Asti Holdings LimitedSGX: 575

Annual Report 2023

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ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

ANNUAL REPORT

2023

02 ABOUT ASTI

ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

01

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

CONTENTS

03

LETTER TO

04

FINANCIALS

SHAREHOLDERS

REVIEW

05

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

09 CORPORATE INFORMATION

44 DIRECTORS' STATEMENT

130

STATISTICS OF

SHAREHOLDINGS

07 KEY MANAGEMENT

10 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT

47 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT

132 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

08 GROUP FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

36

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ON DIRECTORS

SEEKING RE-ELECTION

51 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PROXY

FORM

02 ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2023

ABOUT

ASTI

CORPORATE OVERVIEW

ASTI Holdings Limited ("ASTI" or "the Group"), listed on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange, is a global leader in backend Semiconductor Tape & Reel packaging and Integrated Circuit Programming Services. As one of the largest independent providers in the world, we serve a broad spectrum of integrated device manufacturers, contract manufacturers and component distributors worldwide. On 6 June 2022, ASTI received a delisting notification from SGX-STand trading in the Company's securities was ceased on 5 July 2022 and trading will remain suspended until the completion of an exit offer.

INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES

With a robust and synergistic portfolio, the ASTI Group of companies delivers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients. Our extensive reach and capabilities position us as a trusted partner in the semiconductor industry.

GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Headquartered in Singapore, ASTI operates 7 strategically located factories across Southeast Asia, Greater China and the United Kingdom. This expansive network ensures we remain close to our customers, facilitating efficient distribution and exceptional service across key markets in Asia and beyond.

For more information, please visit our website at www.astigp.com.

ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

03

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS

DEAR SHAREHOLDERS,

The current Board of Directors was appointed on 15 and 16 January 2024. Upon our appointment, we took steps to complete the outstanding audit of the financial statements of ASTI Holdings Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries (collectively the "ASTI Group") starting with financial year ended 31 December 2022 ("FY2022"), and then financial year ended 31 December 2023 ("FY2023"). The Company appointed a new auditor on 15 May 2024 and held its FY2022 Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on 30 September 2024. We now present to the shareholders the audited financial statements for FY2023. The current Board was not involved in the business and strategy of the Group in the course of FY2023(1).

Further, as set out in the Company's announcement on 24 January 2024, the Company is in the process of reviewing the corporate and business dealings and transactions of the Group under the previous Board of Directors, and there may be a possibility that findings from such review might not be consistent with the contents of this report.

For FY2023, the ASTI Group recorded revenue of S$51.0 million,

  1. decrease of S$16.0 million or 23.9% from S$67.0 million in FY2022.

Net loss for FY2023 was S$5.0 million, as compared to net profit of S$4.5m in FY2022. As of 31 December 2023, the Group held cash and cash equivalents of S$20.7 million and shareholders' equity of S$36.2 million.

The Group will commence audit for the financial year ended 31 December 2024 ("FY2024") immediately after the conclusion of FY2023 AGM, subject to the auditor being re-appointed at the same AGM, and hold the FY2024 AGM in due course.

OUTLOOK AND STRATEGY FOR FY2025 AND BEYOND

Since the Board took over in January 2024, we have carefully assessed the outlook for ASTI amidst the current global challenges. The sector we serve - assembly, testing and packaging - continues to experience softening demand for standard IC chips. Headwind from the ongoing global economic uncertainties, the US-China chip war and a tough business environment continue to impact our business industries we operate in. This has led to a more cautious stance from our customers, which has resulted in decreasing sales orders and lower volume. Against this backdrop, we anticipate that our sales and profit to be impacted in the near term, including FY2024 and extending into the financial year ending 31 December 2025 ("FY2025").

Given the expected softness in demand in FY2025, the Group will continue to be cautious in executing its strategies to navigate through the challenging environment. We are committed to maintaining our financial health while positioning ASTI for long-term growth. The semiconductor sector remains a key growth driver for the Group, and we believe that by implementing and executing the right strategies, we could be profitable in the coming years.

In light of the rapid changes in technologies and uncertainties globally, it is crucial that we continuously evaluate our business operations, ensuring that we remain agile and reactive to the evolving market landscape. Parts of our business that are no longer aligned with our strategic goals will be restructured to enhance overall efficiency.

APPRECIATION

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our management and staff for their dedication and contributions during these challenging times. We also deeply appreciate the continued support of our customers, shareholders, business partners, and suppliers.

I am confident that our strong foundation and the resilience of our team will enable us to navigate these challenges and achieve our long-term goals.

Yours Sincerely,

Ng Yew Nam

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Disclaimer:

The current Board of Directors as at the date of this report was reconstituted on 16 January 2024. Accordingly, none of the current directors were involved in any of the business and strategy of ASTI Holdings Limited (the "Company" or "ASTI", and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") and its subsidiaries in the course of the financial year ended 31 December 2023 ("FY2023"). Further, as set out in its announcement dated 24 January 2024, the Company is in the process of reviewing the corporate and business dealings and transactions of the Group under the previous Board of Directors, and there may be a possibility that findings from such review might not be consistent with the contents of this report.

  1. Save that for completeness, Mr Soh Pock Kheng was an independent contractor of the Company pursuant to a service agreement dated 7 September

2022. His service agreement ended on 23 September 2023.

04 ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2023

FINANCIALS

REVIEW

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS

REVENUE

The Group registered a revenue of S$51.0 million for the financial year ended 31 December 2023 ("FY2023"), a decrease of S$16.0 million or 23.9% from S$67.0 million in the previous year ended 31 December 2022 ("FY2022"), mainly due to lower sale orders across the key customers as the semiconductor industry started to slow down in 2023.

LOSS BEFORE TAX

Other income increased S$0.3 million compared to FY2022 due to higher rental income and write back of payables in FY2023.

Marketing and distribution expenses decreased by S$0.2 million or 13.5% due to lower business activities. Administrative expenses remained at approximately S$10.2 million in FY2023.

Other expenses of S$1.6 million comprised mainly allowance on amounts due from associates and net foreign exchange losses.

Finance costs, net increased by S$0.3 million or 158.2% in FY2023 compared to FY2022 mainly due to higher interest arising from bank loans and trade financing offset by the interest income from loan due from associates.

TAX EXPENSE

The Group recorded tax expense of S$0.5 million in FY2023.

NET LOSS

Overall, the Group reported a net loss after tax of S$5.0 million in FY2023 compared to a profit of S$4.5 million in FY2022.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITIONS

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Non-current assets decreased by S$7.9 million or 21.1% from S$37.5 million in FY2022 to S$29.6 million in FY2023 mainly due to the depreciation and disposal of property, plant and equipment, share of losses from associates and amounts due from associates.

CURRENT ASSETS

Current assets decreased by S$9.4 million or 21.0% from S$44.7 million in FY2022 to S$35.4 million in FY2023. This was in line with the lower revenue resulting in lower receivables and cash and bank balances.

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Current liabilities decreased by S$4.7 million or 19.9% from S$23.7 million in FY2022 to S$19.0 million in FY2023. The decrease in trade and other payables was offset by the increase in loans and borrowings.

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Non-current liabilities decreased from S$13.4 million in FY2022 to S$9.8 million in FY2023 mainly due to the classification of loan from non-current to current.

CASH FLOWS

Net cash generated from operating activities in FY2023 amounted to S$8.2 million. This was mainly due to the operating cash flows before changes in working capital of S$6.4 million, adjusted by changes in net working capital of S$2.8 million and interest and income tax paid of S$1.0 million.

Net cash used in investing activities amounting to S$7.6 million due to the purchase of property, plant and equipment offset by the proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment during the financial year.

Net cash used in financing activities amounting to S$5.4 million was due to the repayment of loan and lease liabilities of S$2.4 million and dividend payment of S$2.9 million respectively.

As a result of the above, cash and cash equivalents decreased by S$4.8 million in FY2023. Together with the effect of exchange rate changes, the cash and cash equivalents stood at S$20.7 million as at 31 December 2023.

ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

05

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MR. NG YEW NAM, 55

Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Ng was appointed as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of ASTI Holdings Limited on 15 January 2024. He was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the board on 12 November 2024.

Mr. Ng is the Managing Director and Founder of iTrue Technologies Pte Ltd, leading the Company from its inception in 2005 until January 2024. Under his direction, iTrue Technologies specialized in automatic machine vision inspection for the Electronic and Passive Components Industries.

With strong business acumen and inspiring leadership, Mr. Ng played a pivotal role in securing numerous business accounts and cultivating a dedicated, high performing team. His critical thinking and foresight proved vital during challenging times, such as the 2008 global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the Company's resilience and continued success.

In addition to his achievements at iTrue Technologies, Mr. Ng was appointed CEO of ASTI, where he was tasked with revitalizing the Company and driving its business forward.

MR. SOH POCK KHENG, 54

Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Soh was appointed as the Executive Director of ASTI Holdings Limited on 15 January 2024.

He was redesignated from Executive Director to Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of ASTI Holdings Limited on 6 May 2024.

Mr. Soh has a depth of experience in the electronics industry having spent more than 20 years in various disciplines ranging from development of acoustics products use in computing, consumer and communication application. He is a co-founder of two technology companies in Singapore and China.

MR. WAN TAI FOONG, 56

Independent Non-Executive Director

Chairman, Audit Committee

Member, Nominating Committee

Member, Remuneration Committee

Mr. Wan was appointed to the Board as a Independent Non-Executive Director on 12 November 2024 and is the Chairman of the Audit Committee. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Qi Capital Pte. Ltd, a boutique advisory firm that advises private corporates on M&A and fund raising transactions.

Mr. Wan has a career spanning over 20 years in investment banking, with varied, in-depth exposure and experience in all aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and fund-raising transactions in different sectors.

Mr. Wan was also on the board of other listed Companies before and is currently a Non-Executive and Lead Independent Director of New Toyo International Holdings Limited.

Mr. Wan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Murdoch University, Western Australia and is a member of CPA Australia.

06 ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2023

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

MR. RAYMOND LAM KUO WEI, 48

MR. YAP ALVIN TSOK SEIN, 54

Lead Independent Director

Independent Non-Executive Director

Chairman, Remuneration Committee

Chairman, Nominating Committee

Member, Audit Committee

Member, Audit Committee

Member, Nominating Committee

Member, Remuneration Committee

Mr. Lam was appointed as the Independent Non-Executive Director of ASTI Holdings Limited on 16 January 2024. He was appointed as the Lead Independent Director on 12 November 2024.

Mr. Lam is also the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and a member of both the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee.

He is also an Independent Director of Nippecraft Limited and XMH Holdings Ltd.

Mr. Lam graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

He was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2002 and admitted as a Solicitor in England & Wales in 2008. He is a Notary Public and a Commissioner for Oaths. Mr. Lam is a Fellow of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore and is a member on its Management Council.

Mr. Yap was appointed as the Independent Non-Executive Director of ASTI Holdings Limited on 16 January 2024. He is also the Chairman of the Nominating Committee and a member of both the Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee.

Mr. Yap, is currently a Director in Quan Advisors Pte Ltd, the Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) practice of the SCS-Invictus Financial Services Group, and has held various senior regional M&A and Commercial Finance roles in his previous positions. Mr. Yap graduated from the University of New South Wales Australia with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and a Bachelor of Laws. He is also a Chartered Accountant (Australia & New Zealand).

ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

07

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

KEY MANAGEMENT

MR. TAN SZE LENG

Chief Financial Officer, ASTI Holdings Limited

Mr. Tan joined the Group in May 2024. He oversees the Group's functions in accounting, finance, tax, corporate matters and investor relations. Prior to joining the Group, he was the Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") at Meta Health Limited from September 2022 to April 2024. Mr. Tan has over 20 years of professional experience in auditing, financial reporting, treasury, corporate fundraising and participated in various mergers and acquisitions activities. Mr. Tan obtained his Master of Business Administration from the Warwick Business School. He is a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, and a member of Institute of Valuers and Appraisers, Singapore (IVAS).

MR. ONG YU HUAT

Senior Vice President, Telford Group

Since beginning his career with Texas Instruments Singapore in 1986, Mr. Ong has held various key positions in manufacturing, purchasing, engineering and sales and marketing. Mr. Ong joined the Group in 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the National University of Singapore.

MR. GARY SMITH

Managing Director, Reel Service Ltd, Scotland

Mr. Smith originally joined Reel Service in 1988 as Engineering Manager, then became Director of the Engineering for the Reel Service Group where he helped set up subsidiaries in Germany, Singapore, USA, Philippines and Israel. Prior to joining Reel Service, he spent 5 years working with Hughes Microelectronics (Now Raytheon) where he gained extensive knowledge and experience in Quality, Project and Process Engineering. In 2002 Mr. Smith set up his own company in Property Development & Project Management. Prior to starting back with Reel Service in August 2015, Mr. Smith was working with charity based Housing Associations dealing with Property Development & Maintenance.

08 ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2023

GROUP

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER

Key Financial Data

FY2023

FY2022

FY2021

S$'000

S$'000

S$'000

(restated)

Group revenue

50,960

67,006

54,281

(Loss)/profit before income tax

(4,489)

5,656

(25,297)

(Loss)/profit attributable to owners of the Company

(4,210)

5,401

(11,523)

EBITDA*

4,890

14,911

(17,553)

At Year End

Shareholders' funds attributable to owners of Company

54,648

63,545

59,294

Total equity/Net assets

36,152

45,121

40,666

Total assets

64,957

82,262

68,761

Per Share

Net (loss)/earnings (cent)**

(0.64)

0.82

(1.76)

Net Assets Value (cent)***

5.52

6.89

6.21

Financial Ratios

Return of equity (%)#

-8.4

7.4

-40.7

  • EBITDA means earnings before interest expense, interest income, tax, depreciation, amortization, write off/(back) on allowances and impairment losses.
  • Earnings/(Loss) per share is based on the weighted average number of shares.
  • Net assets per share is based on the number of issued shares (excluding treasury share) as at year end, net of non-controlling interests and intangible assets.
  • Calculation of return on equity is based on the profit/(loss) after tax over the average of beginning and closing of shareholders' funds.

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

Executive:

Mr. Ng Yew Nam

Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Soh Pock Kheng

Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer

Non-Executive:

Mr. Raymond Lam Kuo Wei

Lead Independent Director

Mr. Yap Alvin Tsok Sein

Independent Non-Executive Director

Mr. Wan Tai Foong

Independent Non-Executive Director

AUDIT

COMMITTEE

Mr. Wan Tai Foong (Chairman)

Mr. Raymond Lam Kuo Wei Mr. Yap Alvin Tsok Sein

NOMINATING

COMMITTEE

Mr. Yap Alvin Tsok Sein (Chairman)

Mr. Raymond Lam Kuo Wei Mr. Wan Tai Foong

REMUNERATION

COMMITTEE

Mr. Raymond Lam Kuo Wei (Chairman)

Mr. Yap Alvin Tsok Sein Mr. Wan Tai Foong

COMPANY

SECRETARIES

Ms. Lee Puay Lin Sharon

Mr. Lai Kuan Loong, Victor

ASTI HOLDINGS LIMITED

09

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

CORPORATE

INFORMATION

REGISTERED

OFFICE

33 Ubi Avenue 3

#06-72 Vertex

Singapore 408868

Tel: (65) 8687 1566

BUSINESS

OFFICE

33 Ubi Avenue 3

#06-72 Vertex

Singapore 408868

Tel: (65) 8687 1566

SHARE

REGISTRAR

Boardroom Corporate & Advisory Services Pte Ltd

1 Harbourfront Avenue

Keppel Bay Tower #14-07

Singapore 098632

Tel: (65) 6536 5355

Fax: (65) 6536 1360

INDEPENDENT

AUDITOR

Forvis Mazars LLP

Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants 135 Cecil Street

#10-01

Singapore 069536

AUDIT

PARTNER-IN-CHARGE:

Mr. Lai Keng Wei

(Appointed from financial year ended 31 December 2022)

PRINCIPAL

BANKER

United Overseas Bank Limited

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