Singapore, 14 Oct 2005 – Singapore Press Holdings has been ranked as one of Asia’s top value creators, with its management credited with truly delivering returns to shareholders.

In a study of 462 top companies in Asia ex -Japan by CFO Asia, part of the London-based The Economist Group and leading global consulting firm, Marakon Associates, Singapore Press Holdings was one of only two Singapore-based companies ranked among the top 20, for its performance on creating shareholder value.

Using new performance benchmarks for management based on an index called the “company edge”, CFO Asia and Marakon stripped out all the background influences beyond the control of management, like interest rate changes, shifts in investor optimism and the impact of natural catastrophes. This index is then applied to the company’s market capitalisation to arrive at the 5-year annual average dollar amount of excess shareholder value created.

This measure, said CFO Asia and Marakon, is a reflection of shareholder value creation that management can take credit for. With this approach, SPH generated 5-year average returns of eight per cent and created excess value for shareholders worth over US$654 million (S$1.1 billion dollars).

The CEO of SPH, Mr Alan Chan said the results re-affirmed the company’s commitment to delivering maximum shareholder value.

“We are pleased that the survey has recognised this long-standing commitment, and this is something we will continue to do. Since 1999, the Company has returned about $4 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends, capital reductions and share buybacks.”

SPH has consistently paid dividends in excess of 90 per cent as a percentage of profit from operations in the past 4 years, including FY2005.

In April 2004, SPH was named The Company Most Committed to Dividend Policy by Hong Kong-based FinanceAsia magazine.

In addition, the return on equity (ROE) in FY2004 rose to 36.9 per cent when SPH returned $1.1 billion to shareholders.

“We are heartened that we have been recognised for this commitment in the last two years, and we assure our shareholders that management will continue to seek to maximize their returns,”” Mr Chan said.

SPH is also recognised as one of the most transparent companies in Singapore. It clinched the 2005 award for Most Transparent Company in the Manufacturing Sector at the recent Securities Investors Associations of Singapore Awards (SIAS).

This is the fourth time that SPH has won the Investors’ Choice award for Most Transparent Company from SIAS.

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Co. Regn. No: 198402868E

For more information, please contact:

Mr Arnold Gay
Head
Corporate Relations
Singapore Press Holdings
Tel: 6319 1216
Fax: 6319 8150
E-mail: arnold@sph.com.sg

About Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
Main board listed Singapore Press Holdings Limited is the leading media company in Singapore, in the print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. It publishes 13 newspapers in the four official languages and about 80 magazine titles. Everyday, 2.8 million individuals, or 88 per cent of the people above 15 years old, read one of the SPH publications. Its Internet Business Unit manages the online editions of SPH's major newspapers and magazines, which together enjoy over 300 million pageviews a month. SPH also owns a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40% stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes free newspaper Today. SPH operates two entertainment radio channels, UFM 100.3 FM in Chinese and WKRZ 91.3 FM in English, under a joint venture company UnionWorks with NTUC Media, and owns an 80% stake in SPH MediaBoxOffice Pte Ltd, Singapore’s largest LED network media company.