JSE main market ends with losses Wednesday

November 8, 2017 by

More stocks closed with gains than with losses, on Wednesday on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as 25 securities changed hands, with 12 advancing, 8 declined and 5 traded firm as 6,096,729 units valued at $100,198,639 traded.
Price movements resulted in moderate fall in the market indices at the close.
In the main activity, Barita Investments traded with a loss of 2 cents at $8.88, with 28,307 units, Berger Paints concluded trading 50 cents higher at $15, with 19,008 shares, Cable & Wireless closed with a loss of 1 cent at $1.09, with 1,256,447 shares, Caribbean Cement traded $1 higher at $33, with 14,395 stock units. Carreras concluded trading at $11.50, with 1,097,819 units, Ciboney Group settled 2 cents higher at $0.17, with 4,000 shares, Grace Kennedy finished at $43, with 32,084 shares, Jamaica Broilers finished trading with a loss of 9 cents at $18.90, with 22,921 stock units. Jamaica Producers traded 20 cents higher at $15.80, with 32,668 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange finished trading 1 cent higher at $7, with 35,412 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading 14 cents higher at $29.50, with 199,909 shares, Kingston Wharves ended trading with a loss of 50 cents at $32.50, with 3,491 units. Mayberry Investments closed with a loss of 5 cents at $5, with 1,000 shares, NCB Financial Group traded 1 cent higher at $108.01, with 279,573 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments finished 5 cents higher at $1.35, with 400 stock units, PanJam Investment concluded trading with a loss of 45 cents at $42.55, with 21,820 units, Radio Jamaica ended trading 2 cents higher at $1.15, with 3,500 stock units. Sagicor Group settled 40 cents higher at $38, with 54,460 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund concluded trading 20 cents higher at $15.20, with 546,470 shares, Scotia Group traded with a loss of 80 cents at $51, with 502,155 stock units, Seprod finished trading with a loss of 75 cents at $29, with 103,599 units and Supreme Ventures concluded trading 50 cents higher at $13, with 426,660 shares. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market Brokers7.25% preference share ended 14 cents higher at $2.49, Jamaica Money Market Brokers7.5% preference share ended 14 cents higher at $1.85, with 399,000 stock units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share ended at $1.10, with 1 million stock units and Proven Investments traded 45,180 units in the US dollar market unchanged at 57.51 US cents.

Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.

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Sagicor Group reports solid results

November 7, 2017 by

Sagicor Group climbed 23% for the year to September.


Sagicor Group continues to deliver reasonable growth in profit albeit from a modest increase in assets that grew 4 percent over the twelve months to September to reach $363.26 billion.
But things were not a great in all aspects of the group as the overall bottom-line growth would suggests. While the Individual Lines segment, generated profits that more than doubled that of the 2016 period, rising by 105 percent, the Employee benefits segment, delivered just 21 percent better returns than in 2016 but investment and commercial bank suffered moderate decline in profit of 2 and 6 percent respectively, while other operations turned a profit of $289 million into a loss of $197 million.
Profit for the nine-month period climbed 23 percent to $9.08 billion, than the $7.39 billion recorded last year while it grew modestly by percent 9.3 percent to $3.43 billion. Revenues for the nine months rose 18 percent to $53.53 billion and for the quarter it jumped by a strong 42 percent to $23.18 billion 2016 from $16.3 billion in 2016. The earnings per stock unit are 88 cents for the quarter and $2.34 for the year to date compared to $1.89 for last year. For the 2016 the group earned $2.90 per share which should end up around $3.50 per share by year end and importantly, even higher in 2018.
The big rise in cost has been changes in insurance and annuity liabilities moving from $2.6 billion in the 2016 quarter to $8.3 billion and from $10.8 billion to $13.3 billion in the September quarter.
Sagicor traded on Tuesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and ended at $37.60.

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Supreme Ventures jacks dividend to $844M

November 7, 2017 by

Supreme Ventures has pushed up the dividend payment fresh after the major changes in ownership and recent board changes to $844 million.
The new board declared an interim dividend of 14 cents per share payable on December 4, 2017 to shareholders on record as at November 20, 2017 and a special dividend of 18 cents per share to be paid on the same day as the interim dividend. The ex-dividend date will be November 16. On august 9, a dividend of 16 cents was paid and 14 cents per stock unit was paid on May 31.
The new directors who were appointed to the board effective October 23, following increased ownership by Mayberry West Indies Limited to 8.56 percent, Bamboo Holdings of 1.2 percent and Mark Berry to 1.05 percent of the company are Ansel Howel, Christopher Berry, Gary Peart. Paul Hoo former chairman of the boards resigned as the company’s chairman on the 4th of November.

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38% more taxes by Jamaican businesses

November 7, 2017 by

Increased taxes pushed inflation in April.

Jamaica’ business sector paid 39 percent more taxes to government than projected, for the year to September, with $23 billion collected in corporation taxes resulting from a $6.5 billion increase ahead of forecast.
For the 2017 fiscal year, $16.4 billion was raked in, to September while $52 billion in corporate taxes was paid by the business sector for the full twelve months. Special Consumption taxes on local goods rose 50 percent above forecast with a $5 billion increase while local GCT grew 6 percent or $2.6 billion and travel tax jumped 26 percent or $2 billion above the amounts budgeted earlier in the year. Tax on interest fell $2 billion below forecast to $5 billion and was the only major area of underperformance

Jamaica’s Ministry of Finance newest office building

Revenues for the government of Jamaica continues to outperform forecast with inflows rising $15 billion more than the amount projected, bringing the half year take to $262 billion.
Expenditure underperform projections by $3 billion as interest cost fell $2 billion and the wage bill fell $1 billion.
Government operations ran at a deficit of just $620 million in September, but for the year to date, a surplus of $5 billion. Interestingly, the capital expenditure that have struggled to keep pace with forecast, is down by just $144 million with $18.3 million having been spent. The primary surplus, one of the major target under the IMF agreement, came in at $62 billion or $17 billion better than planned.

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Chlorine to boost Paramount’s margin

November 7, 2017 by

Paramount Trading is expanding its operations by offering chlorine and bleach products for contract manufacturing and through a joint venture with Allegheny Petroleum into lubricants.
“The Company recently completed construction of the infrastructure required for a new chlorine and bleach plant at its 6 East Bell Road, Kingston, which will be outfitted with state of the art equipment and advanced technology. The Company plans to commence operation of the plant in February 2018,” the release from the company states.
The Company also advises that it entered into an Asset Sale Agreement to acquire the bleach plant equipment and other assets from Seprod, for its new chlorine and bleach operations. This acquisition is in line with the Company’s goals to continuously strengthen its presence as a manufacturer in the chemicals market, and will complement the Company’s existing offerings. Paramount, Chief executive Hugh Graham said is the largest importer of chlorine into the island and that is also exports the product to the Eastern Caribbean.
Currently chlorine is imported in 150 pound containers, with the new facility chlorine will be imported in 2 tons containers which will be used to fill smaller 150 pounds containers, the by-product flowing from the process is bleach, Hugh Graham advised IC Insider.com. The net effect will be improved margins and lower cost. The deal with Seprod will come into effect in February after Seprod exhausts their inventories. This will mean lower cost for Seprod as Paramount packages bleach for Seprod.
The new operation is expected to boost profit at Paramount Trading that enjoyed a 126 percent turn-around in profit for the first quarter to August this year to $34 million from a 31 percent increase in revenues to $331 million. “Yes Alpart was one of our customers in the past when the plant was operating and they have returned now that they have reopened and was a major part of the jump in sales” in the recently concluded quarter, Graham confirmed.
The construction of the blending plant and laboratory, in conjunction with Alllegheny Petroleum is will be completed within a few weeks and is expected to be up and running in early 2018 Graham advised.
Based on discussions we are having the US$5 million that Graham advised was likely two years ago is likely be higher he indicated.
The stock jumped on Monday to $3.59 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

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Lasco Manufacturing results disappoint

November 6, 2017 by

There was bad news and good news for Lasco Manufacturing shareholders embodied in the September quarterly report that was just released on Friday, after trading.
The good news is that the September quarter’s revenues and profit were greater than that of the first quarter to June, but far worse than for the similar period in 2016. The other good news is that “the outlook for the full year remains positive as the evidence shows that we are heading in the right direction and measures are in place to deliver improved results,” the management reported to shareholders.
When revenues rise in most manufacturing operations there is usual increase efficiency as overhead cost tends to rise more slowly than revenues, thus resulting in an increase in gross profit margin, the reverse is also true. This can be seen from Lasco operations with gross profit margin falling form 34 percent in 2016 to 31 percent in2017. In the quarter, revenues fell 11 percent to $1.986 billion while cost of sales fell only 7 percent to $1.36 billion but Gross profit dropped 12 percent to $524 million by $131 million.

Bottle heating machine at Lasco Manufacturing.

Operating expenses grew $46 million or 15 percent to $361 million and profit after tax fell sharply to $103 million from $363 million in 2016, resulting in earnings per share of just 5 cents, down from 9 cents in 2016. For the six months period, revenues fell by 12 percent to $3.5 billion from $3.95 billion in 2016. Gross profit dropped 17 percent to $1.1 billion from $1.32 million.
Operating expenses grew $85 million or 14.5 percent to $670 million and profit after tax fell sharply to $337 million from $587 million in 2016, resulting in earnings per share of 8 cents. “The increase was primarily due to growth in marketing investments to support our brand in an increasingly competitive environment” management stated.
IC Insider.com projects profit for the year to March 2018 at 18 cents and 30 cents for 2018 of course the out turn is going to be dependent on a lot of what new products can deliver in sales.
At the end of September, Lasco has shareholders’ equity of $4.6 billion with borrowings of $1.58 billion with $265 million to be repaid within twelve months and overdraft of $353 million. Trade receivables stood at $1.76 billion with inventories of $719 million while trade payables is at $1 billion.
The stock traded on Friday at $4.60 at a PE of 25 times 2018 earnings and 16 times 2019.

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Paramount adds chlorine & bleach

November 3, 2017 by

Paramount Trading expanding into Chlorine and bleach processing.

Paramount Trading is expanding its operations by offering chlorine and bleach products for contract manufacturing, the company reported.
“The Company recently completed construction of the infrastructure required for a new chlorine and bleach plant at its 6 East Bell Road, Kingston 11 location, which will be outfitted with state of the art equipment and advanced technology.
The Company plans to commence operation of the plant in February 2018,” the release from the company states.
The Company also advises that on 26 October 2017 it entered into an Asset Sale Agreement to acquire bleach plant equipment and other assets from Seprod, for its new chlorine and bleach operations. This acquisition is in line with the Company’s goals to continuously strengthen its presence as a manufacturer in the chemicals market, and will complement the Company’s existing offerings.
Paramount Trading, enjoyed a big turn-around in profit for the first quarter to August this year, with an increase of 126 percent, to $34 million from a 31 percent increase in revenues to $331 million.
The directors’ report that accompanied the August quarterly results stated that they have “an optimistic outlook for the rest of the year and is very excited by the opportunities that will be realized. The construction of the blending plant and laboratory, in conjunction with Alllegheny Petroleum is slated to be complete during the next quarter.”
The stock currently trades at a PE ratio of 15 with the price at $3 on the Junior Market is in against the line with the market. What is true, is the nimbleness of management to identify new income generated opportunities that makes staying close to the stock potentially profitable.

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Lasco damages to be computed

November 3, 2017 by

Lasco Distributors who won the case against Pfizer for damages resulting from an injunction preventing Lasco from selling Salts of Las Amlodipine in Jamaica from 2005 until 2014 is awarded J$155,738 for disposal of inventories.  
The major part of the claim, that of loss of profit, is to be computed and presented on the November 24. The court awarded interest to be computed at a rate of 8.23 percent from 2005 to 2017 on the disposal of the inventory at the time the injunction was made.
Medimpex has been awarded US$77,000 to be converted at the rate of J$69.06 to the US dollar, for inventories with interest to be computed. The Judge states that the claims by the two Jamaican firms are too high based on the evidence while the amount suggested by Pfizer was too low. Lasco’s claim was for US$300 million in lost sales plus interest and cost and Medimpex US$15 million.  The award for partial damages was handed down by Justice Viviene Harris today after presentations by Pfizer, Lasco and Medimpex, a third party to the claim.
Lasco who won the case in the Jamaican courts ultimately won the matter after Pfizer appealed the decision to the Privy Council in the UK. Based on the ruling Lasco resumed sale of the product in 2012.
The suit claimed that Pfizer was the registered proprietor of Jamaican Patent No. 3247 granted by the Governor General of Jamaica on the 22nd January, 2002 to Pfizer’s agent, Maurice Robinson for the protection of the invention “Salts of Amlodipine/Amlodipine Besylate. Robinson assigned the Patent to Pfizer on the 22nd March 2000.
The Company began to sell “Las Amlodipine” which contained Salts of Amlodipine in Jamaica in May, 2002. In 2003 Pfizer joined the Company in a suite that Pfizer had commenced in Jamaica in 2002 under action No. P040 of 2002, to protect its rights under the Jamaican Letters Patent and the Company was constrained to cease selling Las Amlodipine by an injunction granted on the 31st March, 2005 in that action. The weight of the defense mounted by the company was that under the provisions of the Patent Act of Jamaica, the Jamaican Patent was not in force when the Company started to market its own product, Las Amlodipine since an earlier patent No. 18266 granted to Pfizer in Egypt had expired on the 30th March 1997.

Lasco Distributors products.

The court in 2009 found that the case for Pfizer for an infringement of Jamaican Patent No. 3247 failed for the reason that it was not valid and subsisting because Letters Patent 19266 for the same substance filed in Egypt in March, 1987 had expired on March, 1997 prior to the grant of Letters Patent 3247 in Jamaica on 22nd January, 2002. For this reason the court gave judgment in favour of the Company.
Lasco had previously committed to pay a portion of the amount to shareholders as dividend but has so far not stated the likely amount.
Lasco Distributors is listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and traded at $8.01 on Thursday and was priced for a big settlement.

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More business for Cable & Wireless

November 2, 2017 by

Jamaica’s Cable & Wireless seems to be making head ways with continued growth in some segment of the business but saw a small fall in their mobile customer base from June to September.
According to data provided by Liberty Global quarterly report, their Jamaican operations saw fixed lines rose 1,300 to 262,500 in September than at the end of June, internet grew by 5,500 customers to 153,700, Telephony subscribers moved by 10,400 to 206,600 customers but mobile customers fell 3,400 to 930,500.
What has not been mentioned, is that the local company introduced a series of rate increases starting in August 16th as their customers started paying sharp increases for calling to most overseas destinations, with calls to the United States, United Kingdom, China, India and Spain by up to fifty percent. Customers with the FamUltra, Post-Paid plan, will pay up to 50 percent more. Other affected packages will see increases of up to a third of their current charge prior to the increase. Subsequently, the company implemented increases of 6 to 10 percent on some landline services effective October local rates moved from 99 cents to $1.05 6 perform Call to Digicel line moved from $2.40 to $2.55 and other local operators fixed lines USS Canada and UK landlines moved from $10 to $11.
Cable & Wireless rose 4 cents to $1.07 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

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Profit rise and fall at Mayberry

November 2, 2017 by

Mayberry crossed 40m C&W shares.

Profit at Mayberry Investments climbed 27 percent to $62 million, after tax for the quarter to September this year, up from $49 million in 2016 with earnings per share of just 5 cents. For the nine months to September, profit dropped to $66 million from $320 million in 2016.
While the profit performance for the year to date is mixed, the investment banker focus is the more robust comprehensive income, than the traditional profit outcome, but total comprehensive income slipped 22 percent, to $300 million, from $385 million, for the September quarter of 2016, due to a decline in the prices of some stocks held. Not factored into comprehensive income is the increased value of associated company share prices.
Net interest income climbed 28 percent to $30 million. Fees and commissions jumped 168 percent to $113 million for the quarter, compared to $42 million for the corresponding quarter in 2016. Fee income grew by increased transactions within the quarter and from Initial Public Offering whilst the increase in Net Interest Income was due to lower cost of funds. Dividend income declined 17 percent to $29 million, a reduction of $6 million compared to the similar period in 2016.

Gary Peart, Chief Executive of Mayberry Investments.

Net trading Gains fell to $68 million from $117 million for the corresponding period in 2016, a reduction of $49 million or 42 percent, due to decreased trading volumes for the quarter.
Net foreign exchange gains fell sharply to a mere $4 million, down from $58 million in 2016. Unrealized gains on investment revaluation amounted to $11 million or 37.6 percent less than the comparative period in 2016.

Operating expenses decreased by $34 million or 12.28 percent when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2016, with staff cost falling $21 million and investment impairment fell $29 million to zero. Profits from associates, increased $34 million or 199 percent, over the same quarter in 2016
Results for the nine months for 2017 is not as robust as in 2016. Net interest income is down from $135 million to only $52 million as interest cost rose by $68 million and income fell. Fees and commission income rose sharply from $142 million to $253 million, net trading gains fell from $385 million to $152 million and foreign exchange trading gains fell from $179 million to $57 million and unrealized investment gains fell to $44 million from $199 million.

The final quarter of the year is off to a robust start with a number of stocks Mayberry holds climbing these include NCB Financial, Caribbean Cement Cable & wireless to name a few. Longer term the company’s equity portfolio should rise sharply as all indicators point to a possible 60 percent rise in value of main market stocks over the next year.
Mayberry ended the quarter with total assets of $22 billion and shareholders’ equity of $7.9 billion, up from $7.24 billion at the end of 2016. Net book value stands at $6.54. The company’s stock closed trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $4.30, on Wednesday.

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