OREANDA-NEWS. Across Southeast Asia, the Telecommunications Services sector comprises 45 primary-listed stocks in the countries of Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, with a combined market capitalisation of S$227.8 billion.

According to the Global Industry Classification System (GICS®), the Telecommunication Services sector comprises companies that provide communications services primarily through a fixed-line, cellular or wireless, high bandwidth and/or fiber optic cable network. As a global transport and finance hub, Singapore has a well-integrated, well-connected communications ecosystem.

Singapore Exchange (SGX) lists 10 companies classified by GICS® as Telecommunications stocks, which have a combined market capitalisation of S$64.2 billion. The three largest capitalised listed telcos – Singapore Telecommunications, StarHub and M1 – have a combined market capitalisation of S$64.0 billion, with Singtel the largest capitalised listing on SGX. These three account for about 28.1% of the total market cap of telecoms stocks in ASEAN.

The three Singapore operators averaged cash flow from operations of S$1.9 billion over the trailing 12-month period – the highest in ASEAN. This was largely due to Singtel registering operational cash flows of S$4.9 billion.

Heavyweights in the Philippine telecoms sector ranked second with average operational cash flow of S$1.5 billion. For the rest of ASEAN, telecoms stocks with a market cap of above S$1 billion in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand averaged cash flow from operations of S$1.1 billion, S$1.2 billion, and S$1.1 billion respectively over the trailing 12 months.

In financial accounting, cash flow from operating activities (CFO) refers to the amount of cash a company generates from its regular business activities, such as manufacturing/selling goods or providing a service, excluding costs associated with long-term capital investments or investment in securities. It includes earnings before interest and taxes plus depreciation after deducting taxes.

Cash flow metrics provide investors with a clearer picture of a company’s operational health. It is important because it indicates whether a company is able to generate sufficient cash to maintain and grow its operations, or whether it may require external financing.

Singapore’s telecoms stocks also maintain an average dividend yield of 5.7%, the third-highest in ASEAN after Thailand’s average 9.1% yield, and an average 5.9% yield from Philippine operators.

On Monday, M1, Singapore’s third-largest telecoms operator, reported earnings of S$43.6 million for the fourth quarter ended 31 December 2015, down 2.1% year-over-year. 

Indonesia

Name Market Cap in S$B Total Return YTD % 3 Year Annualized Total Return % P/E P/B Dvd Ind Yld % Trailing 12M Cashflow from Operations in S$M
Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero 32.4 1.7 21.1 20.7 4.3 2.4 3,655.6
Sarana Menara Nusantara 4.9 -1.9 23.0 106.9 9.1 N/A 266.2
XL Axiata 3.3 3.4 -11.3 N/A 2.3 N/A 766.8
Indosat 3.0 -2.7 -8.0 N/A 2.3 N/A 872.8
Tower Bersama Infrastructure 2.8 -3.3 -1.3 27.5 9.7 N/A 90.0
Average   -0.5 4.7 51.7 5.5   1130.3

Source: SGX & Bloomberg (Data as of 19 January 2016)

Malaysia

Name Market Cap in S$B Total Return YTD % 3 Year Annualized Total Return % P/E P/B Dvd Ind Yld % Trailing 12M Cashflow from Operations in S$M Earnings Releases
Axiata Group 17.7 -4.6 1.4 19.8 2.3 3.6 2,505.7  
Maxis 16.2 -3.6 5.7 30.5 12.0 3.5 1,361.6  
DiGi.Com 13.2 -4.5 4.3 21.1 75.2 4.7 789.7 2/5/2016
Telekom Malaysia 8.1 -3.5 9.4 33.6 3.3 3.5 1,076.2  
TIME dotCom 1.4 -2.4 40.7 8.9 2.1 0.8 136.0  
Average   -3.7 12.3 22.8 19.0 3.2 1173.8  

Source: SGX & Bloomberg (Data as of 19 January 2016)

Philippines

Name Market Cap in S$B Total Return YTD % 3 Year Annualized Total Return % P/E P/B Dvd Ind Yld % Trailing 12M Cashflow from Operations in S$M Earnings Releases
Philippine Long Distance Telephone 12.4 -8.1 -6.3 13.1 3.7 6.8 2,022.1  
Globe Telecom 6.8 -8.4 18.2 13.5 3.9 4.9 988.1 2/9/2016
Average   -8.2 5.9 13.3 3.8 5.9 1505.1  

Source: SGX & Bloomberg (Data as of 19 January 2016)

Singapore

Name SGX Code Market Cap in S$B Total Return YTD % 3 Year Annualized Total Return % P/E P/B Dvd Ind Yld % Trailing 12M Cashflow from Operations in S$M Earnings Releases
Singapore Telecommunications Z74 55.8 -4.6 3.8 14.1 2.2 5.0 4,915.7  
StarHub CC3 5.9 -7.8 0.1 15.1 30.6 5.9 537.4 2/16/2016
M1 B2F 2.3 -8.1 0.8 12.8 5.5 6.1 238.9 1/18/2016
Average     -6.9 1.6 14.0 12.8 5.7 1897.3  

Source: SGX, Bloomberg & SGX StockFacts (Data as of 19 January 2016)

Thailand

Name Market Cap in S$B Total Return YTD % 3 Year Annualized Total Return % P/E P/B Dvd Ind Yld % Trailing 12M Cashflow from Operations in S$M Earnings Releases
Advanced Info Service  18.1 1.9 -4.7 12.2 12.0 7.3 2,491.2  
Intouch Holdings 6.7 2.5 -3.1 11.0 8.0 7.9 797.1  
True Corp PCL 6.6 1.3 9.8 30.7 2.2 N/A 235.6  
Total Access Communication 3.3 16.4 -21.8 12.2 3.0 12.2 886.5 2/3/2016
Average   5.5 -5.0 16.5 6.3 9.1 1102.6  

Source: SGX & Bloomberg (Data as of 19 January 2016)