Dividend yields of companies linked to Asia's wealthiest family empires outpace benchmark STI

Their dividend yields hover between 7.1-7.7% compared to 4% for the STI.

The five best-performing stocks related to Singapore’s family business empires have an average 12M dividend yield of 7.1-7.7% compared to the benchmark STI’s yield of about 4.0% over the same period, according to SGX.

There are 42 companies and 10 trusts that are linked to family-owned business empires listed on the SGX.

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These five non-REITs/trusts are identified to be OUE (8.6%), Haw Par (7.9%), QAF (6.7%), Golden Energy and Resources (6.6%) and Hong Leong Finance (5.7%) whose average indicated yield of 12M hit 7.1%.

Similarly, five REITs/trusts linked to the city’s wealthy families have an average indicated yield of 7.7% for 12M. These include Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (9.2%), First REIT (8.7%), OUE Hospitality Trust (7.1%), OUE Commercial REIT (7.0%) and Frasers Commercial REIT (6.5%).

The 24 companies and two trusts that are associated with the seven Singaporean business empires reported a combined market cap of more than $100b, which belongs to the Wee, Kwek, Ng, Kuok, Koh, Goi and Chua families.

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On the other hand, 18 companies and eight trusts are associated with five foreign family empires, of which three are Indonesian, one Thai and one British, having a combined market cap of more than $200b.

The Indonesian business empires are associated with the Widjaja, Riady and Salim families; Thailand’s Sirivadhanabhakdis are also prominent in the list and the Jardine Group is controlled by the Scottish/British Keswick family.