Q & M Dental

[edragon]

Franking speaking, retirees have no excuse to put their retirement savings into stocks, to depend on dividends for income (with the measly 3-4% yield), when CPF retirement accounts yields 2.5-6%. Should there be capital losses, it is on their greed or ignorance.

This measly yield of stocks including trusting one's hard-earned tax deducted money to strangers does the job to amplify the yields of the CPF with no capital loss. It is certainly a "win" for CPF at 4.3% of mine.

[Shiyi]

Though there is no requirement for dividends to be paid out, I notice nowadays that SGX tends to ask for explanation when companies have not distributed dividends.

Many companies withheld dividends because of Covid. That has caused pains to those who depend on dividends as passive income.
Q&M's has been innovative and is a welcome move.

[weijian]

Q&M Dental has been eager to hitch onto the Covid-19 bandwagon.

For the last 2 months, it has announced a 20% JV (investment amount TBD) with some PRC partners to manufacture surgical masks, and a 51% JV (3mil investment) with some local scientist-entrepreneur to manufacture testing kits.

For the mask manufacturing, it justifies so as securing surgical masks for its dentists. Their "foresight" is really "excellent" because at least most local private medical clinics or hospitals haven't gone their way to manufacture own masks to secure "own supply". Maybe they are just kiasu because dentists ain't on the frontline for covid-19 and hence may be left at the back of the pecking order when crunch time comes. In addition, I am not sure if they have considered the "quality of masks" and also whether masks manufactured in a foreign land will be allowed to ship back in the first place if crunch time really comes (Ho Ching's brouhaha and Trump's ban of 3M N95 exports to Canada, comes to mind).

I will be watching these interesting investments real time and learn whether they will be able to execute it successfully or not.

Mask: http://qandm-dental.listedcompany.com/ne...DC0S.1.pdf
Test kit: http://qandm-dental.listedcompany.com/ne...3431.1.pdf

[weijian]

A business partner going rogue it seems. On the local SGX market, there are a couple of listed medical outfits which grow via acquiring "partners". These partners are "marquee" in their own right and personality - so key men risk is abnormally higher in such business models.

UPDATE FROM ACUMEN DIAGNOSTICS PTE. LTD. IN RELATION TO DR. ONG SIEW HWA

Has placed Dr. Ong Siew Hwa (“Dr. Ong”), the chief executive officer of Acumen, on a leave of absence. The Board understands that this is to facilitate investigations by the Acumen Board into Dr Ong’s acquisition of an indirect interest in the assets of a supplier of Acumen and ancillary issues arising from it. Dr. Ong is also an executive director of Aoxin Q & M Dental Group Limited, an associated company of the Group.

The Board notes that Dr. Ong has objected to being placed on a leave of absence by the Acumen Board. She does not agree that there is any cause for investigation into her acquisition and she has provided her explanation to the Acumen Board. The Acumen Board has disagreed with her position and is therefore investigating this matter. The Board will work with the Acumen Board and its professionals on the review of the investigations.

https://links.sgx.com/FileOpen/QDGS%20-%...eID=808305

Back in 2020:
Medical technology company Acumen Diagnostics was set up in 2020 as a joint venture between Q&M and Ong Siew Hwa, the founder of Acumen Research Laboratories. It operates a Covid-19 clinical lab where polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for Covid-19 are processed.

[weijian]

A business partner going rogue it seems. On the local SGX market, there are a couple of listed medical outfits which grow via acquiring "partners". These partners are "marquee" in their own right and personality - so key men risk is abnormally higher in such business models.

UPDATE FROM ACUMEN DIAGNOSTICS PTE. LTD. IN RELATION TO DR. ONG SIEW HWA

Has placed Dr. Ong Siew Hwa (“Dr. Ong”), the chief executive officer of Acumen, on a leave of absence. The Board understands that this is to facilitate investigations by the Acumen Board into Dr Ong’s acquisition of an indirect interest in the assets of a supplier of Acumen and ancillary issues arising from it. Dr. Ong is also an executive director of Aoxin Q & M Dental Group Limited, an associated company of the Group.

The Board notes that Dr. Ong has objected to being placed on a leave of absence by the Acumen Board. She does not agree that there is any cause for investigation into her acquisition and she has provided her explanation to the Acumen Board. The Acumen Board has disagreed with her position and is therefore investigating this matter. The Board will work with the Acumen Board and its professionals on the review of the investigations.

https://links.sgx.com/FileOpen/QDGS%20-%...eID=808305

Back in 2020:
Medical technology company Acumen Diagnostics was set up in 2020 as a joint venture between Q&M and Ong Siew Hwa, the founder of Acumen Research Laboratories. It operates a Covid-19 clinical lab where polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for Covid-19 are processed.

The repercussions reverberate for this 'key-woman risk" at Q&M Dental. More than a decade ago, I paid my tuition fees for this lesson - Patients generally follow the healthcare personnel, not the company where he/she works in. So, it is not very clever to be betting on the company he/she works in.

From oncology expert Dr Ang (Talkmed) to relationship expert Joseph Ong (HC Surgical Specialist),  healthcare is highly regulated so is it actually easier for key men/women to get into trouble?

UPDATE FROM ACUMEN DIAGNOSTICS PTE. LTD. EXPIRY OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SERVICE LICENCE

(a) the application to change the Principal Officer from Dr Ong to Mr Lua Chong Hui Joseph will be rejected, as the application was not submitted by or on behalf of the licensee of the Laboratory Licence, Dr Ong; and

(b) the request to change the licensee of the Laboratory Licence from Dr Ong to Acumen will also be rejected, as the Laboratory Licence does not allow for the transfer or assignment of such licence. The Letter stated that if Acumen intends to provide clinical laboratory service, it should apply for a new Laboratory Licence. 

Accordingly, Acumen has temporarily ceased one of its business and operations related to the Laboratory Licence with effect from 15 September 2024. The board of directors of Acumen is considering the next steps to be taken, including but not limited to applying to the MOH for a new Laboratory Licence. D

https://links.sgx.com/FileOpen/Ann%20-%2...eID=818917

[Big Toe]

Personal experience with Q&M and other dentists.

1. Maybe it is luck but when I visited Q&M the quality of work done is below par.
2. The usual private single clinic dentist I grew up with is getting really old and eyesight not as sharp, hands are shaky, otherwise she was providing excellent care for the past decades. I wanted to stay on but age is clearly affecting her work. 70s/80s
3. I turned to polyclinic dental and the quality of care is good.

When it comes to personal medical or related services, it is always good to be serviced by the business owner/partner. Standard of care is usually high. Gov run ones are good also.