NCB solid stock for the future

NCB Financial Group (NCB) produced net profit of $21.3 billion for the nine months to June 2019 with profit attributable to stockholders of $20.7 billion, a marginal increase of $87 million over 2018.
For the quarter to June, NCB reported $8.3 billion in profit attributable to shareholders inclusive of $2.3 billion resulting from the increased value of the near 30 percent interest NCB owned in Guardian (GHL) before acquiring majority shares, during the quarter. Results include the consolidation of two months of GHL’s income coupled with the gain from revaluing the shares that NCB held in GHL previously, as an associated company.
For the nine months ended June, net operating income rose 22 percent to $63 billion from $51.6 billion in the prior year while it increased 28 percent to $24.5 billion in the June quarter over 2018.
Banking and investment activities netted $55.8 billion, up 13 percent over the $49.4 billion for the comparative 2018 period and for the quarter the enlarged group produced $21 billion compared to $18 billion in 2018. A 14 percent growth in our loan portfolio helped in pushing net interest income to $32.4 billion or 27 percent over $25.4 million generated in 2018. For the quarter, net interest income grew to 30 percent to $12.4 billion.
Net fee and commission income rose from $4 billion in 2018 to $5 billion for the June quarter and from $11.7 billion to $13.4 billion for the nine months period. Gains on foreign exchange trading declined sharply from $11.4 billion to $8.7 billion for the nine months period and from $4.2 billion in 2018 to $2.8 billion for the June quarter.
The net result from insurance activities grew 218 percent over the prior year to $7.2 billion from $2.3 billion in the prior year nine months period. For the quarter, net income tripled the $1.15 billion in the 2018 June quarter to reach $3.4 billion in 2019. “One of our Jamaican life insurance subsidiaries benefitted from improved spread performance and changing mortality assumptions, resulting in a significant contribution to the net profit. The consolidation of GHL’s insurance activities contributed 45 percent of net insurance revenues reported for the third quarter,” the group directors reported in their commentary to shareholders.
Operating expenses including loan and securities losses accounted for $46 billion, an increase of $13 billion or 41 percent over the prior nine months in 2018. “The consolidation of GHL and an additional quarter of Clarien’s results in the current reporting period contributed to 43 percent of this increase,” the group reported.
Impairment losses on loans and securities increased by 166 percent to $3.65 billion from $2.46 in the nine months and from just $941 million in the June 2018 quarter to $1.7 billion in the 2019 period.
Total assets grew with the acquisition of majority shares in GHL to $1.6 trillion, an increase of $635 billion or 68 percent over the prior year. “The consolidation of GHL, net of adjustments, added $517 billion in assets to the Group’s portfolio. The Group’s loans and advances, net of provision for credit losses, stood at $412 billion, an increase of $50.5 billion or 14 percent over the prior year, attributable to strong growth in our Jamaican portfolio along with the consolidation of GHL’s $14.6 billion of loans and receivables” the NCB directors report stated.
Customer deposits reached $509 billion at the end of June, an increase of 10 percent or $45 billion over the prior year. Policyholders’ liabilities increased from $39 billion in June 2018 to $422 billion due to the consolidation of GHL. Investment Securities and Reverse Repurchase Agreements Investment securities, including pledged assets, and reverse repurchase agreements amounted to $780 billion. This portfolio grew by 106 percent or $400.6 billion over the prior year, primarily due to the consolidation of GHL’s portfolio valued at $369 billion. Stockholders’ equity amounted to $137 billion, a 10 percent or $12.8 billion increase over the prior year due primarily to an 18 percent increase in retained earnings.
Earnings per share for the quarter came in at $3.42 but that includes one-time income and expenses, ongoing earnings could be in the region of $3 per share or around $12 annually. For the nine months earnings per share reported was at $8.49. Going forward the growth in the loan portfolio is one of the most critical factors to look for in assessing prospects going forward, with the acquisition of the General Insurance portfolio this area is also very critical to growth in the future. There are areas of duplication in the operations of Guardian and NCB accordingly, investors can expect rationalization to come and with that reduced cost and likely more robust sourcing for new business. NCB stock that last traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $220 is a good long term investment.
The Board of Directors declared an interim dividend of 90 cents per ordinary stock unit. The dividend is payable on August 27, to stockholders of record as on August 13.