Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Efficiency Ratios

The efficiency ratio measures non-interest expense, or operating costs, as a percentage of net revenues.

Efficiency ratio
= non-interest expense / net revenues
= operating costs / net revenues

Basically, it tells how efficiently the bank is managed.

Many good banks have efficiency ratios under 55% (lower is better).


For comparison, the average efficiency ratio of all insured institutions in the fourth quarter of 2002 was 58.4%, according to the FDIC.

Look for banks with low efficiency ratios as evidence that costs are being kept in check.


Related posts:
Hallmarks of Success for Banks
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Capital Base
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: ROE and ROA
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Efficiency Ratios
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Net Interest Margins
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Revenues
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Price-to-Book

Hallmarks of Success for Banks: ROE and ROA

Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA) are useful for gauging bank profitability.

ROE:

Investors should look for banks that can consistently generate mid- to high-teen ROE.

Investors should be concerned if a bank earns a level of ROE too far below this industry benchmark.

Ironically, investors should also be concerned if the ROE is too far above the industry benchmark too.

• Many fast-growing lenders have thrown off 30% or more ROEs just by provisioning too little for loan losses.
• Remember, it can be very easy to boost bank's earnings in the short term by underprovisioning or leveraging up the balance sheet, but this can be unduly risky over the long term.

ROA:

Besides looking for a consistent mid- to high-teen ROE, it is good to see a high level of ROA as well.

For banks, a top ROA would be in the 1.2% to 1.4% range.

Related posts:
Hallmarks of Success for Banks
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Capital Base
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: ROE and ROA
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Efficiency Ratios
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Net Interest Margins
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Revenues
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Price-to-Book

Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Capital Base

A strong capital base is the number one issue to consider before investing in a lender.

The investors can look at several metrics. The simplest is the equity-to-assets ratio; the higher, the better.

The level of capital should vary with each institution based on a number of factors including the riskiness of its loans, but most of the bigger banks have capital ratios in the 8% to 9% range.

Also look for a high level of loan loss reserves relative to non-performing assets.

These equity-to-assets ratio vary depending on

• the type of lending an institution does, as well as,
• the point of the business cycle in which they are taken.

All of these metrics are found in banks' financial reports, and they can be compared to the industry average.

In the US you can get these figures by logging on to the FDIC Web site, http://www.fdic.gov/.


Related posts:
Hallmarks of Success for Banks
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Capital Base
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: ROE and ROA
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Efficiency Ratios
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Net Interest Margins
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Revenues
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Price-to-Book

Hallmarks of Success for Banks

What should investors look for when investing in banks and other financiers?

Because their entire business - their strengths and their opportunities - is built on risk, it's a good idea to focus on conservatively managed institutions that consistently deliver solid - but not knockout - profits. Here's a list of some major metrics to consider:

1. Strong Capital Base
2. Return on Equity and Return on Assets
3. Efficiency Ratios
4. Net Interest Margins
5. Strong Revenues
6. Price-to-Book

These metrics should serve as a starting point for seeking out quality bank stocks.

Overall, we think the best defense for investors who want to pick their own financial services stocks is patience and a healthy sense of skepticism.

Build a paper portfolio of core companies that look promising and learn the businesses over time. Get a feel for,

• the kind of lending they do,
• the way that risk is managed,
• the quality of management, and
• the amount of equity capital the bank holds.

When an opportunity presents itself - and one always does - you'll be in a much better position to act.

Ref: The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing by Pat Dorsey


Related posts:
Hallmarks of Success for Banks
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Capital Base
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: ROE and ROA
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Efficiency Ratios
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Net Interest Margins
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Strong Revenues
Hallmarks of Success for Banks: Price-to-Book

Banks - It's All about Risk

Whether a financial institution specializes in making commercial loans or consumer loans, banking is centered on: risk management.

Bank accepts 3 types of risks:

• credit,
• liquidity, and,
• interest rate,

and they get paid to take on this risk.

Borrowers and lenders pay banks through interest or fees because they are unwilling to manage the risk on their own, or because banks can do it more cheaply.

But just as their advantage lies in mitigating others' risk, banks' greatest strength - the ability to earn a premium for managing credit and interest rate risk - can quickly become their greatest weakness if, for example, loan loss grow faster than expected.

How banks report their revenue and income

Let us look at how banks report their revenue and income.

Unlike traditional firms, there is no explicit "revenue" or "sales" line. Instead, there are four major components to examine:

1. Interest income
2. Interest expense
3. Non-interest (or fee) income
4. Provisions for loan losses


Here's an example of how the top of a bank income statement will look:

$1000 Interest income
- $ 500 (less) Interest expense
----------------
$500 Net interest income
- $ 100 (less) Provisions from loan loss
+ $ 500 (add) Non-interest income
----------------
$ 900 Net Revenue



Let's ignore the non-interest income component in our further discussion because this is generally steadier than interest income and interest expense.

Interest income
less Interest expense
----------------
Net interest income
less Provisions from loan loss
----------------
$ X


We can see that banks have a natural hedge built into their business.


Consider the following as a base case for a bank operating in a strong economy:

$1000 Interest income
-$500 Interest expense
----------------
$ 500 Net interest income
-$100 Provisions from loan loss
----------------
$400

Suppose now that the Federal Reserve cuts rates. Because the Fed understands the benefit of maintaining a strong balance system, subtle cues are generally communicated before any cut. In the meantime, the banks reposition their balance sheets so that they're liability sensitive, thus allowing net interest income to widen.

However, if a cut happens, it's for a good reason. A recession might be causing unemployment to rise and bankruptcies to increase. That in turn, leads to higher provisions for loan losses for banks. Here's what might happen in a weak economy:

$1000 Interest income
-$400 Interest expense
----------------
$ 600 Net interest income
-$200 Provisions from loan loss
----------------
$400


Have interest rates impacted the bank? Yes and no. Sure, net interest income widened, but this number is meaningless in isolation. After all, the weak economy caused provisioning to double, thereby wiping out the wider interest spread.

In the real world, this relationship doesn't come out to the perfect round numbers laid out here, but it can be close.

• From 2000 to 2001, for example, FDIC data shows that net interest income grew $16.1 billion for the banking industry, mostly because of lower rates.
• However, the weakening economy caused banks to give most of that benefit back in the form of $13.8 billion of increased provisioning.

Virtually all banks can benefit in this type of scenario. However, big banks also have additional tools at their disposal.

• For starters, the breadth of their business lines makes it easier for them to reposition their balance sheet to focus on one sector versus another, depending on the operating environment.
• Perhaps, most importantly, big banks have the ability to access the capital markets to pass the buck by letting investors purchase the loans (much like a bond) and assume the interest rate risk. Then banks - which still service the loans and collect a fee doing so - can focus on their strengths: credit and liquidity risk management.

At the end of 2002, for example, Bank One owned just $11.6 billion of credit card loans - those it held on its balance sheet - yet it managed a total card portfolio of $74 billion. This has happened industrywide and highlights the strength of larger lenders. For instance, although commercial banks and savings banks held 56% of all US consumer loans on their balance sheets in 1990, that number had fallen to 37% by the end of 2002. Why? Because securitized assets - those that are sold off to investors and that banks continue to service - had risen from 6% of loans outstanding to 35%, according to the Federal Reserve.

Thus, while margins can be impacted by interest rates, large financial institutions are making progress toward managing the interest rate cycle. As you're thinking about interest rate risk, remember that the impact it has on a bank's balance sheet is complex, dynamic, and varies from institution to institution.

The Stock Expert Who's Saying "Buy"

The Stock Expert Who's Saying "Buy"
By Selena Maranjian
June 18, 2009





Jeremy Siegel, business professor at the Wharton Business School, has given us investors a lot to learn from. He's the author, for example, of Stocks for the Long Run, and also of The Future for Investors. He's also shown us how to find great stocks and demonstrated the power of dividends.

So when he speaks, we should at least listen, right? Well, he was recently interviewed on public radio, and he advocated investing in stocks for the long haul. "In March,” he said, “we were down more than 50%. And I looked all the way back [over the] last hundred years. Once you're down 50%, your prospects are very good." That's from a guy who has spent a big part of his life studying the stock market's performance over the past 200 years.

Indeed, many well-known stocks are down 50% or more over the past 12 months:

Company
52-Week Return

Alcoa (NYSE: AA)
(72%)

MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE: WFR)
(71%)

Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO)
(60%)

Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK)
(66%)

Mosaic (NYSE: MOS)
(71%)

Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT)
(55%)

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX)
(58%)


Source: Yahoo! Finance.


One objection I have to Siegel's argument, though, is that it depends entirely on past experience projecting into the future. Think back 100 years to 1909. I know there's much to be learned from the past, but I still worry that we sometimes draw too many parallels. After all, the world was very different then. Our workforce looked different. Our industries were different. Global trade patterns were very different. Business and securities regulation was very different.

He's probably right, though
Nevertheless, I'm not betting against him. Previous bear markets have happened for a variety of different reasons, yet they've all been followed by recoveries. Sure, there's a chance that this time will be the exception. But those who've believed that in the past have gotten burned every time.

As I look at my portfolio, many of my stocks are also down substantially, and I certainly think they're more likely to recover than they are to lose more value over the long run. That's not to say that those share prices won't drop tomorrow, or even over the next year. But over the coming years, I believe these current prices will look like a bargain -- and anyone buying at current levels will be glad they did.



http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2009/06/18/the-stock-expert-whos-saying-buy.aspx





Learn more:
The Best Opportunity in 35 Years
An Opportunity to Jump On
The Next Incredible Buying Opportunity
How to find great stocks
The power of dividends.

Long-Term Buy and Hold Only Works in Bull Markets

Long-Term Buy and Hold Only Works in Bull Markets
By Jennifer Schonberger
June 17, 2009


Long-term buy and hold only works if you can predict a long-term bull market -- or so says Bernie Schaeffer, chairman and founder of Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Since stocks of all walks have been torpedoed in the wake of the financial crisis, pundits are calling into question the viability of the decades-old strategy. Long gone may be the times our grandparents and parents were able to invest in stocks for 10-plus years without rebalancing or cleaning their portfolios.

As part of The Motley Fool's series that seeks to answer the question, "Is long-term buy and hold dead?" Schaeffer weighed in. What follows is an edited transcript of our interview.

Jennifer Schonberger: Do you think long-term buy and hold is dead?

Bernie Schaeffer: I don't see it as a viable strategy, unless you have a way of predicting long-term bull markets.

In March 2000, the S&P peaked at more than 15 times its August 1982 lows. On the other hand, anyone who invested in the S&P from the middle of 1997 to date is very likely losing money. So if you believe we're about to embark upon a 1982-to-2000 run, "buy and hold" will work. In a much more challenging environment, such as the one we've experienced over the past dozen years, it will not work.

The lesson here is never to confuse genius with a bull market, and that powerful bull markets make almost any strategy that involves buying stocks look "smart." What's "dead" is the immutable belief that dominated the investment world as recently as a few years ago -- that buying stocks for the "long term" is always a good deal and the idea that a 100% portfolio exposure to stocks makes good sense.

Schonberger: Do major gyrations in stalwart stocks like General Electric (NYSE: GE) call into question the strategy? Are the days of the blue chip over?

Schaeffer: Let's not forget that GE turned out to be a case of financial engineering in blue-chip clothing. There's also the recent transformation of American International Group (NYSE: AIG) and General Motors -- two stalwarts of the Dow Jones Industrial Average of 30 "blue chip" stocks [that turned] into penny stocks. Before that, there was Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) and before that, WorldCom and Enron.

I think the days that a company can remain dominant in the markets for decades at a time are over. Life simply moves too fast these days. There are no "permanent blue chips." Even Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), while still dominant in retailing, has been dead money for stock investors for a decade.

Schonberger: What do you say to investors who have implemented the long-term buy and hold strategy for years and have seen their holdings simply evaporate in the wake of the market meltdown? And it could be years before any of it comes back ... (Good question)

Schaeffer: Always keep a significant portion of your holdings in cash or in bonds -- at least 30%. Stocks are risky investments, even over the "long term." Investors should never be 100% invested in the stock market. ... Asset allocation is critical. There should always be a mixture of stocks, Treasury bonds, and cash. (Nothing new - safety first)

Schonberger: What about diversification?

Schaeffer: Diversification is overrated and gives investors a false sense of security. In bad times, stocks all move down together and in good times you don't need to be very diversified. One of the biggest jokes on investors over the years has been "diversifying" into many stock mutual funds only to find these funds basically own the same stocks.

Schonberger: Should investors do more active managing now than in the past? For example, if you are going to follow the long-term buy and hold strategy, should you have an exit strategy for the short term in case the bet goes south, maybe fundamentals deteriorate?

Schaeffer: Active managing is only worthwhile if you've got the skills to do this. ... [You should only have an exit strategy] if you're going to figure out ahead of the crowd if fundamentals are deteriorating. If you're the last to figure this out, you'll be selling at the bottom.

Schonberger: How long are we talking about here? How long is the "long" in long-term buy and hold?

Schaeffer: Warren Buffett says "forever," and shares in his company [Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B)] dropped by almost 60% from late 2007 to early 2009.

Schonberger: Is index investing still a viable strategy? How has it evolved? There are indexes for everything today -- not just the S&P and the Dow.

Schaeffer: The pitfalls of "buy and hold" represent exactly the pitfalls of index investing, though index investing does have the advantage of keeping expenses such as transaction costs low.

Schonberger: Are we entering an era where if you buy and hold stocks for the next decade, you earn subpar returns? Is it possible that the upcoming decade mirrors the rather lackluster stock market returns of the 1970s, where you saw a couple runs, but on the whole it wasn't so great?

Schaeffer: This is certainly possible. Returning to the huge returns of 1982 to 2000 is also possible. The only way to play these possibilities is to maintain enough exposure to cash and bonds to sufficiently protect yourself against weak periods in the market, while having enough equity exposure to participate in the big rallies.


http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2009/06/17/long-term-buy-and-hold-only-works-in-bull-markets.aspx



More from our experts on the future of buy-and-hold investing:

So Is Buy and Hold Dead or What?
Long-Term Investing Doesn't Work
How to Invest Using the "New" Buy and Hold
Long-Term Buy and Hold May Not Be the Smartest Investing Strategy
If Buy and Hold Ever Lived, It's Dead Now
Bogle on Buy and Hold and the "Long" of Long-Term Investing





Comment: Buy and Hold is only for selected stocks bought at a bargain price.

4 Reasons to Sell a Stock

4 Reasons to Sell a Stock
By Jeff Fischer
June 18, 2009



The hope of profits and the joy of ownership make buying stocks a fairly simple decision, especially in comparison to the tormented hair-pulling that's often associated with selling.

When to jettison a stock is a difficult decision, so we won't pretend there's a one-size-fits-all formula. However, guidelines can make selling decisions easier. At Motley Fool Pro, the following are four key factors in any sell considerations.

1. Valuation
The most cited reason to sell – a fairly valued stock – is also the most difficult to nail down.

We estimate the fair value of a company before plunking money down to buy, determining intrinsic value by digging into financial statements, analyzing business prospects and free cash flow, and making conservative assumptions about future growth.

Buying undervalued stocks, we wait patiently for a price that's close to our estimate of fair value, reassess at that point, and then ruthlessly sell if the stock looks fairly priced. Having personally bought MasterCard (NYSE: MA) in the past around $150, after it cleared $220 -- nearly a 50% gain for a large company -- the stock looked fairly priced. It was difficult to sell such a strong business, but it was the right move. With the stock at $163 one year later, I can consider buying again.

It's not always that easy. Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) has looked expensive for years, but continues to reward shareholders. If valuation is perplexing you, you need to consider selling just some of your shares (to lock in profits), or protect your gains through other means, and then consider other factors in your sell decision.

2. Fundamental Change in the Underlying Business
Companies are always undergoing change — sometimes for the better, oftentimes not. As patient investors, we're willing to tolerate minor, fixable hiccups along the lines of a weak quarter or delayed product launch. We're not so forgiving of major blunders — think acquisitions that undermine the core business, getting surpassed by a competitor, or a string of failed expansion attempts. Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) acquisition of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) was questionable enough to make many sell. Whenever a business undergoes a significant change, you need to put on your thinking cap and reassess.

3. Challenges to Your Investing Thesis
When you make a buy decision, you should write down your reasons and keep them handy. Knowing the most important drivers behind your buys, you can reassess your decision if any part of your thesis is challenged.

Because valuation is part of any thesis, threatening changes can include dividend cuts, deterioration of margins, weakening free cash flow --- or economic shifts. At Pro, we keep the Big Picture in mind. If you'd bought Home Depot (NYSE: HD) believing a housing boom would continue, you'd follow housing news closely and may have seen your thesis falling apart -- forcing a timely sale. So, what's the thesis behind each stock you own? Write it down.

4. Better Places for Your Money
Sometimes a sell decision has little to do with the holding itself — you may simply see better opportunities elsewhere and lack the funds to take advantage. Just as a soccer coach will swap tired players for fresh ones in order to win the game, your portfolio can benefit from shuffling some players, too. In the late 1990s, it was becoming apparent PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) was making headway while Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) was struggling – and Pepsi was the cheaper stock. Since 1998, Pepsi has gained 50% while Coca-Cola has lost 24%. That was a great swap.

Just like the five traits of great stocks we keep in mind when we buy, these are some of the criteria at the forefront of our sell decisions at Motley Fool Pro. We launched in October 2008, so we're young, but each position we've closed has been profitable and market-beating.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2009/06/18/4-reasons-to-sell-a-stock.aspx

Only 37 stocks in KLSE main board are suitable for long term portfolio

The latest Stock Performance Guide (2009 March Edition) was available recently. I screened for those counters based on certain criterias for possible buy and hold for the long term. Of the 603 counters in the Main Board, only 37 counters are deemed worth further research. 7 of these 37 are small-cap or mid-cap stocks.

The Bursa Malaysia is truly a dangerous play ground for the uninformed. Only a small percentage (37/603 = 6%) are possible candidates for buy and hold for the long term. Also these should be bought when they are not overpriced.

The investors in the market vary from the financial professionals to those without any knowledge on investing. Interestingly, there are some professionals who are losers in the market big time and yet there are some of these novice investors who are surprising winners. These could be accounted for by probabilities and also by certain other reasons. In general, those who are financially knowledgeable are expected and probably do better than those who are less financially knowledgeable as a group.

It behoves the investor who wishes to build a portfolio, using the buy, hold and selective selling strategy, to pick the appropriate stocks at a good bargain price.

It should be an interesting exercise to dissect why so many counters in the Bursa are not suitable for buy and hold for the long term.

Telling an old story

The last 2 years, before the onset of this severe bear market, the following stocks of mine were taken private: Maxis, MOX, VADS, ICP.

These were viewed with some annoyance then, as they were carefully selected stocks for the long term.

Maxis and MOX were privatised before the downturn started. During the downturn, VADS share price was well supported near to the privatisation offer price.

On the other hand, each ICP was exchanged for 30c cash and 0.6 shares of IJM priced at 5.80. Even before the privatisation, the price of IJM went down significantly. Fortunately, the price of IJM subsequently rebounded back to around $5.80 recently and those who held onto the IJM shares obtained through the privatisation of their ICP shares were able to cash out at close to the original offer.

In retrospect, the privatisation of these good companies by the major shareholders, probably saved the minority shareholders from short-term losses, as these shares would definitely have gone down lower with the overall bear market.

Sometimes, we are saved or rewarded by the swings of the market. :-)

Stay with the winners - don't get shaken out

Let us learn about the size of some market moves and the lengths of time involved, using some very well-known examples. All of these were big moves over a number of years, and few people expected them.

DJIA: This had an almost uninterrupted run in the 1990s when it rose from under 3,000 to over 11,000 by the end of the decade.

Gold: This had a big fall from $400 in the mid 1990s to about $250 in 1999 before moving higher to $400 by end 2001.

Crude oil: This has had some big moves.

• Driven by OPEC and events in Iran and Iraq, the oil price rose from a few dollars per barrel in 1970 to over $35 by the early 1980s.
• It then collapsed to under $10 per barrel by December 1988.
• With the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War, the price spike to over $38 in 1990.
• Improved drilling and production techniques in the 1990s saw the price fall to below $10 by 1999.
• With the troubles in Iraq it then rose close to $50 in 2004 and climbed to over $60 in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina.

A roller coaster ride by any standard.

Currencies: This too, have had some incredible shifts.

• In early 1984, 1 dollar bought about 250 yen.
• Now it buys less than 110 yen.
• After the euro started trading as a theoretical currency in January 1999, it sank from a first day high of nearly $1.20 to around $0.80 about two years later.
• It then recovered to over $1.30 in early 2005.

It is astounding that the world's most important exchange rates can have such big moves.

Housing: Housing prices are estimated to have more than doubled during 1997 to 2004 in UK and Australia, and nearly tripled in Ireland. In the US, the rise has been a more modest 60% or so. Who would have thought that these moves could happen? Not the economists, property experts or the press.

These are the types of opportunities that should appeal to you. If you can correctly identify the changes in the fundamentals, you may have plenty of time to take a position and enjoy a very favourable move in the price.

Over the years, by recognising that prices go further than expected, you can profit more by staying on winning ideas. Long after many others have sold out of winning positions, by persisting, you might be amazed by how far the market subsequently went.

Prices go further than expected

Price Behaviour Strategy: Prices go further than expected

Historically, all the different asset classes have a habit of surprising people by:

• how far they move, and
• by how long they keep moving.

While the market also has plenty of periods when it goes nowhere, the small moves do not come as a surprise. The amazing thing is the price reaction when the fundamentals change.

If you can develop the habit of sticking with winning positions, you can obtain a significant comparative advantage. You will find that long after many others have sold out prematurely, you can persist, even if you are amazed by the market's subsequent performance.

Stay invested to make great profits. The big moves provide fantastic opportunities to make money. It is necessary to avoid the temptation to jump on and off a good idea in just a week or a month, and to instead doggedly stay with the winners. Others had the right view on the fundamentals but did not make big profits, because all they did was grab an odd half a per cent here and there.

If you can correctly identify the changes in the fundamentals, you may have plenty of time to take a position and enjoy a favourable move in the price. Over the years, by recognising that prices go further than expected, you can become very good at staying on winning ideas. Long after many others have sold out of winning positions, you have persisted, even though you have been amazed by how far the market subsequently went.

Hai-O sees growth despite slowdown

Wednesday June 17, 2009
Hai-O sees growth despite slowdown

Aggressive marketing, MLM to help boost sales

KUALA LUMPUR: Hai-O Enterprise Bhd, a wholesaler and retailer of Chinese herbs and medicine, expects to achieve 10% growth in revenue this year despite the global economic slowdown. (Comment: In previous years, the guidance had been 20% growth in revenue per year.)

Managing director Tan Kai Hee said the positive outlook was based on the adoption of an aggressive marketing strategy and support from its multi-level marketing (MLM) division.

“We will make use of our existing marketing tools and put in more budget for advertising and promotion (A&P) activities,” he said after the signing of a sole distributorship agreement between Hai-O and Yunnan Baiyao Group Co Ltd yesterday.

The company allocates about RM5mil a year for A&P activities.

For the financial year ended April 30, 2008, Hai-O’s revenue jumped 97% year-on-year to RM373.8mil, of which 70% came from the MLM division.

For the nine months ended Jan 31, its revenue rose to RM302.33mil from RM240.27mil in the previous corresponding period.

Tan said the company was still positive on its growth although it expected to see a decline in consumers’ purchasing power due to the recession. “We will make more aggressive efforts to achieve it,” he said.

He said Hai-O hoped the strategic alliance with Yunnan Baiyao, a traditional Chinese medicine manufacturer, would boost the company’s long-term commitment to helping Malaysians pursue a healthier lifestyle.

Under the agreement, Hai-O would be responsble for the introduction of 19 Yunnan Baiyao and Yun Feng brands of products.

Tan said the products would be introduced to the local market in the second half.

“Besides Hai-O’s 60 chain stores and major Chinese medical halls nationwide, the products will also be sold at hypermarkets and major pharmacies,” he said.

Yunnan Baiyao overseas business general manager Wei Bo said the company was confident its products would be well-received in Malaysia.

“This is a long-term partnership with Hai-O and we expect to record yearly sales of RM10mil from the Malaysian market,” he said. — Bernama

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/17/business/4131973&sec=business

Thanks SC and Bursa, for alerting investors of possible market manipulations

In todays paper in the Star (18.6.09), the headline reads:

On the alert. SC and Bursa to act against market manipulators.

Investors beware!

Thursday June 18, 2009
SC and Bursa to act against market manipulators
By YAP LENG KUEN


PETALING JAYA: The Securities Commission (SC) and Bursa Malaysia will investigate and take action if there is any evidence of stock market manipulation amidst the current liquidity-driven rally.

“Both the SC and Bursa carry out surveillance of all trading activities on the exchange.

“The scope of surveillance covers all dimensions of the trading activities. If there is any evidence of market manipulation, the SC and/or Bursa Malaysia will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action,” an SC spokesman said in an e-mail response to queries from StarBiz. “This is further complemented by SC’s investor education programmes conducted regularly to help investors make informed investment decisions.”

Since early May, Bursa has issued six unusual market activity (UMA) queries, following sudden surges or drops in share price or volume traded. The first query went to Unisem (M) Bhd (May 6), followed by Measat Global Bhd (June 4), Transmile Group Bhd (June 5), SAAG Consolidated (M) Bhd and Compugates Holdings Bhd (June 11) and Equine Capital Bhd (June 16).


Recent price movements of some counters

Bursa chief regulatory officer Selvarany Rasiah said as a frontline regulator, Bursa had a duty to ensure an orderly and fair market.

“The maintenance of an orderly and fair market necessarily means that the exchange focuses on identifying the presence of any manipulative or artificial nature of trading on the market. On this note, to be clear, it is the manipulative or artificial nature of trading (in the sense of being false or resulting from trickery or deception) that is of concern to the exchange,’’ she said in a statement to StarBiz.

“Where trading takes place in an informed market and in the absence of manipulative conduct, the exchange believes it is a matter for investors to make a decision as to whether to participate.

“So-called speculative trading is not in itself offensive or undesirable but it is not tolerated by the exchange if it transforms into a market offence such as manipulative trading conduct.’’

“While those in the market may only see the UMAs or market alerts – or only be aware of the contact we have directly with them – the exchange engages in a high level of activity across all facets of the market, monitoring and investigating trading and initiating a range of regulatory responses to ensure that the market is fair, orderly and informed.”

On comments that the current market alerts were reminiscent of those issued in old times, she said: “Stock markets, this one included, tend to be cyclical and when market levels change, the exchange will come in as necessary to inform investors about the importance of ignoring rumours and basing their trading decisions on research and a careful consideration of the fundamentals of the stocks that make up the market.

“The exchange will continue its active monitoring of trading, engagement with brokers and registered persons, its use of a range of regulatory responses from those that can be implemented immediately to investigation and disciplinary action which necessarily takes more time to complete.’’

Hence, she added, the market could expect to see continued use of UMAs and market alerts, a continuation of Bursa’s awareness raising activities and emphasis on the role of listed issuers, participating organisations and registered persons’ play in ensuring market integrity.

“We note also the value, particularly to investors, of the publication and reporting of market alerts and other information about trading activity on our market,” she said.

---

"Where trading takes place in an informed market and in the absence of manipulative conduct, the exchange believes it is a matter for the investors to make a decision as to whether to participate.

So-called speculative trading is not in itself offensive or undesirable but it is not tolerated by the exchange if it transforms into a market offence such as manipulative trading conduct."

----

Wednesday June 17, 2009

Equine queried on heavy trading


PETALING JAYA: Equine Capital Bhd (ECB) in reply to a Bursa Malaysia query yesterday said it was not aware of any event that may have contributed to the unusual market activity in its shares recently, in particular, on June 15.

ECB was the most heavily traded counter on Monday with 50.28 millions exchanging hands.

In a filing with Bursa, the ECB board of directors said that they were not aware of any corporate development relating to ECB group’s business and affairs that had not been previously announced that may account for the unusual market activity.

“We do not have any other possible explanation to account for the unusual market activity,” it added.

Since April, Bursa has issued five unusual market activity queries, issued when the share price or volume of a company suddenly surges.

The first for the year was on May 6 when it queried Unisem (M) Bhd, followed by four more this month, starting with Measat Global Bhd on June 4, Transmile Group Bhd the next day, and SAAG Consolidated (M) Bhd and Compugates Holdings Bhd on June 11.

Meanwhile, Compugates told Bursa yesterday group managing director and substantial shareholder Goh Kheng Peow had received margin call notices between June 2 and June 7 from Malacca Securities, EON Bank Bhd, OSK Investment Bank Bhd and Malayan Banking Bhd.

Earlier, in a reply to Bursa’s query on June 11, Compugates said the recent high trading volume was caused by a reduction of margin facility to Goh by stockbrokers.

For example, RM5mil was revised downwards to RM1.5mil effective May 20 by TA Securities.

EQUINE : [Stock Watch] [News]

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/17/business/4132023&sec=business

Tips on how investors could build a large portfolio

Wednesday June 17, 2009
Tips on how investors could build a large portfolio
Personal Investment - A column by Ooi Kok Hwa



OWING TO the global economic downturn, some investors may have to put aside their aim of wealth accumulation lately. (Comment: This is the best time to invest.)

For now, wealth accumulation seems to be far away given their current low salary level, worsened by lower bonuses received or no salary increment.

As a result of the uncertainty arising from salary reduction or getting retrenched, some may even need to tap into their savings to survive through this period of difficulty.

We can fully understand this situation. However, we believe that we should consider building a portfolio at this time.

We may not want to rush in to buy stocks now in view of the current high prices. However, we need to prepare ourselves to “fish” good quality stocks at reasonable price levels if the market turns down again.

We will regret if we are not investing during this period because usually the best opportunities are discovered during a downturn.

Nevertheless, some investors think that it may not be realistic for them to invest now given that they are already having difficulties making ends meet.

However, we believe that we need to start somewhere. Every big portfolio always starts from a small one. If we never sit down and start thinking about building a portfolio, we will never get a big portfolio. Hence, we should start now and start small.

When our portfolio is about RM10,000 in size, a 10% return means a return of only RM1,000. However, when our portfolio grows to RM1mil, a 10% return means RM100,000!

Some investors may have the intention of building a portfolio but they do not know how to do so. In fact, some may depend on wealth advisers on this issue.

However, even if we get a very good, knowledgeable and responsible wealth adviser, we also need to equip ourselves with some knowledge in this area to make sure we make sound investment decisions; after all, we need to be responsible for our future.


We can gain this knowledge by reading books related to this topic or attending some training courses. (Comment: Get good financial education early.)

Know what we want to achieve

T. Harv Eker says in his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, that “the number one reason for most people who do not get what they want is that they don’t know what they want.”

For example, if we want to have a good retirement, we will have to know how much we need for our retirement and plan ahead for it. To give you some ideas, there are quite a few websites that can provide free advice on how to determine your retirement needs.

Once we know how much we need for retirement and set it as an objective, we need to focus on growing our net wealth to achieve it.

Sometimes investors are too focused on their current income level and short-term gain that they end up neglecting the long-term growth of their net wealth. (Comment: Focus on the long-term, grow your portfolio, allowing compounding to work its magic over a long period.)

High income does not mean high net wealth if your expenses are higher than your income level. Hence, we need to control and monitor our expenses in order to have a net positive cash inflow instead of outflow.

If possible, we should have a cash budget that will guide us on the expected income to be received as well as the expenses to be incurred in the coming periods. We should try our best to stick to the plan and be committed to build our wealth.

Lately, some investors have been affected by high credit-card debts, which may be due to high expenses that cannot be supported by their current income.

During hard times, we need to plan carefully for big expenses and, if possible, we should delay expenditures which are not critical.

Given that nobody will know when our economy will recover, it is safer to spend less and try to reduce our debts.

In fact, if we have cultivated good spending habits from the start, regardless of economic situation, we will not have the problem of having to trim down unnecessary expenses during bad times. We have seen a lot of successful people living below their means and being very careful in spending money on luxury items. We should learn from these examples.

Don’t look down on low returns

Sometimes, a guarantee of low returns is better than the uncertainties of high returns, depending on the risk tolerance level of individuals. Always remember that risk and return go hand-in-hand. Not every investment product suits our return objective and risk tolerance level. (Comment: The smart investor searches for high returns with low risks ... yes, these investments are available, just be patient and be ready when the opportunities appear.)

Therefore, we need to understand the characteristics and nature of investment products that we intend to invest in before we make any investment decisions.

We cannot always think of big returns without considering the potential risks that we need to encounter. (Comment: Always assess the risk of downside first, then the reward of any upside. The risk/reward ratio should be favourable to your requirement of safety of capital and with a reasonable moderate return, before you invest.)

For those who like to play it safe, it will be wiser to go for defensive ways of investing, which means looking for stocks that pay good dividends and have solid businesses. (Comment: This is the safest route for the less savvy investors.)

Remember, we need to be patient, go slow and steady. If we can avoid making losses during this period, we should be able to achieve our financial goals when the economy recovers again.


Ooi Kok Hwa is an investment adviser and managing partner of MRR Consulting.


http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/17/business/4131454&sec=business

Diary of a private investor: Three reasons why it is bigger risk to be out of the market

Diary of a private investor: Three reasons why it is bigger risk to be out of the market

Can the spring rally continue into summer? The FTSE 100 was crushed at a mere 3,512 on March 3. By early this week, it had risen to 4,500 – a 28pc jump.

By James Bartholomew
Published: 7:00AM BST 03 Jun 2009

In glorious Technicolor retrospect, it seems pretty obvious that the market was likely to recover from its March low since many individual shares at the time were at Armageddon-fearing valuations.

Indeed, I did mention in this diary in early March that a company called Staffline was priced at a “mere” 2.5 times its prospective earnings and the shares were “seriously cheap”.


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These shares have risen 66pc since. And that illustrates the problem. Many such shares may well still be excellent value for the medium or longer term. But you would not use the phrase “seriously cheap” so freely now.

So what happens next? If that was a rally from extreme cheapness, what does the market do when it is merely excellent value? Last week I got a little nervous and sold some of my shares in Enterprise Inns, a pub company.

I reckoned May was ending and summer is the season when shares tend to do badly. Add in that the market has had such a terrific run and was there not a setback risk? Was it not a good idea to have more cash in hand?

But three things now make me think the bigger risk is being out of this market. The first is a paper by economist Tim Congdon, who has just created a new consultancy International Monetary Research.

In this he argues inflation will not take off in the next two years, contrary to my previous belief. I had thought all this monetary stimulus was likely to lead to serious inflation. If this happened, it would lead to higher interest rates, which would undermine any potential bull market.

But, looking at the American economy, Congdon examines major economic setbacks and finds in six cases out of seven since the Second World War, the inflation rate two years after a trough was lower that it had been previously. That is one worry of mine calmed.

The second influence again comes from Congdon. He went on to study how the stock market in America performed in the two years following a trough in economic activity. Of course, this is not America, but a similar story can probably be told here. In every case, shares rose.

And the third influence is the Coppock Indicator, devised by a man of that name many years ago. He asked bishops how long it takes people to recover emotionally from the loss of a loved one. He was told 11 to 14 months, and from that he built a system – presumably thinking it could take investors a similar time to get over losing their savings.

I believe his system has an excellent track record for confirming the start of bull markets. Well, the Coppock Indicator for the FTSE 250 has given a buy signal and apparently it is now inevitable it will do the same for the FTSE 100.

Given a new lease of confidence, this week I more than bought back the Enterprise Inns I had sold last week (sadly at a higher price). Before that I bought more shares in Telecom Plus, a utility provider at 291p.

I also bought more shares in Nippon Parking in Japan at Y4017 and Y4984; Home Products in Thailand at Thai baht 4.63 and 5.23, and Bumrungrad Hospital at Thai Baht 27.33. Most have attractive dividend yields.

I have also bought two chunks of shares in Cheung Kong, the Hong Kong property blue chip at HK$91.70 and HK$99.65.

I have financed the purchases by selling most of my yen. I have also sold my inflation-indexed gilts and most of my corporate bonds. Why so many Far Eastern shares? Because the proportion in my portfolio had become tiny and the bull markets there seem to be charging ahead.

I also fear that – despite the good medium prospect – Britain might have a lull over summer. I am still 20pc in cash and bonds. But if the market does weaken between now and November, at that point I intend to get 100pc invested.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/5433916/Diary-of-a-private-investor-Three-reasons-why-it-is-bigger-risk-to-be-out-of-the-market.html

Message to investors – don't panic

Message to investors – don't panic

The stock market has reacted badly following the revelation that Lehman Brothers, the giant US investment bank has filed for bankruptcy, leaving investors wondering how to protect their savings.

By Paul Farrow
Published: 1:33PM BST 15 Sep 2008

In London staff at the bank's Canary Wharf offices turned up to work to hear the bad news Photo: ANTHONY UPTON

Millions rely on shares to provide for their retirement and the pessimistic outlook has left them asking: "Should I hold on to my shares, or cut and run before it's too late?''

With shares down more than 20 per cent on their peak, many will be tempted to sell. But the experts will tell you that even if you are sitting on losses, it may pay to grit your teeth and see the crisis through – particularly if you have held on through the past year. Are you investing for short-term profit or a long-term nest egg? If you are saving for retirement then hanging on to your shares could be the wisest decision.


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Investing in shares is about your time in the market, not out of it. According to the fund manager Fidelity, a stake of £1,000 invested in the UK stock market 15 years ago would today be worth £3,261. But if you had missed the 10 best days since June 1993, the stake would be worth just £2,147. Stripping out the best 40 days slashes it to just £885.

Mark Dampier, head of research at Hargreaves Lansdown, says: "I think it is actually good news, although I understand why investors will have the jitters – they need to hold their nerve if they can. We need some banks to go under – the quicker that happens the quicker we can get out of this mess and it means we are a step nearer the bottom. It is not all good news, the economy will get worse, but much of that is priced in the stock market - we all knew Lehman was in trouble and it has not been that much of a surprise.

No one can predict what will happen and the best way to avoid boom-and-bust cycles is to make objective investment decisions that ignore fashions. There will be those managers who argue that the volatility will trigger buying opportunities, but there is no doubt that caution is the operative word at this juncture. The advice from the great and the good is not to panic.

But if you haven't already, it would be well worth reviewing your holdings to see if you are overexposed to any asset class or classes. Diversification and getting the balance right are vital.

Dampier – who has around 25 per cent of his own portfolio in cash – is buying shares on their bad days to take advantage of the price dips. He adds: "I think the FTSE100 will fall to below 5,000, but investing is never easy, but it is when markets are bad that it is the right time to stay invested - if you wait until share prices have stabilised you will have missed out on the gains.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/2962934/Lehman-Brothers-Message-to-investors---dont-panic.html

Keep your balance as markets plunge

Keep your balance as markets plunge
A mix of different assets will keep your portfolio in positive territory amid the crunch.

By Rosie Murray-West
Published: 1:57PM BST 22 Sep 2008

Attitudes to risk and reward remain individual Photo: PA
For some people an unacceptable risk might be bungee jumping off the Empire State Building, while others might find it too frightening to board a plane.

But while attitudes to risk and reward remain individual, there are things you can do to make sure your investment portfolio is not overexposed to risky markets - and that it is not too safe to be making you any money. While no investment is entirely without risk, some are perceived as safer than others, but may produce lower returns.


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Recent market volatility has encouraged some people to unbalance their portfolios by pulling out of areas that have not performed well, such as equities, according to Christopher Traulsen of Morningstar, the investment analyst. "Panic is never a good thing,'' he says. "Market timing is a difficult thing to get right. There is a tendency to think you need to remake your portfolio, but what you really need to do is look at your risk tolerance, and only maybe tilt your portfolio a little depending on the markets.''

Most investment managers recommend a balanced portfolio, unless you have large amounts of other wealth you can fall back on. "We ask how much can you afford to see your portfolio move and still sleep at night, and what is your time horizon,'' says Nigel Parsons of Bestinvest, the financial adviser.

Stockbrokers and financial advisers will offer at least three basic types of portfolio - high, low and medium risk - depending on how much time you have before you might need the money you are investing and your attitude towards risk.

The current market is completely different from others we have seen before, Parsons says, because the lack of interbank lending has "caused its lifeblood to dry up''. It is more important than ever that your portfolio is able to withstand this volatility.

Reducing the risk in your portfolio without losing its potential is a case of ensuring that you have your money invested in several different types of asset that tend to move at different times. For example, commodities are extremely volatile, but often rise as equities fall. "What you need to do is pair things that move in different ways,'' says Traulsen.

Carl Cross of Rensburg Sheppard, the investment manager, suggests splitting your money between British shares, overseas equities, fixed-income products and hedge funds. "It is the old adage - you need to juggle fear and greed,'' he says. "Some people are too reluctant to accept any volatility, and others cannot see that in the long term they will get superior returns from it.''

Even within the equities component of your portfolio, it is important not to rely too heavily on one part of the market. In order to properly balance your portfolio, says Traulsen, you need to know how the funds you are buying are managed.

"You need to understand how a manager positions his fund so you can take the right types of risk at the right time,'' he says. "For example, if you had bought all of the best-performing funds of 2006, you would be very heavily exposed to mid-cap stocks.'' He advises buying several funds that invest in different areas of the equity market.

When buying overseas funds, he suggests not being too narrow in your choice. "Steer clear of very focused funds - so don't just buy a fund focusing on Russia,'' he says. "Nobody knows what that will do in the next 10 years. Why pay a fund manager and then tie his hands behind his back by allowing him only one country to invest in? Buy an emerging market fund instead.''

A good fund manager will sell and buy stocks to reduce risk. For instance, the City of London investment trust, which has increased its share price by 55 per cent over five years, currently has a bias towards defensive and larger-cap stocks because of economic uncertainty.

To counteract your equities, it is important to invest in both government and corporate bonds, which involve different levels of risk. Government bonds, or gilts, are very low-risk, because the Government is unlikely to default on them, but they do not produce spectacular returns. "Gilts are gilts, so just buy the cheapest,'' says Cross.

Corporate bonds, another useful part of a balanced portfolio, are far riskier than government bonds because of the risk of default. However, Parsons points out that highly rated bonds that are unlikely to default are now available with very high yields. "The market is pricing in Armageddon,'' he says. "There are yields of 7 to 8 per cent on good corporate debt.'' Corporate bonds can be bought outright, but it may be easier to hold a corporate bond fund.

Meanwhile, Cross suggests that between 5 and 7 per cent of a portfolio should be held in hedge funds. "This is one area that most people don't understand,'' says Parsons. However, holding hedge funds may help protect you against falls in the equity market. He recommends funds run by Brevan Howard, including BH Global, which is now listed on the London Stock Exchange.

A combination of all of these asset classes ought to give you a safety net in a market like this, without minimising your returns. In fact, being well balanced is the only way to survive the storms.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/3050940/Keep-your-balance-as-markets-plunge.html

Opportunities still abound in tougher financial times

Opportunities still abound in tougher financial times

Published: 4:01PM GMT 19 Mar 2009

Managing client money in a downturn is proving to be the ultimate stress test. In an economic downturn, capital preservation becomes a greater consideration as investment risk increases.

Stockmarkets can experience sharp declines, volatility rises and traditional sources of income can be eroded. Such periods of economic difficulty also provide attractive opportunities. Being positioned with flexibility means it is possible to take advantage of these as they emerge.


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To manage client money successfully in a downturn we have to try to identify the environment in which we are operating. This has been made more difficult by the rapid change in the economic and financial landscape in recent months. But certain factors are apparent:

A number of leading banks have wiped out their capital. Governments have, however, made it clear that they will do everything possible to protect savers and keep the banking system functioning. This is good news, but investors need to be wary of any loss of nerve by the authorities as they face up to multiple bank recapitalisations.

We have entered a recession that will be deep and last for several years. There will be a sharp fall in the rate of inflation and we may even see a negative number this year. Interest rates will continue to fall.

Given the level of uncertainty, the value of capital and the extensive range of attractive opportunities available it makes no sense to lock up capital even if apparent returns are attractive. For example, investors in five-year structured notes backed by a bank whose credit rating is deteriorating, will attest to how uncomfortable they feel at present and how much poorer they are in the short term.

Equally, borrowing to invest even though interest rates are falling is unnecessary and potentially dangerous.

Backward-looking asset-allocation models have also failed to protect investors. Decade-long average returns and past correlations have been of little use over the past year and they will continue to provide poor guidance for a number of years to come.

Governments are fully occupied in an exercise that may best be described as battlefield triage of the financial system, while at the same time trying to work out how to sustain the rest of the economy and the confidence of consumers. They have now moved on to search for explanations as to what went wrong and who to blame.

On the other hand, investors should have a different agenda.

Liquidity in all asset classes is critical so that when the forced selling stops and the markets stabilise, investors will be able to use valuable capital to maximum effect. There are attractive opportunities in all asset classes.

Interest rates are low and probably heading lower. Returns on cash are correspondingly low, but having a good cushion of liquidity provides the flexibility to redeploy this quickly as opportunities open up. Gilt yields have tumbled, reflecting the decline in interest rates and the expectation that inflation will remain low for some time.

However, while this may hold true for now, the combination of substantial fiscal and monetary stimulus packages is likely to rekindle inflation in two years. This makes inflation-linked gilts look more attractive at present.

Corporate bonds have delivered a poor return over the past year as the default risk priced into them rises in step with the deterioration in the economic environment. However, there are a number of high-quality investment-grade bonds offering attractive yields well in excess of government stock.

Equity markets have slumped, but there are many good-quality businesses with strong balance sheets that are generating sufficient cash flow to support progressive dividend policies. Equities are an unloved asset class at present, but many quality companies in sectors such as oil and pharmaceuticals are sitting at attractive valuations. Commodities also have a role to play within a diversified portfolio.

Our focus at present is on gold and silver, rather than economically sensitive industrial metals. We regard the former as a hedge against the longer term inflationary implications of the action being taken to stimulate the economy, specifically low interest rates and the expansion of the monetary base.

We believe that successful investment is about managing risk, sensible diversification and taking advantage of opportunities as they occur.

Michael Kerr-Dineen is chief executive of Cheviot Asset Management

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/5016903/Opportunities-still-abound-in-tougher-financial-times.html