Wisynco Group IPO is imminent

November 2, 2017 by

NCB Capital Markets Manager, Origination and Structuring Stanley Thompson (left) exchanges laughs with Wisynco Group Chairman William Mahfood during a signing of the IPO agreement. Sharing in the moment, too, are Wisynco Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Director Fiona Hyman

Wisynco Group today announced its intention to offer shares in the company by way of an initial public offering (IPO), confirming IC Insider.com report yesterday.
Information gleaned is that the draft prospectus is being vetted by the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the Financial Securities Commission and the Company Office of Jamaica with the IPO expected to come to market before the end of this year and could happen in November.
Founded in 1965 by the Mahfood family, West Indies Synthetic Company (WISYNCO) began manufacturing ‘Iron Man’ water boots from a 6,000 square foot factory in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine. The company now ”owns and manufactures a portfolio of category-leading beverage brands such as WATA and its extension of cranberry flavoured-WATA, BOOM Energy Drink and BIGGA Soft Drink. In addition to its owned brands, Wisynco is the exclusive local bottler for the Coca-Cola Company, as well as third-party beverage brands such as SqueezZ and Hawaiian Punch also distributing for global giants such as Red Bull, Tru Juice, Freshhh, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nestlé and others.
A rapidly-growing company, Wisynco has increased sales significantly in recent years moving from JMD 12.6 billion in 2013 to $21.2 billion in 2017. Over the last five years the company’s year-to-year sales growth has ranged between 9 – 21% with a compound annual growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.06% over the same period. The business has a strong gross profit margins, averaging approximately 36% since 2012.
Wisynco’s revenues are just under the $22.8 billion generated by Lasco Manufacturing and Distributor combined. With the above profit margin, gross profit would be $7.5 billion. The two Lasco companies have administrative, selling and distribution cost of $4 billion to March this year. IC Insider.com puts the cost for Wisynco at $4.5 billion per annum which would result in a pretax profit in the order of $3 million and after tax around $2.5 billion. If the company came to market around the mid-range of PE of 12, this would value it at $30 billion. An issue of 20 percent in the IPO, would target inflows be around $6 billion, but IC Insider.com gathers that a vastly smaller sum is being targeted to be raised by the company but some existing shareholders may seek to divest some of their shares.
According to William Mahfood, Chairman of the Wisynco Group, “the IPO will allow us to share the growth and

Wata produced by Wisynco

success of our business with a wide cross section of our customers and employees, especially following on the outpouring of wishes and support after the fire last year”
With over 350,000 square feet of warehouse, 110,000 square feet of factory space the company has over 700 sales-related full time employees.
We are a proud Jamaican company with a deeply rooted commitment to the country’s development.” Mahfood said. “Our stated mission is to improve the lives of our people which extends to all stakeholders –team members, customers, partners and now with the planned IPO to fellow Jamaicans alike,” Mahfood said.
NCB Capital Markets has been engaged as arranger and broker for the transaction with PricewaterhouseCoopers acting as financial advisors to the company.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

More business for Cable & Wireless

November 2, 2017 by

Jamaica’s Cable & Wireless seems to be making head ways with continued growth in some segment of the business but saw a small fall in their mobile customer base from June to September.
According to data provided by Liberty Global quarterly report, their Jamaican operations saw fixed lines rose 1,300 to 262,500 in September than at the end of June, internet grew by 5,500 customers to 153,700, Telephony subscribers moved by 10,400 to 206,600 customers but mobile customers fell 3,400 to 930,500.
What has not been mentioned, is that the local company introduced a series of rate increases starting in August 16th as their customers started paying sharp increases for calling to most overseas destinations, with calls to the United States, United Kingdom, China, India and Spain by up to fifty percent. Customers with the FamUltra, Post-Paid plan, will pay up to 50 percent more. Other affected packages will see increases of up to a third of their current charge prior to the increase. Subsequently, the company implemented increases of 6 to 10 percent on some landline services effective October local rates moved from 99 cents to $1.05 6 perform Call to Digicel line moved from $2.40 to $2.55 and other local operators fixed lines USS Canada and UK landlines moved from $10 to $11.
Cable & Wireless rose 4 cents to $1.07 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Filed Under: Company News, General Business News Tagged With: , , , ,

Profit rise and fall at Mayberry

November 2, 2017 by

Mayberry crossed 40m C&W shares.

Profit at Mayberry Investments climbed 27 percent to $62 million, after tax for the quarter to September this year, up from $49 million in 2016 with earnings per share of just 5 cents. For the nine months to September, profit dropped to $66 million from $320 million in 2016.
While the profit performance for the year to date is mixed, the investment banker focus is the more robust comprehensive income, than the traditional profit outcome, but total comprehensive income slipped 22 percent, to $300 million, from $385 million, for the September quarter of 2016, due to a decline in the prices of some stocks held. Not factored into comprehensive income is the increased value of associated company share prices.
Net interest income climbed 28 percent to $30 million. Fees and commissions jumped 168 percent to $113 million for the quarter, compared to $42 million for the corresponding quarter in 2016. Fee income grew by increased transactions within the quarter and from Initial Public Offering whilst the increase in Net Interest Income was due to lower cost of funds. Dividend income declined 17 percent to $29 million, a reduction of $6 million compared to the similar period in 2016.

Gary Peart, Chief Executive of Mayberry Investments.

Net trading Gains fell to $68 million from $117 million for the corresponding period in 2016, a reduction of $49 million or 42 percent, due to decreased trading volumes for the quarter.
Net foreign exchange gains fell sharply to a mere $4 million, down from $58 million in 2016. Unrealized gains on investment revaluation amounted to $11 million or 37.6 percent less than the comparative period in 2016.

Operating expenses decreased by $34 million or 12.28 percent when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2016, with staff cost falling $21 million and investment impairment fell $29 million to zero. Profits from associates, increased $34 million or 199 percent, over the same quarter in 2016
Results for the nine months for 2017 is not as robust as in 2016. Net interest income is down from $135 million to only $52 million as interest cost rose by $68 million and income fell. Fees and commission income rose sharply from $142 million to $253 million, net trading gains fell from $385 million to $152 million and foreign exchange trading gains fell from $179 million to $57 million and unrealized investment gains fell to $44 million from $199 million.

The final quarter of the year is off to a robust start with a number of stocks Mayberry holds climbing these include NCB Financial, Caribbean Cement Cable & wireless to name a few. Longer term the company’s equity portfolio should rise sharply as all indicators point to a possible 60 percent rise in value of main market stocks over the next year.
Mayberry ended the quarter with total assets of $22 billion and shareholders’ equity of $7.9 billion, up from $7.24 billion at the end of 2016. Net book value stands at $6.54. The company’s stock closed trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $4.30, on Wednesday.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: , , ,

Wisynco could be the next big JSE IPO

November 1, 2017 by
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In 2015, West Indies Synthetics Company Ltd (WISYNCO) celebrated 50 years of operations by early 2018 the company is set to celebrate another milestone, as the third Mahfood majority owned company to be listed on the Jamaican Stock Exchange. 
Wisynco was formed as a result of the amalgamation of the three companies – West Indies Synthetics, Wisynco Trading Limited, and Jamaica Drink Company Limited.
Prior to this, CMP Industries that was primarily a manufacturing company supplying office equipment and material, was listed but suffered declining fortunes with the switch in import policies in the 1980s and 1990 that saw incentives being removed or slashed to protect local manufacturing. CMP still operates but as a property owner and is now controlled by the Trustees in Bankruptcy.
Jamaican Teas, listed on the Junior Market is majority owned by another branch of the family, that includes John Mahfood and his parent.

Wata produced by Wisynco

In 2009, Partner Foods Limited and Wendico Jamaica Limited merged to form one company – Wisynco Foods Limited. Wisynco Foods represents the brands Wendy’s, Domino’s and Haagen Dazs. In 2014, Wisynco purchased fifty percent share in United Estates Ltd & Trade Winds Citrus Ltd.
According to Wisynco website, Saleem Mahfood was married to Evelyn Shammas in Lebanon, following which on his return to Jamaica he opened his own wholesale haberdashery at 132 Harbour Street in downtown Kingston. He named it Mahfood’s Commercial Limited. The store distributed goods to retailers — footwear, including the once popular BATA sneakers, Cebo water boots; along with yard goods, and a range of haberdashery items.
The brothers formed WISYNCO and borrowed £150,000 from Barclays Bank to build and equip a 6,000-square-foot factory at Twickenham Park in St. Catherine and hence the official birth of Wisynco. The new plant started production and manufactured 60 pairs of boots per hour. Soon farmers, casual labourers, factory workers, and anyone needing protection from the elements would be sporting Jamaican-made Iron Man water boots. Initially Wisynco introduced a double-shift system to keep up with growing demand, and when that still was not enough, expanded to three shifts.

True Juice orange juice bottled by Wisynco

Growth continued even during the 1970s when Wisynco required 60,000 square feet of production and warehouse space in order to supply the Jamaican market with its expanding range of products.
Wisynco started production of cups and containers, in the old offices at West Indies Synthetics, Twickenham Park being brought into use as the thermoforming hall. In 1996, the company borrowed US$3 million and set up a 10,000 square-foot carbonated soft drink manufacturing plant and the start of BIGGA Soft Drink. In 2000 Wisynco introduced its own brand of purified artesian well water WATA to the Jamaican market.
in 2006, Wisynco began distributing Coca-Cola products on a non-exclusive basis.
Wisynco, recently opened its new distribution centre after fire gutted its Lakes Pen, St Catherine warehouse last year May. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood anticipates that the US$2 million ($2.6 billion) investment in the 360,000-square-foot distribution centre will further position the company to move aggressively after the export market. In fact, Wisynco plans to build a new beverage plant valued at US$8 million over the next six months to increase production numbers by 50 per cent as the company seeks to take on the Caribbean market.
IC Insider.com has been reliable advised that the company is estimated to have a market value around $38 billion at approximately the current average PE of the market. At this valuation when listed would rank as one of the largest company c on the exchange several bigger than any Junior Market company and about two thirds the size of Grace Kennedy and several times bigger than Jamaica Producers. NCB Capital Markets is said to be the brokers to the offering.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Knutsford Express revving up

October 30, 2017 by

One of Knutsford Express buses.

Jamaica’s intra island transport company, Knutsford Express, is enjoying extraordinary times, with a sharp increase in revenues and profits but the company’s management is not sitting on their laurels as they actively seek areas for future growth and profits.
In the latest quarter to August, revenues jumped a strong 37 percent, to $237 million and spawned a 57 percent rise in profit of $57 million. Of interest is the continued growth, on top of previous year’s increases. For while revenues in the August 2016 quarter rose 21 percent with flat profit, by the second quarter revenues climbed 37 percent over the 2015 levels, to $176 million and profit rose 19 percent to $30 million.
Revenues rose 33 percent for the third quarter to $203 million and profit almost doubled to $53.7 million, thanks partially to an $8.5 million gain on sale of fixed assets. Excluding the one off gain, profit would be up 63 percent for the quarter. Expenses increased 25 percent, quite a bit slower than revenues, helping in the growth in profit. Knutsford, unfortunately does not break out direct operating expenses from administration cost but data shows that certain direct cost not counting labour cost, to be around a third of revenues. Increased revenues would have added close to 50 percent of the increase in overall cost.

Knutsford’s New Kingston depot

By the end of 2017 fiscal year revenues climbed 29 percent over 2016 and profit by 28 percent, just below the 35 percent increase for the nine months to February. Operating revenues for the last quarter of the just concluded fiscal year was in line with the amount generated in the third quarter.
When the company went public, it had 54 employees in 2013, up from 47 in the previous year, climbing to 100 by May 2016, and remaining there to May this year, resulting in some economies of scale.
IC Insider.com is forecasting revenues to pass the $1 billion mark for the first time, by the end of the fiscal year with profits ended up around $280 million or 50 cents per share, with the next fiscal year’s earnings hitting 90 cents per share. The stock trades on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange around $15 with a PE ratio of 27 and 16 times 2019 earnings versus 14 for the market currently.
Knutsford generated $73 million in cash flow for the quarter and expended $69 million on the acquisition of fixed assets to end up with $85 million in cash and bank balances and investments $92 million. The company owes $55 million in loans and boast net worth of $539 million.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: , , , ,

Big jump in Paramount profit

October 29, 2017 by

Paramount new designed offices.

Junior Market listed Paramount Trading, enjoyed a big turn-around in profit for the first quarter to August this year, with an increase of 126 percent, to $34 million from a 31 percent increase in revenues to $331 million.
Importantly, Paramount incurred exceptional expenses in the first quarter, last year, as the company celebrated its 25 anniversary, IC Insider.com estimates the cost to be around $20 million, excluding this one off cost, profit would have been flat, in both periods.
Administrative and other expenses jumped from $44 million to $62.7 million, but selling and marketing cost dropped from $24 million to $2.8 million. Direct cost rose 35 percent, reducing gross profit margin with gross profit rising slower than the increase in revenues, at 23 percent to reach $101 million.
Earnings per share amounts to 2.2 cents. IC Insider.com places full year’s earnings at 19 cents and for the 2019 fiscal year to May 30 cents with the coming on stream of the joint venture lubricant plant.
The directors’ report stated that they have “an optimistic outlook for the rest of the year and is very excited by the opportunities that will be realized. The construction of the blending plant and laboratory, in conjunction with Alllegheny Petroleum is slated to be complete during the next quarter.”
The balance sheet shows net current assets of US$463 million, including inventories of $338 million, receivables of $283 million and cash funds and investments at $97 million. Borrowings are at $55 million up from only $16 million in August 2016.
The stock currently trades at a PE ratio of 15 with the price at $2.90 on the Junior Market against the market average of 14 and seems to be line with the market. What is true, is the nimbleness of management to identify new income generated opportunities that makes staying close to the stock potentially profitable.

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Profit surges 137% at Express Catering

October 27, 2017 by

Starbucks one of the brands Express Catering will sell at the Montego Bay Airport.

Recent Junior Market listed Express Catering, enjoyed a big surge in profit of 137 percent to US$834,447 for the quarter to August, this year.
With management fees removed and revenues jumping 9.7 percent, in line with increased visitor arrivals to Jamaica, Express Catering, operators of a series of restaurants within the Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport good performance, came from revenues of US$3.8 million for the quarter.
The removal of management fees saw administrative and other expenses falling from US$2 million to US$1.7 million, but gross profit rose by US$157,000 as cost of sales grew faster than the top line, at 21 percent thus reducing profit margin. Management in their commentary on the results states that “they have since raised prices to compensate for increased input cost.” Express reported earnings per share of 0.051 US cents. IC Insider.com places full year’s earnings at 26 Jamaican cents and that for 2019 at 40 Jamaican cents.
“The addition of the Starbucks Coffee to the offerings in the airport is expected to be completed during the third quarter. Work as already commenced on this initiative and will see 3 locations within the Airport,” the directors’ report stated.
The balance sheet shows US$4.56 million due from related party an increase from $3.64 million at the end of May and cash funds at $497,000.
The stock currently trades at a PE ratio of 19 with the price at $4.95 against the market average of 13.6.

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Carib Cement Q3 profit $748m

October 26, 2017 by

Carib Cement silos.

The Jamaican based Caribbean Cement, sole producers of cement in the country, is reporting profit of $748 million after taxation of $99 million for the September quarter.
Profits arose from revenues of $4.18 billion, up from sales of $3.68 billion in 2016, due mainly to a 15 percent increase in volume sales locally. The result compares to a loss of $81 million in the similar quarter last year. For the nine months to September, profit after tax ends at $1.8 billion versus $973 million in 2016 and well ahead of the $1.3 million reported for the 12 months to December 2016. Revenues for the nine months, amounted to $12.26 billion, up from $12 billion in 2016.
Cost were mostly kept within the levels incurred in 2016 except for a sharp increase in fuel and electricity cost that jumped from $530 million to $759 million in the quarter and moved from $1.87 billion to $2.2 billion for the nine months, but repairs and maintenance fell to $254 million from $358 million in the 2016 third quarter but was slightly down for the nine months at $650 million.
Cement ended the quarter with cash at $1.6 billion after $1.57 billion was expended on additional fixed assets.
Earnings per share for the quarter amounted to 88 cents and $2.13 for the nine months, with the full year looking to exceed $3. Importantly, the results should be looked at not so much for the out turn for 2017, but what it means for full year earnings in 2018. IC Insider.com expects demand for cement to continue to rise as the economy gathers steam and the company renegotiates the leasing arrangement for equipment that is expected to lower the cost in that area going forward, pushing earnings well over $4 per share. The stock closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday at $29.01.

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Record close for Jamaican stocks on TTSE

October 19, 2017 by

Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange recommenced on Thursday, after a public holiday on Wednesday, with 12 securities changing hands compared to 11 on Tuesday.
The Jamaican based JMMB Group and NCB Financial Group moved to new 52-week highs of $1.70 and $5.31 respectively while Republic Financial Holdings led with 60 percent of the value of securities traded.
At the close, 5 stocks advanced, 2 declined and 5 were unchanged as 162,830 shares traded at a value of $1,808,056 compared to Tuesday’s trades of 452,687 valued at $3,307,105.
The Composite Index advanced 2.01 points to 1,248.64, the All T&T Index gained 0.18 points to 1,770.68 and the Cross Listed Index added 0.53 points to close at 97.71.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 2 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 7 with lower offers.
Gains| Agostini’s ended with a gain of 1 cent and closed at $20.53 in exchanging 3,640 shares, JMMB Group traded 10 cents higher to a 52 weeks’ high of $1.70, with 106,000 shares trading, NCB Financial Group closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.31, rising 1 cent with 26,926 shares. Republic Financial Holdings gained 3 cents to settle at $101.79 with 10,572 shares valued at $1,076,113 and Scotiabank climbed 3 cents to $58.05 with 525 units changing hands.
Losses| The securities declining in trading are, Massy Holdings closing at $50.47, after falling by 3 cents in trading 411 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended with a loss of 1 cent, at $23.01 with 1,930 units.
Firm Trades| Securities traded unchanged at the close, are Angostura Holdings closing at $15 with 1,000 units, Ansa McAL trading 740 units at $63.01, First Citizens ending at $31.76 with 3,000 shares, Grace Kennedy exchanging 3,391 shares at $2.90 and Guardian Holdings holding firm at $15.26 with 4,695 shares traded.

Filed Under: Stock Market, TTSE Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Major stocks surge to new record

October 17, 2017 by

NCB helped push JSE to record close on Tuesday.

The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index made another big move in another attempt in breaking away from resistance around the 300,000 points levels, advancing by 2,135.19 points to close at 302,498.35 The JSE Index advanced by 1,945.40 points to a record close of 275,610.21.
NCB Financial with 611,333 units trading jumped to $93 at the close, along with Scotia Group that traded just 9,271 units to close higher at $52 were two of the main contributors to the day’s rise in the market indices.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange finished trading on Tuesday with 23 securities changing hands, 12 advanced, 4 declined and 7 traded firm with 4,504,312 units valued at 68,391,852 compared to 94,545,441 units valued at 1,119,081,050 on Thursday. In the US dollar market, trading just 1 security accounted for 102,838 units with a value of $24,009 and the JSE US dollar Equities Index closing with a modest loss of 0.70 points to 183.66.
Trading ended with an average of 142,884 units for an average of $3,108,721, in contrast to 204,741 units for an average of $3,108,721 Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 2,085,099 units valued at an average of $28,710,794 and 2,279,320 units valued at $31,266,958 previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
Berger Paints resumed trading but with ne official report on the out turn of the acceptance of the offer by investors, the stock closed at $11.50 after 248,769 units were traded.

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