Spending for Feb 2025: Nearly Maximise Maybank Credit Card Cashback (7% cashback)

Spending Performance for Feb 2025

Total expenditure was $834 with $61 in cashback clocked (7.3% cashback). This is close to the best of my ability to fully utilise Maybank's credit card cashback system.

Grocery Spending

My basic neccessities spend remains high, of course this is due to the high cost of living in Singapore :p

This category's spending exceeds the cap Maybank has at each (per) category, however, I have been actively trying to cut my food ingredient expenses etc to ensure a minimalist lifestyle. Mirroring myself like a company, I am guiding for my recurring grocery expenditure (maintenance CAPEX) to be at $300-$350 monthly range.

Transport Expense

Transport will be at the $80 monthly range. Otherwise nothing to report and thanks to inflation, my expenses now allow me to utilise Maybank's Family and Friend's Cashback; previously hitting $800 monthly expenses was a stretch, now it is easier. Good thing or bad thing, its debatable. 

Fortunately due to my resourcefulness, I have cushioned the cost of living crisis with my skill set in the realm of credit cards.

<Non Sponsored Post on Maybank Credit Cards> 

UnitedHampshire US REIT - 11% Gains in 4 Months, Can The Gains Continue?

Since the 2 December 2024 post when United Hampshire US REIT was at 45.5 cents, the REIT is now at 48.5 cents and had given dividend of 2.05 cents. Investors who have bought it since then would have reap a 5.05 cents gain at a cost price of 45.5 cents.

That is a 11% return.

Will There be More Gains?

That is a yes. Despite the sale of 02 properties, the REIT has actively de levered. While its net property income will be lower this year, its interest expense will be lesser due to a lower leverage. Second with interest rates likely to be lowered due to the expectations of a declining US economy and incomptency of President Trump tariffs effects, I expect further fall in interest expense. Currently, the REIT's average interest rate is 5.17% with 26% of its loan tied to the floating interest rates.

Third, I expect the REIT manager to start taking units as part of its fees. So dividend should remain at 2.05 US cents per half a year and 4.1 US cents per year.

How about capital gains? Well as the market continues to appreciate the sustainability and strength in dividends provided by UtdHampshire, a re-rating will happen resulting in capital gains. My view is that this REIT deserves to be a 6% dividend yielder. Further, with escalating rents received each year, DPU will only rise from 4.1 US cents. In its hey days, this REIT was a 5.88 US cents yielder. However, I think this will be a stretch to regain its old times.

Target Price

I expect UtdHampshire US REIT to give 4.5 US cents dividend in 2026. At 6% yield. this values it at 75 US cents (it should be 64 US cents in 2024). This is a 50% upside with recurring dividends of 8% gains. It is worth buying the REIT and surpasses buying any Singapore property (for rental+ capital gains) even on leverage.

Asian Pay TV: Sustainable 1.05 Cents Dividend, a 13% Dividend Yielder

Asian Pay TV (APTT) has released its full year results.

Summary

• Total revenue declined by 5.4% due to sunset TV business
• Dividends of 1.05 cents, guiding for 2025 to be 1.05 cents
• Broadband Business Growth of 5%

Business Prospects

Revenue will keep falling at around 5% per year, this is due to the shift away from TV. CEO has commented the task now is to upsell customers to higher tier broadband plans to ensure revenue does not decline as much.

Sustainable Dividend

APTT generated 149 million in cash last year, I expect further decline to 145 million in cash this year.

Interest Cost is expected to grow as well to 42 million with the expiration of hedges. With Capex needs of 35 million and taxes of 13 million, APTT has 55 million in spare cash. Its current dividend payout of 1.05 cents equates to 19 million in cash. 

Hence, there is headroom to maintain its 1.05 SG cents dividend as it continues to use the excess cash to pay down the expensive Singapore offshore debt. I expect APTT to eventually become a $120 million annual cashflow generating trust still giving it the ability to maintain 1.05 cents dividend.

Good Dividend Stock to Own

APTT will continue to see revenue loss due to its large TV segment being in a sunset industry. However, dividend wise, APTT can maintain a 1.05 cents dividend.

So it is a good dividend stock to own as long as 10% dividend yield is maintained. At current price of 8.3 Sg cents, it is a good buy.

Yangzijiang Financial: More Stock Price Gain to Come

 Yangzijiang Financial Holdings (YZJFH) has delivered full year results which is within expectations.

Summary

• Earnings per share of 8.6 cents
• Dividends of 3.45 cents
• Earnings was boosted by china government grant (1 SG cents) and no more credit allowance provisions in losses

Currently YZJFH trades at a share price of 56.5 cents or SGD$1.98 billion market cap.

Earnings

As said, YZJFH recorded SG$40mil in government grant, SG$30 mil in exchange rate gains. I am sure this will not be replicated in FY 2025. However, as the company's debt investment portfolio continues to decrease, we might see more reversal in credit allowance which is a "gain". This will offset government grant income.

I expect YZJFH to log a 8 SG cents in annual earnings for FY2025. 02 reasons: first, its maritime investment business in Singapore is growing and second, the company will start reversing its credit allowance because its china debt investment is growing smaller.

$1,380 Million in Cash and Cash products in Singapore

One important point from the year end results is that YZJFH has transferred a significant amount of cash from China to Singapore. With the cash in Singapore, it can be easily verified and reduces the allegations that the cash items in its balance sheet is fake. 

The total amount of funds in Singapore cash and yield enhancement produces is now SGD$1.380 billion. The company has 52 cents in cash equivalent products. This means 90% of its current market cap is in easily realised assets. 

Cheap at Current Price 

Even at 56.5 SG cents, the stock is way too cheap. At future 8 SG cents earnings and 3.2 SG cents dividend, this stock is at least a 5% dividend yielder. Hence target price is at least 64 SG cents.

However, I do not think this is a fair value as it slowly winds down its China debt investment, with continuing share buybacks, YZJFH should march towards a $1.20 NAV. Putting it at 0.8 times price book, it is 96 SG cents. There is a lot more upside to go.

<Author is vested in YZJFH>

Portfolio Update Feburary 2025 - U-Turn on Keppel REIT Due to Decline, Partial Sale of Alibaba

Due to the run up in share price, I have taken profits off Alibaba.

About 12% of my stake in Alibaba was sold. I will hold the rest of the stake until it reaches HKD$210 (my estimated forward PE of 25). Should Alibaba return to the HKD $100-$125 region, I will start to buy back what i sold off.

Portfolio

Using the sales proceed from Alibaba, I have bought (i) Keppel REIT and (ii) PRIME US REIT.

Previously, I wrote why I would not buy Keppel REIT. However since then, it has fallen 7% post ex-dividend and become a fair value/hold at 81 SG cents. As I have said, the true dividend of Keppel REIT is 5 SG cents and with rental reversion and interest rate being lower, it can go up to maybe 5.3 SG cents. This translates to a 6.5% yield. Many of Keppel REIT properties are in prime areas and buildings are of the Trophy-Grade A status. So i do believe in the flight to quality story and the resiliency of its tenants.

On the assumption the REIT is a 5 SG cents yielder and if it becomes a 5% prospective yielder at $1, I will sell. 

PRIME US REIT is another addition and I do not need to repeat why I think it is a buy.

Dividend

Unitedhampshire REIT and Asian Pay TV Trust has announced dividend within expectations and are of good yield. However, as they will pay it in March 2025, I will not count in this post.

So dividend collected this year has remained at $0.

The portfolio now has a value of about $827,000.

UnitedHampshire Retail REIT Year End: 8+% Dividend with Potential Capital Gains. A Top Pick

 Unitedhampshier ("UHREIT") has announced its year end results. In summary:

• Leverage is down to 38.9%
• Annual Dividend is 4.06 US Cents
• Rental Escalation
• Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.5 times

Outlook

Impressive results throughout with revenue growing due to rental escalation. Its cost of interest seems to have peaked with interest now falling for 4Q.

Overall, I expect UHREIT to increase dividend due to higher rentals + possibility of the REIT manager electing to be paid in Units should share price hit 60 US cents.

Capital Gain

Often people says investing in REIT is for the dividends and not capital gains, however UHREIT may buck the trend- it offers both. With greater appreciation by investors of the resilience of its sub sector (groceries), investors will  be aware of the resilience in its dividends and find the REIT a steal at 48 US Cents (8.4% yield). I do think a re-rating will occur where it becomes a 7% yielder. 

In addition, I forsee with interest rate falling and revenue growing, the DPU of UHREIT will be 4.1 US cents for 2025 despite the divestment of 1 property. At forward 7% yield, I am guiding for UHREIT to be 64 US cents in 2025. 

UHREIT is exceptional and will best any Singapore property. It is going be a dividend yielder + capital gain giant for 2025. It should be worth its NAV of 75 US cents because of the annual profits it is clocking. With the fall in interest rates, its dividend will start to rise from its annual 4.06 US cents dividend.

Spending for Jan 2025: Hit $800

Previously, I had covered how I plan to budget my approximate $755 spending in credit cards for daily neccessities around Maybank Family and Friends Card.

Performance for Jan 2025

Total expenditure was $829 with $52 in cashback clocked.

Grocery Spending is High Due to Inflation

Close to my estimates, grocery remained expensive coming in at $410 per month. About $50 came from dining because F&B outlets withing supermarkets have the same MCC code of supermarket for Donki and NTUC fairprice.

Grocery expenditure will continue to form bulk of my expenses as I continue to prepare my meals to eat, drink and continue living in this world (sorry for being morbid, but harsh facts of life)

Spending Behaviour

Despite spending less on outside food, I incurred a medical cost at a government clinic, so it helped to reach the $800 minimum spending. 

Front loading was done due to an Eight Telecom Mobile credits promotion where if we top up $28 in credits we get $38 credited instead. This was bought on shopee. I also bought $20 of NTUC voucher on shopee to clear my shopee coins which offered me a final 25% discount off NTUC vouchers

My grocery spending in February might be slightly lower as I will burn through the the $20 NTUC voucher and not eat at F&B outlet within supermarket. For Feb, it is likely dining & groceries will be in the $300 range. Actual e- commerce expenditure might be zero. So I will be short of about $100 in estimated expenditure. Front loading might be needed. Dosen't help that Feb only has 28 days.

Transport

One thing I learnt is that Simplygo transactions takes a while to be posted to credit cards. For the month of Jan, my EZ link transportation fares from 24 Jan have not been calculated. As such they will only be charged in Feb. So the positive is that likely my Feb transport fare will be a lot higher. This will help me reach the $800 spend easier.