The Jamaican Teas Group enjoyed an outstanding first quarter with rising sales and profits fueled mainly by strong growth in exports that rose 88 percent over the prior year and accounted for 64 percent of total sales in the quarter and positive contribution from the investment division.
Jamaican Teas traded the most volume on Monday.
Sales rose 41 percent to $611 million and profit attributable to shareholders jumped 321 percent to $117 million from just $28 million in 2019. The improved profit result occurred with profit fully taxed compared to the 2019 quarter that was taxed at 50 percent of the normal rate for Jamaican Teas’ profits.
The real estate division also contributed to improved profits following completion of an apartment complex. The subsidiary QWI Investments, contributed positively to the profit performance following improved investment performance, resulting in the equity portfolio delivering a $143 million increase from dividends and capital appreciation of stocks in the quarter.
The supermarket contributed reduced sales and profit due to continued curfew restrictions on its hours of operation and the closure of schools. Manufacturing sales climbed 48 percent to $428 million for the quarter, with domestic sales increasing just 7 percent compared with a year ago.
First quarter revenues at the Supermarket amounted to $135 million slightly below the $142 million generated a year ago. There was a progressive fall in the rate of decline as the quarter elapsed.
The gross profit margin was a consistent year over year with a 27.5 percent margin for the latest quarter versus 27.4 percent for the 2019 first quarter for the group.
Marketing expenses fell for the quarter by $5 million to $8.7 million resulting mainly from the cost of new products launched in 2019, and not repeated in the latest quarter.
Administrative costs rose moderately by 11 percent to $63 million and Interest expense declined during the quarter resulting from lower interest rates on some borrowed funds. According to the directors in their quarterly commentary, referring to the sale of apartment units they developed, “we have signed contracts and expect to record sales for the last 4 apartments in our second quarter. Manufacturing sales after the end of the quarter are 15% higher in the first 28 days of January compared with a year ago and our quoted investments continued to improve.”
Earnings per share came in at 5.5 cents, 323 percent above the 2019 – earnings of 1.3 cents. ICImsider.com earnings forecast is for 30 cents per share, gains in the investment division could impact it positively or negatively. Based on the forecast the PE ratio at the last traded stock price of $2.75 is 9.2, suggesting a strong upside for the stock assuming a target PE of 20.
Jamaican Teas produces black and green and many herbal teas, soaps and some other consumer product and owns a supermarket and has a subsidiary that invests in local and overseas stocks. The chairman of the group is John Jackson.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
