Monday, 5 December 2011

Hong Fok Corporation (KE)

Background: Hong Fok started as the developer and owner of the Singapore Hyatt Hotel, which it disposed of in 1976 when it turned towards property development. Over the years, its track record includes the Hyatt Hotel, La Ventura and Grangeford. Its current investment portfolio includes International Building at Orchard Road and The Concourse at Beach Road.

Recent development: Hong Fok delivered a much-improved 3Q11 performance due to the commencement of the recognition of sales from Concourse Skyline. Revenue and net profit for the quarter were, respectively, $79.4m and $14.0m, compared to $12.0m and $2.2m a year ago.

Key ratios…
Price-to-earnings: 2.7x
Price-to-NTA: 0.30x
Dividend per share / yield: Nil
Net gearing: 59%
Net debt as % of market cap: 199%
NTA per share: $1.37

Share price S$0.41
Issued shares (m) 659.6
Market cap (S$m) 270.4
Free float (%) 35.1
Recent fundraising activities Nil
Financial YE 31 December
Major shareholders Hong Fok Land – 20.4% Sim Eng Cheong – 11.6% P. C. Cheong – 11.0% K. P. Cheong – 11.0%
YTD change -34.4%
52-week price range S$0.38-0.64

Our view
Concourse Skyline. In early 2008, Hong Fok announced its plans for a partial redevelopment of The Concourse along Beach Road. Comprising two towers of two blocks each, the new project, called Concourse Skyline, has 360 residential units with a small retail component and an overhead bridge linking directly to the Nicoll Highway MRT Station. The project was launched for sale in September 2008 and has to-date sold 64% at an average price of $1,550 psf although recent sales are in the region of $2,000 psf. We estimate this is $380m in revenue ($72m in pre-tax earnings) from units sold to be progressively recognised until 2013 when the project completes.

International Building. This is Hong Fok’s freehold prime asset at Orchard Road. Including the surface car park at the rear and an adjoining state land bought in 2007, the combined site is about 54,400 sq ft. Hong Fok has a few redevelopment options on hand. It could do a full redevelopment of the enlarged site to yield a potential 335,000 sq ft of GFA, or have a new building built on the vacant state land or surface car park, or both. Based on its existing use, the latest valuation was less than $1,600 psf. In April, the car park was put up for tender to redevelop the site into a new 23-storey office tower. We understand that there were no takers.

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