Archives for October 2014

Flat sales higher cost hit Lasco Manufacturing

October 30, 2014 by

Lasco Manufacturing new "I Cool" drinks

Lasco Manufacturing new “I Cool” drinks

Sales fell marginally to $1 billion from $1.03 billion in the September 2014 quarter, compared to 2013, at Lasco Manufacturing. A sharp jump in operating and finance cost helped to pressure the financial performance in the quarter to a profit of $127 million down from $176 million in 2013.
Earnings per share fell to 3 cents for the quarter and 7 cents for the six months. Year to date revenue was $2.08 billion compared to $1.88 billion for the same period last year, an increase of 11 percent. “This growth was driven mainly by increased volume in our export markets. Our International Division reported a growth of 40 percent during the quarter” management stated in their release with the financials.
Gross profit for the six months rose 14 percent to $602 million from $526 million and in the September quarter it grew to $287 million from $276, bettering gross profit margin moderately. Net profit for the six months declined 15 percent to $268 million against the comparative period last year. “The net profit performance was in line with the expectations of management and the board, this was due to temporary increase in manufacturing cost resulting from the effect of changes in staff complement, overhead costs associated with the new manufacturing plant, and increased finance cost,” the company’s management stated.
Operating expenses climbed 54 percent to $151 million in the latest quarter, and 41 percent, for the six months period. While there is no breakdown for the operating cost, other than the increased staff cost mentioned above, increased depreciation charge on the liquid factory would also be one of the factors pushing cost. With the other factory to be opened after the quarter’s end, the depreciation charge will rise again. Finance cost jumped to $25 million in the quarter from just $2 million in the 2013 quarter and for the half year to $57 million from $2.3 million. Prior to the completion of the factory, the finance cost associated with building and equipping the factories was capitalised as part of the factory cost. With the completion of the facilities, the cost will be a direct charge against income.
Heating of raw material to make bottles for Lasco's new drinks

Heating of raw material to make bottles for Lasco’s new drinks

During the quarter, the company introduced LASCO iCool water, iCool flavor water and iCool juice drinks to the market. The company made significant investments in marketing as well as promotional activities in collaboration with affiliated company LASCO Distributors.
“The company is on target with its long-term plan to invest in innovation across all facets of the business – from new product development to powering a pipeline of new products, drive financial performance and fuel continued consumer passion for the LASCO brand,” management stated.
Finances| At the end September, borrowed funds was at $1.49 billion with $187 million to be paid within the next twelve months, while cash funds were at $153 million. $2.1 billion is in work in progress to be transferred to fixed assets and will push total fixed assets to $3 billion when effected. The company is also in the process of constructing a new warehouse of 30,000 square foot. Up to the end of the September the company was operating from two factories one at the White Mall facilities as well as at Red Hills Road, thus resulting in duplicated cost. The liquid plant is to be up graded further by $3 million to reduce raw material cost and expanded for other products, including production for some foreign partner.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: , , , ,

Lasco Financial rolls out profit gains

October 30, 2014 by

Lasco Financial Managing Director Jacinth Hall-Tracey

Lasco Financial Managing Director Jacinth Hall-Tracey

Lasco Financial Services’ profit that grew 20 percent in the June quarter, and 28 percent in the September quarter, to reach $65 million. The second quarter profit, grew faster than the 19 percent revenue growth to $188 million over 2013, slightly more than in the first quarter’s revenue of $178 million and $145 million, in the March 2014 quarter.
For the six months to September, profit is up by 25 percent to $112 million or 9 cents per share and revenue climbed 14 percent to $366 million from $303 million in 2013. All things being equal, the full year earnings to March next year should exceed 20 cents per share.
Cost rose 19 percent in the six months as increased marketing cost helped push cost up, but the increase for the September quarter was only 14 percent. The company is embarking on some new initiatives to expand the business. One will be the utilization of 14 locations island-wide for the provision of loans. They indicated earlier this month that they have already signed an agreement to facilitate this. New software that that has been installed will allow for Money Grams’ data to reside locally and thus speed up the processing in the money transfer transactions, thus creating a better experience for their customers. The focus in this area, is a partial recognition that that the traditional business of cambio and to a lesser degree remittance services are fairly matured and growth has to be explored elsewhere.
Lasco Financial should generate in excess of 40 percent return on equity for the current fiscal year. As of September, equity stood at $726 million, loans and other receivables on the books is at $325 and cash funds $448 million.
A look at Access with return on equity of more than 50 percent, contrast with Lasco Financial more than 40 percent. For one, it indicates that high risk lending is very profitable area if done right as well as the benefit that leveraging can deliver, with Access borrowing funds to relend versus Lasco using its own capital alone.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: ,

Slight gain for juniors

October 29, 2014 by

amg-packaging280x150 The Junior Market closed trading with 768,343 units valued at $761,700. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 0.54 points to close at 660.02, only 5 securities traded, 2 advanced and 2 declined.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to be weak with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Caribbean Producers put through 50,000 units with a gain of 10 cents to end at $2.30 and Lasco Manufacturing had 187,742 units trading, to close at 95 cents, after gaining 4 cents.
AMG Packaging traded 300 shares and lost 1 cent, to end at $2.24, a new 52 weeks low and Consolidated Bakeries traded 271,241 shares, lost 3 cents at 82 cents and Lasco Financial with 259,060 units trading, closed at 96 cents.

Filed Under: JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , ,

8 up & 9 JSE stocks down Wednesday

October 29, 2014 by
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Wednesday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 8 stocks rising and 9 declining as 24 securities changed hands, ending in 1,412,626 units trading, valued at $4,275,609, in all market segments.
JSE 29-10-14 IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 with offers that were lower.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 91.59 points to 71,657.61, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 102.42 points to close at 78,834.46 and the JSE combined index gained 91.20 points to close at 73,547.09.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Caribbean Cement with 62,500 shares changing hands, closed 20 cents higher at $2.40, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 12,260 shares, 1 cents higher at $4.16, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 214 ordinary shares trading, rose 5 cents rise to $7.05, National Commercial Bank saw trading in 19,401 shares as the price ended with a 40 cents gain, to $17.95, Radio Jamaica 27,916 shares ended with the price rising 5 cents to $1.20 and Sagicor Group had 32,554 shares changing hands 5 cents higher at $9.65.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded price are, Carreras with 4,520 shares and closed at $34.60, Mayberry Investments had 2,040 shares trading to end at $1.40, Salada Foods had 20,000 shares trading to close at $7.85, Scotia Group with 21,100 shares changing hands ended at $19.11 and Seprod closed with 114,269 shares at $11.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless with 174,393 shares, closing a cent lower at 28 cents, Desnoes & Geddes with 50,000 shares, lost 18 cents to $4.80, Gleaner closed with 13,994 units changing hands, 5 cents lower at $1.05, Grace Kennedy with only 240 units, ended down 76 cents to $57.24, Pan Jamaican Investment had only 1,000 active shares, but lost 15 cents to end at $49.05 and Supreme Ventures ended with 3,500 units with a loss of 2 cents at $1.70.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 83,412 units at $3 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share traded a mere 970 shares, closed with a cent loss, at $2.49.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

J$ gained vs Canadian & Pound on Wednesday

October 29, 2014 by

The Jamaican dollar gained most against the British Pound and Canadian dollar, but fell moderately versus the US dollar, in trading on Wednesday. Authorized dealers purchased the equivalent of US$32,884,034 versus US$33,265,759, on Tuesday and sold the equivalent of US$32,831,045 compared with US$40,508,881 on Tuesday.
FX sum 29-10-14In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$30,229,144 compared to US$27,496,261 on Tuesday. The buying rate for the US dollar gained 10 cents to $112.35 and US$31,632,195 was sold versus US$35,263,494 on Tuesday, the selling rate rose 2 cent to $112.73. The Canadian dollar buying rate, fell $1.37 to $98.28 with dealers buying C$3,177,324 and selling C$532,191, at an average selling rate that declined 49 cents, to $100.61. The rate for buying the British Pound moved down 11 cents to $178.95, for the purchase of £942,161, while £356,742 was sold, at $181.48, a fall of 13 cents. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$259,832, while the equivalent of US$149,651, was sold.
FXHL 29-10-14Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, climbed 65 cents to $113.50, the lowest buying, the highest selling and the lowest selling rates were unchanged at $91.85, $117.70 and $91.85 respectively. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 93 cents to $101.93, the lowest buying rate remained at $79.35, the highest selling rate climbed 12 cents to $103.12. The lowest selling rate jumped $1.90 to $97.50. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 45 cents to $182.20. The lowest buying rate was up by 75 cents to $145.83, the highest selling rate had no change at $187.14 and the lowest selling rate jumped $3.10 to $178.

Filed Under: FX Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , ,

14 stocks traded on TTSE

October 29, 2014 by

Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 14 securities changing hands, of which 3 advanced, 1 declined and 10 traded firm with a total of 496,344 units, valued at $1,150,956. At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.04 points to close at 1,146.52, the All T&T Index fell by 0.07 just points to close at 1,962.08 and the Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 43.38.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Unilever Caribbean with a 4 cents gain to $64.15 after trading 133 units to close at a new 52 week’ high, National Commercial Bank with 450,000 shares changing hands for a value of $450,000 closed 2 cents higher at $1 and West Indian Tobacco put on 5 cents to end at $118.61 while trading 300 shares.
TTSE sum 29-10-14 Declines| The only stock declining at the end of trading is, One Caribbean Media added 4,235 shares valued at $106,383, falling 13 cents to end at $25.12.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Angostura Holdings with 8,137 shares valued at $101,713, traded at $12.50, Clico Investment Fund with 2,970 shares valued at $65,637 ended at $22.10, First Citizens Bank had 1,940 shares trading to end at $36.75, Guardian Holdings had 3,000 units trading at $13.50, Massy Holdings traded 2,134 shares at $68.55, National Enterprises 302 shares ended at $17.50, National Flour Mills 1,000 closed at $1.10, followed by Scotiabank traded 1,547 shares at $58 and Scotia Investments with a volume of 20,646 shares being traded at $1.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and only 1 stock with the offer lower.

Filed Under: Stock Market, TTSE Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NCB to face $500m wages hit in 2014

October 29, 2014 by

ncb-logoNational Commercial Bank (NCBJ) advised that the Industrial Disputes Tribunal made an award in respect of salaries and benefits for most of the clerical employees of NCBJ and its subsidiaries (NCB Group).
The award included an increase in salaries of 8 percent per annum for each of the financial years ending September 2013 and 2014. The increases for those years will now have to be paid retroactively. NCB Group said they make provision for salaries to be increased once the award was received, but the increases awarded exceed the amounts provided. The extent to which the retroactive payments for those two financial years exceed the provisions that had been made will be taken into account in the income statement for the financial year ended September 30, 2014. Union leaders for the staff association claimed that the bank offered five percent for 2013 and four percent for the current year. Such an offer would mean that the group would need to book an additional 7 percent to the wage bill. The groups wage bill was approximately $11 billion for the 2013 fiscal year to September and would place the additional charge, somewhere in the $800 million region. The net effect would be closer to $500 million or around 20 cents per share after tax. The bank’s wage bill for the 2013 financial year was $9.5 billion.
IC Insider originally projected earnings of $4.80 per share for the 2014 fiscal year. The adjustment to be reflected in the 2014 accounts will most likely results in a lower out turn.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Company News, General Business News Tagged With: , ,

Revenues up strongly at Access

October 29, 2014 by

AccessBuilding320pxAccess Financial Services’ profit increased 13 percent in the June quarter and is up by 17 percent in the September quarter, to reach $93.57 million that is still down from the robust 30 percent increased profit, in the March quarter.
The third quarter profit grew much more slowly than revenues that grew 31 percent to $272 million and slightly more than in the second quarter’s $267 million and $254 million in the March 2014 quarter.
For the nine months to September, profit is up by 20 percent to $239 million or 87 cents per share. The company becomes taxable in the December quarter, but earnings should surpass $1.20 per share for the full year. In the nine months to September, revenues climbed 37 percent to $793 million from $579 million in 2013, continuing its strong growth trajectory since the shares were listed. The December quarter is traditionally the biggest quarter in income and profit generation. All things being equal, the earnings of 34 cents in the September quarter, should be well surpassed and putting full year earnings around $1.40 per share.
Increase in the provision for bad loans climbed much faster than revenues in 2014 so far, with $54.6 million provided in the latest quarter, bringing the nine months to $169 million compared with $52 million in 2013. The nine months provision amounts to 23.4 percent of the loan income, this is a major increase from 12.6 percent for full twelve months of last year.
Access should generate in excess of 50 percent return on equity for the current year. As of September, equity stood at $744 million, loans on the books is at $1.1 billion, a 26 percent jump from $889 million at September last year. Total borrowed funds used in the financing of the business, amount to $582 million compared to $422 million in September last year, cash funds stand at $146 million.
The company paid a dividend of 36.5 cents per share payable to shareholders on September 1st this year.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results

5 up 4 down on JSE

October 28, 2014 by

Tuesday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 5 stocks rising and 4 declining as 20 securities changed hands, ending in 2,144,368 units trading, valued at 12,272,863.83, in all market segments.
JSE sum 28-10-14 IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 10 stocks with offers that were lower.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 76.43 points to 71,566.02 the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declined 85.47 points to close at 78,732.04 and the JSE combined index gained declined by 46.84 points to close at 73,455.89.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 29,600 shares and rose 15 cents to at $4.15, Jamaica Producers with 13,114 shares as the price ended a cent higher at $15.51.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Berger Paints had 22,799 shares trading at $1.60, Cable & Wireless with 40,855 shares changing hands ended at 29 cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers had 15,100 ordinary shares changing hands at $7, National Commercial Bank with 422,293 shares traded at $17.55, Proven Investments had 7,000 units to close at 18 US cents, Sagicor Group 7,084 shares closed at $9.60 after trading as high as $10 earlier in the day, Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 16,000 units closed at $6.65, Scotia Investments with 555 shares at $21.40 and recently listed Sterling Investments with 100 shares changing hands, closed at $134.
Declines| The only stock with losing at the end of trading in the main market is, Scotia Group with 52,894 shares to close with a loss of 29 cents at $19.11.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 691,050 units at $3 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 6,000 units at $5.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jamaican$ lost most vs Pound on Tuesday

October 28, 2014 by

The Jamaican dollar lost most against the British Pound, but underwent moderate changes with the US and Canadian dollars in trading on Tuesday, as authorized dealers bought US$7 million less funds than was sold. Dealers purchased the equivalent of US$33,265,759 versus US$59,284,131, on Monday and sold the equivalent of US$40,508,881 compared with US$43,206,616 on Monday.
FX 28-10-14In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$27,496,261 compared to US$51,676,419 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar lost 5 cents to $112.24 and US$35,263,494 was sold versus US$38,092,548 on Monday, the selling rate rose 4 cent to $112.71. The Canadian dollar buying rate, climbed 78 cents to $99.65 with dealers buying C$3,177,324 and selling C$4,673,998, at an average selling rate that declined 7 cents, to $101.09. The rate for buying the British Pound moved up 31 cents to $179.06, for the purchase of £1,526,729, while £503,224 was sold, at $181.60, an increase of 67 cents. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$512,958, while the equivalent of US$242,382, was sold.
FX hl 28-10-14Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, the lowest buying, the highest selling and the lowest selling rates were unchanged at $112.85, $91.85, $117.70 and $91.85 respectively. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 10 cents to $101, the lowest buying rate fell 16 cents to $79.35, the highest selling rate climbed 20 cents to $103. The lowest selling rate dropped 20 cents to $95.60. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell $6.25 to $181.75. The lowest buying rate had no change at $145.08, the highest selling rate eased 86 cents to $187.14 and the lowest selling rate jumped $23.52 to $174.90.

Filed Under: FX Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , ,