Haw Par historically trades at a big discount to its assets and businesses. The discount has got even bigger. Its 4% stake in UOB is now worth more than Haw Par’s market capitalisation — by about 4%.
UOB closed yesterday at S$19.84. This works out to S$6.05 a Haw Par share. Haw Par closed at S$5.83.
And Haw Par has a rat-bag of businesses and assets ranging from healthcare products (‘Tiger Balm’), oceanriums, an aquarium (there seems to be some legal trouble here), properties, and 5.2% of UOL (an SGX-listed property company where the UOB Wees have a controlling interest (29.13); like in Haw Par (30.6%). OK rat-bag is unfail, its businesses are usually profitable, and the assets have value.
So at the these prices of Haw Par and UOB, one gets UOB shares at a 4% discount if one buys Haw Par shares. And the other businesses and assets are thrown in for “free”.
And who knows, one day the value of Haw Par’s UOB shares; and its other assets, and businesses may be unlocked. Two long-term value investors have been around for years: MacKenzie Cundill Investment Management has 11.67% and Arnhold and S.Bleichroeder has 14.74%.
Meantime, we long-term investors get decent dividends: present yield is 4%.
That’s not value investing lah, at current levels STI is going to take a tumble sooner than later. UOB price would probably drop more than Haw Par price when that happens. Unless Haw Par divests its UOB shares before a market correction, your “other businesses and assets are thrown in for “free”” theory does not hold water.
[...] excuse for this posting is one of Haw Par’s http://atans1.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/hidden-tiger/brands is in the list. ▶ No Responses /* 0) { jQuery('#comments').show('', [...]
[...] Buying on a deep discount to NTA only works if the value investor can see some catalyst that will unlock value. Where there is a controlling shareholder or shareholders, this catalyst often does not exist. Witness Haw Par http://atans1.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/hidden-tiger/, [...]