Profit for General Accident rose only 8 percent, for the nine months ending September this year, to $241 million or 23 cents per share.
For the similar period last year, the company reported a net profit of $223 million, putting them on target to exceed 30 cents per share for the full year to December. Profit for the September quarter amounted to $54 million and is up 20 percent over the 2013 results. Premium income grew 91 percent in the quarter and 19 percent for the year to date period, but commission income was up 15 percent in the quarter, and 38 percent for the nine months to September. Underwriting profit climbed 57 percent in the quarter and 39 percent for the year to date. Investment income declined sharply due to slower exchange rate movement in 2014, versus 2013. Administrative expenses climbed 13 percent in the quarter and 20 percent for the nine months to September. The sharp increase in premium income in the September quarter should lead to higher income in the December quarter and raise earnings beyond the level enjoyed in the period to date.
“The company ended the quarter with a book value of $1.62 billion and generated a return on average equity for shareholders for the nine months period of 21 percent,” management stated in a release with the results. Equity at end of September last year was $1.35 billion.
Insurance reserves at the end of the period, stood at $2.1 billion, and is covered by cash and investments, of just over $2 billion.
With the stock trading at $1.53, on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange it is severely undervalued and has lots room to run accordingly, remains IC Insider BUY RATED.
Profit up at General Accident but just
Carreras profit up margin squeezed
Profit at Carreras for the three months to September, is up 26 percent to $614 million, from $485 million in 2013, for the six months growth was less robust, at 20 percent to reach $1.17 billion from $9,71 million.
Revenues recovered considerable grounds, from the lost sales in 2013, from the front loading by merchants of inventories ahead of a pending price increase of cigarettes that the company implemented in March 2013. For the quarter, sales revenues rose 18.5 percent over that of 2013 and 19.3 percent for the six months to September. During last year September quarter, revenues fell 16 percent, so there is still a fall out, but that is usually the case whenever there is sizeable price increase, is effected.
Profit margins got squeezed, rising only 13 percent for the six months and 10 percent in the quarter, no doubt, due to the devaluation of the local dollar and the lack of a price increase so far. Carreras was able to hold cost well below the increased sales revenues for the quarter and year to date. The company is on track to earn somewhere in the region of $6 per share, for the current year and that will help move the price up. The stock remains IC Insider BUY RATED.
Carreras will pay a special capital cash distribution, on December 18, following an interim dividend of $1.20 per stock unit, to be paid on December 11, 2014. The payments will bring to total distribution for 2014 to $8.09.
The stock closed trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, at $37 on Friday, putting the PE ratio, at 6 times the current fiscal year earnings.
Rich year for Carreras’ shareholders
Carreras declared yet another dividend payable to shareholder in December, with the latest being $1 per stock unit to be paid out of proceeds received from the liquidation of a subsidiary. The payment is pending the granting of a transfer tax exemption pursuant to the Transfer Tax Act.
The interim special capital cash distribution will be paid on December 18, to stockholders on record as at December 1, 2014. The ex-dividend date is November 27. The distribution follows the interim dividend of $1.20 per stock unit due for payment on December 11, 2014, to stockholders on record at November 20. The payment will bring to total for 2014 to $8.09 for a return of 22 percent for the year based on the stock price of $36.75 at the end of 2013. The stock closed at $37 on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
In September, Carreras paid an interim dividend of $1.20 per stock unit, the company also paid an interim dividend of $1.75 per stock unit on June 26. On March 13 they paid $1.62 per share.
A special capital cash distribution of $1.34 per stock unit was paid on July 31 and a special capital cash distribution of $1.18 was last paid on January 30, this year.
Profit up|Carreras just announced results for the six months to September, with an 18.5 percent increase in revenues for the quarter, over that of 2013 and 19.3 percent for the six months, to September.
Profit after tax, rose 28 percent in the quarter, to reach $614 million, up from $485 million in 2013, and for the six months, growth was less robust, at 12 percent, to reach $1.22 billion from $970 million.
Profit margins got squeezed, rising only 13 percent for the six months and 9 percent in the quarter, no doubt due to the devaluation of the local dollar and the lack of a price increase so far. Revenues are recovering from the 2013 price increase, and from the front loading by merchant of inventories ahead of the increase. The company is on track to earn somewhere in the region of $6 per share for the current year, that will help move the price up. The stock remains IC Insider BUY RATED.
NCB pushes market as year-end rally continues
Friday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 5 stocks rising and 6 declining as 18 securities changed hands, ending in 3,496,586 units trading, valued at $32,700,014, in all market segments.
National Commercial Bank stole the spotlight trading nearly 600,000 units , with the price closing, $1.05 higher than the previous days close, as investor signal their approval of the details of results for the 2014 fiscal year.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator showed 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 stocks with offers that were lower.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 268.30 points to 73,504.86, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 300.00 points to close at 80,899.95 and the JSE combined index gained 195.54 points to close at 75,252.16.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless concluded trading with 1,618,096 shares changing hands, as the price gained 2 cents to 52 cents, Carreras ended trading with 411,367 shares trading, $1.45 higher to $37, Kingston Wharves closed with 50,000 shares traded, while gaining 59 cents to $6. National Commercial Bank finished trading with 591,178 units, to close with a gain of $1.05 at $18.16, as investors responded positively to the bank’s year-end results, showing earnings of $4.73 per share and increase dividend of 96 cents to be paid in December. NCB traded as high as $19 before settling at the lower figure and Scotia Investments saw trading in 12,036 shares, with the price rising 1 cent to $22.01.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded price are, Jamaica Broilers that ended trading with 9,601 shares changing hands at $4, Mayberry Investments ended with 444,013 shares at $1.50 and Scotia Group finished trading with 212,541 shares changing hands at $19.40.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses, at the end of trading in the main market are, Desnoes & Geddes ending with 3,100 units, the price slipped 5 cents, to $4.90, Grace Kennedy closed with 5,165 shares trading, 50 cents lower, to $61.50, Jamaica Money Market Brokers finished with 16,213 ordinary shares trading, with a loss of 30 cents to $6.50, Proven Investments ended with 12,000 units as the price slipped 0.79 cents to 17.2 US cents and Sagicor Group closed with 56,340 shares, trading 1 cents lower at $9.70.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 15,400 shares at $3.
NCB shoots to $19 falls back to $18.15
Investors responded well to the National Commercial Bank’s year end results, showing earnings of $4.73 per share and with a surprise announcement, of a final dividend, of 96 cents per share.
The stock immediately traded at $17.75 at the opening of the market, and at $17.99 with the purchase of 448,385 shares. Later it traded just 12,412 units at $18.75 and 1,700 at $19 and then fell back to $18.15. Bids to buy start at $18.20 at the high end then $18.15, then $18.10 with a small amount at $18.05 then at $18, an amount of 147,000 units. The lowest offer is now at $20 with 29,918 units then the next serious offer is at $24. The total amount to trade so far is 475,780 units. The stock has room to move much further over the next twelve months with IC Insider’s forecast of $5.50 earnings per share for 2015 and the PE of the stock at 3.8 based on this year’s results. that is one reason why IC Insider gave the stock a Buy Rated status.
The price gain helped to move the All Jamaica Composite index up 521.71 to 81,121.66.
C&W & declining stocks dominate
Thursday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 5 stocks rising and 7 declining, as 19 securities changed hands, ending in 10,308,932 units trading, valued at $11,431,758, in all market segments. Cable & Wireless, continuing to trade in higher than normal volumes this year, accounted for 9.77 million of the volume.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator showed 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower, a neutral situation.
Main Market indices| The JSE Market Index gained 153.62 points to 73,236.56, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 171.76 points to close at 80,599.95 and the JSE combined index gained 115.71 points to close at 75,056.62.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras finishing trading with 66,822 shares changing hands, to gain 55 cents at $35.55, Desnoes & Geddes concluded trading with 60,000 shares, 3 cents higher to $4.95, National Commercial Bank ended with 30,960 shares while gaining 10 cents to $17.11, Sagicor Group closed with 10,233 units with a gain of 20 cents to $9.80 and Seprod finished trading with 16,528 units, the price rose 63 cents to $11.88.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Berger Paints having 6,363 shares changing hands, to close at $1.60, Grace Kennedy concluded trading with 5,000 shares at $62, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 27,954 shares at $4, Radio Jamaica contributed 5,478 shares, in trading at $1.18 and Supreme Ventures ended trading with 3,000 shares at $1.75.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless ending with 9,771,352 units, trading between 60 cents and 50 cents, at the close the price slipped 1 cent to 50 cents, as selling increased from Wednesday. The stock traded mostly above 56 cents, but traded 476,700 units at 51 cents and 445,000 units at 50 cents less than 2 minutes from the close, to pull the price down and the end.
Jamaica Money Market Brokers ordinary share, closed with 101,200 units trading to fall 20 cents to $6.80, Jamaica Producers finished with 2,000 shares, loss 1 cent to $15.50 and Scotia Group ended trading with 36,844 units to fall 57 cents to $19.40.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share had 66,000 units changing hands at $3.
Eppley preference share closes over
The Eppley preference share issue, successfully raised the minimum capital sought by the company, the Jamaica Stock Exchange was informed. The preference share issue, maturing in 2019 in respect of 41,666,667 cumulative redeemable preference shares priced at J$6, closed as scheduled on Tuesday, 11 November 2013.
The issue was oversubscribed and the Company intends to exercise the right, to issue further preference shares, up to a total of 58,333,334 units. The basis of allotment will be announced today.
Trading in the Junior Market closed with activity in just 99,198 units, valued at $231,017. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 3.07 points to close at 662.69. Only 4 securities traded, with no stock advancing and 3 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 stock with the offer that is lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 9 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Access Financial Services traded 900 shares at $10.01, Caribbean Producers finished trading with 93,000 shares while losing 20 cents to $2, Knutsford Express traded down 4 cents to $5.45 with 4,450 units and Lasco Financial traded only 848 units, losing 3 cents to 95 cents.
Low junior market trading
Blue Power slipped to a new 52 weeks’ low, of $6.80.
Trading in the Junior Market closed with very little activity, on a day when trading picked up in the Jamaican Stock Exchange main market. Trading ended with 665.76 units valued at $131,655.
The JSE Junior Market Index barely slipped 0.15 points to close at 665.76. Only 3 securities traded, with the price none advancing and one falling. At the close of the market, there is 1 stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and 1 stock with offer that is lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 8 securities closing with no bids to buy, but this is an improvement over a more pronounced 10-11 in recent weeks. There were 5 securities, that had no stocks offered for sale.
There was dealing in 58,600 Lasco Distributors’ shares at $1.32 and Lasco Manufacturing contributed 30,000 shares in trading to end at 95 cents. Blue Power ended trading with 3,790 units as the price slipped 10 cents to a new 52 weeks’ low of $6.80.
Heavy trading in C&WJ shares
In early trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Cable & Wireless was the most active stock trading with more than 9.6 million shares changing hands.
Investors stepped up and bought the stocks as high as 64 cents at the opening of the market, inducing sellers to enter the market at lower levels, pushing the price back down to 54 cents. Increased offers are currently posted for 4.45 million units between 58 and 65 cents. Bids to buy, remain mostly in the low 40 cents region.
Elsewhere Grace traded 1.3 million shares as high as $62, the price is up $3.90 from Tuesday’s close and National Commercial Bank traded 4,848 shares at $17.50 up by 50 cents. Carreras fell 99 cents with 17,680 shares trading, to $35.
The price movements helped to push the All Jamaica Composite index up by 283.67 points, to 80,722.91 at 10.30.
Caribbean Producers up 10%
Trading in the Junior Market closed with Caribbean Producers gaining 10 percent, as the company with largest percentage price movement. There was a total of 686,019 units changing hands, valued at $857,142. The JSE Junior Market Index rose 5.37 points, to close at 665.91 as 7 securities traded, with the price of 3 advancing and 2 declining.
At the close, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
In trading, Caribbean Producers finished with 20,000 shares with the price rising 20 cents to $2.20, Lasco Financial saw trading in 50,000 units and put on 8 cents to 98 cents and Medical Disposables ended with 10,000 shares with an increase of 4 cents to $1.94.
Lasco Distributors contributed 232,490 shares at $1.32 and Lasco Manufacturing ended trading with 235,894 shares at 95 cents.
Blue Power ended with 660 units as the price slipped 20 cents to $6.90 and General Accident finished with 136,975 shares with 2 cents fall to $1.53.
