The information and materials provided here, whether or not provided on TBI’s Substack (TBI), on third party websites, in marketing materials, newsletters or any form of publication are provided for general information and circulation only. None of the information contained here constitutes an offer (or solicitation of an offer) to buy or sell any currency, product or financial instrument, to make any investment, or to participate in any particular trading strategy. TBI does not take into account of your personal investment objectives, specific investment goals, specific needs or financial situation and makes no representation and assumes no liability to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided here. The information and publications are not intended to be and do not constit

$DBS(D05.SI)$ Singapore's banking powerhouse DBS is gearing up for its full-year 2025 and Q4 earnings release on February 9, with shares teasing the $60 psychological barrier at a close of S$59.66 – just cents from all-time highs after a blistering 36% rally this year. 😲 Wealth management fees exploded 25% in recent quarters, commercial book resilience held firm amid rate cuts, and dividend yields locked at 4.2% have investors salivating for more. But with NIM pressures from easing cycles and global tariff jitters lurking, this report could ignite a breakout blast above $60 or trigger a classic "sell the fact" dip to $58. The stakes are sky-high – will DBS's alpha status deliver nitro for new peaks, or has the rally run its course in a maturing

🌟🌟🌟The stage is set for a historic Monday on February 9 2026 for $DBS(D05.SI)$    As the undisputed Alpha of Singapore banking prepares to unveil its latest earnings report, the market is holding its breath.  We are not just looking at a balance sheet, we are witnessing the evolution of a financial fortress that has redefined global excellence. Is SGD 60 the ceiling? Or are we standing on the edge of a new launchpad to SGD 70? Why JPMorgan Set A SGD 70 Target  The smart money is aiming for the sky.  JPMorgan analysts Harsh Wareham Modi and Daniel Tan maintained a conviction price target of SGD 70.00, an upside potential of 18% in their recent reports.  Their bullish stance is buil

🌟🌟🌟DBS $DBS(D05.SI)$  has just reported a 4th quarter 2025 net profit of SGD 2.36 billion, a 10% year on year decline that missed analyst estimates of SGD 2.57 billion.  While the headline miss on 9 February 2026 initially cooled market sentiment, sending shares down almost 2% in early trading to SGD 58.41, the result masked a record full year 2025 income of SGD 22.9 billion and a powerful 14% surge in wealth management fees. The Warren Buffett Lens: Value Over Volatility In the face of today's market jitters, it is vital to remember Warren Buffett's timeless wisdom : "Do not take yearly results too seriously, instead focus on 4 or 5 year averages." Warren Buffett has long argued that a single earnin

Earnings season has kicked off for Singapore‑listed companies, with DBS, CapitaLand, and Keppel leading the first round of results. $DBS(D05.SI)$ has declined 2.9% this week (9–11 Feb) following its pre‑market earnings release on Monday (9 Feb), weighed down by weaker‑than‑expected trading income. Tracking the move, the DBS 5x Short DLC has gained about 14% this week, while the DBS 5x Long DLC has fallen roughly 14.5%. $CapitaLandInvest(9CI.SI)$ also started Wednesday morning (11 Feb) in negative territory, sliding as much as 8.8% after reporting a net loss of S$142 million for the second half ended 31 Dec 2025. Mirroring the move in the underlying, the CapitaLand 5x Short DLC was up around as much as

The recent earnings report from DBS Group has indeed sparked a notable reaction in the market, with shares slipping 1.9% intraday following the announcement of a 10% year-over-year (YoY) decline in Q4 net profit to S2.36billion, which fell short of the consensus estimate of $2.52 billion. This decline can be largely attributed to a sharp compression in the net interest margin (NIM) to 2.34%, down from 2.77% in the previous year. Despite a strong 13.5% growth in fee income, the bank's profitability was significantly impacted by the narrowing margin. The full-year profit also experienced a dip of 3.2%, which might raise concerns about the bank's ability to maintain its profitability in a challenging interest rate environment. However, it's worth noting that the total dividends for the year j

DBS Group Holdings reported its Q4 2025 results on February 9, 2026, confirming a 10% year-on-year drop in net profit to S$2.36 billion (or S2.26 billion including one-off items). This missed analyst estimates of roughly S2.6 billion. ​While the "record high" interest rates of the past few years provided a massive boost to Singaporean banks, the latest data suggests that peak has passed. Here is a breakdown of why the profit dipped and what the bank expects for the rest of 2026: ​Why Profit Declined 10% ​Margin Compression: Net Interest Margin (NIM) fell by 22 basis points to 1.93%. This was driven by lower benchmark interest rates (SORA) and a stronger Singapore Dollar. ​Higher Credit Costs: Specific allowances for bad loans jumped significantly due to a "prudent downgrade" of a previousl

The stage is set for DBS's highly anticipated earnings release on February 9. With the stock trading at $59.66, just shy of the $60 mark, investors are eagerly awaiting the results to determine if this psychological barrier will be breached. Let's delve into the two possible scenarios: Scenario A: Breakout to $60+ A strongearnings report,particularly in the wealth management segment, could be the catalyst for a breakout above $60. If DBS reports impressive growth in this area, it may exceed market expectations, leading to a sustained rally. This would indicate that the bank's strategic efforts are yielding positive results, and investors are confident in its continued growth prospects. Scenario B: Buy the Rumor, Sell the Fact Conversely, if the market has already factored in the expec

Why Buy-and-Hold High-Quality Dividend Assets Like CapLand Ascendas REIT (A17U) Wins Long-Term The Power of Patience + Compounding  When you buy and hold a fundamentally strong dividend asset—like CapLand Ascendas REIT (A17U)$CapLand Ascendas REIT(A17U.SI)$  —you’re not just collecting dividends payouts. You’re harnessing three unstoppable forces:   1. Compounding Growth: Reinvested dividends buy more shares, which generate more dividends—accelerating wealth exponentially over time.   2. Inflation Hedge: Rising rents (driven by demand for modern logistics space) push up dividends, protecting your purchasing power.   3. Volatility Armor: Short-term market noise fades whe

This looks far more like post-earnings digestion than the start of a structural bank rotation. For DBS Group, the sell-off is understandable. The Q4 miss was driven by net interest margin compression, not a deterioration in asset quality or franchise strength. With rates normalising, NIM pressure is a sector-wide reality rather than a DBS-specific flaw. Fee income growth of +13.5% shows the underlying business mix is holding up well. Context matters. After a ~60% rally and fresh highs, expectations were elevated. Any earnings disappointment was likely to trigger profit-taking, especially as investors recalibrate forward ROE assumptions in a lower-rate environment. Crucially, capital returns change the risk profile. A 38% jump in total dividends to S$3.06, with visibility on capital return

My 2 cents: there is a state of flux in DBS viz. declining net interest margins (NIM) and robust shareholder returns' expectations. Therefore, while profit taking is natural after a massive rally, structural shifts in its revenue model and aggressive capital return policies are mitigating the risk of a full-scale  movement out of the stock. Further, sharply lower interest rates and a stronger SGD have begun compressing NIMs, with management expecting 2026 net profit to be slightly below the record 2025 levels. Also, the P/B ratio is now 2.4x as against historical 1.4x. Overall, it is natural for investors to consider UOB & OCBC which still have P/B in the range of 1.55x or below. But that is no cause for panic - if anything it is too much of a good run for DBS & a chance to di

🌟🌟🌟DBS $DBS(D05.SI)$ is heading into its February 9 results with the stock hovering around the SGD 60 psychological barrier like it is deciding whether to make history or tease the market for one more week. I am rooting for DBS winning big . So my vote is A: Breakout to SGD 60. Why? Because wealth management has been the quiet engine humming beneath the surface.  If those numbers come in higher than expected, the market won't just nod.  It will rerate DBS on the spot. Now add this: JPMorgan has a target price of SGD 70 for DBS.  When a global institution plants a SGD 70 flag , it tells you that the rally isn't over. It is simply catching it

Not to overly worry...DBS didn’t suddenly break. The Q4 profit drop is mostly about NIM normalising after a peak-rate year, this was always coming. Yes, missing consensus matters, but fee income growing double digits shows the core business is still working. The bigger issue is positioning. After a ~60% rally and fresh highs, expectations were stretched, so even a “not great” quarter triggers selling. This feels more like profit-taking and earnings digestion than the start of a serious bank rotation. With dividends and capital return commitments running through 2027, downside should be cushioned. Near term, upside is capped and volatility stays. Long term, DBS remains a yield and capital-return story, unless rates fall much faster than the market expects.

In the early 70s we did not have the privilege of mobile phones or apps by which we can purchase stocks of our choice within minutes like it is now. We have to buy or sell stocks through a stock broker. DBS stock was the 2nd stock I bought after a buying stock offered by my company when it listed in the stock exchange in SG. It was a blue chip stock. I picked up interest in buying share and the next stock I bought was DBS shares through a stock broker. When the blue chip stock price went up I wanted to see some quick money and requested the stock broker to sell it but instead the broker sold my DBS shares and guess what?  The price of DBS shares was ONLY $10.50 at the time it was sold.  Thereafter, I did not pursue the matter against the broker for selling the

DBS $DBS(D05.SI)$ is my stock in focus going into next week’s results, and I remain confidently bullish. With the share price just below the S$60 psychological level, I see the upcoming earnings as a catalyst rather than a hurdle. DBS has clearly established itself as the sector alpha, and the market is looking for confirmation—not perfection. My confidence comes from the improving earnings mix. Net interest margins appear close to a bottom, while wealth management continues to drive higher-quality, fee-based growth. This strengthens the case that DBS is evolving beyond a pure rate-cycle play into a more resilient earnings compounder. On top of that, dividend certainty provides strong downside support. Higher payouts and buybacks continue to at

Traditionally banks stocks are considered cyclical in nature and the results have shown that the net interest income will definitely take a hit following the rate cuts. However,  banks are no longer the dinosaurs and they have evolved their business model for growth and diversification. We should continue to monitor the results for the coming 2 or 3 quarters before we pass our judgement. For investors, the price actions are just noises and it is the fundamentals that matters. 

Feels like the market is starting to cool off on the overexuberance. There were signs that things were not going to be as exciting in 2026, but further growth was likely fueled by investors worried that they did not enter while it was going up. Everyone has started to acknowledge that unbridled enthusiasm is illogical and that it is slowly getting too overvalued, especially with the earnings results that were just released. Nothing too worrying, but expectations for banks were that it will slow down and results would not be as spectacular as everyone saw in 2025, so no, it will likely hover around 60, with a much more gradual uptrend.

Even though DBS' Q4 profits missed forecast, it's share price pullback has been fairly modest. This suggests that most investors are still confident in the company's fundamentals. Moreover, DBS remains the local bank that is better positioned to withstand NIM pressures as compared to its peers. Will continue to hold as an income and growth stock in my portfolio and buy in when opportune.