Monday, April 4, 2011

Singapore stock market and companies daily report for april 4, 2011

Singapore stock market and companies daily report for april 4, 2011 :
Shanghai Asia Comes Under Fire For Sale Of Businesses

Shanghai Asia Holdings (Shanghai Asia) is facing intensifying pressure over its proposed sales. Following the resignation of its chief financial officer and executive director Tung Kum Hon over disagreement on the disposal, lashings were received from the Securities Investors Association Singapore (SIAS). The chief executive of the investors rights advocacy group, David Gerald, blasted the board of Shanghai Asia saying that it has not been accountable to minority shareholders as it seeks to sell all of its businesses. He urged minority shareholders to call for an extraordinary general meeting to speak with the board and have their questions answered. In the event it does not materialise, minority shareholders should consider legal action in a show of their rights.

Significance: The structure of the disposal is the root cause for much of the troubles. Shanghai Asia intends to sell its aluminium foil and cigarette carton printing businesses as one transaction and to be assessed as a whole, which consequently affects the sale price of the cigarette carton printing business. Specifically, as the minority shareholders had pointed out, the business was tag with an unreasonably low price of $1.2m given that it contributed Rmb42.9m in operating profit in 2009.

Hyflux Questioned Over Stock Option Grants
Hyflux was thrown into the spotlight following a report by CFRA, a global independent research firm, which had questioned the timing of its stock option grants. In the report, it was noted that Hyflux latest grant came after a fall in the companyfs share price due to political instability in the Middle East and North Africa where the company has substantial exposure. gHowever, the backdrop may have provided fortuitous timing for the company to grant one-off stock options on Friday, 4 Mar-11, with a strike price of $1.892 CFRA said in the report. It was observed that Hyflux halted trading of shares the following Monday, before announcing that it had clinched the bid to build Singapore fs second and largest seawater desalination plant. This pushed its share price up when trading resumed on Tuesday, with the stock closing at $2.05 and resulting in an immediate 12% gain for the options recipients.

Significance: In response to the report, Hyflux said git was mere coincidence (and a pleasant surprise, if we may add)h that the winning bid was made known one business day after its stock options grants. gWe had no control as to when PUB would announce the outcome of its selection of preferred bidderh it added. A moratorium on the stock options was highlighted, which allows the option to be exercised in 20% tranches over a period of five years, with the first 20% exercisable one year from the date of the grant.

Keppel Unit Bags Second Jasper Rig Order
Keppel Corporation unit, Keppel FELS, was awarded a second rig order from Jasper Investment (Jasper). This came after Jasper exercised its option for a second KFELS B class jackup rig for US$180m, with the delivery scheduled in May-13. The single-rig option was given to Jasper when it ordered its first in last December. This second rig, which is similar to the first, will be able to operate in water depths of 400 feet, drill 30,000 feet deep and accommodate 150 men. Including this latest contract, Keppel FELS has secured 17 jackup rig orders since last Nov-10. Of these, 14 are proprietary Keppel designs which include 10 KFELS B and Super B class rigs.

Significance: In conjunction with the construction of the new jackup rig, Jasper plans to issue 122m new shares to Hygrove Investments at an issue price of $0.096 per placement share. The proceeds will partially finance the new rig, while the balance of the purchase price will be funded by internal sources. Upon completion of the two KFELS B class jackups, the company will have a fleet of four rigs, a drill ship and a semi-submersible hull.
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