Asia Financial bounced back into the black last year following a large improvement in investment gains in the second half.
The company yesterday reported net profit of HK$403.8 million, against a loss of HK$137.5 million in 2011.
Bernard Charnwut Chan, the president of the firm, said it might inject more capital into its property project in Shanghai and PICC Life Insurance, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed People's Insurance Co (Group) of China. Asia Financial has a 5 per cent stake in PICC.
Chan said the company was also on the lookout for an opportunity to invest in hospitals but had no target at present.
Asia Financial will maintain a dividend payout ratio of about 30 per cent of core profit. Excluding income from associates, core profit last year was HK$320 million. A final dividend of 4.3 HK cents per share will be paid.
Investment gains for the year were HK$234.2 million, against a loss of HK$306.7 million previously.