KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has made the biggest payout since its inception for its unitholders at RM15 billion across all funds for the financial year 2018 ending March 31, 2019.
Its chairman Tan Sri Zeti Aziz told a media briefing today that this was a reflection of the investment fund's resilience, which could also be seen in the value of its managed assets increasing by 6.9 per cent to a total of RM298.5 billion while net income stayed at RM17 billion.
“Amidst this backdrop (global economic uncertainties which continues to 2019), PNB has demonstrated resilience based on our financial performance. We sustained encouraging performance with assets increasing by 6.9 per cent to a total of RM298.5 billion while nett income sustained at RM17 billion.
“This increase in assets reflects the trust our unitholders have in PNB. Secondly, our funds continued to deliver competitive returns to our unitholders with the payout of RM15 billion across all funds in 2018 — the largest ever made since PNB's inception,” said Zeti.
PNB's asset growth was driven by a strong 7.9 per cent growth in its Units In Circulation (UIC), boosting the RM219.3 billion in FY2017 to RM236.6 billion in FY2018.
She also declared the income distribution for two Fixed-Price Funds (ASB 2 and ASM) as well as three Variable Price funds (ASN Equity 3, ASN Imbang 2 and ASN Sara 1).
ASB 2 saw a distribution of 6 sen per unit with a total payout of RM610.7 million to its 404,706 unit holders who owns a total of 10.4 billion units. As of February 28, 2019, ASB 2 recorded a net realised income of RM500 million.
ASM unitholders will receive a dividend of 5.5 sen per unit with a total payout of RM1.1 billion to 541,758 unit holders with a total of 19.5 billion units. It also sees a recorded net realised income of RM800 million as of February 28, 2019.
ASN Equity 3 sees an income distribution of 4.1 sen per unit with a total income distribution payout of RM103.7 million to benefit 89,664 unitholders with 2.5 billion units subscribed. The fund sees a net realised income of RM41.6 million as of February 28, 2019.
ASN Imbang 2's unitholders will receive 4.2 sen per unit which translate to a total income distribution payout of RM54.4 million which will benefit 78,965 unitholders with 1.4 billion units subscribed. It recorded a net realised income of RM49.4 million as of February 28, 2019.
Finally, ASN Sara 1 has an income distribution of 5 sen per unit with a total income distribution payout of RM78 million benefiting 51,559 unitholders with 1.6 billion units subscribed. As of February 28, 2019, it recorded a net realised income of RM57.7 million.
Moving forward, PNB plans on accelerating its portfolio's diversification across all asset clusters and increase its exposure to global investment assets.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad said they will continue to redeploy surplus cash into fixed income securities and global assets while also venturing into the real estate sector.
“Our portfolio's allocation to global assets rose to 3.3 per cent as at end-2018 from 2.4 per cent in 2017, with approximately RM2 billion being invested outside the country during the year,” he said in PNB's 2018 Annual Report released today.
Zeti said the global diversification will be a gradual one as they need to study each emerging and mature markets before making any commitments.
At the same time, she also said PNB will behave like a responsible investor and not enter any disruptive movements in the local market.
Among the countries that have caught her eye include developed nations such as the US, UK, European countries.
