Shareholders in ANSA McAl are set to lose TT$2.5 billion in 2025 from their investment in the company, following the directors decision to suspend dividend payments, (currently $320 million per year) for 3 years, with the stock price dropping 21 percent from $58 to $46 up to the end of last week.
In addition to losing the $320 million per year for the next three years, shareholders have already chalked up a loss on their shares of $2.1 billion, following the announcement in March, and it could get worse, with the bid to buy the stock at $45 and the offer to sell at $46, last Friday. The dividend suspension will conserve TT$951.5 million for the three years based on $1.80 paid in 2024, 2023 and 2022, but it has had a detrimental impact on shareholders.
In addition to cash savings from the suspension of dividends, the company will save the cost of servicing the twice-yearly dividend payment and will incur less interest expense as a result of the suspension.
ANSA McAL, the majority owner of Berger Paints Jamaica, decided to suspend dividend payments due to the acquisition of a company for US$327 million, which resulted in a US$$200 million loan.
This decision was published on March 21st, 2025, in the Chairman’s statement, which accompanied the audited financial results. According to the report, “ANSA McAL is confident that the reinvestment of dividends for this three year period will yield far greater long-term benefits – enhancing its competitive position, supporting expansion into new markets, and unlocking new growth opportunities. Moreover, ANSA McAL fully expects the result of this strategic decision to be a significant appreciation in its share price, ensuring that shareholders benefit from a stronger, more resilient, and more valuable company.”
Some shareholders do not buy the optimism expressed by the directors, at least not now. For the year ending December last year, revenue grew by 5 percent to $7.4 billion and profits climbed just over 10 percent to $571 million from $517 million in 2023. On the surface, the stock should have been rising, instead, it has fallen from a 2025 high of $61. Compounding the issue, revenue grew 9.6 percent to $1.8 billion for the March 2025 quarter. Profits for the quarter dived 50 percent to $54 million from US$107 million as finance cost surged from $10 million to $52 million.
The directors commenting on the 2024 results stated, “Beyond these outstanding financial results, we took a bold step forward in our long-term strategy by completing the largest acquisition in our 143-year history. The US$327 million acquisition of BLEACHTECH LLC, a leading US-based chlor-alkali producer, is a transformative move that positions us for even greater success.”
At the end of March, Shareholders’ equity stood at TT$8.2 billion. At the end of December last year, borrowed funds amounted to $2.6 billion, just around 32 percent of shareholders’ equity. With the leverage level so low, there seems to be no need to suspend dividends and, by extension, destroy shareholders’ investment.
The market closed with 14,854,030 shares trading worth $65,132,064, down from 15,326,884 stock units at $209,095,375 on Friday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Sagicor Group rose 49 cents to $43.49 with investors dealing in 4,364 units, Scotia Group shed 73 cents to end at $57.15 with traders exchanging 23,912 stocks. Seprod rallied $2.50 and ended at $84 as 22,712 shares changed hands, Supreme Ventures increased by 99 cents to finish at $19.99 after 5,072 stocks were traded, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 55 cents to close at $12.55 with investors exchanging 8,226 units and Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined $1.24 to $8 after a transfer of 1,855 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
AMG Packaging declined 14 percent, Elite Diagnostic dived 13 percent, Dolla Financial dropped 12 percent and Express Catering slipped 5 percent. Following the solid increase of 176 percent in the first quarter profit, Caribbean Flavours jumped sharply by 29 percent, followed by Kintyre Holdings, up 6 percent and Iron Rock Insurance with a gain of 5 percent.
The Junior Market had two new listings in the ICTOP10, following the falling out of Caribbean Flavours and Iron Rock Insurance. In the All JSE ICTOP10 listings, Express Catering and Scotia Group were replaced by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and MFS Partners.
ICInsider.com ranks stocks are based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and remove emotions when selecting stocks for investments.
The market closed with 15,326,884 shares trading worth $209,095,375, sliding from 24,639,843 stock units at $149,281,517 on Thursday.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints rallied 55 cents and ended at $7.62 after 4,015 shares were traded, Carreras lost 39 cents to $16 with 152,942 units crossing the exchange, Eppley sank 55 cents to end at $32.75 with investors trading 601 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $4.90 in closing at $37.10 as buyers walked off with 2,267 stocks, General Accident increased 40 cents to finish at $5.30 as investors passed 3,570 stock units through the market, Guardian Holdings popped $42 to close at $390 as investors exchanged 294 shares. Jamaica Broilers advanced 50 cents to $27.50 after a transfer of 15,256 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 44 cents in closing at $12.76 with investors trading 26,074 stocks, JMMB Group dropped 35 cents and ended at $20.10 with an exchange of 13,907 stock units. Kingston Wharves rose 40 cents to end at $29.50 with 2,483 shares clearing the market, Margaritaville fell 89 cents to finish at $12.51 with a transfer of 85 stocks, 
Mayberry Group climbed $1.17 to close at $7.47 after an exchange of a mere 2 units. NCB Financial skidded $1.41 to $43.99, with 209,442 stock units crossing the market, with increased buying interest in Scotia Group in recent weeks, investors picked up 171,616 shares at $1.48 more in closing at $57.88 than the opening, Seprod declined $2.48 to end at $81.50 with 3,491 stock units switching owners. Supreme Ventures dipped 99 cents to close at $19 with investors swapping 5,628,924 stocks and Wisynco Group rose 74 cents and ended at $21.29 in an exchange of 38,641 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with 24,639,843 shares trading for $149,281,517, well above 14,696,324 stock units at $159,154,978 on Wednesday.
At the close of increased trading, Berger Paints slipped 63 cents to finish at $7.07 with traders dealing in 1,800 shares, following lower first quarter profits results released on Wednesday, Caribbean Cement fell $1 to end at $82 with investors passing 37,179 stock units through the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rallied $5 to end at $42 after a transfer of 1,010 shares. First Rock Real Estate skidded 48 cents in closing at $9.02 with 54 units crossing the market, General Accident sank 47 cents and ended at $4.90 with investors trading 68,568 stocks, despite a major increased in its first quarter profit, Guardian Holdings popped $8 to close at $348 with 222 shares crossing the exchange. Jamaica Broilers dipped 50 cents to $27 as traders exchanged 25,578 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange increased 70 cents to close at $13.20, in the trading of 124,403 units, as investors cheered the very positive first quarter profit that more than doubled, Mayberry Group lost $1.18 in closing at $6.30 as 4,175 stocks changed hands. 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $1 to finish at $64 with 12,100 shares crossing the market, Pan Jamaica rose $1 and ended at $53 with investors trading 17,498 stock units, Scotia Group shed 88 cents to end at $56.40 after traders exchanged 80,012 stocks. Seprod advanced $1.48 in closing at $83.98 in trading 4,314 units, Supreme Ventures gained 38 cents to end at $19.99 after an exchange of 61,340 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments popped 89 cents and ended at $12.27 with investors dealing in 575 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated
The market closed with 14,696,324 shares trading for $159,154,978, slipping from 16,795,256 stocks at $85,738,813 on Tuesday.
At the close of a soft market, AS Bryden shed 90 cents to end at $30 with 11 shares crossing the exchange, Caribbean Cement dropped $2.98 and ended at $83 with investors transferring 4,744 units, Caribbean Producers sank 35 cents to finish at $8 with investors dealing in 35,874 stocks. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund skidded $3 in closing at $37, with 350 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings sank $55 to $340, with traders exchanging 317 stock units, Jamaica Producers slipped 50 cents to close at $22, with 503,445 shares passing through the market. Kingston Wharves climbed 41 cents to $29 with investors swapping 9,504 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing lost 36 cents to finish at $7.14 with 3,534 units switching owners, Margaritaville rose 40 cents and ended at $13.40 after traders exchanged 148 stock units. Mayberry Group climbed $1.30 to end at $7.48 with 3,258 shares changing hands, NCB Financial popped $2.42 in closing at $45.40 after an exchange of 875,172 stock units, 
138 Student Living declined 38 cents to $3.31 with investors trading 1,808 units. Pan Jamaica increased 80 cents to $52 after a transfer of 2,265 stocks, Sagicor Group rallied $2.46 and ended at $43 with traders dealing in 23,660 units, Seprod fell 50 cents in closing at $82.50 with 13,049 stocks crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments dipped 77 cents to end at $11.38 as investors exchanged 653,493 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market activities closed with 54 securities changing hands, sliding from 63 on Monday, with prices of 15 rising, 27 declining and 12 ending unchanged and resulting in the All Jamaican Composite Index falling a solid 1,626.79 points to 370,172.87. The JSE Main Index advanced 450.89 points to 324,386.66 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.46 points to wrap up trading at 68.11.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden advanced 90 cents to $30.90 after trading 286 shares, Caribbean Cement rose $4.97 in closing at $85.98 with investors clearing 3,969 stocks from the market, Eppley climbed $4.80 to $33.30 with trading in 28 units. Eppley Caribbean Property fell $2 and ended at $40 with trading in 5,989 shares, Guardian rose $50 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $395, after hitting an intraday high of $450, with 1,489 stock units crossing the exchange, Jamaica Broilers sank $1.25 to finish at $27.25 with investors swapping 44,340 shares. JMMB Group skidded 40 cents to $20.20 with 59,455 stocks crossing the market, Kingston Wharves lost 40 cents to end at $28.59 with investors trading 1,249 units, Margaritaville sank 88 cents in closing at $13 after an exchange of 6,134 stock units. Massy Holdings shed $1.08 and ended at $77.91 with investors trading 226,827 shares, Mayberry Group dropped $1.30 to finish at $6.18 after a transfer of 13,679 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 67 cents to close at $9.50 with traders dealing in 541 units. 
Pan Jamaica fell $1.80 to $51.20 with 502 units switching owners, Sagicor Group dipped $2.96 to close at $40.54 with 67,595 shares crossing the market, Scotia Group declined 41 cents to end at $57 with a transfer of 33,100 units. Seprod shed 70 cents in closing at $83 as 925 stocks changed hands and Supreme Ventures dropped 38 cents to $19.61, with investors exchanging 23,792 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with 11,213,430 shares trading for $45,588,813, down from 17,051,387 stock units at $245,931,805 on Friday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3.
NCB Financial fell $2.90 to end at $43.10 in an exchange of 70,400 stocks. Pan Jamaica climbed $2.20 to $53 with investors trading 69 stock units, Sagicor Group sank 50 cents to close at $43.50 with an exchange of 10,145 shares, Scotia Group rose $2.53 in closing at $57.41 after trading of 263,251 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 39 cents and ended at $12.49 as traders passed 3,078 stock units through the market and Wisynco Group dipped 50 cents to end at $20.51 with investors trading 4,928 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with 17,051,387 shares trading worth $245,931,805 compared to 21,472,293 stock units for $158,528,037 on Thursday.
The Main Market finished trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
NCB Financial rallied 49 cents to end at $46 with 604,082 units crossing the market, Pan Jamaica gained 79 cents to close at $50.80 with traders dealing in 336 stocks. Proven Investments popped 85 cents to end at $17.85 after an exchange of 4,692 units, Seprod gained $2.94 and ended at $84 with 562 shares crossing the market, Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose $1.15 in closing at $9.25 with investors trading 22,502 units and Wisynco Group advanced 51 cents to end at $21.01 after 2,879 stocks crossed the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with 21,472,293 shares traded worth $158,528,037, significantly above 5,328,869 stocks at $25,786,180 on Wednesday.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden fell $2 to $30 with investors trading 1,332 shares, Caribbean Cement lost $1.80 in closing at $84.20 with 713,766 units crossing the market, Caribbean Producers climbed 40 cents and ended at $8.40 with investors trading 4,669 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $4.95 to end at $34.50 with 861 stock units changing hands, Guardian Holdings shed $4 to finish at $340 with dealers trading 314 stocks, Jamaica Broilers sank 88 cents to close at $29.10 with 4,408 units crossing the market. Jamaica Stock Exchange dipped 50 cents to $12 with traders switching ownership of 100,389 shares, JMMB Group sank 60 cents to end at $20.10 with 265,152 stock units passing through the market, Margaritaville dropped $1.20 in closing at $10 after an exchange of 2,241 stocks. Massy Holdings rose $1 to finish at $79 with investors swapping 264 shares, Mayberry Group slipped 45 cents and ended at $7 with 951 stock units crossing the exchange, 
NCB Financial skidded $1.04 to close at $45.51 with investors trading 79,833 stocks. 138 Student Living sank 42 cents to $3.25 after an exchange of 58 units, Pan Jamaica dipped $3.47 in closing at $50.01 with a transfer of 121,891 shares, Seprod sank 94 cents to close at $81.06 with sellers clearing 31,721 units in the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance slipped $1.24 and ended at $8.10 with an exchange of 11,392 stocks and Wisynco Group lost 80 cents to end at $20.50 with investors trading 614,956 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.