Grace new HQ close to the end of construction in downtown Kingston
Grace Kennedy reported net profit attributable to shareholders of $3.26 billion for the year to September compared with $3.3 billion in 2017 on strong gains in Food and Insurance segments. For the September quarter, the group earnings of $1.06 billion was realized, down from $1.5 billion.
The current quarter’s result is negatively impacted by one off expenses.
Segment results show declines in the Money transfer business with segment results down to $2.34 billion from $2.46 billion in 2017. Banking was flat with results of $401 million but both Insurance and Food trading recorded healthy increases. Food reported $1.35 billion in 2017 and climbed a strong 12.5 percent to $1.52 billion and Insurance jumped a robust 22.7 percent from $508 million to $734 million.
When adjusted for non-recurring gains in 2017 and one-time expenses of $236 million in the September 2018 quarter, profit for the nine months would have been greater by approximately $600 million.
For the nine-months, the Company revenues rose 7 percent to $73.8 billion but climbed a healthier 11 percent to $25.46 billion for the September quarter, over the same period in 2017. Group Chief Financial Officer, Frank James, informed IC Insider.com that the savings from the rationalisation exercise will generate savings considerable higher than the cost, due partially to some former employees being retired and not incurring separation cost.
Operating cost rose faster than revenues, with an increase of 13 percent to $24.6 billion for the
Group Chief Executive Officer, Don Wehby.
Shareholders’ equity increased of $3.2 billion to $48.4 billion over 2017. Loans receivables remained flat at $26.4 billion compared to $26.58 billion in September 2017 and is down from $27.55 billion at the end of 2017. At the end of the period total assets increased $7.3 billion to $137 billion since September in 2017 and liabilities rose by a smaller $3 billion to $86.44 billion.
In speaking to the recent performance, Group Chief Executive Officer, Don Wehby, affirmed, “The Company is investing strategically for future growth and efficiency to achieve this objective. We are seeing a 12.6 percent increase in profit over prior period, with the one-off adjustments, and we expect continued growth based on our strategy.”
Since 2018, the Group embarked on a programme which aims to improve its return on investment and shareholder value. The process involves a review of its overall organizational design, cost structure, and business processes at all levels resulting in restructuring which affected a number of positions in August. In expounding further Wehby stated, “Although the restructuring costs of $236 million impacted the quarter’s performance, I am confident that the Company will realize the benefits of this in subsequent periods.”
Grace pays an interim dividend of 50 cents per stock unit on December 13, bringing dividends to date to $1.35 per stock unit of more than $1.3 billion.
Wehby and the group’s chairman Gordon Shirley in their report to shareholders stated that Grace Kennedy anticipates continued growth for the fourth quarter, subsequent to the quarterly report the group announced changes in their Florida distribution with an investment in the company that manufactures it patties that will take over Graces distribution and warehousing in that area. The new arrangement will mean less cost and more profits for Grace.
IC Insider.com projects earnings is $4.80 for the current fiscal year to December and $6 for 2019. The stock is listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and trades at $60 for a PE of 12.5 times current year’s estimated earnings versus an average for the market in the region of 15, with a premium of a mere 20 percent above net book value per share and seems undervalued, currently. The stock looks like a good long term investment.
Declining stocks beat out on advancing ones again on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange but market indices rose to halt the recent daily decline as the volume and value of stocks climbed sharply from Wednesday’s out turn. 
124,399 units with a value of $4,530,322, compared to 113,717 units with a value of $3,126,711, previously. November closed, with an average of 405,528 valued at $7,755,942, for each security traded.
settled at $9.50, with 27,667 units changing hands, PanJam Investment rose 35 cents to close at $70, with an exchange of 213,004 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 79 cents to close at $10.20, with 1,000 shares changing hands, Scotia Group gained $1 trading 141,156 units to close at $56, Seprod traded 907,620 shares after declining by 50 cents to close at $31.50, Supreme Ventures rose 45 cents to $16, with 226,840 shares changing hands.
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped back sharply on Thursday from the elevated levels on Wednesday. 
amounts to 245,207 units at a value of $1,397,711, versus 271,046 units at a value of $1,552,211, previously. November, ended with an average of 190,475 units valued at $653,358 for each security traded.
General Accident finished trading of 1,301 shares, with a loss of 45 cents to end at $3.30, GWest Corporation lost 15 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.30, with an exchange of 27,000 stock units, Honey Bun ended 30 cents higher at $3.80, with 1,310 units changing hands, Indies Pharma traded 122,376 shares to close at $3.10, Iron Rock concluded trading of 14,256 shares for a rise of 70 cents to $4.40. Jamaican Teas settled at $3.70, with an exchange of 2,793 shares, Knutsford Express closed 10 cents higher at $10.50, with 1,797 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended 10 cents higher at $3.90, in trading 262,985 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading 80 cents higher at $4.90, with 10,947 stock units. Main Event settled with a loss of 1 cent at $6, with 12,654 shares changing hands and Stationery and Office finished trading 2,262 stock units with a loss of 25 cents to end at $8.55.
Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange market activity on Thursday ended with trading in 13 securities against 15 on Wednesday, with 3 advancing, 3 declining and 7 remaining unchanged on a day when the volume a value of trading declined from Wednesday’s levels.
The 
Declining stocks had the upper hand on advancing ones on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as the market indices fell for yet another day, as the volume and value of stocks trading declined from Tuesday’s out turn. 
previously. November closed, with an average of 405,528 valued at $7,755,942, for each security traded.
74,419 shares, PanJam Investment jumped $7.15 to close at $69.65, with an exchange of 215,881 stock units, Sagicor Group fell 70 cent in trading 42,406 shares at $42, Sagicor Real Estate Fund added 99 cents to close at $10.99, with 295,149 shares changing hands, Scotia Group gained 99 cents trading 35,316 units to close at $55, Seprod traded 31,423 shares after rising 60 cents to close at $32, Supreme Ventures lost 45 cents and ended at $15.55, with 88,058 shares changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 44 cents and ended at $10.50 with 5,696 shares changing hands.
$1,552,211, versus 236,096 units at a value of $1,536,039, previously. November, ended with an average of 190,475 units valued at $653,358 for each security traded.
$2.87, trading 15,702 stock units, Everything Fresh fell to the lowest level since listing earlier in the year, at $2.50 in trading 30,977 shares with a loss of 27 cents to close at an all-time low of $1.01, Express Catering ended trading of 181,412 shares with a loss of 30 cents at $7.70, FosRich Group traded 51,855 shares with a loss of 1 cent at $3.79. GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 5 cents at $1.45, in trading 10,000 stock units, Indies Pharma traded 49,397 shares and lost 3 cents to close at $3.10, Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 8 cents at $3.70, with 16,080 shares traded, KLE Group finished trading 10 cents higher at $3.20, with an exchange ofn 5,000 shares, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of 20 cents at $10.40, with 5,772 shares traded and Main Event settled 1 cent higher at $6.01, with 6,333 shares changing hands.
hands, National Flour concluded trading with a loss of 7 cents at $1.63, with an exchange of 5,526 units, Republic Financial Holdings traded with a loss of 20 cents to close at $107.06, after exchanging 315 shares, Scotiabank fell 7 cents and completed trading at $64.66, with a mere 4 units changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed with a loss of 2 cents and settled at $29.21, after exchanging 46,313 shares and Unilever Caribbean shed 5 cents and ended at $22.95, with 2,000 stock units changing hands.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered further declines at the close of trading on Tuesday as declining stocks edged out advancing ones but with securities trading ending with slightly higher volume and value than on Monday. 
at $3,339,977 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to 119,777 units with a value of $3,292,648, compared to 111,829 units with a value of $3,007,628, previously. November closed, with an average of 405,528 valued at $7,755,942, for each security traded.
80 cents in trading 620 stock units, Mayberry Investments rose 40 cents and settled at $9.50, with 138,069 units changing hands, PanJam Investment lost $4.50 to close at $62.50, with an exchange of 23,764 stock units, Sagicor Group gained $2.54 to finish trading of 1,880 shares at $42.70, Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell 50 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ low of $10, with 17,300 shares changing hands, Scotia Group fell 50 cents in trading 164,214 units to close at $54.01, Seprod traded 64,730 shares in dropping 45 cents to close at $31.40, Sterling Investments lost 35 cents and closed at $4.13, with 915 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments lost 44 cents and ended at $10.06 with 16,120 shares changing hands.
236,096 units at a value of $1,536,039, versus 143,367 units at a value of $463,182, previously. November, ended with an average of 190,475 units valued at $653,358 for each security traded.
as 20,074 stock units changed hands. Everything Fresh traded 292,113 shares after declining by 2 cents to close at an all-time low of $1.28, Express Catering ended trading with 11,808 shares, 30 cents higher at $8, FosRich Group traded 1,500 shares at $3.80, Honey Bun ended with a loss of 30 cents at $3.50, exchanging 1,610 units, Indies Pharma traded 23,980 shares and lost 3 cents to close at $3.13, Jetcon Corporation ended trading of 20,400 stock units with a loss of 25 cents to end at $3.15. Key Insurance traded 182 units with a loss of 95 cents at $4, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of 90 cents at $10.60, in exchanging 16,856,182 shares, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 10 cents at $3.80, with 6,200 shares trading, Lasco Manufacturing fell 4 cents to close at $3.12, with 12,908 units being exchanged, Main Event settled at $6, in trading 9,410 shares and tTech ended at $5.19, with 1,000 shares changing hands.
