Issuance value of corporate bonds in Vietnam reached a five-year high of 39.45 trillion VND in 2018.(Photo: tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Issuance value of corporate bonds in Vietnam reached a five-year high of 39.45 trillion VND (1.7 billion USD) in 2018, data from Bao Viet Securities Co (BVSC) showed.
The total value of additional shares issued, initial public offerings (IPOs) and corporate bonds hit 83 trillion VND (3.56 billion USD), its highest level since 2014.
IPO value also hit a five-year peak of 21.94 trillion VND (942 million USD), eight times higher than the value recorded in 2017. However, the value of additional shares issued was just 21.76 trillion VND (934 million USD), the lowest level since 2014.
In its report on opportunities in Vietnam’s stock market in 2019, BVSC highlighted investment opportunities on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM), where many equitised State-owned companies are trading shares.
The current market capitalisation of the entire UPCoM is 910 trillion VND (39 billion USD), of which the 20 largest stocks account for 70 percent.
The biggest companies include Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation (VEA), Vietnam Airlines (HVN), PV Oil (OIL), Vietnam International Bank (VIB), FPT Telecom (FOX) and Quang Ngai Sugar (QNS), each with a market capitalisation of between 11 trillion VND (472 million USD) and 186 trillion VND (8 billion USD).
Opportunities may also come from divestment of State capital. ACV, VEA, HVN, Vietnam National Textile & Garment Group (VGT) and Vietnam Pharmaceutical Corp (DVN) on the UPCoM; Petrolimex on the HSX; and construction materials manufacturer Viglacera (VGC) on the Hanoi Stock Exchange all have plans to sell more State capital in 2019.
Importantly, changes on the foreign ownership ceiling for public companies in the Draft Amended Securities Law may bring benefits for foreign investors by removing the requirement to seek shareholder approval for extending foreign ownership in the company to 100 percent.
This change is expected to make it easier for Vietnam’s companies to qualify for MSCI’s emerging market index.
However, BVSC warned that Vietnam’s stock market may struggle to attract more new foreign capital compared to 2016-17 due to increasing cost of capital after many central banks tightened monetary policies.
In the latter half of this year, if Vietnam fulfills criteria to qualify for a reclassification, new speculative foreign capital flows may enter the Vietnamese stock market.-VNS/VNA
VNA
