EduFocal Limited offer of 129,689,219 Ordinary Shares to the public at $1 each that opened on March 3, 2022, has closed well ahead of the scheduled date of March 17, as was expected word emanating from the company indicates, with the issue attracting almost twice the amount that was on offer when it closed just seconds after the 9 o’clock opening.
The Company intends to apply to the Jamaica Stock Exchange for admission of the shares on the Junior Market and will bring the total listings on that market to 45.
The company experienced rapid growth with revenues of $27 million in 2019 rising to $103 million in 2020 and profit before tax of $15.6 million. For the period to September 2021 revenues rose 39 percent to $107.6 million with a loss of less than a million dollars, from $77.5 million in revenues and a small profit of $7.5 million before tax. Preliminary results to December 2021 saw revenues rising to $168.6 million with a profit of $15 million or 2.8 cents per share, putting the PE ratio around 36 times 2021 earnings.
The company is projecting revenues rising to $322 million in 2022 and $355 million in 2023, with profits of $50 million and $69 million respectively. The projected revenues for 2022 would result in growth of 91 percent, well above the December quarter revenues annualized of around $240 million. The forecasted profit appears reasonable if the performance in the December quarter carries over for the rest of 2022 and would represent earnings per share of 8 cents with a PE of 12.
EduFocal Learn encompasses the Company’s core business offering which is focused on providing a social learning platform that combines study with play, with the primary offering, focused on test preparation for Jamaica’s Primary Exit Profile exams, previously known as the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). In September 2020, the Company launched the EduFocal Academy product which entailed a full-day learning programme.
The proceeds of the offer will be used to pay transaction costs of $12 million, $42 million will be used towards the repayment of short term debt and approximately $62 will be used towards expansion in new markets.
The company is involved in online education, relatively new business activity as such the risk associated with an investment in these shares may be higher than for long established businesses in tried and proven segments of the economy.
EduFocal IPO closed
March 3, 2022 by
