MPC Caribbean Clean Energy’s financial wellbeing continues to be clouded in secrecy, with investors not being provided with a full set of financial reports showing the full financial status of the company and the group.
The last year’s interim reports for the first three quarters and the first quarter this year, defiles logic. Those reports show the group operating at a break even for four quarters, three in 2021 and one in 2022. The fourth quarter results ends up with a profit from unrealized investment gains of US$1.347 million. The same situation occurred in 2020. How is this possible, when the directors’ report shows varying levels of EBITDA per quarter?
The directors reported to shareholders that “In the first quarter of the year, the commercial and technical development of the Company’s underlying assets were within the expected range. The weather conditions have had a negative impact on revenues due to lower electrical energy production than initially forecasted, which has been reflected in the financial results. Technically, there was a high system availability.”
The report also shows that in the quarter EBITDA was US$2,206,018. In 2021 first quarter EBITDA was US$1.81 million. The first quarter statements show no income but from its three projects, it is invested in similar to 2021.
There are questions that need answering. Is the valuation that results in a fourth quarter surplus done quarterly or not for the subsidiary that holds the direct investments in the energy projects and if not why not? Regardless, what is the net position for each quarter and why is it not included in the quarterly report to the Jamaica Stock Exchange so that shareholders can see what is happening to their investment?
Investors in publicly listed companies should expect full disclosure as to what is happening to their investments. This is not the case with MPC Caribbean Clean Energy Fund LLC and there is no good reason for it.
Some investors may recall the story of Enron that went busted but shareholders were unaware of the true status of the group as financial statements of some subsidiaries were not included in the group report. Unfortunately, MPC reporting is akin to Enron as the quarterly results fail to meet the minimum standards for continued listing. When will the Jamaica Stock Exchange and the Financial Services Commission take action to protect investors in this company?
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 4,175.98 points to close at 438,261.99, the JSE Main Index dropped 4,103.95 points to 384,123.36 and the JSE Financial Index fell 1.26 points to settle at 90.33.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.27 million shares for 25.6 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.68 million units for 18.9 percent of the day’s trade and Mayberry Jamaican Equities with 798,271 units for 9 percent of market share.
Mayberry Investments dropped 50 cents in ending at $9.45 with an exchange of 39,766 units. NCB Financial fell 50 cents to end at $101 with the trading of 77,865 shares, Palace Amusement dropped $2 in ending at $988 after an exchange of just one stock, Portland JSX declined $2.06 to end at $6.50 after the exchange of 1,055 stock units. Proven Investments lost 36 cents to end at $37.45 as 232,629 units changed hands, Sagicor Group gained $3.23 in closing at $57 in switching ownership of 167,268 shares and Seprod shed 48 cents to close at $71.02 with 11,725 stocks clearing the market.
A total of 41 securities traded versus 38 on Monday ended with 12 rising, 22 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial fell $2.70 to $19.10 while exchanging 1,000 shares, AMG Packaging lost 9 cents to end at $3.50 in swapping 290,148 units, Cargo Handlers declined $1 to close at $11, with 4,725 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 30 cents to end at $2.12 in trading 12,097 stocks, Caribbean Flavours dropped 10 cents to $1.88 in an exchange of 4,450 units, Derrimon Trading rallied 10 cents to end at $2.75 in exchanging 44,396 shares. Dolphin Cove gained 63 cents in closing at $16.79 after trading 64,783 stock units, Elite Diagnostic advanced 34 cents to $3.64, with 4,123 stocks crossing the exchange, Everything Fresh dropped 33 cents to close at $1.15 with 14,685 units changing hands. Express Catering shed 25 cents in ending at $5.60 after exchanging 33,964 stocks, Fosrich rose $1.79 in closing at $27.99 after an exchange of 59,479 shares, General Accident increased 15 cents to end at $6 in trading 251,243 stock units. Honey Bun fell 7 cents to $8.90 after exchanging 7,918 shares, iCreate slipped 20 cents to $2.70 with an exchange of 255,561 stock units, Indies Pharma declined 15 cents to close at $3 in switching ownership of 54,000 stocks. Jamaican Teas fell 14 cents to $3, with 1,875,436 units changing hands, JFP Limited shed 8 cents to end at $1.45 with 650,760 units clearing the market, Lasco Distributors lost 29 cents to close at $3.20 after exchanging 24,610 stock units. 
Mailpac Group declined 10 cents in closing at $2.70 after an exchange of 131,395 shares, Medical Disposables rose 11 cents to $7.11 in switching ownership of 33,107 stocks, Spur Tree Spices dropped 9 cents to $3.80 in an exchange of 165,361 units. SSL Venture popped 20 cents to end at $1.85 in exchanging 178,177 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped $1.25 to $11.05 with the swapping of 8,392 shares.
While the JSE was informed by letter technically, the company is in breach as they did not follow up to ensure the information was received and in fact posted to the website what was very sensitive information considering this is the first time that the company would be considering a dividend payment since 2004 when they last paid one amounting to 7 cents per share amounting to $60 million.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index gained 1.18 points to end at 216.12.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share finished at 7.5 US cents while exchanging 35 shares, Margaritaville ended unchanged at 15 US cents with the swapping of 207 stock units, Proven Investments shed 0.01 cents to end at 26.49 US cents, with 235,369 stocks crossing the market. Sterling Investments remained at 2 US cents trading 29,028 units, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share gained 0.11 of a cent in closing at 11.21 US cents after an exchange of 37,602 units and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.1 of a cent to 1 US cent in exchanging 2,077,677 stock units.
Some 23 securities traded up from 16 on Monday, with eight rising, seven declining and eight unchanged. The Composite Index popped 9.09 points to 1,423.17, the All T&T Index rallied 8.35 points to 2,079.90 and the Cross-Listed Index climbed 1.38 points to settle at 100.85.
Guardian Holdings dropped 5 cents in closing at $27.25, with 3,382 units crossing the market, JMMB Group shed 2 cents to close at $2.42 while exchanging 5,000 stock units, Massy Holdings fell 1 cent to end at $5.23 after trading 1,259,149 stocks. National Enterprises remained at $3.24 in switching ownership of 301 units, National Flour Mills finished at $1.80 in exchanging 40 stocks, NCB Financial Group rallied 6 cents to $5.66 in trading 3,676 stock units. One Caribbean Media ended unchanged at $4.17, with 5,000 shares changing hands, Point Lisas rose 35 cents to $3.40 with the swapping of 10,000 stock units, and Republic Financial Holdings remained at $141 in trading 343 shares. Scotiabank ended at $78 in switching ownership of 6,040 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 80 cents to close at $20.20 in exchanging 11,048 units, Trinidad Cement increased 28 cents in ending at $3.88 trading eight stocks. Unilever Caribbean shed 10 cents in closing at $19.75 while exchanging 16,959 stock units and West Indian Tobacco declined 10 cents to close at $23.40 after 740 units changed hands.
At the close, Barita Investments lost 39 cents to end at $88.11, with 1,863 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cement popped 50 cents to end at $66 after 5,858 units changed hands, Eppley climbed $1.05 to $49 trading 1,261 stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3.96 in closing at $42.75 with an exchange of 234 stocks, First Rock Capital gained 64 cents in ending at $12.65 after trading 35,649 units, GraceKennedy shed $1.97 to $107.53 in exchanging 19,373 shares. Guardian Holdings fell $14 to $520, with 1,140 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers declined $1 to $27 with the swapping of 14,622 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange declined $1.50 in closing at $18 in an exchange of 132,344 stock units. JMMB Group lost 88 cents to end at $43.12 in switching ownership of 313,322 shares, Massy Holdings shed $2.75 to close at $92.50 with 44,883 stocks clearing the market, NCB Financial rose 48 cents to end at $101.50 while exchanging 151,031 units. PanJam Investment dropped $1.50 to $66 in exchanging 1,811 units, Portland JSX fell $1.69 to $8.56 after 2,000,000 stock units crossing the exchange, Proven Investments shed 69 cents in closing at $37.81 with an exchange of 12,031 stocks. 
Sagicor Group lost 48 cents to end at $53.77 trading 87,304 shares, Salada Foods dropped 44 cents to $5.50 after exchanging 5,684 units, Scotia Group declined $1 in closing at $36 and trading 86,051 stocks and Seprod rallied 50 cents to $71.50 with 5,524 stock units changing hands.
The proposed payment represents 29.475 percent of the profit of $5.10 per share for 2021. The proposed record date is August 4, 2022, with an ex-dividend date of August 3rd. The recommendation will be made to shareholders at the Company’s next Annual General Meeting.
Market activity led to 38 securities trading versus 42 on Friday and ended with nine rising, 20 declining and nine closing unchanged.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 8 cents in closing at $3.59 while exchanging 14,805 shares, Caribbean Cream increased 6 cents to end at $4.75 in trading 20,448 stock units, Caribbean Flavours popped 10 cents to close at $1.98 after exchanging 41 units. Derrimon Trading dropped 15 cents to $2.65 with an exchange of 606,031 stocks, Dolphin Cove lost 34 cents in ending at $16.16 exchanging 48,474 units, EduFocal declined 8 cents in closing at $3, with 79,008 stock units clearing the market. Elite Diagnostic shed 10 cents to end at $3.30 after 1,707,057 shares changed hands, Express Catering fell 14 cents to $5.85 in switching ownership of 2,403 stocks, Fosrich dropped $3.80 to close at $26.20 trading 259,682 shares. Indies Pharma rallied 15 cents in ending at $3.15 after a mere 212 stock units crossed the market, Jamaican Teas shed 5 cents to end at $3.14 with an exchange of 21,751 stocks, JFP Limited declined 7 cents to close at $1.53 after trading 486,631 units. KLE Group dropped 7 cents to $1.99 with 172 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express lost $1 in ending at $7.50 after exchanging 50,023 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 5 cents in closing at $5.40 with the swapping of 26,902 stock units. 
Lumber Depot declined 5 cents in closing at $3.10, with 742,466 shares changing hands, Main Event dropped 40 cents in ending at $8.20 after exchanging 108,567 units and Medical Disposables lost 85 cents to end at $7, with 200,171 stocks changing hands.
A total of nine securities traded, compared to eight on Friday, with two rising, two declining and five ending unchanged.
Proven Investments ended unchanged at 26.5 US cents after the trading of 9,423 units. Sterling Investments shed 0.14 of a cent to end at 2 US cents in exchanging 606 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share rose 0.02 of a cent in closing at 11.1 US cents with 42,260 units changing hands, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share finished at 12 US cents in an exchange of 1,248 stock units and Transjamaican Highway ended at 0.9 of a US cent in trading 141,092 stocks.
