Main Event Entertainment that went public with an IPO in January this year is reporting flat profit before tax and slightly lower net profit after tax of $3.3 million. Profit before tax for the year to October ended at $59.8 million com-pared to $60.3 million in 2015.
Profit after tax came in at $56.5 million versus $60 million in 2015, the out turn is lower than the $60 million the internal figures to September last year that was included in the prospectus showed. The net profit translates to earnings per share of just 23.5 cents with 240 million shares applicable at the date of the financials.
Return on average equity amounted to a strong 41 percent, with shareholders’ equity at the end of the period being $242 million.
The results emanated from a 9.5 percent rising in revenues to $1.13 billion, the growth was slowed b y a big drop in revenues from Digital Signage. With gross profit climbing 13 percent to $429 million. Expenses rose by 15.7 percent to $354 million. Revenue during the year was generated mostly by Entertainment promotion activities of $854.7 million in 2016 from $742.7 million in 2015. Audio and film contributed $189.5 million compared to $140 in 2015 and Digital signage of $88 million versus $151 million in 2015. The auditors signed off on their report on the 5th of June, an indication that all was not well with the financial reporting.
Main Event went public at $2 in January and now trades on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $6.50.
Main Event flat profit before tax
Sagicor Barbados undervalued but
The Barbadian based Sagicor Group is reporting net profit of US$23.4 million for the first three months of 2017, compared to the prior year of US$22.3 million. Profit flowed from revenues for the quarter of US$282.5 million, compared to US $264.4 million for the corresponding period in 2016, an increase of US$18.1 million.
Profit attributable to shareholders’ of the group ended at US$13.3 million, compared to US$13.9 million for the 2016 period. Earnings per common share was 4.4 US cents, compared to the prior year of 4.6 US cents.
Net premium revenue rose t0 US$167.7 million, exceeding the prior year amount of US$157.3 million. Net investment income and other income rose to US$114.8 million compared to the prior year’s US$107 million.
Operating expenses rose to US$115 million from US$101.4 million for the same period in 2016. “Higher administration costs were incurred as a result of the expansion of cards and payments business in our Jamaica segment, along with the incurrence of some non-recurring costs also relating to our Jamaica segment”, Stephen McNamara, Chairman, stated in his report to shareholders. Policy holders’ benefits inched to US$137.2 million from US$134 million for the previous year.
Total comprehensive income grew to US$28.6 million, compared to US$19.9 million for the same period last year. Included in comprehensive income were net gains on financial assets of US$7.9 million. “Retranslation losses Sagicor Group Jamaica, a subsidiary of the Barbados company.[/caption] amounted to US $0.7 million, compared to US $6.4 million reported in the prior year, and resulted from declines in the Jamaica and Trinidad currency against the United States dollar”, the Chairman stated.
Total assets amount to US $6.6 billion, with liabilities of US$5.8 billion and shareholders’ equity of US$818 million. The Group’s debt, which is included in other liabilities, was US$405.3 million.
The group’s stocks traded on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange atTT$8.99 and in Barbados at BD$2.45, (around US$1.30 per share. The price puts the PE ratio around 7 times 2017 earnings. The problem is that Barbados where the company is head quartered is in the midst of major economic problems that could make investing in the stock riskier than normal.
1 stock rise & 5 fall on TTSE
The market closed with 12 active securities compared to 18 on Thursday with 1 stock advancing, 5 declining and 6 holding firm. A total of 104,081 shares changed hands at a value of $6,914,298 compared to Thursday’s 610,096 shares valued at $3,541,855.
The Composite Index lost 0.91 points to 1,242.08, the All T&T Index fell 1.37 points to 1,827.95 and the Cross Listed Index was down 0.06 points to 87.99.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 6 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| Scotiabank closed at $59.01 with a 1 cent gain trading 226 shares.
Losses| Clico Investment traded at $22.50, losing 1 cent with 11,701 units changing hands, Guardian Holdings closed at $16, with a loss of 5 cents exchanging 17,669 shares, NCB Financial Group lost 2 cents with trades of 1,717 shares to close at $3.78, while Trinidad Cement was down 3 cents, closing at $4.17 with an exchange of 4,769 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed 79 cents lower to $22.71 trading 3,362 shares.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings traded 1,000 units at $15.01, Guardian Media closed at $18.65 trading 3,224 units, JMMB Group held firm at $1.22 with 1,000 units changing owners, One Caribbean Media closed at $16.48 with an exchange of 1,505 shares. Sagicor Financial remained at $9.01 trading 10,200 units and West Indian Tobacco was unchanged at $127 trading 47,708 shares valued at $6,058,916.
Main Event doubles IPO price
The stock traded on the first day of listing, the 8th of February, at $2.61 but with just 100 units trading, with the next trade, taking place at $3.70 for 100 units. On Friday February the 10, 15,722,362 units traded with the price ending at $4.70 for a rise of 135 percent. Monday February 13, the stock closed trading at $.81 while trading 537,458 shares. On Tuesday the price slipped back to end at $4.51 as 757,244 shares changed hands. Wednesday saw trading in 696,685 shares be executed at $4.50, on Thursday 592,737 shares traded to close at $4.51 and 420,952 units traded on Friday to close at $4.80, to crown a successful two weeks for the stock that has gained 140 percent from the IPO price.
The stock which IC Insider.com project will earn around 35 cents per share in 2017, now trades at a PE of 14, with the junior market average now around 11.5, the upside from now will be challenging.
JSE closing on record for Jamaican stocks
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Thursday with the All Jamaican Index just under 2,500 points away from the old record 138,917.59 reached on 24th of January 2005.
By the close 4 stocks ended trading, at 52 weeks’ closing highs and Desnoes and Geddes traded during the day at intraday high of $30.25. A total of 14 stocks rose, with 10 declined as 29 securities, totalling 5,416,421 units valued at $103,069,379 changed hands, in all market segments. The JSE Market Index shot up 355.39 points to 123,026.73, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index gained 397.16 to end at 136,445.59 and the JSE combined index climbed 435.35, points to end at a new high of 127,702.70.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable and Wireless closed with a gain of 5 cents as 368,000 shares changed hands to end at 52 weeks’ high of 67 cents, Caribbean Cement gained 38 cents to end at $14.18 for a new 52 weeks’ closing high, with 137,325 shares changing hands. Carreras fell 50 cents while trading 219,140 shares to end at $52, Desnoes & Geddes had 2,001,720 units changing hands, to close at $30, Grace Kennedy exchanged 63,262 shares at $64.75 to gain 19 cents, Jamaica Broilers lost 20 cents in trading 62,885 shares to close at $7.80, JMMB Group gained 55 cents in trading 231,000 shares to close at $10. Kingston Wharves traded 13,300 shares to close at $9, National Commercial Bank closed with a loss of 60 cents with 259,300 shares trading to end at $31. Pan Jamaican price jumped $2 in trading 20,000 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $72, Radio Jamaica traded 55,799 units but the price fell 50 cents to close at $3.50, Scotia Group ended with 61,695 shares trading at $25 after falling $1. Scotia Investments ended with 20,000 shares trading at $26, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 170,644 units with a loss of 0.50 cent to end at of 24.5 US cents and Supreme Ventures gained 15 cents and ended at $3.90 with 372,698 units changing hands.
Juniors just shy of the 1,300 mark
The market closed with 5 securities ending with no bids to buy, while 4 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 7 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Caribbean Cream rebounded with a 20 cents gain and closed at $3.10 with 69,419 shares changing hands. Caribbean Flavours rose 30 cents to $3.80 with 400,000 shares changing hands to close at a new 52 weeks’ high, Derrimon Trading had 54,665 units changing hands to end at $2.30 having lost 3 cents, Dolphin Cove rose 90 cents in trading 19,357 shares, to end at $12.90. Honey Bun ended with 5,000 shares changing hands to gain 8 cents and end at $4.08, KLE Group had 50,000 units changing hands at 43 cents, Lasco Distributors with 28,800 shares changing hands, closed 1 cent higher at $2.87 but traded as high as $3. Lasco Financial lost 19 cents and closed at $2.41 while 439,750 shares changed hands, the stock traded at $2.60 during the day, Lasco Manufacturing traded 228,050 shares to end at $3.30 after trading 19 cents lower.