Initial Public Offers

VM Investments IPO December 11

December 3, 2017 by IC Insider.com

VM Investment parent of VM Wealth Management planning to list.

The Initial Public Offer of shares in VM Investments Limited the immediate parent company of VM Wealth Management (VMWM) will open on Monday December 11 and is priced at $2.45 per share.
The annual report of Victoria Building Society stated that 2016 turned out to be another record breaking year for VM Wealth Management, as net profits after taxes of $326 million surpassed the previous record of $310 million in 2015. VMWM’s total operating revenue was $808 million, virtually the same as in the previous year. Revenues comprised mainly of Net Interest Income of $248 million, gain from investment activities of $279 million and net fees and commissions of $280 million. Third party assets under management increased by $4.4 billion or 55 percent, from $8 billion in 2015 to $12.4 billion in 2016. This was due mainly to increased promotion and the introduction of our new unit trust product with 6 new portfolios – three US$ bond portfolios, one J$ bond portfolio, one local equities portfolio and a real estate portfolio.
DEVON BARRETT, MBA, is the Group Chief Investment Officer & Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Mutual Wealth Management.
The VM Investments issue is adding to a very busy December, for IPOs and this is likely to be followed January with another busy slate of Initial Public Offerings. Planned issues by Mayberry Investments that were expected in December, may be put off until January, IC Insider.com has been informed. Sygnus Capital Investments is the other that could be listed in January.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, VM Investments Limited, VM Wealth Management

GWest IPO is here

December 1, 2017 by IC Insider.com

The initial Public Offer (IPO) of shares in the Montego Bay based GWest Corporation is now out with 169.7 million shares offered for sale at $2.50 each. The offer opens on December 7 and is scheduled to close on December 21.
With FosRich and Wisynco opening next week as well it could result in record of 4 IPOs being opened within the same week on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. During July, Express Catering opening on July 12, Stationery and Office Supplies that opened on July 19, Proven Investments with a rights issue opened on July 3, Productivity Business Solutions with an ordinary share issue and a preference share issue that opened on July 5.
GWest offer includes 36,000,000 Shares reserved for the lead broker, JMMB Securities or its clients, 64,000,000 Shares reserved for Jamaica Money Market Brokers’ Pension and Client Funds Investment Management Unit. 19,400,000 Shares are for GWest clients and suppliers and 600,000 Shares for independent directors, the Mentor and employees of the Company. This leaves 69.7 million shares for applications by the general public. If any of the Reserved Shares in any category are not subscribed by the persons entitled to them, they will be made available for subscription by the general public.

Dr. Konrad Kirlew, chairman of GWest.

If the Invitation is successful in raising at least J$250,000,000 and the Shares will be admitted to trade on the Junior Market of the JSE.
The primary purpose of the Company is to provide integrated medical health care services and facilities. The Company established 5 medical businesses under the common “GWest Medical” brand. GWest Corporation owns the GWest Centre, a 4-storey multipurpose commercial complex catering primarily to medical professionals and medical services and in which its owned services will be located. The GWest concept is to provide a wide range of complementary international quality best practice medical services in one location,
The Company will be providing the following medical services to complement those offered by owners and lessees in the GWest Centre:
1. General Practitioner and Specialist Suite (operational since June 2017)
2. A 2,200 square feet Urgent Care Centre (operational since November 2017)
3. Medical Laboratory (to be opened by January 2018)
4. A 5,000 square feet 8-Bed Inpatient Unit (to be opened by September 2018)
5. In addition, its 100% subsidiary company GWest Surgery Centre Limited will own and operate an 8,500 square feet Outpatient Surgery Centre (to be opened September 2018), including two modern operating theatres and two procedure rooms.
The Company has approximately 18,111 square feet of space leased to tenants for periods of 3 to 10 years with lease rates denominated in United States currency, ranging from US$20 to US$22 per square feet. The lease payments are subject to annual increases at a rate of up to 0.5% per annum.

GWest complex in Montego Bay,

Directors include Dr. Konrad Kirlew, chairman, Dr. Leyford Doonquah, Dennis Samuels businessman Denise Crichton-Samuels managing director of Cornwall Medical and Dental Supplies, Peter Pearson, former partner PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Elva Williams-Richard, Chartered Accountant, Wayne Gentles, Accountant, and Mark Hart Businessman and Wayne Wray who is the mentor and director.
The shares are really based of forecast which are vastly different than the historical results. For the year to March 2017 profit reported was $181 million but it includes a large gain on revaluation of the unsold property, amounting to $205 million. The profit was mainly based on income of sale of property. A loss of $29 million was made in the six months to September and for the full year to March 2018 a loss of $111 million is projected, swinging sharply to a profit of $166 million in 2019 and $388 million in 2020 as revenues rise from an estimated $158 million in 2018 to $803 million in 2019 to $1.2 billion in 2020.
Net book value is just $287 million, representing 324,848,485 shares, with net book value of just 88 cents per share, the stock is priced at 3 times book value which can be considered high for a company yet to start showing profit from ongoing operations. The stock is also priced at a high PE of nearly 7.5 times projected 2019 earnings which is way above most other stocks in the market, with a renowned operating track record.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging markets, Express Catering, GWest Surgery Centre, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JMMB Group, JMMB Securities, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Productive Business Solutions, Proven Investments, Stationery and Office Supplies

FosRich could surprise

November 30, 2017 by IC Insider.com

FosRich initial public offer of shares opens next week Monday but is getting mixed views in the financial market, partly with similar type reception Access Financial got when it went public in 2010. Access confounded the skeptics and went on to be one of the best performers on the market.
While one does not expect FosRich to perform close to what Access did overtime, it could nevertheless surprise many on the upside in 2018, with not many shares being sold to the general public.
Some seasoned investors are letting this one pass them by. Questions are being asked about an array of issues reflected in the financials.
Why are inventories so high? growth in revenues is inconsistent with a drop in sales on the cards for 2017 and questions about the true quality of receivables. The company made a $20 million provision for doubtful receivables in 2014 of which $10 million was recovered in 2015. For some, the inventories of $580 million at September is the most concerning, with the view that there could be another big a write off as occurred in 2014 when provision was made for $109 million. There is a question as to the rationale for three outlets outside Kingston with two in Montego Bay.
Management seems fully conversant with the issues that need addressing and from all indications are at work to deal with them.
Apart from the raising of long term equity capital by way of the public share issue, that will provide badly needed working capital management is to roll out of the industrial products line later in 2017 and the directors anticipate a profitable end to the fiscal year, unlike the loss in the final quarter of 2016.
FosRich increased gross profit margin for the year to date to 45.2% from 42% in 2016, the Directors are hopeful of maintaining or increasing that level towards the end of the current year, 2017. According to Cecil Foster, Managing director, they are aiming for 50 percent with a focus on the 150 fastest moving items. Their partnership with Phillips, Siemens for electrical equipment and parts and Nexans Brasil for distribution of cables will allow them to source products directly from factories rather than through middlemen.
Addressing the issue of excess inventories, Foster stated that they are aware of the issue but admitted that software issues resulted in an increase beyond the norm. Cash flow issues has forced management to take step to reduce the amounts tied up in stock. At September this year the amount in inventories of $580 million is down from $625 million in 2016. According to Foster within 8-9 months it should be in the rage of 6 months of cost of sales, if achieved it would release more than $200 million in cash. Different strategies are being employed to push sales of the slower moving items and include special deals at reduced prices, targeting large projects and possibly longer credit terms. According to Foster, this area is one for attention a regular at their monthly board meeting.
Debt financing has been high with Interest cost at $47 million in 2016 on loans of $335 million. Rates on leases were at 13.5-15 percent. After the issue closes Stocks and Securities will be going to market to raise $200-300 million in bonds to retire the bank debt and fund expansion. Хотите провести приятно время? Заходите https://escorteurogirls.com по ссылке
Foster confirms Mathew Williams of SSL comments “that the target is to double sales within two years” and indicated that the target for 2018 is 30 percent. Cost should be under control in 2018 as the company focuses on this area as well.
There are some observations that investors ought to note. A number of companies enjoyed big sales bounced shortly after listing as name and product recognition increases. Example of these are Jetcon Corporation, Stationery and Office Supplies, the rigor that monthly board meetings will provide additional governance rigor to get more out of the existing operation. Peter Knibbs the director of Finance formerly of the Pan Jam Investment group, with years of financial experience has been playing a major role in getting the company to focus on some critical areas in order to right a drifting ship.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: FosRich, Jetcon Corporation, Nexans Brasil, Pan Jam Investment, Peter Knibbs, Phillips, Siemens, Stationery and Office Supplies

Elite Diagnostics IPO Decemder 7

November 30, 2017 by IC Insider.com

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Information reaching IC Insider.com, is that the initial public offer for ELITE DIAGNOSTICS could come to market on 7th December 2017.
The 5 year old company provides imaging and Diagnostic Medical Facility offers services such as MRI, CT Scan, X-Ray, Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy. The Issue is expected to raise $160 million at approximately $2 per share with the shares to be listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The proceeds from the offer will be used for expansion of the business. The company operates from Holburn Road in Kingston and now has a new office on Hope Road.
If the issue comes in as stipulated, it will make for 5 new issues officially on the market at the same time. If the issue is successful, it would raise the listings on the Junior Market to 38 assuming the FosRich offer is successful, with 34 of them being ordinary shares.
Other issues expected are, Wisynco and VM Investments that are heading to the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and GWest for the Junior Market.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Elite Diagnostics, Initial Public Offer, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market

Big Wisynco payday down the road

November 29, 2017 by IC Insider.com

Wata produced by Wisynco

Wisynco Group‘s primary activities are bottling and distribution of purified water and beverages and the manufacturing of a range of plastic and foam packing and disposable products mainly used in the retail, food service and tourism industry. At present the Company distributes 110 brands with over 4,000 different products.
The Company is offering 149,414,576 shares to raise approximately $1 billion to use in its operations but existing shareholders are offering 635,085,424 shares for sale at the same time as a part of the overall offering. Up to 314,700,000 Shares in the Invitation are initially reserved for priority application from, and subscription and/or purchase by the following persons: a) up to 150,000,000 Shares are initially available for subscription by the Strategic Investors and up to 52,200,000 Shares are reserved for the Broker at the Subscription Price of J$7.87 per Share and up to 112,500,000 Shares are initially available for subscription for all of the employees of the Company including executives, senior managers and directors at a price of J$7.08 per Share. Reserved Shares in any category not fully subscribed by the persons entitled to them, will be made available for subscription by the Strategic Investors Applicants at the Subscription Price and thereafter, will become available for purchase by the general public.

Wisynco operates at two main locations situated in St. Catherine. Manufacturing takes place at White Marl, while Lakes Pen carries out distribution activities. Total square footage with factory, storage & offices between the two locations is approximately 530,000 square feet.

The Invitation will open at 9 am. on Wednesday, 6th December and is scheduled to close at 4 pm on Friday, 15 December, subject to the right to close the Invitation at any time after it opens once Applications for all of the Shares in the Invitation are taken up.
It is the intention of the Company to apply to the JSE to list the Shares on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The Company offers no guarantee that any of the Shares will be admitted to listing. As per Rule 402 of the JSE Main Market Rules, if the Invitation does not raise 20% of the Issued Share Capital of the Company, by the Closing Date, all monies received will be refunded.
The Directors intend to apply the net Initial Public Offering from the subscription of new Shares in the Company for: • Expansion of its manufacturing capacity to facilitate growth in all current markets for existing and future products; • Investment in more efficient modern internal power generation and utilization • Potential strategic acquisitions – locally, regionally and internationally • New distribution partnerships • Expansion of the Company’s distribution fleet and infrastructure to support the build out of its ‘Route to Market’ system • The establishment of the a western distribution centre and • Increase working capital to expand distribution arrangements through additional or new third-party brands in key categories not currently served by the Company.

True Juice orange juice bottled by Wisynco

Loans from banks increased by 92.5% during 2017, moving from J$1.05 billion at the end of June 2016 to J$2.02 billion at the end of June 2017 and mature between 2018 and 2023 and were obtained for the purpose of funding the expansion of the warehouse and the purchase of machinery and equipment.
Financially, the company is strong, with shareholders’ equity of $7.6 billion and cash of $4.75 billion as of September. Profits for the 3 months to September came out at $656 million versus $591 in 2016 and for the June 2017 fiscal year, $2.24 billion versus $2.3 billion in 2016, from revenues of $19.4 billion while in 2017 revenues were $21.25 billion. For the current fiscal year to June 2018, IC Insider.com is forecasting profit of $2.6 billion, around 70 cents per share, from revenues of $24.8 billion and $3.9 billion or $1.05 per share in 2019, from sales of $29 billion.
Based on the forecasted earnings, the stock is priced at 11 times earnings and should double towards the end of 2018 based on the projected 2019 earnings. The stock is now sixth on IC Insiders.com TOP 10.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, Wisynco Group

VMBS Wealth heading to market

November 26, 2017 by IC Insider.com

VM Wealth planning to list soon..

There was a time when there was a drought of listings on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the advent of the Junior Market and its success there seem to be information on coming listings cropping up regularly.
Word reaching IC Insider.com is the VMBS Wealth Management will head to market in early 2018 to be listed on the exchange. Contacts make by this publication was wet with the response that they could not respond on such matters at this time.
For 2017 the stock exchange had confirmed about 16 potential listings for the year, inclusive of preference shares. The year will definitely close short of the target, but between December and the end of 2018 is setting up to be a bumper period that increase the listings to more than 100 for the very first time.
FosRich offer will open officially on December 4 to raise just over $200 million and is brokered by Stocks and Securities who confirmed that they are working on another listing but could not release the name of the company.
With Elite Diagnostics reconfirming their intention to go to market soon, the number of potential listings are climbing. Wisynco Group is expected to release its prospectus shortly with whispers suggesting by this week end.
More trading activity is expected in the future as a results of new listing and the impact of the fall in interest rates will have on trading activities. The exchange now has 92 listings with a few duplicated ones in the main market and US dollar market will see and there could be four on the exchange suggest before the year ends with three of them regarded as definite. Brokers say they are working on 8 new ones for 2018 currently, Marlene Street Forrest, Managing Director of the Jamaica Stock Exchange advised IC Insider.com.
The three are expected to be GWest, a medical complex out of Montego Bay, is expected to raise over $400 million, the company income will come from a combination of rent from the major part of the complex and fees from operating small short term medical facility. The complex currently has a number of blue chip clients as tenants.

NCB Capital Markets Manager, Origination and Structuring Stanley Thompson (left) exchanges laughs with Wisynco Group Limited Chairman William Mahfood also sharing are Wisynco Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Director Fiona Hyman

Wisynco Group is looking to raise for itself $1 billion but some of its current shareholders wanting to cash out. Information suggests that shares are to be offered to a wide array of persons including the 700 staff members as well as a large number of customers hence the shares from the IPO could be pretty scarce. Caribbean Insurance Brokers being handled by Mayberry Investments is the fourth possible 2017 listings. Mayberry is also working with Neveast Supplies but this seems to be a 2018 listing.
Others that should see their ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, include Jamaica Plumbing and Supplies, the government’s owned Wighton Wind Farms, Jamaica Public Service Company, with the government wanting to dispose of its shares in the power company, KIW International that has taken the decision to have the company relisted. UCC Online, a segment of University of the Caribbean was expected to have gone to the market this year but have been ironing out issues to facilitate the initial public offering, they could be ready in 2018 and Sygnus Capital Investments should list in the first quarter of 2018 on the main market of the exchange. Sygnus is relatively new company established to undertake loans or make medium term investments in medium size businesses. The company which is registered in St Lucia is managed by Sygnus Capital Management a Cayman Island based corporation. The company raised US$15 million in capital and is aiming for another $5 million when they come to market, which could be as early as January next year. According to our source they have so far lent out US$11 million and generated a higher rate of return that originally expected. The company has a good stream of potential users of its funds.

Filed Under: Company News, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Elite Diagnostics, VMBS Wealth Management, Wisynco Group

FosRich IPO fair value

November 22, 2017 by IC Insider.com

FosRich Company is heading to the capital market to raise $200 million from sale of just over 100 million shares at $2 each. The general public have been allocated 10,070,111 units, Stocks and Securities, broker for the issue is allocated 50 million units, key partners and staff have 40,385,000 allocated to them.
Reserved shares, if not fully taken up, will be available to the general public. The issue opens on Monday December 4 and is scheduled to close on December 11 with the minimum application of 5,000 Shares.
The Board intends to use the proceeds of the invitation in order to expand the capacity of the Company to provide electrical and energy solutions to its customers and in particular, to expand its ability to provide industrial products. The Company will also pay down existing loans and pay the expenses of the Invitation.
The company has built up a name for itself by way of advertising through electronic media and will benefit further from the increased publicity that will be generated by listing.
Importantly, the company currently has interest debt of $300 million and carries a high level of inventories of just under a year’s supply. In 2014 the company booked through its equity reserves a mark down of $129 million for impairment of inventory and receivables. For the nine months to September this year gross cash flow $50 million before working capital needs and after it ended at a net outflow of $9 million. With those numbers bank financing for expansion is going to be challenging. The capital raised should go a long way in easing this constraint.
The Company major Jamaican wholesaler and retailer of a wide range of electrical, lighting and energy products, opened in November 1993 and it has operated at its flagship location 77-79 Molynes Road for over 24 years. The location serves as the Company’s headquarters and comprises a 25,000 square foot area including warehouse and office space and showrooms. FosRich currently has a staff complement of 84. Apart from its head office in Kingston, they also operates in Montego Bay and Mandeville.

Mark Croskery Managing director of Stocks & Securities brokers fro teh IPO speaking to Cecil Foster, Managing director of FosRich.

According to data presented in the prospectus the average annual growth in sales since was 15 percent and the average annual growth in gross profit over the same period was 20 percent.
Unaudited gross profit for the year to September 2017 was $360 million compared to $346 million for the same period in 2016, for an increase of $14 million. This improvement was mainly driven by improvements in selling prices, which compensated for the reduction in sales revenue by J$60 million to J$796 million compared to the same period in 2016 of J$856 million. The full year results should see the company generating sales of just over $1 billion and profit of approximately $40 million before taxation having made $31 million in pretax profit to September.
The historical record of profits are mixed with pretax profits at $42 million in 2012 rising to $60 million in 2013, in 2014 they made $43 million, just $10 million in 2015 helped by bad debt recovery of $10 million and $35 million in 2016.
The directors are, Marion Foster, Steadman Fuller, Ian Kelly, Peter Knibb and Rosalyn Campbell.
Based on estimated earnings for 2017 of $40 million the shares are priced at 20 times 2017 earnings but when viewed against 2018, that will benefit from lower interest cost and some pick up in sales, profit could reach $108 million or earnings of 22 cents per share. Based on 502 million shares in issue after the IPO, the PE would be 9, on this basis, the price could deliver a 120 percent rise in 2018. The stock is priced at just over 2 times net book value and would be one of the lower valued Junior Market company based on net asset value.

Filed Under: Company News, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging market stock, FosRich Group of Companies, Jamaica Stock Exchange, junior market, Stocks and Securities

100th listing coming for JSE

November 6, 2017 by IC Insider.com

The Jamaica Stock Exchange is set to continue to grow with an increase in listings continuing with more than 100 listings being achieved in 2018 for the very first time.
More trading activity is expected in the future as a result of new listings, and the impact of the fall in interest rates will have, on trading activities. The exchange now has 92 listings, with a few duplicated ones, in the main market and US dollar market will see and there could be four on the exchange suggest before the year ends with three of them regarded as definite. Brokers say they are working on 8 new ones for 2018 currently, Marlene Street Forrest, Managing Director of the Jamaica Stock Exchange advised IC Insider.com.
The three are expected to be GWest, a medical complex out of Montego Bay, that is expected to raise over $400 million, the company’s income will come from a combination of rent, from the major part of the complex and fees from operating a small short term medical facility. The complex currently has a number of blue chip clients as tenants. Wisynco Group is looking to raise for itself $1 billion but some of its current shareholders wanting to cash out. Information suggests that shares are to be offered to a wide array of persons including the 700 staff members as well as a large number of customers hence the shares from the IPO could be pretty scarce. FosRich Group of Companies. Caribbean Insurance Brokers that is being handled by Mayberry Investments, is the fourth possible 2017 listings. Mayberry Investments has been working on Neveast Supplies but this seems to be a 2018 listing.

GWest complex in Montego Bay, its IPO is expected soon.

Others that should see their ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange include, Jamaica Plumbing and Supplies, the government’s owned Wighton Wind Farms, Jamaica Public Service Company, with the government wanting to dispose of its share in the power company, KIW International that has taken the decision to have the shares relisted, in preparation for this the company approved at its recently held annual general meeting, a 15 for 1 stock bonus to bring the issued ordinary share capital to just over $50 million. UCC Online, a segment of University College of the Caribbean was expected to have gone to the market this year but have been ironing out issues to facilitate the initial public offering, they could be ready in 2018 and Sygnus Capital Investments should list in the first quarter of 2018, probably by February, on the main market of the stock exchange. Sygnus is a relatively new company, established to undertake loans or make medium term investments in medium size businesses. The company which is registered in St Lucia will be managed by Sygnus Capital Management, a Cayman Island based corporation. The company raised US$15 million in capital and is aiming for another $5 million when they come to market, which could be as early as January next year. According to our source they have so far lent out US$11 million and generated a higher rate of return that originally expected. The company has a good stream of potential users of its funds.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Caribbean Insurance Brokers, Cayman Island, FosRich Group of Companies, GWest, Jamaica Plumbing and Supplies, Jamaica Public Service Company, KIW International, Sygnus Capital Investments, Sygnus Capital Management, UCC Online, Wighton Wind Farms

Wisynco Group IPO is imminent

November 2, 2017 by IC Insider.com

NCB Capital Markets Manager, Origination and Structuring Stanley Thompson (left) exchanges laughs with Wisynco Group Chairman William Mahfood during a signing of the IPO agreement. Sharing in the moment, too, are Wisynco Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Director Fiona Hyman

Wisynco Group today announced its intention to offer shares in the company by way of an initial public offering (IPO), confirming IC Insider.com report yesterday.
Information gleaned is that the draft prospectus is being vetted by the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the Financial Securities Commission and the Company Office of Jamaica with the IPO expected to come to market before the end of this year and could happen in November.
Founded in 1965 by the Mahfood family, West Indies Synthetic Company (WISYNCO) began manufacturing ‘Iron Man’ water boots from a 6,000 square foot factory in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine. The company now ”owns and manufactures a portfolio of category-leading beverage brands such as WATA and its extension of cranberry flavoured-WATA, BOOM Energy Drink and BIGGA Soft Drink. In addition to its owned brands, Wisynco is the exclusive local bottler for the Coca-Cola Company, as well as third-party beverage brands such as SqueezZ and Hawaiian Punch also distributing for global giants such as Red Bull, Tru Juice, Freshhh, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nestlé and others.
A rapidly-growing company, Wisynco has increased sales significantly in recent years moving from JMD 12.6 billion in 2013 to $21.2 billion in 2017. Over the last five years the company’s year-to-year sales growth has ranged between 9 – 21% with a compound annual growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.06% over the same period. The business has a strong gross profit margins, averaging approximately 36% since 2012.
Wisynco’s revenues are just under the $22.8 billion generated by Lasco Manufacturing and Distributor combined. With the above profit margin, gross profit would be $7.5 billion. The two Lasco companies have administrative, selling and distribution cost of $4 billion to March this year. IC Insider.com puts the cost for Wisynco at $4.5 billion per annum which would result in a pretax profit in the order of $3 million and after tax around $2.5 billion. If the company came to market around the mid-range of PE of 12, this would value it at $30 billion. An issue of 20 percent in the IPO, would target inflows be around $6 billion, but IC Insider.com gathers that a vastly smaller sum is being targeted to be raised by the company but some existing shareholders may seek to divest some of their shares.
According to William Mahfood, Chairman of the Wisynco Group, “the IPO will allow us to share the growth and

Wata produced by Wisynco

success of our business with a wide cross section of our customers and employees, especially following on the outpouring of wishes and support after the fire last year”
With over 350,000 square feet of warehouse, 110,000 square feet of factory space the company has over 700 sales-related full time employees.
We are a proud Jamaican company with a deeply rooted commitment to the country’s development.” Mahfood said. “Our stated mission is to improve the lives of our people which extends to all stakeholders –team members, customers, partners and now with the planned IPO to fellow Jamaicans alike,” Mahfood said.
NCB Capital Markets has been engaged as arranger and broker for the transaction with PricewaterhouseCoopers acting as financial advisors to the company.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging market stock, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Capital Markets, PricewaterhouseCoopers, William Mahfood, Wisynco Group

Wisynco could be the next big JSE IPO

November 1, 2017 by IC Insider.com

In 2015, West Indies Synthetics Company Ltd (WISYNCO) celebrated 50 years of operations by early 2018 the company is set to celebrate another milestone, as the third Mahfood majority owned company to be listed on the Jamaican Stock Exchange.
Wisynco was formed as a result of the amalgamation of the three companies – West Indies Synthetics, Wisynco Trading Limited, and Jamaica Drink Company Limited.
Prior to this, CMP Industries that was primarily a manufacturing company supplying office equipment and material, was listed but suffered declining fortunes with the switch in import policies in the 1980s and 1990 that saw incentives being removed or slashed to protect local manufacturing. CMP still operates but as a property owner and is now controlled by the Trustees in Bankruptcy.
Jamaican Teas, listed on the Junior Market is majority owned by another branch of the family, that includes John Mahfood and his parent.

Wata produced by Wisynco

In 2009, Partner Foods Limited and Wendico Jamaica Limited merged to form one company – Wisynco Foods Limited. Wisynco Foods represents the brands Wendy’s, Domino’s and Haagen Dazs. In 2014, Wisynco purchased fifty percent share in United Estates Ltd & Trade Winds Citrus Ltd.
According to Wisynco website, Saleem Mahfood was married to Evelyn Shammas in Lebanon, following which on his return to Jamaica he opened his own wholesale haberdashery at 132 Harbour Street in downtown Kingston. He named it Mahfood’s Commercial Limited. The store distributed goods to retailers — footwear, including the once popular BATA sneakers, Cebo water boots; along with yard goods, and a range of haberdashery items.
The brothers formed WISYNCO and borrowed £150,000 from Barclays Bank to build and equip a 6,000-square-foot factory at Twickenham Park in St. Catherine and hence the official birth of Wisynco. The new plant started production and manufactured 60 pairs of boots per hour. Soon farmers, casual labourers, factory workers, and anyone needing protection from the elements would be sporting Jamaican-made Iron Man water boots. Initially Wisynco introduced a double-shift system to keep up with growing demand, and when that still was not enough, expanded to three shifts.

True Juice orange juice bottled by Wisynco

Growth continued even during the 1970s when Wisynco required 60,000 square feet of production and warehouse space in order to supply the Jamaican market with its expanding range of products.
Wisynco started production of cups and containers, in the old offices at West Indies Synthetics, Twickenham Park being brought into use as the thermoforming hall. In 1996, the company borrowed US$3 million and set up a 10,000 square-foot carbonated soft drink manufacturing plant and the start of BIGGA Soft Drink. In 2000 Wisynco introduced its own brand of purified artesian well water WATA to the Jamaican market.
in 2006, Wisynco began distributing Coca-Cola products on a non-exclusive basis.
Wisynco, recently opened its new distribution centre after fire gutted its Lakes Pen, St Catherine warehouse last year May. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood anticipates that the US$2 million ($2.6 billion) investment in the 360,000-square-foot distribution centre will further position the company to move aggressively after the export market. In fact, Wisynco plans to build a new beverage plant valued at US$8 million over the next six months to increase production numbers by 50 per cent as the company seeks to take on the Caribbean market.
IC Insider.com has been reliable advised that the company is estimated to have a market value around $38 billion at approximately the current average PE of the market. At this valuation when listed would rank as one of the largest company c on the exchange several bigger than any Junior Market company and about two thirds the size of Grace Kennedy and several times bigger than Jamaica Producers. NCB Capital Markets is said to be the brokers to the offering.