What's in store at Popular?

Another good quarterly results by Popular Holdings, as was announced on 9 March..

Book companies in Singapore need to learn the survival skill from Popular.  The razor thin bottom line on books alone is not suffice. Popular's good profit continue to grow with the help of its two other smaller businesses of publishing and e-learning and also property development.

Now that MD Wayne Chou already left Popular in such a huff and puff speed, l wonder whether all unhappiness have been resolved in the back office or management level?  Is there any succession plan at Popular after Wayne Chou's leaving?

I am also wondering that with vacancy left by Page One in Vivocity, will Popular eye the vacated spot?    Probably Harris Bookstore is finally making a come back after vacating Jurong Point and Great World City? 


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For the 3rd quarter ended 31 January 2012, Popular's net profit rose 18.4% y-o-y to S$26.4 million.

- Group turnover of S$426.7 million
- Net profit of S$26.4 million
- EPS of 3.14 cents

Singapore, 9 March 2012 - Popular Holdings Limited (“Popular” or the “Group”) today announced its unaudited financial results for the 9 months ended 31 January 2012 (“year-to-date Q3 FY2012”).

Driven by growth from the Retail & Distribution and Property Development divisions, the Group recorded S$15.4 million year-on-year improvement in turnover to S$426.7 million for year-to-date Q3 FY2012.

The Group is pleased to report that net profit (profit attributable to owners of the company) rose 18.4% year-on-year to S$26.4 million. Earnings per share increased to 3.14 cents from 2.65 cents in the same period of the preceding year.

Year-to-date Q3 FY2012, the Group generated operating cash flow of S$29.9 million. As at 31 January 2012, the Group cash position remained strong at S$129.3 million. Excluding bank loans of S$29.7 million, the Group was cash positive at S$99.6 million.

As at 31 January 2012, total shareholders’ equity of the Group was S$208.0 million with Net Asset Value per share at 24.73 cents.