Ernest Lim's investing blog

Unique insights into SGX small caps

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Margin account – why I started using margin account last couple of months (12 Dec 23)

el15

Dear all With reference to my market write-ugp dated 23 Oct (click HERE), where I mentioned that I was buying on dips and was judiciously using leverage via my newly open margin account to accumulate stocks, S&P500 has rallied 8.6%. However, STI is still languishing at almost similar level vs my write-up. Post my write-up, some readers and clients have enquired on the margin account. Hence, I have done a short write-up on margin financing. What is margin financing? What are the things we should be aware of? Read on for more below.   A) What is margin financing? Margin […]

Lendlease Reit – Under-appreciated reit; yields >7% per annum! (3 Jul 23)

el15

Dear all Lendlease Reit (“Lendlease”) caught my attention as according to consensus, it offers a potential dividend yield of around 7.1% in each of FY23F and FY24F (financial year ends in June). Furthermore, 7 analysts have rated Lendlease a buy with average analyst target price $0.85, representing a potential capital appreciation of around 28.8%. Lendlease closed at $0.660 on 30 Jun 2023. For a reit, such returns, if they indeed materialise, are rather substantial. As such, this leads me to dig deeper into the reit. Last month, I am fortunate to meet Mr Kelvin Chow, CEO of Lendlease Global Commercial […]

Markets – diverging signs from technicals and fundamentals. What should we do? (4 Apr 2022)

el15

Dear all March has been a roller coaster month. Hong Kong market, represented by Hang Seng index touched multi-year lows around 14-15 Mar and has rebounded approximately 21% from the intraday lows. S&P500 performed well too with a third consecutive weekly rise. With reference to my writeup (click HERE) published on 6 Mar 2022, I mentioned that a) Odds are likely of a downward push first I mentioned that based on chart, odds are higher for a downwards move for both S&P500 and STI, to retest the previous support around 4,115 – 4,222 and 3,138 – 3,200 (with 3,175 a […]

STI – having closed at a record YTD high, will it continue higher? (7 Nov 2021)

el15

Dear all With reference to my market outlook published on 3 Oct (see HERE) citing opportunities in our Singapore market, STI has soared 191 points, or 6.3% from 3,051 on 1 Oct to close at a year to date high 3,242 on 5 Nov. Will STI continue to march higher, or will there be some profit taking?   Very briefly, my personal view is It is likely that STI may face some profit taking in the near term, attributable in part to the following factors: a) With reference to Figure 1 below, MSCI Singapore index will undergo a rebalancing in […]

7 reasons why Private Resale Condos may be better than new launch for HDB upgraders (6 Mar 21)

el15

This write-up was reproduced with permission from Ray’s Estate Clinic, written by Founder, Raymond Chng. Please refer to the end of the article for more information on Raymond. Since 2018, we have been sharing with our clients and readers that resale properties are good options. Today, as of the date of writing, there are still a handful of readers asking us if resale properties can be profitable. The simple answer is – Yes! There are considerations that property buyers should note about New Launch properties, in particular for HDB upgraders. Most HDB upgraders who are selling off their BTOs would […]

Singapore – Asia’s worst equity market YTD, any opportunities ahead? (29 Oct 20)

el15

Dear all It is less than a week from the U.S. election. U.S. markets are understandably jittery. S&P500 has fallen 316 points, or 8.9% from its intraday high of 3,550 on 12 Oct 2020 to touch an intraday low 3,234 on 30 Oct 20. In fact, S&P500 has tumbled 195 points or 5.6% this week. S&P500 closed at 3,270 on 30 Oct. The media has written extensively on the risks surrounding U.S. election since months ago hence the election event risk is hardly a new one. Examples of risks which media has written about is the possibility on contested election […]

Why Property Investors should look at the Private Resale Condo Segment (11 April 2020)

el15

This write-up was reproduced with permission from Ray’s Estate Clinic, written by Founder, Raymond Chng. Please refer to the end of the article for more information on Raymond. With the record number of new launch properties on the market in 2019 and 2020, all eyes have been on the new launch segment of the property market. Some new property buyers believe that they should buy new properties because they would be buying at the lowest price in the development, and therefore are more likely to make profits when the property obtains TOP. These same property buyers are afraid of buying […]

Chasen – a bullish double bottom making in the making? (23 Oct 19)

el15

Dear all, This week, Chasen catches my attention as it seems to be forming a bullish double bottom on its chart. I have appended my personal chart analysis, together with some potential positive and negative points on the company. Read on for more below.   Chasen’s chart analysis Based on my personal interpretation of Chasen’s chart, it seems to have tested its double bottom neckline around $0.070-0.072 for the past few days. For the past two days, it managed to close higher consecutively with above average volume. In fact, Chasen closed today with 7.3m shares changing hands, 3.8x above its […]

ISOTeam – on the verge of a bullish break from a potential double bottom formation! (21 May 2019)

el15

Previously, I have done a write-up (click HERE) on ISOTeam (“ISO”) after interviewing Anthony, CEO and Richard, GM on an exclusive basis in Dec 2018. I have bought in at that time and have taken profit in Jan 2019. Since Apr, I have been accumulating ISO, as its chart seems to portend a potential upside breakout after a lengthy potential double bottom formation. ISO closed at $0.230 on 21 May 2019. Let’s take a look at its investment merits and more importantly, its investment risks below.   Investment merits a) Potential bullish break from a double bottom formation Since 2017, […]

ISOTeam trades near 4 year low despite record order books and bright outlook (10 Jan 19)

el15

ISOTeam (“ISO”) caught my attention. Despite sitting on a record order book, ISO has tumbled approximately 44% from an intra-day high of $0.385 on 10 Apr 2018 to close near a four year low at around $0.215 on 10 Jan 2019. The share price decline was attributable in part to its 4QFY18 surprise loss announced in Aug 2018 (financial year ends in Jun). Nevertheless, my gut feel is that 4QFY18 should mark the trough in earnings and results should improve on a quarter on quarter basis in the next few quarters. As this company is a potential turnaround play, I […]