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S T a Y I N G a H E a D O F T H E G A SPHchess-Cover 11/5/04 4:39 PM Page II STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME S P H A R SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS LIMITED 2 1000 Toa Payoh North 0 News Centre 0 Singapore 318994 4 www.sph.com.sg Reg. No. 198402868E SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS ANNUAL 04REPORT SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 2 STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME “The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move.’’ – David Bronstein (b.1924), grandmaster and writer. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) said that chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chess board; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and, finally, hope, by steadfastly searching for the solutions to our problems. It is no wonder that the elements of strategy associated with the world’s oldest game of skill is common to strategy in the military, political and business spheres. This is why we are using chess as the metaphor for our annual report. The theme, “Staying Ahead of the Game,” is the principal strategy and tactic of the game of chess – and of successful corporations. SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 2 CONTENTS 6 77 96 Chairman’s Message Segmental Operating Revenue Audited Financial Statements Segmental Pre-Tax Profit 10 96 Group Financial Highlights 78 Balance Sheets After-Tax Profit Profit 12 Earnings Per Share Board of Directors / Board Committee 97 Members 79 Consolidated Income Statement Operation Margin and Return on 20 Operating Revenue 98 Executive Officers Return on Shareholders’ Funds and Consolidated Statement of Changes in Return on Assets Shareholders’ Equity 26 Review by Chief Executive Officer 80 99 Revenue Composition Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 36 Cost Composition “It is not a move, even the best move that you must seek, but a realisable plan.” Operational Review 102 81 – Eugene Alexandrovich Znosko-Borovsky, Russian professional chess player. Notes to the Financial Statements 45 Gross Dividend Per Share Operational Data Net Dividend 144 50 82 Shareholding Statistics Staff Welfare Value Added Statement 149 51 83 Overseas Bureaus Corporate Citizenry Group Half-Yearly Results 152 54 Properties of the Group Significant Events FINANCIAL REPORT AND MISCELLANEOUS 153 60 Corporate Information Corporate Governance Report 88 Financial Calendar Directors’ Report FINANCIAL REVIEW 154 94 Notice of Annual General Meeting Statement by Directors 76 Group Simplified Financial Position 160 95 Proxy Form Auditors’ Report SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 4 LEADING THE CHARGE “The tactician must know what to do whenever something needs doing; the strategist must know what to do when nothing needs doing.” – Savielly Tartakover (1887–1956), international grandmaster. SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 6 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE I am happy to report that the Company had put up a creditable performance in the past year. Profit was up sharply due to the strong showing of our newspapers which rebounded from the SARS aftermath in 2003. We continued to divest our non-core investments and returned surplus capital to shareholders, as well as carried out a share split to make SPH shares more affordable to small investors. With the impending merger of our broadcasting subsidiary with MediaCorp, which will immediately stem losses, the Company is in a better position to achieve improved results in the future. For the year ended 31 August 2004, revenue was up 8.0 per cent to $970.1 million on the back of improving consumer sentiments and contribution from the new Paragon extension. Adding income from our sale of Belgacom stake, profit from sale of Times House site, and other exceptional items, net profit was up by 44.2 per cent to $546.3 million. Newspapers Print advertising rose 4.9% to $624.4 million, on the back of a low base the previous year due to fallout from the Iraq war and SARS on the economy. Display advertising registered growth, with banking and finance, fast- moving consumer goods, transport, petrochemical and industrial products and fashion and beauty sectors recording double-digit growth. As the job market improved, recruitment advertising was up by nearly one-fifth. After absorption of $9.0 million in GST, circulation revenue was 6.5 per cent higher at $192.0 million as we had raised cover prices earlier in the year. Average daily circulation of our newspapers for the year dropped by 2.1 per cent in aggregate, but The Sunday Times, The New Paper on Sunday, Friday Weekly and Tamil Murasu registered increases. To stay relevant to our readers, efforts to constantly refresh and add value to our newspapers continued through the year. Improvements were made to The Sunday Times, The New Paper on Sunday, Berita Minggu, Shin Min Daily News and Lianhe Zaobao. The Straits Times was recently relaunched, and readers like its classy, fresh new look, more reader-friendly design and varied content, including three weekly lifestyle magazines. 6 SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 8 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE (CONT’D) CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE (CONT’D) Broadcasting Giving back to the community Although SPH MediaWorks maintained its share of viewers last year, its loss widened to $44.5 million, up from Demonstrating its strong community involvement, SPH contributed to a broad spectrum of programmes $40.2 million the previous year. Higher programming cost amidst a very competitive environment made it ranging from arts and culture, education, conservation, to sports and charity, as well as to the non-profit difficult for MediaWorks to continue in the small local free-to-air television market. At the close of our financial Press Foundation of Singapore, an Institution of a Public Character set up early last year to promote lifelong year, we announced that MediaWorks would merge with MediaCorp by end 2004. This merger, as well as learning. The Company believes that giving back to the society should be part of its corporate culture, and will that of our free newspaper Streats with Mediacorp’s Today, would allow both sides to focus on developing continue to play a responsible role as a good corporate citizen to enhance the well-being of the community. Singapore into a media hub for the region. Outlook Property The recent divestment of our StarHub shares would result in an investment income of $126.3 million, before The new Paragon extension contributed to the 56.7 per cent increase in property revenue to $82.6 million last deducting the Company’s share of IPO expenses, if the over allotment option in the IPO is not exercised. year. We expect the amalgamated Paragon, which enjoys 100 per cent occupancy in its retail space, to return more than 9 per cent equity yield per annum. Riding on an improving economy, and with a more rational local media market, we look forward to a better year ahead. Barring any adverse development in the geopolitical and economic environment, the Directors Times House site in Kim Seng Road was sold with a gain of $110.1 million. Other non-core property assets, expect the Group’s operating performance to improve in the current financial year. including the Times Industrial Building site, would be divested if we receive attractive offers. Directorate Investment income Another two stalwarts of the Board have informed me of their desire to step down. Dr Michael Fam Yue Onn Total investment income for the year was $258.0 million. Excluding the Belgacom $170.5 million gain, and Mr Tang I-Fang would not seek re-election in the coming AGM. Both were appointed to the Board on 8 investment income was $87.5 million, the highest in the Group’s history. On the Group’s portfolio investment, August 1984 and have served unswervingly for the past 20 years. I thank them for their contributions and the return of 8.2 per cent is better than the annual 5.9 per cent return achieved in the past three years. invaluable counsel to the Board. Share capital management With the appointments of Professor Cham Tao Soon as Deputy Chairman and Mr Willie Cheng Jue Hiang as As I had mentioned in my previous Chairman’s statement, the Board aims to reward shareholders who stay with a Director on 1 March 2004, the new Board aims to serve you with equal distinction. the Company for the long term. The loyal ones would have benefited from the $1.067 billion capital reduction exercise we completed this year. The exercise helped improve the Group’s return on equity to 36.9 per cent. I would also like to thank staff, readers, advertisers, vendors and business associates for their continued support. The Board has recommended that a final gross dividend of 21.25 cents, comprising 10 cents normal and 11.25 cents special, be paid after approval has been obtained at the coming Annual General Meeting. I trust all shareholders would vote in favour of the resolution. Lim Chin Beng Chairman 8 9 SPH-Corporate_Blu 11/9/04 11:54 AM Page 10 GROUP FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS GROUP FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONT’D) 2004 2003 Change S$’000 S$’000 % S$970,075,000 Operating Revenue Operating revenue 970,075 897,816 8.0 S$897,816,000 Profit from operations 337,949 290,896 16.2 Profit before exceptional items 571,514 317,144 80.2 Profit before taxation 600,191 438,904 36.7 S$337,949,000 Profit from Profit after taxation 546,277 379,135 44.1 Operations Minority interests 5 (399) NM S$290,896,000 Profit attributable to shareholders 546,282 378,736 44.2 Shareholders’ interests 1,479,119 2,247,736 (34.2) S$546,282,000 Total assets 2,591,880 3,368,245 (23.0) Profit Attributable Total liabilities 1,112,761 1,120,509 (0.7) to Shareholders S$378,736,000 Dividends declared for the financial
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