IPOs are back the Tropical issue

Just when investors thought COVID 19 had killed off IPOs for this year, suddenly pops up, Tropical Battery‘s long-promised initial public offer. The prospectus for the issue is now available to the public.
The issue for 325 million ordinary shares at $1 each of with up to 187.5 million units reserved for priority applications, opens September 22 and is scheduled for closing on September 30, subject to the right of the Company to close it earlier.
The Company intends to apply for the shares to be listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, subject for at least $260 million being raised, by way of this invitation.
The total issued shares following the offer will be 1.3 billion units, with the parent company owning 75 percent. That will allow enough shares to be in the public hands to facilitate adequate liquidity in the stocks for some time.
The Company generated profit before tax of $87 million from revenues of $1.74 billion in 2019, a decent increase of 18.6 percent higher than in 2019 and a pretax profit of $45 million from revenues of $1.47 billion in the prior year, to September or 8.6 percent above the 2018 sales.
Gross operating revenue for the nine months to June this year increased nine percent to $1.36 billion from $1.25 billion in 2019, with profit before taxation falling from $67.6 million to $62 million.
Future growth, the Company says, “will come primarily from the addition of new product lines, i.e., Renewable Energy Batteries, Oils and Lubricants, Tyres, etc., organic growth of existing products, expansion and the renovation of our retail stores.”
The proceeds of IPO will be split equally between the selling shareholder and the Company, resulting in $162.5 million going to each, net of cost.
The Company plans to use the amount collected for expansion and working capital purposes, including but not limited to new product lines, expansion and renovation of retail stores, including an expansion of the parking area at the retail store at Grove Road in St Andrew. Completion of the buildout of and relocating to the new warehouse, head office and retail store at Ferry, Acquiring and install information technology systems for greater efficiency and improve customer experience and expansion of Mobile delivery fleet of vehicles.
Total shareholders’ equity at the end of June stands at $593 million, while our long term liabilities fell by to $315 million with the total interest-bearing debt of $415 million. The Company is owed $190 million by a related party and is interest-free, but payable on demand.
With earnings per share around 7.7 cents, the stock is priced around a PE ratio of 13 times 2020 earnings, leaving little or no room for short term gains.
NCB Capital Markets are the brokers for the offer. Unfortunately, for investors, there are no forecasted earnings included in the prospectus to help to guide them. This practice leaves a lot to be desired and it is fulltime, the authorities step up to the plate and ensure that all prospectuses include forecasted data for a least three years. That is not asking too much in the drive to build a developed capital market.