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Investors holding Hoa Phat shares are no longer focused on short-term price swings. After experiencing significant losses when the stock bottomed out, many shareholders said they have become more determined to hold for the long term, viewing the shares as an asset that can build value over decades.
On the morning of April 21, Hoa Phat Group Joint Stock Company (HPG) held its annual general meeting in Hanoi. The meeting attracted broad attention because Hoa Phat is the Vietnamese stock with the largest number of shareholders, nearing 300,000 people. About 1,000 attendees were present in person.
As a household-name stock, Hoa Phat’s shareholder base spans different industries, occupations, and ages. Many have held shares for years, even decades.
Ms. Nguyen Huong (Huong Que Lua) said she currently holds about 100,000 Hoa Phat shares, roughly VND 3 billion, with the goal of holding them for the next 10–20 years to fund her child’s university education. At the AGM, she brought a 9-month-old baby to take photos with Chairman Tran Dinh Long.
Ms. Yen Nhi, a consultant at VNDirect Securities, said she has held Hoa Phat shares for more than a year. She described Hoa Phat as one of Vietnam’s leading steel companies with long-term growth potential and said investing in major domestic players provides a degree of safety. After attending the AGM and hearing management’s remarks directly—especially while waiting for the official financial statements—she said her confidence increased further.
Ms. Yen Nhi also assessed profit prospects for the year, saying she believes the actual figure could exceed the target of VND 22,000 billion, potentially reaching VND 25,000 billion or even VND 30,000 billion.
On dividends, she said her view is pragmatic: if the company maintains around 20% annual growth, whether dividends are distributed in cash or stock matters less, because the company’s value is reflected in the share price.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung (born in 1955) said she has been a shareholder for nearly 10 years and has attended many AGMs. She emphasized that her investment is not a trend-based trade but is based on analysis. She added that she values the sense of security Hoa Phat offers, even when the share price does not rise as quickly as some other sectors.
She said she has been impressed by the leadership’s openness and honesty, including during difficult periods such as 2022, when the company did not post a profit. Despite that, she chose to keep the shares, trusting in the company’s internal strength and management.
Ms. Pham Thi Hoang Anh, who runs a homestay in Thanh Hoa, said she has held Hoa Phat shares for four years since 2021. She described a wide range of experiences, from when the price was around 22,000 dong to a fall to 13,000 dong. From those challenges, she said she sees Hoa Phat as a sustainable enterprise, citing management’s consistent focus on shareholders through regular dividends in both cash and stock.
Ms. Khong Thi Nguyen, an IELTS teacher, said she started owning and following Hoa Phat shares about five years ago. She believes the stock’s price movements are relatively stable—rising not too quickly and not dropping sharply—helping shareholders feel secure. She added that investors should be prepared to hold rather than seek quick gains in the short term. Her near-term price target is between 31,000 and 33,000 dong; when it reaches that range, she said she would consider selling and then waiting for corrections to buy again.
Hoa Phat’s 2026 AGM took place amid strong first-quarter results, with more than VND 9,000 billion in profit. Management decided to distribute 2025 dividends at 15%, including 5% in cash and 10% in stock. Chairman Tran Dinh Long also pledged to maintain regular dividend distributions from now until 2030.
Across the accounts shared at the AGM, the common theme was a move away from chasing short-term fluctuations. After periods of drawdown, shareholders said they have increasingly prioritized long-term value accumulation, supported by confidence in the company’s business outlook and dividend continuity.
Source: Nhịp sống thị trường (Market Life)
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