of 1.1%.

Most importantly to long-term investors of UOB, the dividend announced is $0.85, same rate as 1H FY2023. There is no special dividends nor bonus shares as wished, hence disappointing the market and resulted in the weakening of its share price today.

I believe that UOB is still an attractive steady long-term investment prospect of a growth bank business with yields close to 6%, at payout ratio of about 50%. This is despite headwinds in the economy, uncertainties over interest rates and increasing core operating expenses and write-offs. 

I find timing the market difficult and prefer to invest in banks during times of uncertainty rather than waiting for the booming economy or ideal circumstances before doing so. In a perfect scenario, we may have to pay inflated prices i.e. 1.5x to 2x book value for bank shares. I will perform dollar-cost average into adding bank shares.

I believe UOB is more conservative and defensive relative to DBS and OCBC because it has greater presence in regional domestic markets, larger focus on South East Asia growing and youthful economies, best valuation at only 1.14x book value whilst being the smallest bank in Singapore. OCBC on the other hand, has greater presence in China and Hong Kong while DBS is penetrating into south Asia economies in Taiwan and India.

Ideally, it is great to own all 3 banks to have the best of all worlds. With limited resources and based on priority now, I decided to focus on accumulating UOB first.

I was owning 617 UOB shares and required 383 more to round up to 1,000 shares.

There it goes and my order was filled at $28.68 today.



My order for 83 odd shares was then filled at $28.69.



I will now own 1,000 UOB shares, looking forward to collect $0.85 dividends 2 times this year and greater dividends in the years to come.

The share price of UOB continue to test lower short-term support levels and I will monitor and may add more shares.

My next hunting targets will be OCBC which will be announcing its results on 28 Feb, and DBS. Here I come.

See Related Posts:

Nibbled UOB

Own the banks or let banks own our money

Thanks for reading,

With love & peace,
Qiongster