A price increase cannot be far away for cigarettes sold by Carreras, with margins under pressure flowing mainly from slippage in the value of the Jamaican dollar taking a toll on the margins, since the last price increase in 2013.
With the squeeze in margin, sales also fell in the December quarter by 11 percent, bringing the year to date sales increase to only 5 percent. Cost slipped 1 percent in the December quarter, with a sharp reduction of 57 percent in sales and marketing cost for the quarter and 24 percent for the year to December. Administrative cost jumped 22 percent for the quarter and 16 percent for the nine months. The decline in sales may just be a normalisation in sales. In the past, there was speculation around the end of each year that the company will increase the price of cigarettes which encouraged the trade to stockpile ahead of such price movements and profit from it.
Carreras has entered into an agreement to sell the factory location that it operates from in Spanish Town to Kingston. Cost is expected to decline as a result and should ease some of the pressure on the bottom line. Those savings will be inadequate to cover the fall in gross profit suffered in the December quarter of more than $220 million.
At the end of the year the cigarette marketers, reported profit of $763 million for the quarter and $1.97 billion for the nine months to December earnings per share for the quarter amounted to $1.57 and $4.05 for the nine months and is on target to hey close to $6 per share from continuing operations. During 2013 the company booked a large gain for interest due on debt owed to them by the tax authorities. Investors should expect high dividend payment and periodic spurt in profits after the company adjust prices higher. Price has been on the move since bottoming at $32 last year and is now at $44 but seems headed higher in the months ahead as interest rates continue to fall.
Is Carreras set for price rise?
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[…] Cable and Wireless ended with 734,138 units changing hands and lost 1 cent to end at 39 cents, Carreras traded 9,440 units to close at $52, Desnoes & Geddes had 64,610 shares changing hands at […]
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[…] cents to 39 cents, Caribbean Cement traded 10,250 shares to close at $7.10 after shedding 35 cents, Carreras gained $1 with 6,385 units trading to close at $52, Gleaner traded at $1.30, up 5 cents after […]
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[…] 6 with offers that were lower as the market continues to swing between ups and down. In trading, Carreras put on $2.23 while trading 1,000 shares to close at $50.50, Gleaner ended with 13,000 shares […]
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[…] changed hands, ending in 4,785,392 units trading, valued at $101,683,594, in all market segments as Carreras dominated trading with shares valued at $64.8 million. For the first time in a few weeks there were […]
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[…] Stocks trading include, Cable & Wireless had 380,130 units trading and closed at 43 cents, Carreras with 4,067,804 shares at mostly $50, to shed $1 from Friday’s close. Desnoes & Geddes gained […]
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[…] down. Caribbean Cement had just 10,000 shares trading, but it lost 20 cents to close at $4.80, Carreras had just 3,200 units changing hands at $1 higher to $51, Jamaica Stock Exchange had 15,850 units […]
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[…] traded 649,000 units between 50 cents and the closing price of 48 cents, the same as on Tuesday. Carreras traded 483,380 units at $50, after falling $1.50, Gleaner Company had 219,403 shares trading at $1, […]
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[…] on Monday. Caribbean Cement had 70,900 shares trading at $5.10, to record a gain of 10 cents. Carreras traded of $51.50 and lost 50 cents but with just 6,272 shares, Desnoes & Geddes had 38,161 […]
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[…] had 306,000 shares trading at 47 cents, Caribbean Cement traded 292,100 units to close at $5, Carreras traded 211,982 shares to close at $49, Gleaner posted 322,432 units to end at $1, Grace Kennedy […]
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[…] higher at $2.55, Caribbean Cement closed with 240,866 shares trading, 89 cents higher, at $5.10, Carreras finished trading with 20,385 shares and lost 35 cents to close at $49, Desnoes & Geddes saw […]
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[…] 1 cent to 47 cents, Caribbean Cement saw trading in 3,351 shares, to close 1 cent higher at $4.21. Carreras closed with 32,376 shares changing hands to close 35 cents up at $49.35, Desnoes & Geddes […]
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[…] Cement traded only 100 shares, gained 55 cents to end at $3.85, but closed with the bid at $3.88, Carreras ended trading with 31,886 shares to close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $47.08, but ended with a bid […]
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[…] for a 12 cents gain, Caribbean Cement had 26,500 units changing hands 20 cents higher at $2.70. Carreras closed trading with 12,563 shares at $45 but traded as high as $46.50 for a new 52 weeks’ […]
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[…] offers that were lower, a very strong indication of a robust day for gains on Monday. In trading, Carreras has fully recovered from the sell off when the Government announced new taxes on cigarettes in […]
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[…] high as 54 cents. Caribbean Cement had 46,061 units trading, to gain 25 cents in ending at $2.50, Carreras traded only 15,934 shares between $43 and the last traded price of $45.05, in posting a gain of […]
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[…] Jamaica Stock market is recording gains in the morning session with 18 securities trading at 11:15. Carreras was the leading trade with 1 million units at $43.50, up by $1.50. National Commercial Bank traded […]
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[…] In trading, Cable & Wireless traded 3,172,266 shares to close at 52 with a 2 cents gain. Carreras traded 104,311 units to end at $42, Grace Kennedy had 51,721 shares changing hands and lost $1.15, […]
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[…] after gaining 45 cents for the day. Sagicor Investments bought the block as brokers for the buyer. Carreras was the other major traded to take place in the market with 1.3 million shares in ten separate […]
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[…] 4 with offers that were lower. Cable & Wireless traded 623,636 shares to close at 52 cents,< Carreras jumped $2.54 with only 2,365 shares trading to end at $44.05 almost recovering the losses suffered […]
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[…] higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower. Stocks of interest include Carreras that traded only 1,100 shares to close at $41.51 with a gain of 43 cents, the bid is at $41.50 for […]
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[…] The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras finishing trading with 29,981 units, the price slipped $1 to $40, Desnoes & Geddes with 28,745 […]
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[…] ones. Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras finishing with 853 units trading, to close with a gain of $1.05 at $41, Grace Kennedy closing with […]
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[…] Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closed with 4,200 shares changing hands 95 cents $39.95, Jamaica Broilers finishing trading with […]
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[…] units as only 16 securities traded in the main market. Major price movements, were recorded by Carreras up 95 cents to $39.95, Jamaica Broilers up 20 cents to $4.50, Jamaica Money Market down 24 cents to […]
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[…] were lower. Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the close of the main market are, Carreras contributing 5,000 shares while gaining 60 cents to end at $39.10. Desnoes & Geddes closing with […]
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[…] are, Cable & Wireless closing with 10,000 shares while the price rose 2 cents to 52 cents, Carreras while exchanging 486 shares, gained 49 cents to $38.50. Desnoes & Geddes having 1,077,365 […]
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[…] were lower. Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the close of the main market are, Carreras closing with 137,420 shares changing hands, 1 cent higher to $38.01, Mayberry Investments concluded […]
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[…] tax measures announced on Thursday, hit the stock market on Friday, particularly, Carreras that had direct hit, with increased taxes on cigarettes. The company’s stock lost 7 percent at […]
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[…] The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras finishing with 41,634 units, to close lower by 15 cents at $43. Mayberry Investments closing with […]
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[…] points the highest since June 7, 2012. The stocks contributing to the upward move are mainly Carreras, National Commercial Bank, Pan Jamaican and Scotia […]
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[…] The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closed with 6,800 units as the price slipped 18 cents to $44, Desnoes & Geddes finished with […]
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[…] Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closing with an increase of 45 cents to $44.50 as only 210 units traded. Gleaner finished with a […]
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[…] and highest bids. IC Insider will now be posting these daily. In Tuesday’s trading watch Carreras that closed with a bid of $44.51, Grace Kennedy, bid $60 and National Commercial Bank bid of […]
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[…] Carreras stock gained $2.48 to close at $44.50 on Friday as activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 6 stocks rising and 7 declining as 19 securities changed hands, ending in 2,331,425 units trading, valued at $12,830,920, in all market segments. Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 172.87 points to 78,496.89, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 193.27 points to close at 86,481.47 and the JSE combined index advanced by 232.28 points to close at 80,586.67. IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower. Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras jumped $2.48 ending at $44.50 while trading 16,258 units, Jamaica Broilers in concluding trading closed with 2,000 shares changing hands, the price gained 2 cents to $4.02, Jamaica Money Market Brokers closing with 3,180 ordinary shares gained 10 cents to $6.90, National Commercial Bank ended trading with 44,457 shares while gaining 2 cents to $21.02 and Scotia Group closing with 290,489 shares to end with an increase of 5 cents at $20.35. Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Desnoes & Geddes had 52,000 shares changing hands to close $5, Sagicor Group ending with 9,500 units traded at $10.25 and Scotia Investments finishing with 26,090 shares at $23. Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Caribbean Cement closing with 4,800 shares, trading 2 cents lower, to $2.61. Grace Kennedy in trading 11,076 units, slipped 1 cent to $60, Mayberry Investments closing with 30,000 shares changing hands, 2 cents lower to $1.95 and Proven Investments closing with only 875 units, to end down 0.5 cent at 18.5 US cents. Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share finished with 1,151,000 shares changing hands at $2 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share ending with 61,000 units trading at $3.03. […]
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[…] Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras concluding trading with 66,390 shares while gaining 50 cents to $44.50 and Scotia Group closing […]
[…] over paid by its subsidiary, Cigarette Company of Jamaica was recovered in full by the company, Carreras reported in a release of the June quarterly results. This means that the large special capital […]