missed the boat

was scouting around for a healthcare stock to diversify my portfolio some months back and chanced upon the gem that was Thomson Medical Centre. revenue and net profit growth year on year, strong management team, numerous accolades won throughout the hospital's history which cemented their position within the industry, negative correlation to STI, were among some of the factors which checked out.

wanted to buy the share when it was at $0.78 but my war-chest had already been emptied from several earlier purchasers. unlike GIC, who has a warchest of some hundred billions, mine is a paltry, beyond pathetic, figure in comparison =x

i thought to revisit this counter when i liquidated my other investments, but i never got around to doing so. while i was dilly-dallying, the hospital did an open market share buyback to issue these as equity to its employees. this serves to incentivize their employees to work hard because their fortunes rise and fall with that of the company, hence motivation to work hard. issuing equity to employees is the hallmark of a good company.

subsequently, after the share buyback and some restructuring, the stock price rose to $1.02 per share. this counter was even more out of my reach now, partly because of my measly warchest, and partly because of my perceived expensive-ness of the change. more dilly-dallying.. more indecisiveness..

yesterday, remisier king peter lim said he would buy over all the shares in the company at $1.75 per share. owned. fate has strange ways of teaching you lessons.. such that you'll remember it for the rest of your life.