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Developers are selling assets higher than book value; can their stock prices reflect book value?

Goola Warden
Goola Warden • 3 min read
Developers are selling assets higher than book value; can their stock prices reflect book value?
Since developers are able to divest their investment properties at or above book value, shouldn't their share prices trade nearer to their NAVs?
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Just as indicators plunged to oversold lows by April with City Developments’ (CDL) RSI at just 20, indicators can move to overbought levels and stay there. CDL’s technical condition remains intact. RSI, at 71 as of Dec 19, isn’t particularly at extreme overbought levels. For instance, in Aug, RSI had risen above 82. In the meantime, ADX is neutral, and quarterly momentum rebounded off neutral levels at its equilibrium line in early December. These indicators suggest the continuation of the uptrend.

CDL’s ability to sell its non-core assets at above their book value proves to investors it is able to get full price for its assets. To further prove this point, CDL may decide to divest some of its UK properties - the site at Mortlake, the site at Teddington and Shoreditch at book value. This would prove CDL’s can divest at or above book. If so, CDL’s share price, in turn, should be able to attain its book net asset value of $10.10.

Elsewhere, UOL Group’s chart pattern is in a consolidation range. The breakout level is at $8.70 or thereabouts. A successful breakout indicates an upside of around $10 based on the chart pattern. UOL’s NAV as of June 30 was $13.59. On Sept 10, UOL announced the divestment of strata units at Kinex for $375 million, above the book value of $370 million, proving that it can attain book value for its assets.

JP Morgan has suggested that UOL has the potential to securitise its investment properties, possibly into a REIT, at which point UOL would be able to monetise these assets at around book value.

Bukit Sembawang Estates’ chart pattern resembles a bull pennant. If so, prices need to surge out of the pennant by Dec 22 or Dec 23. The flagpole provides the vertical measurement for a target. In this event, the upside is $5.46. This represents potential, and may not necessarily be achieved. Interestingly, DBS Group Research issued an unrated report on Bukit Sembawang with a 12-month price target of $5.88. Perhaps prices can get to the $5.80 area much earlier than the end of 2026. Bukit Sembawang's NAV as at end-June was $6.13.

See also: STI could see 5,000 this year; but can DBS be at $70 by end-2026?

The Straits Times Index (STI) closed at 4,569 on Dec 19, 15 points lower than the close on Dec 12. With less than two weeks of trading left, JP Morgan’s initial target of 5,000 to be reached by end-2026 (before it was raised to 6,000), may not be attained by end-2025.

Technically, the STI is in a sideways consolidation range. The pattern resembles an ascending right triangle, with a breakout level just short of 5,600. A successful breakout - more likely in Jan than Dec - would provide the impetus for prices to test 5,000. The 50-day moving average, currently at 4,504 has been a consistent support line.

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