Jamaican Stock

The Junior Market could gain 60% in 2022

January 11, 2022 by IC Insider.com

The Junior Market continues to offer opportunities for supper stock performance in 2022 with an average PE for the market at 9 times 2022 earnings versus close to 15 at the end of 2021, and offering a potential gain of more than 60 percent to the end of 2022. There are 26 Junior Market stocks that can double in 2022.
The market is technically at a support level that is steering the index upwards, more importantly, it is caught in a triangular formation that is set to push the market sharply upwards once it breaks out, which is not far off. The market is also trading in a channel that goes back to May 2020 and is pointing to a record high of more than 4,000 points in a few months.
Last year finished with a number of stocks trading at or above 20 times earnings in the Junior Market if that level of valuation continues into 2022 then the gain in the market could exceed the above potential gains.
The market will continue to benefit from the recovery of some of the companies that suffered major fallout due to the restrictions placed on operations as a result of the COVID19 epidemic in 2020 into 2021. Stocks that could benefit in a big way are, Access Financial, Main Event, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Knutsford Express, Jetcon Corporation, Dolphin Cove and Stationery and Office Supplies.
Access Financial – Earnings per share are projected at $4.80 for the year to March 2023 and $2.60 for the 2022 fiscal year to March. The company showed signs of recovery from the beating taken in 2020 and 2021 as a result of steep provisioning for doubtful loans and a slowdown in lending. That situation started to reverse in 2021 up to September with loans net of doubtful loans up to $4.38 billion versus $3.9 at the end of September 2020. Revenues and profit in 2021 tripled the September 2020 quarter and the 2020 half year results. This trend is expected to gather pace in 2022 and beyond. See full article on the company recently published.
AMG Packaging – Earnings per share is projected at 35 cents for the year to August 2022 as new machinery facilitates cutting costs and creating more flexibility in the manufacturing operations. See full article on the company recently published.
Caribbean Brokers – Earnings per share is projected at 40 cents for 2022. The company reported strong earnings in the September quarter, with EPS at 41 cents for the quarter and 33 cents for the nine months. The company tends to get the bulk of its income in short periods with the other quarters reflecting relatively lower income that does not cover the cost. Unfortunately, the company failed to provide investors with appropriate information to fully glean what the results will mean for the full year and beyond. The end result is that the stock has suffered from investors’ interest when it really should have surged well over $4 per share, based on the latest results and what can be expected for the full year.
Elite Diagnostic – Earnings per share are projected at 80 cents for the year to June 2023. The stock is under pressure but that is due to investors not paying adequate attention to what the company is doing and the improvement in sales, quarter over quarter as well as the strong cash flow it’s generating. See full article on the company recently published.
Medical Disposables – Earnings per share are projected at $1.50 cents for the year to March 2023.

Technical indicators for the Junior Market are pointing to a record high of more than 4,000 points in a few months.

Profit after taxation surged 455 percent to $21.5 million for the second quarter to September from a loss of $6 million in 2020. For the year to date, profit after tax spiked 458 percent to $47 million, up from a loss of $13 million in 2020. Income from sales jumped 49 percent to $936 million for the September quarter, up from $630 million in 2020 and climbed 42 percent for the six months ended September 2021 to $1.62 billion, from $1.14 billion in the prior year. The acquisition of majority ownership of Cornwall Enterprises along with new distributorships helped in fueling the sales surge. See full article on the company recently published
Caribbean Cream – Earnings per share is projected at $1.30 cents for the year February 2023 from 65 cents projected for the 2021 fiscal year. Management is building an enterprise that can go up against the competition successfully and deliver superior returns for shareholders. They have cut costs in the past two years and grew their market reach by setting up a distribution depot in the Ocho Rios region that helped to push sales. The implementation of their own power generating plant will lead to a reduction of energy and other utility costs. Excluding the slowdown in sales in the August quarter when the government introduced no movement days, sales increase is been robust and is expected to be on track again for the second half of the year into the 2023 fiscal year.
Dolphin Cove – Earnings per share is projected at $3 for this year and $1.35 for 2021. This company is in a period of major recovery with profit surging and set to get even better with the tourism industry rebounding strongly and closing in on 2019 arrivals. See full article on the company recently published.
Spur Tree Spices – Earnings per share is projected at 19 cents for this year. A recent IPO, this stock is set to do extremely well over the next few years. Expect local sales to surge as a result of the publicity they received due to the IPO. See full article on the company recently published.
Stationery and Office Supplies – Earnings per share is projected at 95 cents for the current year and reflect a full recovery from the fall out of the Covid19 disruption to sales. The company has made major strides since 2020 when sales were badly affected by the shutdown of businesses and schools. That has changed and the company posted a 175 percent increase in pre-tax profit of $78 million versus $29 million for the nine months to September 2020, from a 13.5 percent rise in revenues. Earnings per share for the third Quarter of 2021 was 8 cents, compared to 3 cents in 2020. For the 9 months ended September 2021 earnings per share was up to 31 cents from 11 cents in 2020. reports are that the company had the best four quarter in its history and the performance seems to have carried over into 2022 and should continue to be robust with opening and expansion in the wider economy.
Lasco Distributors – Earnings per share is projected at 50 cents for the year to March 2023. For the half year to September, revenues rose 15 percent to $11.6 billion and profit increased 6 percent to $615 million as margins were squeezed in the period from higher input cost, followed by delayed price increase. With price adjustments since implemented, margins should increase and result in higher profits. Revenues should pick up as tourist traffic rose sharply throughout the year and schools are now back in operation both activities will impact revenues positively.
With earnings per share of 14 cents for the half year, full year earnings should exceed 30 cents making the stock undervalued at $3.45 with a PE of 11, versus the market average of just over 14.
The company has no borrowed funds and possesses $2.8 billion in cash funds, with annual gross cash flows of over $1.2 billion.
Everything Fresh – Earnings per share is projected at 15 cents for the year. The company seems to have turned the corner with a small profit in the September quarter. Importantly, gross cash flow for the nine months to September was positive at $15 million despite a loss of $20 million. The hotel sector is enjoying a strong rise in visitor arrivals with December last year down 24 percent compared to 2019 compared to a fall of 45 percent for 2021 versus 2019 preliminary data shows, this is a very positive development for the company going forward. The current year should see an even greater number of visitors that should better the performance in December. This is good news for a company that markets the bulk of sales to that sector.
Lasco Financial – Earnings per share is projected at 45 cents for the year March 2023. Net Profit for the second quarter ended at $134 million compared with $30 million in the similar period of 2020. The second quarter suffered revenue reduction from $617 million in 2020 to $554 million in 2021, due to disruption in business during the period as a result of no movement days, while cost rose from $400 million to $424 million leaving profit after tax at $59 million from $136 million in 2020. Earnings per share ended September at 10.5 cents and that should climb sharply in the second half with the impact of the high volume Christmas period having a positive impact. The company has cash funds of $1.7 billion at the end of the period as they curtailed lending.
Lasco Manufacturing – Earnings per share is projected at 60 cents for the year March 2023. For the half year to September, revenues rose 13 percent over the $4.1 billion generated in 2020 to $4.65 billion and profit popped 6 percent to $782 million, but the second quarter saw profit falling 3.8 percent to $380 million from revenues that increased 2.7 percent to $2.34 billion. Earnings per share came in at 19 cents for the half year on target for around 40-45 cents for the full year as margins increase based on price adjustments.
Cash on hand stood at $1.8 billion with borrowings at $600 million.
General Accident – Earnings per share are projected at 80 cents for the year.

General Accident spreading wings

Net profit after tax of $351 million, was generated for the nine months to September up from $125 million in 2020, with earnings per share of 39 cents versus 14 cents in 2020. Profit in the third quarter was $177 million compared to just $12 million in 2020. Earnings per share in the September quarter was 19 cents.
The company is in an expansion mode, with the establishment of operations in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, with both operations expected to break even in 2022. Higher interest rates locally and the ability to increase investment in higher yielding assets are measures expected to boost investment income in 2022.
Jetcon Corporation – Earnings per share is projected at 15 cents for the year but don’t be surprised if it ends as high as 25 cents, depending on how rapid sales increase becomes. On a recovery path from the pandemic slump in 2020, revenues to September 2021 were up 30 percent but and should end the year above that level based on what the company reported in the third quarter, that sales for the fourth quarter are strong, with units sold in November back at regular pre-pandemic levels and already exceeded sales for the third quarter, at $196 million with the upward swing continuing into December, and with increased bookings to date. The improved sales position in the final quarter should result in an increased gross profit margin and a better net position than in 2020.
The above developments augur well for 2022 that should see revenues climbing appreciably again, with growth of 50 percent not out of the picture. If that were to happen it could lift profit margins closer to 20 percent from much lower levels in 2020 and 2021.
Bonus Pick
Honey Bun is our bonus pick for the year. Earnings per share are projected at $1 for the year to September 2022, as revenues continue to climb at a healthy pace. Earnings may be too low for it to qualify for the TOP15, but the stock could double from its current price of $9.30 per share during the year.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Feature Stories, Investment 2024, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Access Financial, Dolphin Cove, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Honey Bun, Jamaican Stock, Jetcon Corporation, junior market, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event, Stationery and Office Supplies

JSE starts New Year with a bullish tone

January 3, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Investors kept up the bullish stance in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on the first trading day of the year with the All Jamaican Composite Index surging 8,895.04 points to 447,223.41, up from 438,328.37 at the close on Friday, with the Junior Market index(AJI) rising 45.88 points to 3474.18 from 3,428.30 on Friday.
By 10 am, the AJI had slipped down to 445,676.67 and the Junior Market index pulled back to 3,470.99.
On the Junior Market, Dolphin Cove jumped from $15 on Friday to $16.90 after trading 77,539 shares, Cargo Handlers dropped from $8.25 on Friday to $7.01 and MailPac fell from $3.78 to $3.50 and In the Main Market, NCB Financial fell from the last sale price of $128.70 to $125.

Filed Under: Breaking News, JSE Combined, Stock Market Tagged With: Cargo Handlers, Daily Trading, Dolphin Cove, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market, Mailpac, NCB Financial Group

This stock is a must for Xmas buy list

December 2, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Profit after taxation surged 455 percent to $21.5 million for the second quarter to September from a loss of $6 million in 2020 at Medical Disposables. For the year to date, profit after tax spiked 458 percent to $47 million, up from a loss of $13 million in 2020.
Income from sales jumped 49 percent to $936 million for the September quarter, up from $630 million in 2020 and climbed 42 percent for the six months ended September 2021 to $1.62 billion, from $1.14 billion in the prior year.
The increase in sales in the second quarter “is due to increased business activity as well as the consolidation of the operations of the new subsidiary Cornwall Enterprises Limited. There has been a significant improvement in the movement of pharmaceutical and medical disposable items, especially with fewer lock-down periods when compared to last year,” Kurt Boothe, Chief Executive Officer, reported to shareholders in the report accompanying the financials.
Gross profit after selling and distribution expenses jumped 74 percent in the quarter to $184 million, up from $106 million in 2020 and climbed 85 percent for the half year to $303 million from $164 million in the prior year. The period’s gross profit percentage rose to 25 percent compared to 23 percent in 2020 for the six months and from 24 percent in 2020 to 25 percent for the September quarter.
Finance and other income added $8 million to profit in the September 2021 quarter versus $1.5 million in 2020 and for the half year $10 million versus $3 million in 2020.
Selling and promotional expenses increased 26 percent from $46 million in the 2020 second quarter to $59 million and rose 14 percent from $103 million in 2020 to $117 million for the six month period.

Medical Disposables.

Administrative expenses jumped 80 percent from $63 million in the 2020 second quarter to $112 million and surged 55 percent from $113 million in 2020 to $175 million for the six months. Depreciation charge moved 90 percent from $7 million for the September 2020 quarter to $13 million in 2021 and rose 45 percent for the half year from $14 million to $20 million.
Finance cost fell 26 percent from $38 million to $28 million in the quarter and dipped 9 percent to $45 million $50 million for the half year. Foreign exchange losses amount to $1.75 million in the latest quarter from $4 million in 2020 and $5.4 million for the year to date versus a slight loss of $76,823 in 2020.
Gross cash flow generated $75 million for the six months, but growth in working capital drove it down to a negative $119 million versus negative $190 million in 2020. The cash flow deficit was financed by net loan inflows of $225 million. The company paid a dividend of $18.4 million during the half year. At the end of the quarter, Current assets ended with $1.79 billion, including cash of $95 million, inventories of $944 million and receivables of $745 million. Current Liabilities amounts to $1.24 billion and includes Payables of $741 million and short term loans of $486 million. Net current assets ended the period $549 million. Shareholders’ equity stands at $1.05 million, with long term borrowings at just $284 million.
Earnings per share came out at 8 cents for the quarter and 18 cents for the half year. ICInsider.com forecasts earnings of 70 cents per share for the current year and $1.50 per share for 2023. The stock traded at $5.62 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Wednesday with a PE ratio of 8 times, current earnings well below the average of 14.5 currently for the Junior Market. The stock gets the coveted ICInsider.com BUY RATED seal.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Cornwall Enterprises, Emerging markets, Jamaican Stock, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Medical Disposables

Carib Cement at $147

October 1, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Add your HTML code here...

Jamaica’s sole cement producer Caribbean Cement hit a record high of $147.12 in today’s early trading and was suspended after the JSE circuit breaker was triggered. The stock, which closed on Thursday at $112, has risen 31 percent for the day.
Barita Investments closed yesterday at $108.09 and is down to $102.30 after trading 298,424 units. Also on the move is QWI Investments that traded up to 90 cents after the block of 23 million shares on offer were removed.
There are only four offers for cement on the board, with the lowest at $147; the bids are not strong with all at $105 or below but for a small amount of 99 units at $146.12.
The markets are up in early trading on the first day of October, with the All Jamaican Composite Index now at 460,323.71, up from 456,691.93 at the close of September. The Junior Market Index is at 3,316.21, up from 3,296.35 on Thursday. Jamaican Teas shares that were in strong demand on Thursday traded at $4.50 after 1.68 million shares were traded.

Filed Under: Breaking News, JSE Combined, Stock Market Tagged With: Barita Investments, Caribbean Cement, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, junior market

Is Fesco’s pricing rational?

August 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Investors who bought shares in Future Energy Source in the IPO in April or a few months after are laughing all the way to the bank, with the price providing a gain of 311 percent up to Friday. The recent rally in the stock has moved it from an IPO price of 80 cents to $3.29 at the close on Friday, making it the highest valued Junior Market stock at a PE of 25 times current year’s earnings, with the next closest being, Honey Bun at 18.3.
With just 15 service stations within its network and the planned opening of the Beechwood Avenue station, there is much scope for the company to expand and grow profits in the future, but it seems a bit overdone for Fesco to be priced at a 38 percent premium to the next highest priced stock on the Junior Market.
The company’s latest financial report shows profit surging 55.5 percent to $40 million before taxes for the 2021 June quarter versus $25.7 million in the first quarter of 2020. Profit after taxes rose 66 percent from $24 million. There is no tax charge for the latest quarter, resulting from listing on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The tax incentive provides a 10 years tax concession, with no taxes payable for 5 years and at 50 percent of the normal rate for the second 5 years.
A 29.5 percent spike in the volume of fuel sold added 2.9 million litres to volume sales, helping to push revenues for the quarter up 58 percent to $1.9 billion from $1.2 billion in 2020 and much greater than the $1.5 billion generated in March 2021 quarter. Most of the June increase over the March quarter would be due to the increased price of imported fuel, emanating from the upward movement in world oil prices during the period. Sales for the June 2020 quarter, was negatively affected by disruption to business following the outbreak of covid-19 last year.

Beechwood Avenue service station, under construction.

The first quarter performance is ahead of the opening of the new Fesco Ferry service station on July 15, which is dealer owned and operated.
The Company recorded a gross profit of $55 million, an increase of 63.4 percent over the June 2020 quarter of $34 million.
Operating and administrative expenses for the 2021 first quarter popped 139 percent from $8.6 million to $20.5 million, due mainly to spending in new areas during the quarter, with no cost in 2020. Advertising consumed $2.9 million, directors fees $1.4 million, amortization of right of use assets $867,000, while legal and professional fees rose from $310,000 to $2 million and audit and accounting fees added $1 million, with virtually none in 2020.
Finance Income increased from $1.7 million to $6.4 million, with foreign exchange gains accounting for $4.4 million in the 2021 quarter. Interest cost was minimal at under $1 million in the 2020 and 2021 periods.
Current assets amount to $547 million and current liabilities $210 million, with net current assets of $336 million versus $145 million in 2020. Cash funds amount to $282 million and receivables and amounts due from related parties amount to $250 million.
Shareholders Equity stands at $582 million, up from $231 million at the end of June 2020, reflecting the net proceeds from the IPO earlier this year and an increase in retained earnings. The company outlaid $238 million in work in progress in building out the service station on Beechwood Avenue in Kingston, with $114 million incurred in the June quarter.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Emerging markets, FESCO, Future Energy Source, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market

New IPOS expected in October

August 28, 2021 by IC Insider.com

The initial public offer of shares in Jamaica Fibreglass Products is expected to come to the Jamaican Capital market in October, our source advises, with Spur Tree Spices to come shortly after.
The company produces fiberglass based furniture and beddings, with revenues said to be in the region of $600 million, is expected to raise approximately $250 million for expansion purposes. The prospectus of the Metry Seaga owned company is said to be at an advanced stage of preparation and should be moving through the various stages for approval soon.
Spur Tree Spices, with revenues, said to be just over $1 billion, should also be coming in October, if all goes well, with a view to pull in $250 million. GK Capital are brokers of the two issues that are slated to list on the Junior Market. The prospectus of the company that has been manufacturing seasonings and sauces since 2006 for the local and export markets is also at an advanced stage of readiness, ICInsider.com gathers.
ICInsider.com is informed that the prospectus for one issue is in a draft form currently, so it should be ready to move to the regulators shortly. IPOS are subject to approval, primarily by the Jamaica Stock Exchange and Financial Securities Commission, before the prospectus can be released to the public as such, the exact timing is subject to signing off by them.
One source advised IC Insider.com that there are several potential listing candidates in the Manufacturing sector, with a number of them expressing interest in the listing. Another source advises that there are a number of potential listings in the NCB Capital Markets pipeline. The disruption to business caused by covid-19 is creating delays in some of the issues.
What appears to be a rush to list is a marked departure from the situation that existed before the advent of the Junior Market, with many business owners now seeing the major benefits that listings bring and the usefulness of long term capital.
In the meantime, Sygnus Real Estate Finance IPO that is seeking to sell 207.6 million up sizeable by 38.86 million units to raise a maximum of US$15 million, is extended to Friday, September 10.

Filed Under: Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Emerging markets, Financial Securities Commission, GK Capital, IPO, Jamaica Fibreglass Products, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market, NCB Capital Markets, Spur Tree Spices, Sygnus Real Estate Finance

Barita APO to be priced at $80

August 24, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Barita Investments‘ directors have approved the issue of 125 million ordinary shares at $80 each, with an option to upsize the amount issued by 62.5 million shares to raise $15 billion in an additional public issue (APO).
The New Ordinary Shares will be reserved for the benefit of certain specified investors in amounts determined at the discretion of the Company. The APO should open on September 3, or such other date as determined by the Group Chief Executive Officer and is to close on September 21, or such other date as determined by the Group Chief Executive Officers.
The original notice to the Jamaica Stock Exchange stipulated the issue of up to 160 million units that could have been upsized 80 million shares. Since the first notice to the Jamaica Stock Exchange, on August 5, the stock price moved up from the low $83.90 to $92.77, with the proposed price being a discount of nearly 14 percent.
The company reported nine months results to June, with profit after tax for the June quarter coming in at $1.6 billion, up a strong 62 percent from $990 million reported in 2020 June quarter and ended the quarter, with earnings per share of $1.48 versus $1.21 in 2020. Earnings for the nine months ended at $3.38 per share from after tax profit of $3.67 billion, up 82 percent from $2 billion in 2020.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Company News, General Business News, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: Barita Investments, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock

Q3 profit bolts 62% at Barita

August 17, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Fresh from recommending the issue of new shares to their shareholders, the directors of Investment bankers, Barita Investments, approved the payment of an interim dividend of $3.029 per stock unit to be done on October 7, to shareholders as of September 23, 2021, to cost $3.29 billion.
The company also reported nine months results to June, with profit after tax for the June quarter coming in at $1.6 billion, up a strong 62 percent from $990 million reported in 2020 June quarter and ended the quarter, with earnings per share of $1.48 versus $1.21 in 2020. Earnings for the nine months ended at $3.38 per share from after tax profit of $3.67 billion, up 82 percent from $2 billion in 2020.

Barita eyeing acquisition.

Revenues net of interest expenses rose an impressive 75 percent in the quarter, to $2.64 billion from $1.5 billion and spiked 77 percent from $3.78 billion to $6.69 billion. Fees and commission income generated half of the revenues for the quarter in contributing $1.34 billion and $2.7 billion in the year to date period accounting for 41 percent of net revenues. Foreign exchange gains brought in $647 million in the quarter versus $321 million in 2020 and $1.78 billion year to date versus just $428 million in 2020. The above two areas are the fastest growing for the current fiscal year. Gain on investment activities is down in the quarter, from $257 million to $214 million and down from $1.1 billion in the nine months last year to $1 billion in 2021.
Expenses for the quarter surged 178 percent from $345 million in 2020 to $959 million and jumped 87 from $1.3 billion for the nine months to $2.43 billion. The latest results suggest that earnings per share for the full year could come close to $4.50, of course, with investment banking institutions, they could pick up or drop revenues in many different areas.
Shareholders approved the directors to issue 160 million shares to the public, its fourth capital raising foray since the majority shares in the company was acquired by Cornerstone United Holdings, but the issue may be upsized to as much as 240 million shares.
The shares to be issued may be upsized to a maximum of 80 million additional units if the invitation is oversubscribed. If all 240 million shares are taken up, the company could raise as much as $18 billion in fresh capital, ICInsider.com estimates on the basis that there will not be a steep discount to the price the stock has been mostly traded at up to last week.

Shareholders at Barita Investments AGM.

The pricing and date of the issue are to be determined by the directors, but the offer document seems to be with the Financial Services Commission awaiting signing off of the issue. The last APO was done in August of 2020, the offer document was dated July 30, at which time the JSE closing price was $57.93, with the last traded price of $54, the offer was set at $52 for the general public and existing shareholders. With the stock trading around $82 recently, the price for the new APO could be around $75 to $80. The company could offer existing shareholders a much steeper discount as they did back in 2019, in which case the total take would be less.
Barita Investments is listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and has total assets of $84 billion, up from $49 billion a year ago, with Shareholders’ equity of $30.3 billion in June 2021. The company has $2 billion invested in Derrimon Trading, shown as Investment in Associated Company on Barita’s balance sheet. Derrimon contributed $42 million to profit in the quarter.
On Monday, the shares closed trading at $90.24 after jumping $7.24 and boast a PE of 20 times this year’s earnings.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results, Initial Public Offers Tagged With: APO, Barita Investments, Derrimon Trading, Emerging markets, Emerging Stock, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock

Profit climbs 20% at Paramount

August 3, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Reduced administrative, selling and distribution expenses overcame a fall in revenues for the Junior Market listed Paramount Trading, for the fiscal year ending May 2021, to deliver a 20 percent rise in after tax profit to $64 million from $53 million in 2020 after profit surged more than nine times in the final quarter versus the similar period in 2020.

Paramount Trading had expanded into Chlorine and bleach processing.

In the final quarter, revenues rose 15 percent to $421 million from $366 million in 2020 and netted a profit of $36 million versus just $4 million in 2020. Sales revenue slipped 5 percent for the year to $1.44 billion, from $1.52 billion. Other income slipped from $25 million to $23 million, but foreign exchange gains contributed $19 million in 2021 versus $10 million in 2020.
Improvement in profit margin in the year saw margins rise from 30.9 percent in 2020 to 31.6 percent in 2021, but gross profit slipped 3 percent to $454 million, from $468 million in 2020.
Administrative expenses fell 32 percent to $68 million in the quarter, up from $100 million in 2020, and slipped 3 percent for the year, to $355 million from $367 million, a fall of $27 million in staff costs accounted for the bulk of the decline as salaries and wages fell from $179 million to $152 million as the average number of workers employed fell from 91 to 70. Distribution and sales expenses dipped from $19 million to $11 million. Finance cost inched higher from $48 million to $49 million in 2021.
The operations delivered gross cash flow of $121 million, but after changes in working capital, net cash flow from operations ended at $135 million. The company increased fixed assets by $9 million, had a net $15 million repayment of loans and paid $62 million in dividends, ended with increased funds at the end of the year of $49 million, pushing cash and investments to $261 million at the end of the fiscal year.

Paramount lubricant factory.

At the end of May, net current assets stood at $472 million. Current assets ended the period at $836 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $323 million, cash and bank balances of $91 million. Current liabilities closed the year with $364 million. Non-current Investments being held for more than a year stood at $170 million. Shareholders’ equity ended at $796 million with long term borrowings at $473 million, down from $492 million in 2020 and short term loans amounted to $47 million versus $43 million in 2020.
Earnings per share amount to 4.1 cents for the year. ICInsider.com forecasts 10 cents per share for the fiscal year ending May 2022 with a PE of 12.5 at the last traded stock price at $1.25 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. Net asset value is 52 cents per share, with the stock selling at 2.5 net book value.
The Company’s principal activity is the importation and distribution of chemicals, lubricants and other related products, provision of haulage services and blends lubricants.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Paramount Trading, Profit results

Profit up at AMG

July 20, 2021 by IC Insider.com

AMG Packaging posted nine months results recently, with flat revenues for the May quarter after recording lower income for the nine months in 2021 versus last year. Still, the company reported a strong 26 percent increase in profit to $21 million for the May quarter, pushing the year to date results to $42 million ahead of $38 million in 2020.
The improved results for the latest quarter came about with a big fall in inventory input that fell 11 percent from $94.6 million to $84 million, while cost for the nine months declined 9 percent from $295 million to $268 million. Other direct manufacturing costs fell in the May quarter from $30 million to $29 million and for the nine months from $104.4 million to $91 million.
Resulting from the fall in direct manufacturing costs, gross profit rose from $46 million in the quarter to $57.4 and for the nine months $150 million from $134.4 million.
Administrative and other expenses rose four percent, from $30.7 million in the 2020 quarter to $32 million and for the nine months, from $98 million to $102 million excluding gains or losses from foreign exchange movement. Foreign exchange movement contributed a loss of $2.3 million in the May quarter, down from a gain of $2.3 million in 2020 and a loss of $4.6 million for the nine months to May this year versus a gain of $4.5 million in 2020. Other income brought in $1.2 million in the May quarter versus $1.4 million in 2020 and for the nine months, $4.4 million compared to $2.2 million in 2020. Loss on disposal of fixed assets contributed a negative input of $4 million in the nine months period last year while taxation cost $3 million in the 2021 quarter and $2.4 million last year and $6 million for the year to date versus $5.4 million in 2020.

AMG Packaging pfoit rise

Cash inflow generated in the period to May amounts to $71 million versus $60 million in 2020. After working capital changes, inflows rose to $117 million. A sum of $62 million was expended on the acquisition of fixed assets resulted in a net outflow of $116 million, leaving cash on hand of $143 million, down from $233 at the end of May 2020.
Current assets stood at $394 million and current liabilities $87 million, resulting in net current assets of $306 million. Shareholders’ equity grew to $591 million from $530 million as of May 2020 and loans amounted to $122 million, of which $19 million is due to be repaid in the next twelve months.
IC Insider.com projects a profit of $66 million or 13 cents per share for the 2022 fiscal year. The stock last traded at $1.64 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at a PE ratio of 12.6, just below the Junior Market average of 13. Still, with more of the local economy opening up, the results for 2022 could prove to be better than the current year. Investors have to watch supply chain issues such as increased cost and dislocation of sourcing raw materials.