Uni-Asia has reported record earnings for FY2022, buoyed by higher charter rates and other related fee income.

 

For the year ended Dec 2022, earnings increased by 53% to US$27.8 million. Revenue in the same period was up 24% to US$86.1 million.

 

Uni-Asia plans to pay a dividend of 8 cents, bringing total payout for FY2022 to 14.5 cents.

 

" FY2022 has been a stellar year for the group, as we benefitted from a robust bulk carrier market," says CEO Kenji Fukuyado.

 

" The positive performance has strengthened our financial position and fundamentals, providing the group with reserves to capture new growth opportunities and allowing us to reward our loyal investors with the highest dividend in the group&rsquo s history," he adds.

 

Uni-Asia acknowleges that with the pandemic easing the shipping market has eased in tandem, especially in 2HFY2022. However, China' s reopening might lend support to an improvement in the bulk carrier market this year.

 

Besides shipping, Uni-Asia' s other key business is in real estate. It owns stakes in a string of Hong Kong commercial development projects, as well as a portfolio of boutique projects estates in Japan.

 

Uni-Asia says that while Hong Kong&rsquo s property market has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the city remains a major financial hub in Asia and is home to a large number of multinational corporations.

 

Uni-Asia also notes that the Tokyo property market has been " robust" , driven by a combination of factors including a strong economy and low interest rates.

 

On Oct 10, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ -4.79% executive director Masahiro Iwabuchi acquired 50,000 shares at 87.5 cents per share. This took his direct interest from 0.61 per cent to 0.67 per cent. His preceding acquisition was on Aug 16, with 80,000 shares acquired at S$1.12 per share. Iwabuchi joined the group in 1997 and was appointed as senior managing director in April 2014, and he heads the property investment department. Uni-Asia Group is an alternative investment company specialising in creating alternative investment opportunities and providing integrated services relating to such investments. The group&rsquo s alternative investment targets are mainly cargo ships and properties.

 

On Aug 15, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ -0.9% executive chair Michio Tanamoto acquired 200,000 shares of the company at S$1.12 per share. With a consideration of S$224,000, this took his direct interest from 3.88 per cent to 4.14 per cent.

 

His preceding acquisition was on Jul 7, with 100,000 shares acquired at 99.5 cents per share.

 

Appointed the executive chair of Uni-Asia Group in April 2020, Tanamoto is one of the founders who established the company in 1997 and has been a director since then. He has over 39 years of experience in financial sector, and was based in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

On Aug 16, Uni-Asia Group executive eirector Masahiro Iwabuchi acquired 80,000 shares of the company, also at an average price of S$1.12 per share. This took his direct interest from 0.51 per cent to 0.61 per cent.

 

Iwabuchi joined the group in 1997, and was appointed senior managing director on Apr 30, 2014. He heads the property investment department.

 

On Aug 12, Uni-Asia Group announced a H1 2022 net profit of US$16.5 million, a 134 per cent increase from the US$7.0 million net profit in H1 2021, propelled by the upcycle momentum in the shipping market.

 

Following the financial performance, and to reward shareholders for their continued support, the group declared an interim dividend of 6.5 Singapore cents per share for H1 2022, a 225 per cent year-on-year increase from 2 Singapore cents per share for H1 2021. The H1 2022 interim dividend goes ex-dividend on Sep 20.

 

Between Jul 4 and 7, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ 0% executive chair Michio Tanamoto acquired 250,000 shares of the company at an average price of S$1.02 per share. With a consideration of S$254,500, this took his direct interest from 3.56 per cent to 3.88 per cent. Appointed the executive chair of the group in April 2020, Tanamoto is one of the founders who established the company in 1997 and has been a director since then.

 

On Jul 5, Uni-Asia Group executive director Yukihiro Toda also acquired 30,000 shares of the company at an average price of S$1.06 per share. With a consideration of S$31,749, this increased his deemed interest from 0.12 per cent to 0.16 per cent. Toda joined the group in 1998, and has been chief investment officer of Uni-Asia Capital (Japan) since February 2000, responsible for overall real estate fund management business and property investment business in Japan.

 

Between Jun 24 and 30, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ -0.96% executive chair Michio Tanamoto acquired 50,000 shares of the company at an average price of S$1.05 per share. This took his direct interest from 3.50 per cent to 3.56 per cent. Tanamoto was appointed the executive chair of Uni-Asia Group in April 2020.

 

On Jun 28, Uni-Asia Group executive director and CEO Kenji Fukuyado also acquired 30,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$31,264. At an average price of S$1.04 per share, this took his direct interest from 1.87 per cent to 1.91 per cent. His preceding acquisition was on Jun 1, with 70,000 shares acquired at S$1.07 per share. Fukuyado was also appointed Uni-Asia Group CEO in April 2020.

 

On Jun 13, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ -0.98% executive chairman Michio Tanamoto acquired 150,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$156,000. At an average price of S$1.04 per share, this increased his total interest in the company from 3.24 per cent to 3.44 per cent. This closely followed his acquisition of 50,000 shares at S$1.09 per share on Jun 9. Tanamoto was appointed the executive chairman of Uni-Asia Group in April 2020.

 

On Jun 9, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ -1.87% executive chairman Michio Tanamoto acquired 50,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$54,250. At an average price of S$1.09 per share, this increased his total interest in the company from 3.18 per cent to 3.24 per cent.

 

His preceding acquisitions were on Aug 20, with 30,000 shares acquired at S$1.05 per share and May 21, 2021, with 50,000 shares acquired at 66.5 cents per share.

 

Tanamoto was appointed executive chairman of the Uni-Asia Group in April 2020. He was previously appointed as chairman and CEO in April 2014, before he relinquished his position as CEO in 2020 as part of the group&rsquo s succession planning. He is one of the 4 founders who established the company in 1997 and has been a director since then. He has close to 40 years of experience in financial sector, having been based in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

In April, Tanamoto noted that as a producer of alternative investment opportunities, Uni-Asia Group&rsquo s ongoing mission is to constantly create new investment products and develop new investors sources to increase its assets under management as well and strengthen its investment portfolio to achieve sustainable long-term growth. With 2022 also marking the group&rsquo s 25th anniversary, Tanamoto added that the group&rsquo s balance sheet is now stronger than before, following its deleveraging strategy, with a strong cashflow, as a result of the strong shipping market.

 

On Jun 1, Uni-Asia Group : CHJ 0% executive director and CEO Kenji Fukuyado acquired 70,000 shares of the company for a consideration of S$74,679.

 

At S$1.07 per share, this took his total interest in Uni-Asia Group from 1.78 per cent to 1.87 per cent.

 

His preceding acquisition was on Mar 16, with 50,000 shares acquired at S$1.12 per share, and prior to that, he acquired 50,000 shares at 63.3 cents per share back in December 2020.

 

Fukuyado was appointed Uni-Asia Group CEO in April 2020.

 

He joined the group in 2001 and has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry, including structured finance such as tax lease, asset finance, loan syndication, corporate finance, and asset management.

 

In 2021, Uni-Asia Group achieved a net profit of US$18.0 million, the highest profit level in the history of the group. 

 

Fukuyado also noted in April that in the longer term, the alternative investment company is committed to building up a stronger balance sheet.

 

As at the end of 2021, Uni-Asia Group had reduced its total borrowings to US$83.8 million.

 

This was down from US$114.0 million as at the end of 2020, bringing the debt-to-equity ratio to less than 1.