PNB’S AUM breaches RM300 billion mark for the first time — Zeti

KUALA LUMPUR: Permodalan Nasional Bhd’s (PNB) assets under management (AUM) has breached the RM300 billion mark for the first time, recording RM301.4 billion in the first half of 2019, says Group Chairman Tan Sri Dr Zeti Aziz, an increase of seven per cent from RM281.8 billion recorded last year.

She said the first six months of 2019 had continued to be a highly challenging environment for all investment institutions given the global and domestic developments.

“Despite this, we are pleased to be able to sustain returns and growth in our AUM,” she told a media briefing here yesterday.

“Zeti said the number of account holders also grew by 5.2 per cent to 14.1 million accounts.

However, she said the fund’s consolidated coterminous pro forma net income was marginally lower by 1.4 per cent to RM5.3 billion as at May 31, reflecting the challenging market environment where the FBM KLCI declined by 2.4 per cent during the same period.

“Moving forward, our midterm review of the strategic plan is progressing well in the three key areas that have been identified to further enhance the plan, namely strategic asset allocation and optimal liquidity management, enterprise risk management and organisation transformation.

“The execution of this review is crucial to PNB’s plan to continue delivering sustainable returns over the medium and longer term.

“As part of PNB’s focus for 2019, the company’s diversification strategy will be accelerated across asset classes in order to optimise returns and minimise risk exposure,” she said.

She added that as a result of the initiative, PNB’s portfolio allocation into fixed income securities and global assets had risen to 7.4 per cent and 4.9 per cent, respectively at the end of May 2019, from 5.8 per cent and 2.4 per cent in 2017.

Meanwhile, the fund also announced income distribution for Amanah Saham Bumiputera 3-Didik (ASB 3 Didik), as well as ASN Equity 2, formerly known as Amanah Saham Nasional 2.

The income distribution for ASB 3 Didik unit holders is 5.25 sen per unit comprising income distribution of 4.85 sen per unit and bonus of 0.40 sen per unit.

Meanwhile, ASN Equity 2 unit holders will receive 2.80 sen per unit, translating into an estimated distribution yield of 5.0 per cent based on the Net Asset Value of the fund as at 21 June 2019.

ASB 3 Didik will be paying out a total of RM323 million in income distribution to 292,400 unit holders who currently hold 6.19 billion units.

Launched in 2001 and renamed last year to ASB 3 Didik, the fixed price fund offers an investment opportunity with reasonable long-term growth and return.

The fund recorded a net realised income of RM221 million from dividend and capital gains.

For ASNB Equity 2, the total income distribution payout amounting to RM43 million will benefit 32,400 unit holders. — Bernama