Target price raised with book value gain. OCBC and GEH will be selling their stakes in F&N and APB. Based on the sale price of S$8.88 per F&N share and S$45 per APB share, OCBC estimates a total gain of S$1,153m (inclusive of gains by GEH). This is equivalent to S$0.34 per OCBC share. Whilst OCBC may dish out special dividends, we believe the amount will not be significant as OCBC will want to retain the capital to expand its core financial business. We raise our TP to S$8.54 (from S$8.30) to factor in the book value rise.3
OCBC has entered into two conditional sale and purchase agreements to sell (1) 3.4% of APB for S$389m cash (S$45 per APB share) to Kindest Place Groups, and (2) 3.2% of F&N for S$411m cash (S$8.88 per F&N share) to Thai Beverage Public Company.
Upon the completion of the transaction, the total post tax gain of the OCBC Group (including gains to GEH) is S$1,153m (S$0.34 per OCBC share). We estimate the book value will only increase by S$0.18 per OCBC share (S$607m divided by 3435m OCBC shares) due to the mark-to-market feature.
Special dividends may be paid out. Factoring in the cash proceeds from OCBC sale of the two stakes, and assuming the proceeds from GEH sale are not upstreamed to OCBC, we estimate FY12 OCBC's Tier 1 CAR to rise to 15.7% (from our previous forecast of 15.1%). If we assume OCBC has the intention to bring down Tier 1 CAR back to 15.1%, then S$0.9b of special dividends can potentially be paid out, amounting to 26S'' per OCBC share, in addition to our current forecast FY12 ordinary dividend of 33S'' per share. Our view is that this 26S'' of potential special dividend is the upper limit and OCBC may dish out special dividends of a lower quantum.
Great Eastern Holdings (87% owned subsidiary of OCBC) has also entered into two conditional sale and purchase agreements to sell (1) 4.6% of APB for S$531m (S$45 per APB share) to Kindest Place Groups, and (2) 14.9% of F&N for S$1885m cash (S$8.88 per F&N share) to Thai Beverage Public Company.
APB and F&N shares are held as available-for-sale assets, and their market values are incorporated into the book value of OCBC.