SM Investments: Fostering confidence in the Philippine stock market

WHEN SM Group founder Henry Sy wanted to expand his retail business, Jose Sio, SM Investments Corp. chairman emeritus who was the group's longtime CFO back then, said the quickest way to do it was to go public.

- By IRIS GONZALES

True enough, SM's historic initial public offering in 2005 enabled the company to grow from just 19 malls and 23 department stores at the time to 95 malls in the Philippines and China and 4,470 retail stores today.

Sy, with a grand ambition to go large scale, heeded this advice. The rest, as they say, is history.

For the past two decades, SM has been a pillar of strength and stability in the Philippine stock market, embodying a commitment to growth, governance and inclusivity.

Today, the company celebrates its 20th listing anniversary, which is a testament to the company's inspiring journey and evolution.

SM has become the guide for companies aspiring to grow big. It has become the barometer for companies that want to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

A legacy of value creation Its story, after all, is indeed one for the books.

Since going public on March 22, 2005, SM has demonstrated remarkable growth, expanding from a strong presence in retail and real estate to becoming a conglomerate with a vast portfolio across retail, banking and property development.

SM listed with an adjusted price of P123.27 per share. Fast forward to March 21, 2025, the closing price of SM was P800 per share. This means that SM Investments' shares have grown by over 549 percent in the last two decades.

Over the course of 20 years, SM Investments' assets grew by more than 900 percent, delivering a compounded annual growth of 12 percent.

The company commemorated its 20th listing anniversary on March 24, 2025, at the PSE.