JBG profit held back

A drop in Hi Pro profit from flat sales, increased corporate taxes provision and increased finance cost held back profit for the first quarter of the new fiscal year for Jamaica Broilers Group, one of Jamaica’s leading agro product company. This is despite a big jump in revenues and profit from the US operations, as well as a turnaround from a big loss in the ethanol operations in 2012 into a profit in this latest quarter.

Jamaica Broilers’ financial results for the quarter to July, 2013 show profits attributable to stockholders increasing by 10 percent to $140 million or earnings per share of 11.68 cents against $127 million or 10.60 cents per share last year. The moderate improvement in profit flows from revenues of $7 billion, a 17 percent increase over the $6 billion generated in the corresponding period last year. Gross profits for the quarter amounted to $1.32 billion, a 17 percent increase over the $1.13 billion of the corresponding period last year.

Expenses up | Distribution and selling expenses grew by a strong 26.5 percent to $280 million while administrative costs increased 13.4 percent to $838 million. Management states that the increases essentially reflect the impact of inflation along with costs related to organizational strengthening. Finance cost rose from $51 million to $79 million in the quarter reflecting increased borrowing from $4.5 billion in 2012 to $5.3 billion at the end of the quarter.

Segments | The US operations climbed sharply in sales to $805 million, a 176 percent increase to external parties, contributing to a rise in segment profit to $76 million from $7 million in 2012. The broiler segment sales rose by 14 percent to $3.5 billion as segment profit moved to $234 million versus $189 million in 2012. At Hi Pro division, sales, which include feed and retailing of non-feed products, were flat at $2.56 billion but profit slipped from $230 million to $149 million. Ethanol sales at $248 million in 2013 was lower than for 2012 at $289 million, as profit from the operation ended up at $16 million, a turnaround from a $49 million loss. Other operations, which delivered sales of $200 million and profit of $36 million in 2012, reported a 154 percent sales jump to $309 million in 2013 but profit inched up to only $39 million. Other operations include the sale of feed ingredients, beef products, fish, cattle rearing, processing and co-generation energy supply.

The recent expansion in fertile egg production in Georgia and increased procurement activities is beginning to show positive results as stated by management in their release to shareholders.

Acquisitions | The quarterly results do not include revenue and profit from the just concluded acquisition of England Farms Company, a well-established fertile egg operation based in Arkansas. While this company operates in a different state than the current Georgia one economies of scale can be achieved by merging most of the administrative activities into one thus cutting cost. Specialisation may also be possible as well as savings in shipping cost where each unit can deliver supplies closer to the individual plants. In the release announcing the acquisition of this entity, management stated that it will double existing sales.

The purchase of Hamilton’s Smokehouse will result in an expansion in the volume of products available under the Hamilton Smokehouse brand and will provide opportunities for greater utilization of the Best Dressed Further Processing facilities at Spring Village, St Catherine, management stated. With the processing of Hamilton products to be done in JB existing facilities will mean higher profit margins as most of the former overhead cost of a stand-a-lone operation will no longer exits.

The build out in the 68 percent owned Haiti operations is continuing with increased sales of Haitian produced baby chicks, feed, layer birds, table eggs, and processed chicken.

The group has been spending on capital improvement apart from acquisitions, nevertheless they still had $1.4 billion in investments and cash at bank at end of July.

Insider Call | Jamaica Broilers is still on track to report between $1.50 – $1.80 earnings for the year notwithstanding the almost flat first quarter results and is an IC Insider Buy Rated stock.