ValueMax Group, a homegrown pawnshop chain, dominates the Centurion Club awards in this sector — which is no surprise, for it is a regular winner on this platform. It is recognised for showing the best growth in profit after tax; it has generated the best weighted ROE; and of course, it has been named overall sector winner.
Founded in 1988, the Mainboard-listed company is a leading homegrown pawnbroking chain, offering also secured moneylending services as well as the retail and trading of pre-owned jewellery and gold. It now has more than 30 outlets in Singapore and also has two other pawnshops operated by associated and investee companies. Across the Causeway, ValueMax operates 10 outlets through its associated companies.
Over the years, ValueMax has introduced different kinds of services. For example, it is able to offer valuation of items of value online, which saves potential customers the hassle of making a trip to an outlet. In conjunction with its pawnbroking service, ValueMax also sells preloved and brand-new jewellery.
For the year ended December 2016, ValueMax recorded earnings of $15.6 million, which grew to $25.5 million for FY2019. This translates into a CAGR of 17.8%. During the same evaluation period, the company’s ROE ranges between 10.9 and 12.42 times, giving a weighted ROE of 11.7 times.
The company with the best returns to shareholders is iFAST Corporation, which has come a long way since its early years as an online unit trust distributor. Over the years, it has moved into other regional markets such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. It has also broadened its range of products and services, serving not just retail investors, but also high-net-worth individuals, with its wealth management business, and institutional investors with various forms of investment solutions.
