The following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Thursday (Jun 22).
DBS (D05), OCBC (O39): The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has imposed composition penalties amounting to S$3.8 million on DBS, OCBC, Citibank and insurer Swiss Life (Singapore) for breaching its anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements.
On Wednesday (Jun 21), MAS said the breaches were identified during its examinations following news of irregularities in German payments provider Wirecard’s financial statements, and the alleged involvement of Singapore-based individuals and entities in the matter.
Of the four financial institutions, DBS was imposed the largest composition penalty – amounting to S$2.6 million – for breaches between July 2015 and February 2020, in relation to the accounts of 11 corporate customers.
Best World (CGN): BEST World International’s payment of management and staff incentives relating to FY2022, sales-related expenses and income tax for FY2022 led it to post S$45.3 million in net cash outflow from operations for the first quarter of 2023.
In a response statement to Singapore Exchange (SGX) queries filed by the skincare firm on Wednesday (Jun 21), these payments were cited to explain why it did not have net cash inflow from operating activities when the group had a net profit of S$20.5 million for the three months to March. The earnings were, however, 25.7 per cent lower year on year, as a result of a 30.8 per cent dip in top line to S$80 million. The lower turnover, it noted, was mainly due to lower contributions from its franchise segment, which was partly caused by slower consumer spending.
Best World provided a breakdown of other payables to third parties amounting to S$76.1 million as at end-March, in response to another SGX query. The firm said that its other payables included value added tax payables and payables owing to non-trade parties relating to convention and marketing events, commissions as well as service fees to third-party promotional companies for its franchise segment.
Penguin (BTM): The offer to acquire Penguin International and delist it will now close on Jul 6 and not Jun 22, after the consortium making the bid announced a later closing date in a regulatory filing on Wednesday (Jun 21).
The offeror – a consortium comprising Penguin’s managing director and a special purpose vehicle under private equity firm Dymon Asia – and persons acting in concert had by 6pm on Wednesday garnered 86.83 per cent of the total shares in the designer, builder, owner and operator of aluminium high-speed craft.
The offer was priced at S$0.82 a share when it was launched in early May, with the deal sweetened by S$0.01 apiece about 10 days later.