Stocks to watch: SIA, ESR Reit, GuocoLand

THE following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Thursday (Jan 16).

Singapore Airlines (SIA): The national carrier and its low-cost arm carried a total of 3.6 million passengers in December 2024, up 7.1 per cent from the previous year. For the whole of 2024, total passenger carriage was 12.7 per cent higher at 39 million. SIA also reported growth in passenger capacity and cargo loads in the month, driven by a “boost in perishables traffic” and year-end demand. Shares of SIA closed on Wednesday flat at S$6.27, before the news.

ESR Real Estate Investment Trust (ESR Reit): Its manager has entered into a contract to divest a Tuas industrial building for about S$9.9 million, which represents a 1.5 per cent premium to its current valuation. The sale is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, but should not materially impact ESR Reit’s net asset value and distribution per unit for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2025. Units of ESR Reit closed on Wednesday up 2 per cent, or S$0.005, to S$0.26, before the news.

GuocoLand: The real estate group has secured two green club facilities, worth about S$1.2 billion in total, from DBS and OCBC. The first is a S$1.1 billion green loan for the refinancing of its latest integrated mixed development, Guoco Midtown, and is the group’s largest facility to date. The other is a S$105 million loan for the refinancing of the luxury residential development, Midtown Bay. Shares of GuocoLand closed flat at S$1.45 on Wednesday, before the news.