Samsung Electronics is Asia's best company

Such was the verdict of our Asia''s Best Companies 2005 Poll.
March 23, 2005

The opinions and votes of over 200 fund managers and equity analysts have been counted and the results constitute FinanceAsia's fifth annual Asia's Best Companies Poll. Once again, professionals shared their views on what they believe are the region's best managed companies.

Similar to our 2004 Best Companies Poll, we asked analysts and investment professionals to rank companies in 10 Asian countries according to overall management, corporate governance, investor relations and commitment to paying dividends. We also welcomed respondents to rate the best small cap stocks in their designated markets, while again inviting them to recognize the individuals behind the companies in the form of best CFO and best IR representative.

As with previous years, we also asked voters to look beyond the lines that separate markets and nominate the sector leaders across the region, adding the new categories of financials and automobiles in recognition of the region's driving output in this sector.

The dominance of Hong Kong-based corporations in the sector awards continued on from 2004, with analysts and managers selecting five of the city-state's best known corporations as the region's best, improving on the four top rankings notched last year.

Hutchison Whampoa maintained its unbeatable position in the pan-Asian conglomerate sector, while improving market sentiment also handed Sun Hung Kai Properties its third straight best property company award. China Light & Power managed to land back-to-back best power company wins, as did Esprit, which easily retained its best retailer in Asia title.

Joining its national peers in the winner's box, Cathay Pacific was judged by respondents to be the foremost transportation company in the region, knocking regional adversary Singapore Airlines off its seemingly impenetrable perch on the top.

It wasn't all disappointment for Singapore corporations within the Asian landscape, as SingTel was again judged as the region's top telco, following its announcement that its subscription base (including investments) easily crossed the 60 million mark by December 2004. DBS picked up the second sectoral award for the Lion City, taking away the trophy for Asia's best financial company.

Additionally, 2005's vote was fruitful for Korean corporations, with three top rankings heading to Seoul. POSCO's undeniable market leadership was enough for respondents to hand it a consecutive best steel company award, while Samsung Electronics finally knocked TSMC from the pedestal to claim the best tech company crown. Hyundai Motors also came away with the inaugural best automobiles title.

The best oil and gas award went to PetroChina, which saw domestic demand lift its net profit almost 50% year-on-year.

For the first time in the surveys five-year history we also asked voters to name the region's overall best company. After a tight vote, analysts and fund managers deemed Samsung Electronics as non-Japan Asia's best corporation.

Our congratulations go out to all the winners in the 2005 poll, as does our appreciation and gratitude to all those that responded.

Overall Best Managed Company: Votes
Samsung Electronics 29
Asia's Best Votes
Financial:
DBS 27
Conglomerate:
Hutchison 32
Oil and Gas:
PetroChina 24
Property:
Sun Hung Kai Properties 26
Telecommunications:
SingTel 34
Technology:
Samsung Electronics 33
Transport:
Cathay Pacific 36
Automobiles:
Hyundai Motors 25
Steel:
POSCO 36
Power:
China Light & Power 21
Retailer
Esprit 27
á

China

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 PetroChina 31
2 Huaneng Power 24
3 China Resources Enterprise 17
4 CNOOC 15
4 Chalco 15

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 CNOOC 33
2 China Resources Enterprise 17
3 Lenovo 16

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Chalco 20
2 Sinopec 19

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Huaneng Power 20
1 PetroChina 20
3 Zhejiang Expressway 15
4 COSCO Pacific 12
5 CNOOC 11
5 China Telecom 11

á

Best Small Cap:
Xinao Gas

á

Best CFO:
Not Awarded

á

Best IR Representative:
Francis Kwong, China Resources Enterprise

Hong Kong

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 Techtronic 60
2 Esprit 45
3 Hang Seng Bank 30
4 Sun Hung Kai Properties 25
5 Hutchison Whampoa 24
6 Li & Fung 23

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 China Light & Power 50
2 Hang Seng Bank 43
3 Techtronic 31
4 Li & Fung 26

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Techtronic 72
2 Esprit 40
3 Sun Hung Kai Properties 24
4 Cathay Pacific 21
5 China Light & Power 17

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Hang Seng Bank 50
2 Esprit 23
2 China Light & Power 23

á

Best Small Cap:
Tungtex

á

Best CFO:
Frank Sixt, Hutchison Whampoa

á

Best IR Representative:
Yammie Tang, Techtronic

India

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 Infosys Technologies 57
2 Bharti Televentures 22
3 HDFC Limited 17
4 Wipro 13
5 Tata Consulting Services 10

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 Infosys Technologies 60
2 Bharti Televentures 18
2 Wipro 18
4 HDFC Limited 15

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Infosys Technologies 48
2 Bharti Televentures 27
3 Wipro 21

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Hindustan Lever 25
2 Infosys Technologies 17
3 HCL Technologies 14
4 India Oil Company 10
4 HDFC Limited 10

á

Best Small Cap:
Not awarded

á

Best CFO:
Mohandas Pai, Infosys Technologies

á

Best IR Representative:
K R Lakshminarayana, Wipro

Indonesia

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 Astra International 30
2 Telkom Indonesia 25
3 Indosat 19
4 Telkomsel 16
4 HM Sampoerna 16
6 Bank Central Asia 15
7 Bank Mandiri 14
7 Unilever Indonesia 14
9 Ramayana Lestari Sentosa 11
10 United Tractors 10

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 Indosat 28
2 Astra International 25
3 Telkom Indonesia 21
3 Ramayana Lestari Sentosa 21
5 HM Sampoerna 20
6 Unilever Indonesia 13
7 Bank Danamon 12
8 Bank Central Asia 10

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Indosat 25
2 Astra International 23
2 Bank Mandiri 23
4 Telkom Indonesia 22
5 Ramayana Lestari Sentosa 21
6 United Tractors 15
7 Aneka Tambang 14
7 HM Sampoerna 14
9 Bank Danamon 13
10 Excelcomindo 10

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Telkom Indonesia 35
2 Unilever Indonesia 18
3 HM Sampoerna 16
4 INCO 10
5 Bank Central Asia 7
5 Bank Danamon 7

á

Best Small Cap:
Bank NISP

á

Best CFO:
John Slack, Astra International

á

Best IR Representative:
Jonathan Zax, Bank Mandiri

Korea

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 Samsung Electronics 37
2 POSCO 29
3 Hyundai Motors 20
4 LG Electronics 14
5 Korea Telecom 9

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 POSCO 32
2 LG Electronics 19
3 Samsung Electronics 15
4 Kookmin Bank 9
5 Woori Bank 7
5 KT&G 7

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Samsung Electronics 31
2 POSCO 27
3 Hyundai Motors 17
4 LG Electronics 16
4 Samsung SDI 16
6 Kookmin Bank 12

á

Best Commitment to Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 POSCO 29
2 KT&G 28
3 Korea Telecom 15

á

Best Small Cap:
You Eal Electronics

á

Best CFO:
Choi Doh-seok, Samsung Electronics

á

Best IR Representative:
Anthony Moon, LG Electronics

Malaysia

Best Managed Company:
1 Public Bank 23
2 Maxis Communications 21
3 Tanjong PLC 20
4 IOI Corporation 17
5 Malayan Banking 12
6 British American Tobacco 9
7 MISC 8
7 YTL Corporation 8

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 British American Tobacco 27
2 Public Bank 25
3 Tanjong PLC 19
4 Malayan Banking 15
5 Nestle Malaysia 13
6 SP Setia 10
6 IOI Corporation 10
8 Maxis Communications 7

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Tanjong PLC 25
2 Public Bank 21
3 SP Setia 15
4 Scomi Group 14
5 British American Tobacco 12
5 Malaysian Airlines System 12
7 Road Builder Holdings 11
8 CIMB 9

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 British American Tobacco 45
2 Public Bank 25
3 Malayan Banking 12
4 Guinness Anchor 9
5 Tanjong PLC 8

á

Best Small Cap:
Top Glove

á

Best CFO:
Gerard Nathan, Tanjong PLC

á

Best IR Representative:
Shane Gehartarkuta, Tanjong PLC

The Philippines

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 PLDT/Smart 45
2 Ayala Corporation 27
3 Jollibee Foods 17
4 SM Prime 16
5 Globe Telecom 15
6 BPI 9
7 Ayala Land 8
7 San Miguel Corporation 8

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 Ayala Corporation 46
2 PLDT/Smart 30
3 Globe Telecom 19
4 Ayala Land 17
5 Jollibee Foods 12
6 BPI 11
7 SM Prime 8
8 San Miguel Corporation 5
8 ABS - CBN 5

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 PLDT/Smart 40
2 Ayala Corporation 29
3 Globe Telecom 20
4 San Miguel Corporation 17
5 Jollibee Foods 10
6 Ayala Land 8
7 SM Prime 8
8 BPI 5

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Globe Telecom 25
2 BPI 19
3 San Miguel Corporation 18
4 Ayala Corporation 14
4 Petron 14
5 PLDT/Smart 13
6 SM Prime 10
7 Aboitz Equity Ventures 8
8 Ayala Land 8
9 Jollibee Foods 7

á

Best Small Cap:
International Container Terminal Services

á

Best CFO:
Chito Gonzales, Globe Telecom

á

Best IR Representative
Anna Bengson, PLDT

Singapore

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 Singapore Telecom 41
2 Singapore Airlines 32
3 DBS 17
4 Noble Group 16
5 Keppel Corporation 12
6 Mobile One 7
6 OCBC 7

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 Singapore Telecom 38
2 Singapore Airlines 14
3 DBS 13

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Singapore Telecom 38
2 DBS 15
3 Singapore Airlines 14

á

Best Commitment To Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Mobile One 28
2 Comfort Delgro 23
3 Singapore Telecom 17

á

Best Small Cap:
Hyflux

á

Best CFO:
Chua Sock Koong, Singapore Telecom

á

Best IR Representative:
Gavin Hurle, Singapore Telecom

Taiwan

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 TSMC 47
2 Hon Hai Precision 31
3 Chinatrust 15
4 Asustek 13
4 Acer 13
6 Quanta Computer 10

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 TSMC 21
2 Chinatrust 15
3 Asustek 13
4 Hon Hai Precision 11
4 Acer 11

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 TSMC 29
2 Acer 13
3 Compal 10
3 Sunplus 10

á

Best Commitment to Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 China Steel 21
2 TSMC 20
3 Chunghwa Telecom 19
4 Taiwan Cellular 16

á

Best Small Cap:
Merry Electronics

á

Best CFO:
Max Cheng, AU Optronics

á

Best IR Representative:
Rachel Kao, Chinatrust

Thailand

Best Managed Company:
Position Votes
1 PTT 37
2 Advanced Info Systems 27
3 Siam Commercial Bank 19
4 Banpu 15
4 Siam Cement 15
6 Kasikornbank 9
7 Total Access Communications 8
7 Shin Corporation 8

á

Best Corporate Governance:
Position Votes
1 PTT 25
2 Siam Cement 21
3 Shin Corporation 20
4 Banpu 13
5 Bangkok Bank 10
5 PTTEP 10
7 TRUE 9
7 Kasikornbank 9
9 Thai Union Frozen 8

á

Best Investor Relations:
Position Votes
1 Shin Corporation 26
2 TRUE 19
3 Banpu 14
3 Kasikornbank 14
5 Siam Cement 13
6 Bangkok Bank 10
7 PTT 8
7 Advanced Info Systems 8

á

Best Commitment to Strong Dividend Payments:
Position Votes
1 Siam Cement 21
2 GMM Grammy 20
3 PTT 14
4 Advanced Info Systems 13
5 Bangkok Bank 11
6 Banpu 10

á

Best Small Cap:
GMM Grammy

á

Best CFO:
Somruedee Sompong, Banpu

á

Best IR Representative:
Panya Thongchai, Shin Corporation
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