Jamaica Money Market Brokers Limited (JMMB) has advised of its intention to acquire 100% of the shareholdings in Intercommercial Banking Group Limited (IBL Group). JMMB currently owns 50% of the shares of IBL Group which comprises Intercommercial Bank Limited and Intercommercial Trust and Merchant Bank Limited. The IBL Group is based in Trinidad and Tobago.
Last year JMMB acquired all the shares of Capital & Credit Financial Group which increased the assets and profits of JMMB. The full acquisition of IBL was slated from as far back as 2012, when the selling shareholder indicated their desire to sell. This acquisition is in line with JMMB’s plans to be a dominant player in a number of the Caribbean countries. The group has acquired entities in the Dominican Republic and could well make further inroads there in the future. It is felt that there are many opportunities in that country for expansion by acquisition for the group.
JMMB is expected to report full year’s profit by the end of this month. At the end of December 2012, JMMB made a net profit of J$3.19 billion and earnings per share of J$1.95 for the nine month period ended 31 December 2012. The results include a one-off gain of J$1.61 billion from acquisition of Capital & Credit Financial Group. JMMB will likely be hit with a big charge for the debt swap of government bonds thus negating the gains made from the CCFG acquisition.
