Chart of the Day: Temasek's major stock investments yielded 8.1%

Its investments in Keppel paid off the largest at 12.8%.

This chart from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) shows that Temasek Holdings’ investments in six major stocks listed for over 20 years had average annualised total returns of 8.1%. Three stocks, Sembcorp Industries, SATS, and Olam International listed within the 20 years, averaging 10.8% annualised total returns from respective debuts.

Temasek includes SGX-listed stocks DBS Group Holdings, Singtel, Keppel Corp, Sembcorp Industries, ST Engineering, Singapore Airlines, CapitaLand, Olam International and SATS as major portfolio investments.

The return of Temasek’s investments in DBS hit 11.7%, in Singtel it hit 4.8%, in CapitaLand it reached 5.8%, in SIA it reached 5.6%, whilst in ST Engineering it hit 9.1%. Keppel’s returns were the largest at 12.8%.

SGX said that Temasek was incorporated under the Singapore Companies Act in 1974 to own and commercially manage investments and assets previously held by the Singapore Government. “This allowed the Ministry of Finance to focus on its core role of policy making and regulations, whilst Temasek would own and manage these investments on a commercial basis,” it added.

Temasek’s initial portfolio comprised of shares in companies, start-ups and joint ventures previously held by the Singapore Government - these included a bird park, a hotel, a shoe maker, a detergent producer, naval yards converted into a ship repair business, a start-up airline, and an iron and steel mill.

Many of the aforementioned businesses have evolved and expanded their capitalisation to become regional leaders for their respective Sectors. Amongst the businesses that Temasek currently list as its major investments are SGX-listed stocks DBS, Singtel, Keppel, SCI, ST Engineering, SIA, CapitaLand, Olam, and SATS as major portfolio investments.