Missed Opportunities: Reflecting on Two Overlooked Stocks

This post reflects on two investing opportunities that slipped through my fingers—OKP Holdings and Centurion Corporation. Pls note this is not investment advice to buy or sell stocks, so pls do your own diligence when investing.

1. OKP Holdings: A Resilient Comeback

OKP is a well-known construction company in my field. They gained notoriety in 2017 when a viaduct they were constructing (linking Tampines Expressway to PIE and Upper Changi Road East) collapsed, causing their stock price to plummet. However, the company has staged an impressive recovery.

Recently, OKP secured a S$258.3 million contract from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to build cycling path networks in eastern Singapore, boosting their total order book to S$735.8 million. In fact, they’ve been consistently winning LTA contracts for cycling paths infrastructure—something I noticed firsthand while walking past their construction sites. Unfortunately, despite observing this trend, I failed to track the stock, and the opportunity passed me by.

2. Centurion Corporation: Riding the Post-COVID Demand Wave

I came across Centurion while screening local stocks. The company specializes in purpose-built worker and student accommodations, and its stock has also been on an upward trajectory.

As COVID-19 restrictions eased, Singapore’s delayed construction projects surged back to life, driving demand for foreign worker accommodation. Additionally, with the resumption of Terminal 5 (T5) development, the need for worker accommodations is set to grow further. Once again, I recognized the trend but hesitated to act.

Key Takeaways

Famous investors like Warren Buffett and Peter Lynch advocate investing in what we know best—opportunities we observe in our daily lives and work environments. However, my focus on the US market blinded me to these local prospects.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and even when we spot potential investments, conviction is crucial. Moving forward, I’ll strive to act on such insights—backed by thorough research and confidence in the companies I choose.