Singapore Stocks: Asia’s Hidden Gem

Some facts about Singapore:
1. It is one of the few city-states in the world.
2. It is the 18th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita.
3. It is rated a high 25th place on the Human Development Index.
4. Based on the amount of tonnage shipped, it is the busiest port in the world.
5. It is the fourth largest foreign exchange trading center.
6. It is rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world.
7. The economy had an estimated growth rate of 8.2% for the second quarter of 2007.
8. Almost ten million tourists visited Singapore last year.
9. The government legalized gambling in 2005.

Here are some Singaporian stocks worth examining:

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. (CHRT), which trades on NASDAQ, is in the business of providing wafer fabrication services and technologies to semiconductor suppliers and companies. The P/E is 53.3, the P/S is 1.56, and the PEG is 2.22.

City Developments (CDEVY.PK) is in the Singapore real estate business. They have paid dividends at least annually in six out of the last seven years. The yield is about 1%.

DBS Group Holdings (DBSDY.PK) is a bank holding company which owns DBS Bank, which is the largest bank in South East Asia by assets. Income for the latest year was up 17%, and profits increased by 175%.

Grand Banks Yachts ADR (GBYLY.PK) manufactures and markets three different series of yachts. Although it trades fairly regularly in the US on the Pink Sheets, little financial data is available on the company.

Keppel Corp. LTD SPON (KPELY.PK) diversified conglomerate in the business of real estate, marine, and infrastructure industries. The stock has a P/E of 18 and has paid dividends at least twice a year since 2001.

Neptune Orient (NPTOY.PK) is a container shipping global transport company. It owns American President Lines also known as APL. Net profit for the latest quarter was down 64% year over year.

Singapore Telecommunications ADR (SGAPY.PK) also known as SingTel, provides telecommunication systems and services in over 20 countries. The P/E is 14.7 and the P/S is 4.14, with a yield of 3.2%.

STATS ChipPAC Ltd. (STTS), which trades on NASDAQ, offers semiconductor packaging and test services to the semiconductor industry around the world. The P/E is 29, the P/S is 1.35, and the PEG is 1.19.

United Overseas Bank (UOVEY.PK) is Singapore's largest bank in terms of domestic customer loans, credit cards and market capitalization. Their after tax net profit increased by 17.9% for the first quarter of 2007.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld for Stockerblog.com.