Why accountants cant compute earnings per share?

January 28, 2023 by

The latest company to get the computation of earnings per share wrong is the last to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but it is not the only one that has accountants and auditors that cannot compute earnings per share properly. The other most recent listing got it terribly wrong, not only did this happen for the interim accounts, most likely produced internally but the audited report had the wrong computation as well.

Dr. Karlene McDonnough – Chairman of Image Consultants Ltd.

The correct computation of earnings per share is so critical, with investors using it to value shares of companies. A wrong calculation can result in distorted valuation by investors placed on a stock and it only needs to be in the marketplace for a few days for enormous potential damage to be done.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange in publishing reports with woefully inaccurate earnings per share figures should place a bold note with the release of the results that there is an error in the EPS so that all investors can be aware of it upfront. This approach is recommended rather than waiting for the company to re-compute it as the release of profits is also of much import to the market. this will require a different approach by the JSE than the current practice.
Image Plus Consultants which was listed just over a week ago reported a strong increase in revenues and profits but spoilt it by reporting excessively overstated earnings per share as they used the incorrect number of shares in the computation. Rather than 29 cents per share for the quarter and $1.84, it reported the computation is 2.3 cents and 15 cents for the nine months. One on One Education did the same thing for both their audited accounts and the first quarter results, both of which were corrected this past week after it was in the public domain for several days before the revision. This publication has been critical of the boards of both companies. The latest error shows the lack of experience on behalf of the board members as well as their accountant and the stock exchange must share the blame as well.

Ricardo Allen CEO of One to One

It is one thing for a company to get the computation wrong, it is an entirely different issue for auditors to do the same. The problem is that on too many occasions this error is cropping up and the situation seems to get worse as the Junior Market listings grow.
Stock splits or stock bonuses do not result in averaging shares issued. All that is needed in such cases is to use the new number of shares in computing EPS and all past periods are to be adjusted likewise. Only when new shares are issued for a consideration of value that the time weighted average number of shares would be used.
We have written on more than one occasion that investors in Jamaica are not properly protected, the above errors are just some of the matters that need to be addressed, but like the Stocks and Securities issue and others similar, those in authority fail to move with alacrity in correcting the fault.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Heavy IPO first day trading bad for stock

January 23, 2023 by

Investors seem to accept that shares of Junior Market companies offered to the public will be oversubscribed and would go on to hit the circuit breaker of the first day of trading and take a few trading days before liquidity starts to emerge and deliver significant gains. The latest listing on the market that was oversubscribed was not greeted with the euphoria usually associated with IPOs and struggled on debut, with heavy trading in the stock.  
Since 2019, the Junior Market added 13 new listings, with Image Plus Consultants being the last with its listing on Friday.  Trading was unusually heavy on the first day with an exchange of 12.4 million units, accounting for 61.3 percent of the day’s trade with the price moving 10 percent to $2.20 from a listed price of $2. Image Plus although significant for a first trade is not the largest volume for an opening day.
The biggest volume on debut belongs to Future Energy that rose 32.5 percent after trading 19.68 million shares and never got a second leg in April when it listed and remained around the closing price for all of month.  JFP rose 31 percent on the first day with 10.19 shares trading. Tropical Battery rose 29 percent on the first day with 5.76 million shares traded, with all of the others trading less than 356,000 units, with the lowest being a mere 100 shares for Limners and Bards, with a first day price gain of 30 percent.
The worst performing stock since 2019 is iCreate with a rise of 8 percent on the first day. All other stocks gained between 30 percent and 32.5 percent on the first trading day.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Image Plus crashed on launch

January 20, 2023 by

Image Plus Consultants share crashed on launch after listing on Friday morning on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock after the price reached a high of $2.25 with 104.4 million units trading in the early morning session.

Dr. Karlene McDonnough – Chairman of Image Plus Consultants Ltd.

The price fell back to just over the IPO issue price of $2 after 90 minutes and traded up to $2.20 after more than two hours of trading. Within a few minutes after midday, investors exchange slightly more than 9.8 million shares, with the last traded price of $2.09.
The listing brings the total number of companies on the Junior Market to a record 48. The shares will be amongst the few IPOs since the covid9 pandemic that failed to rocket higher on the first day of trading.
The company offered 247,889,936 new shares to the public at $2 each, to raise $495,779,872 before expenses, with the offer that opened on December 28 and closed on December 30, last year and was oversubscribed.
Applications from Key Stakeholders, Broker Reserved and Employees got full of the amount applied for, with the General Public getting the first 10,000 New Shares applied for and 35.68 percent of the balance.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , ,

Image Plus Consultants IPO looks attractive but…

December 17, 2022 by
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Yet another company is heading to the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on the heels of the recent successful Regency Petroleum public issue that culminated in a listing on Thursday. The prospectus of Image Plus Consultants limited offers up to 247.89 million new ordinary shares at the price of $2 each, projected to raise $495,779,872 before expenses and to list on the Junior Market.
The issue will amount to 20 percent of the increased share capital of 1.2394 billion shares, up from 991.56 million currently issued. The offer values the company at $2.5 billion and that should rise to around $5 billion sometime after listing.
The issue opens on December 28 and is slated to close on January 11, but should close on the same date of opening or soon thereafter. Based on recent IPOS, if $5 billion goes into the Public allocation, investors can expect to get around eight percent of the offered amount.
Image Plus Consultants Services owns and operates the 25 years old Apex Radiology a Medical Imaging Company that was established in 1996.  Services provided include multiple modalities such as X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, Fluoroscopy and Nuclear Medicine at three locations in Kingston and one in Ocho Rios. The prospectus states that “With a view to growing at a faster pace, the Board took the decision to employ professional management experience and recruited a Chief Executive Officer in late January 2020. That step has resulted in very evident benefits demonstrated by the significant increases in patient cases, revenue and net profit margin over the last thirty months.”
Shareholders’ equity of $267 million in February 2022 was up 55 percent over the previous year and moved to $362 million in August. Profits before tax of $113 million increased 318 percent over the fiscal year to February 2021, representing the return of equity of 43 percent that flowed from revenues of $778 million which was up 10 percent over the prior year.
Total assets stood at $619 million at the end of August this year. Current assets ended the half year at $325 million and include receivables of $248 million that climbed from just $99 million at the end of August last year and from $139 million at the end of February this year. Current liabilities amount to $$124 million, while borrowed funds ended at $132 million.

Dr. Karlene McDonnough – Chairman of Image Plus Consultants Ltd.

Results to August show revenues and profits growing with revenues up 53 percent to $555 million from $363 million in 2021 with profit before tax of $153 million up 237 percent above the 2021 outcome of $45 million. Prior to the current year directors’ fees were paid at a higher rate than normal but are expected to reflect market rates going forward as a result the $66.5 million expensed in 2022 will drop sharply in the fiscal year 2023 and should result in a fall in administrative expenses.
“The Company intends to use funds raised to strategically and sustainably grow the business by acquiring property to be identified in Kingston which is suitable to relocate our largest operations, thereby ensuring control of our revenue and allowing for even further expansion of our offerings. Procuring suitable new bio-medical equipment to offer additional diagnostic modalities at our Ocho Rios location. Expand our offering of interventional procedures, maximizing this fast growing area of diagnostic imaging” the prospectus states.

The PE ratio will be just 7 times current year’s earnings and puts the stock in a strong position to move towards $6 during 2023. A comparison with Elite Diagnostic makes for interesting reading. While the reported profit is better for Image Plus, most other measures are in favour of Elite. The best comparison is EBITDA which shows Image with $152 million versus Elite with $190 million for the 2022 fiscal year. The interim figures annualized show Image with $359 million versus Elite with $220 million for the 2023 fiscal year. At $2 per share for the Image IPO, the stock is priced at 5.6 times EBITDA and Elite trades around 5.3 times. With three locations Elite net fixed assets amount to $885 million versus Image with $279 million and resulting in Depreciation charge being more than three times that of Image with four locations and higher finance costs as well.
If listed, the company would be the second such entity of the exchange following Elite Diagnostic. A successful IPO will raise the Junior Market listings to 48 and the total to list on that market to 52, including three that migrated to the Main Market and one that failed.
The board of directors is dominated by doctors in the medical profession and could do with some other directors with wide-ranging business experience. The directors are Karlene McDonnough, Lilieth Bridgewater, Gordon Bradshaw, Steve Lewis, Marian Vaughn and Leon Vaughn all medical-related doctors, Carolyn DaCosta, Jacqueline Leckie and Kisha Anderson.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Image Plus Consultants the next IPO

December 16, 2022 by

Yet another company is heading to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and is coming on the heels of Regency Petroleum that was listed on Thursday. Image Plus Consultants Limited announced its intention to go public and that seems imminent with the Junior Market seems the most likely target.
Image Plus Consultants Services owns and operates the 25 years old Apex Radiology a Medical Imaging Company that was established in 1996.  Services provided include multiple modalities such as X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, Fluoroscopy and Nuclear Medicine at three locations in Kingston and one in Ocho Rios.
According to an advertisement in the newspapers, shareholder’s equity stood at $267 million in February 2022 and was up 55 percent over the previous year, with profits before tax of $113 million that increasing by 318 percent over 2021, representing the return of equity of 43 percent that flowed from revenue of $778 million which was up 10 percent over the prior year. Total assets amounted to $447 million at the end of February this year.
Based on the profit, the company’s market value is just over $2 billion after the shares are listed.
If listed the company would be the second such entity of the exchange following Elite Diagnostic. A successful IPO will raise the Junior Market listings to 48.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , , ,

About 5.3% of Regency IPO shares for the Public

December 5, 2022 by

Initial public share issues continue to disappoint many investors, with investors in the Regency Petroleum issue allocated the first 10,000 shares applied for plus approximately 5.3% thereafter, a release from the lead broker, GK Capital Management, stated. 
Strategic Partners, Employees and applicants converting loans got a full allocation of amounts applied for, the report also indicated.
Applications in the general pool with the same JCSD number were consolidated and treated as one.
The prospectus indicates that listing of the shares is expected to take place within 21 days of the closing of the issue, with ten days elapsing since the issue closed on November 25, the listing should take place before the end of next week.
A total of 287,157,354 Ordinary Shares were for sale at $1 each, with only 115,196,354 shares that were available to the public.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , ,

Regency IPO opens on Thursday for a $1

November 22, 2022 by

Regency Petroleum Co. Limited a company based in Westmoreland is offering up to 287,157,354 Ordinary Shares for sale at $1 each. The offer opens on Thursday, November 24 and should bring the total Junior Market listings to 48 and the number of companies to 47. Only 115,196,354 shares will be available to the public.
The company reported revenues of $332 million in the half year results to June this year, up from $248 million in 2021, with profit after tax of $51 million compared with $35 million in 2021, putting the earnings per share for this year at 98 cents, with the PE at 10 times this year’s pretax earnings versus the Junior Market average of just over 12, but below the peak of recent new issues of approximately 20. ICInsider.com expects the offer to close quickly after opening and the price to soar into the $2 range after listing.
Revenues for the 2021 fiscal year were $607 million a big jump from $194 million in 2020 and just $45 million in 2019, with a profit of $59 million in 2021, after taxation of $18 million, up from $14 million with taxation of $3 million in 2020.
The company’s operations span Jamaica as a petroleum marketing company licensed to distribute bulk petroleum products. The company was founded by Andrew Williams, Chief Executive Officer. Revenues are currently generated from sales of LPG Cooking Gas, Automotive Petroleum and Transportation of gasoline.
Revenues are set to climb in 2023 with the ongoing construction of two service stations which should be open to the public by the end of the March quarter of next year, the company stated in its prospectus. A service station to be opened in Negril, which Regency will lease, is located upon entering the town from the east, will increase the visibility of the brand and generate additional revenues and profit. In addition, the company is likely to see increased business due to the exposure from the IPO and trading in the shares after listing on the exchange.
The company states that it has purchased delivery vehicles to reduce costs and improve efficiency and create greater economic value in the future. Currently, only 90 Octane Fuel and Diesel are sold at the service station, the opening of the new service stations will see the introduction of ULSD and 87 Octane Fuel at the pumps. The new products should attract added demand and provide a more inclusive retail market product line.
Expansion plans call for the purchase of additional cylinders to supply increased demand for its cooking gas to reduce cost of sales and improve efficiency, the Company will also acquire a fuel tank trailer, the prospectus states.
Of the total issue 171,961,000 shares are reserved as follows – 55.5 million for Employees & Key Strategic Partners, 100 million for GK Investments to convert loan balance and 16.46 million for Associates Loan Conversion.
The company is relatively small, with Shareholders’ Equity of $111 million at the end of June this year, accordingly, there is much room for growth going forward.
The directors of the company are Dr André Foote, Andrew Williams, Andrew Cocking, Radcliff Knibbs and Edgar Bennett.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers, Stock Market, Stocks to watch Tagged With:

Regency IPO opens next week

November 17, 2022 by

Another Junior Market listing now looms on the horizon with Regency Petroleum Co. Limited based on Westmoreland offering up to 287,157,354 Ordinary Shares for sale at $1 each. The offer opens on Thursday, November 24 and should bring the total junior Market listings to 48 and the number of companies to 47.
Only 115,196,354 shares will be available for subscription by the public, with the rest of 171,961,000 shares reserved as follows – 55.5 million for Employees & Key Strategic Partners, 100 million for GK Investments to convert loan balance and 16.46 million for Associates Loan Conversion.
The company half year results to June show revenues of $332 million up from $248 million in 2021 with profit after tax of $51 million versus $35 million in 2021 and put the earnings per share for this year at 98 cents, with the PE at 10 times this year’s pretax earnings versus the Junior Market average of just over 12, but below the peak of recent new issues of 15 to 20. ICInsider.com expects the offer to close quickly after opening.
Revenues in 2021 amounted to $607 million compared with $194 million in 2020 and just $45 million in 2019, with a profit of $59 million in 2021 after taxation of $18 million up from $14 million with tax or $3 million in 2020.
The company’s operations span Jamaica as a petroleum marketing company licensed to distribute bulk petroleum products. The company was founded by Andrew Williams, Chief Executive Officer. Revenues are currently generated revenue from sales of LPG Cooking Gas, Automotive Petroleum and Transportation of gasoline.
Shareholders’ Equity amounts to $111 million at the end of June this year.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , ,

Cari-Med heading for Jamaica Stock Exchange

October 27, 2022 by

Word on the street is that the Cari-Med Group is preparing for listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with all probability that this will take place by early 2023 ICInsider.com has been reliably informed.
The company was launched in 1986 as Cari-Med Limited, a small pharmaceutical distribution company, by Glen and Marva Christian.
“The Group has an excellent reputation in the market and is the dominant pharmaceutical company in the country”, one source informed ICInsdier.com.
The Group represents and distributes Lysol, Harpic, Gillette, Duracell, Wrigley, Scotch Brite, Ensure and Purina, to name some of the products they manage.
In 2020 a restructuring of the companies within the Group resulted in Cari-Med being renamed Cari-Med Group, the parent company of the Group.
Marketing activities are organized under three divisions, Consumer and pharmaceuticals, with the third being medical supplies, Hospital, Medical Equipment and Disposables, staffed by sales and marketing personnel teams.
The Group serves markets across the Caribbean region with exports of its home brands such as Lullabye baby products, BemStar Adult Diapers, and the KenClean line of laundry products.
The Group invested more than $6 billion in the development of a distribution centre in St. Catherine to house a 258,000-square-foot facility on land along Salt Pond Road in Bernard Lodge to house the warehouses and administrative offices of the Consumer Goods Division.

CariMed and NCB Capital Markets staff at the signing of an agreement appointing the brokerage house as financial advisers.

Cari-Med employs over 900 employees has been with the company website indicates. Dun & Bradstreet put revenues for the Group at Cari-Med at US$37 million and Kirk Distributors at US$38 million and the Cari-Med building in New Kingston is said to generate rental income of US$20. But one source is of the view that the revenues in the distribution may be closer to J$15 billion, which could deliver a profit of around $600 to $700 million, but the financial cost to build out the warehouse may result in net profit being trimmed below this level.
NCB Capital Markets is the broker for the issue.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Heavy demand for ONE on ONE

September 1, 2022 by

OneonOne Education Services is now listed with heavy demand at $1.30 currently from 302 bids total bids at $1.30 for 15.8 million shares.
The bids are now at $1.30, the maximum it can trade at in the first hour of trading and after that $1.32 the maximum for the day, offers are effectively in at $1.30 and over
The stocks appear to be heading for the $2 range by early next week as buyers jostle to pick up stocks. The stocks went to market in early August to sell 380 million units up to $1 each and the issue was heavily oversubscribed.
Trading will commence at 9:30 and trading in the stocks will be suspended immediately after opening and will resume an hour time after.
After the trading commenced investors exchanged just 14,238 shares at $1.30 leaving 16.58 million units on the bid at $1.30 with trading in the stocks halted until 10.30 am.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , ,