PETALING JAYA: Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) delivered a record income and bonus distribution of RM14.5bil to unitholders for its 18 fixed price funds (FP) and variable-price (VP) funds last year.
In a statement, the state-owned investment company said the success was driven by a positive macroeconomic and capital market environment, as well as its continued asset diversification strategy.
PNB’s total group net income rose 30.2% from RM13.04bil to RM16.97bil.
The total number of accounts also expanded to a record high of 16.2 million, while the number of unique account holders hit 13.1 million.
Additionally, the group said total assets under management (AUM) recovered, reaching RM348.3bil, an increase from RM337bil in 2023.
Group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda said Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) distributed a record dividend through its flagship fund, Amanah Saham Bumiputra.
“The ASB benefited all Malaysians, distributing a total income of 5.75 sen, the highest over the last five years.
“All our 18 FP and VP outperformed their benchmarks, with 11 out of 12 of our VP funds ranked in the top or second quartile among their respective peer groups, reflecting the long-term resilience of PNB in delivering its purpose to uplift the financial lives of Malaysians across generations,” he said.
Moving forward, president and group CEO Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad said the nation must be realistic about the highly uncertain and volatile macroeconomic and capital market conditions expected in the year ahead.
He explained that this uncertainty is being driven by geopolitical developments and a fundamental shift in US trade policies.
However, PNB will remain steadfast in executing the strategic initiatives outlined under its LEAP 6 Strategic Plan, which is built around six key pillars.
The investment company’s LEAP 6 Strategic Plan sets a target of growing AUM to RM400bil by 2027.
“Our focus remains in sustaining the performance of our funds through a continued asset diversification strategy, as we fulfil our commitment of delivering consistent, competitive returns to our unitholders,” he said.
Abdul Rahman added that a major challenge at the moment is getting more people to invest with ASNB, particularly amid shifting spending habits and pressure on net disposable income, which has impacted how Malaysians save today compared to a decade ago.
“However, we are optimistic that we can address this by strengthening our sales and distribution capabilities, supported by product innovation, financial literacy programmes, and an expanded distribution platform,” he noted.
