Montego Freeport plans on paying a dividend of 10 cents per share in the form of a capital distribution, on September 12, to members on the register at August 24. The payment is subject to approval by members, at the company’s annual general meeting to be held on August 21.
More than $2 is still left to be paid over to shareholders, when the company which is slated for liquidation is wound up. Montego Freeport reported profit of $12 million for the year to March this year and $28.9 million in 2013. The bulk of the income came from gain on sale of property. An amount of $23 million was written off as a result in a fall in value property, held for resale and booked in 2014, based on the price obtained for the sale of some of the lots compared to the value booked previously.
The directors’ report to shareholders, indicates that all lots have been sold, but the sale of a few of them have not been closed. At the end of March 2014, Freeport had net assets on its book of $1.39 billion or $2.47 per share and cash funds amounting to $491 million or 87 cents per share. There was $843 million due in receivables, $794 million of it represents amounts held in escrow, relating to funds received on the sale of property and assets held for sale amounting to $620 million. Amounts due to creditors and shareholders amount to $620 million, $527 million of it represents deposits on the sale of land.
Montego Freeport was previously listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange but was delisted in January 2012, after the company’s shareholders voted in 2011 to have it delisted.
Dividend from Montego Freeport
Carreras declared $1.34 capital dividend
Carreras declared a special capital cash distribution of $1.34 per stock unit to be paid on July 31, 2014 to stockholders on July 18, 2014. Ex-dividend date July 16, 2014. The funds out of which the payment is being made come from proceeds received from the liquidation of a subsidiary, pending the granting of a transfer tax exemption pursuant to the Transfer Tax Act the company said in a release to the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The special capital cash distribution will brings the total payments the company made to shareholders since August last year to $8.89.
A special capital cash distribution of $1.18 was paid in January this year, the company also paid an interim dividend of $1.75 per stock unit on June 26, $1.62 per share. On March 13 they paid a dollar per share as well as in August and November last year.
New Transport paid| New Transport paid $6.90 per share capital dividend on the June 30 to its shareholders. New transport was the company formed after Lascelles’ shares were sold to Campari in 2012. The company was formed to hold the assets that were not sold at the time with previous Lascelles’ shareholders getting shares in the company in proportion to what they held before. The company also received some distributions from Campari based on the agreement that was struck. It’s unclear if this latest payment comes from sale of the assets taken over by the company or from Lascelles.
Heavy JSE trading but mostly crosses
Trading was heavy on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday with activity in 29 securities, accounting for 19,315,234 units changing hands valued at $138,385,972. There were a number of large trades as Barita Investment was involved in a series of crosses that helped to drive up the overall volume. At the end of trading the main indices declined but 13 stocks rose in price to 8 that declined. The stocks that dominated trades are Carreras, Desnoes & Geddes, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaica Stock Exchange, National Commercial Bank, Sagicor Group, Scotia Group and Seprod.
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Main Market| The JSE Market Index fell by 200.81 points to 70,040.17 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index closed with a fall of 224.55 points at 77,025.83.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Cable & Wireless with a mere 4,200 units to gain 4 cents in closing at 34 cents, Desnoes & Geddes with 663,400 units to end up a cent higher at $4.50, Grace Kennedy with 402,705 shares valued at $21,750,097 with the price rising by a cent to $54.01, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 23,422 shares to close 5 cents higher at $6.70, Jamaica Producers 151,096 units to gain 2 cents to close at $15.62, Kingston Wharves with 183,651 shares to close 2 cents higher at $5.02, Proven Investments 320 ordinary shares to close at 2 US cents higher at 18 US cents, Sagicor Real Estate Fund 20,200 shares to close at $6.08 with an 8 cents gain, Scotia Investments with 211,369 units to close 15 cents up, at $21.65, Seprod with 586,550 units valued at $6,168,355, closed with a 20 cents gain at $10.70 and Supreme Ventures with 28,202 units closed with a gain of 8 cents at $1.98.
Firm| There were 5 stocks in the main market closing without a change in price as Gleaner with 6,000 shares, closed at $1.10, Jamaica Broilers 1,420,087 units valued at $6,560,425 to close at $4.57, Mayberry Investments 199,260 units to close at $1.45, Pulse Investments with 40,000 shares, closed at 30 cents and Radio Jamaica with 7,025 units to close at $1.29.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Caribbean Cement with 112,950 units while losing 45 cents to close at $2.50, Carreras with 545,700 units with a value of $18,549,227 as the price closed down 45 cents at $33.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange with 10,200,000 units valued at $19,278,000 and closed with a loss of 6 cents at $1.89, National Commercial Bank saw trading in 1,396,013 shares valued at $24,907,892 with 97 cents fall to $18.03, Sagicor Group put in 1,217,665 units with a value of $10,653,390 to close 50 cents lower at $8.50 and Scotia Group with 861,576 shares valued at $16,361,316, closed with a cent off at $18.99.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 321,495 units to close a cent higher at $3.03 and Jamaica Public Service 5% D preference share traded 1,000 shares to close at 35 cents
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by 0.26 points to close at 708.86 as only 5 stocks traded in this market.
Gains| The sole stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market is General Accident Insurance with 318,132 units to close with a 3 cents decline at $1.40.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are Caribbean Producers with 329,316 shares at $2.65, Lasco Distributors with 31,000 shares changing hands at $1.20 and Lasco Financial with 900 units to close at $1.
Declines| Lasco Manufacturing with 32,000 shares and closed with a cent decline at $1.06 was the only stock declining in the junior market at the end of trading.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 7 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
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