KUALA LUMPUR: Conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd said it is exploring various options to improve shareholder value including the potential listing of its assets.

In a statement yesterday, the group said it has over the past few years streamlined its operations, divested out of non-strategic and noncore assets and acquired new businesses to ensure long-term growth and resilience ahead.

“We have begun unlocking value through asset monetisation exercises and ensured that our balance sheet remains strong with several successful deleveraging measures that have been implemented such as issuance of the perpetual sukuk and share placement.

“The group has also explored potential listings of its assets. The execution of these initiatives [is] being considered and we are taking into account market conditions and valuations, with the objective of delivering optimal value to shareholders,” it said.

Sime Darby was responding to a report by The Edge weekly over the weekend.

In its latest issue, The Edge weekly reported that Malaysian government-owned investment arm Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) — which owns more than half of Sime Darby shares — is looking to break up the conglomerate.

The report quoted sources as saying that PNB chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar and chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad had key roles in the plan, which could involve individual listings for Sime Darby’s business divisions.

The conglomerate has a diverse range of interests including oil palm plantation, property development and car dealership.

Sime Darby shares settled 14 sen or 1.75% lower at RM7.85, giving it a market capitalisation of RM53.15 billion.