JMMB Group posted a 14 percent fall in net profit compared to 2013, with profit after tax of J$1.85 billion. Earnings per share amounted to J$1.14 for the nine month period to December 2014, and $644 million after tax, for the December quarter or 40 cents per share, in line with the September quarter results of $651 million but just 8 percent below 2013. Operating expenses, however, rose by $220 million in the quarter above that of the September quarter, helping to keep profit down.
Earnings for the full fiscal year to March, should end around $1.60 per share, at a stock price of $7 and a PE of 3.5, the stock is undervalued. Profit before tax was higher for the latest quarter, a near $100 million increase in corporate tax provision resulted in net profit falling behind the December 2013 quarter. Operating revenues grew 18.1 percent over prior period, to J$7.8 billion, due mainly to acquisition of two subsidiaries and $2.8 billion for the quarter versus $2.45 billion for the December 2013 quarter.
The group’s Net Interest Income grew J$270 million or 7.1 percent year-over-year to J$4 billion. Management attributed the growth to “expanded business lines through the acquisition of Intercommercial Bank (IBL) in October 2013, coupled with effectively managing the group’s investment portfolio and cost of funds. Other operating revenues, namely, gains on securities trading, foreign exchange margins from cambio trading, and commission income also reflected increases of 25.2 percent, 78.5 percent and 30.7 percent respectively, these were driven largely by volume increases and taking advantage of market opportunities. Our operations in the Dominican Republic continue to produce positive results contributing J$508 million to the Group and IBL contributed J$162 million to the group’s earnings.”
Operating expenses increased from J$3.99 billion to J$5.45 billion. ”Expenses associated with the expansion of the group through the acquisition of IBL and AIC Securities accounted for J$796 million (54.6 percent) of this increase and the remaining J$662 (45.4 percent) is attributable to costs associated with integration, growth in subsidiaries in the regional markets, increase in asset tax and normal inflationary increases”, management advised shareholders.
One of the effects of the increase in operating costs was that the group’s efficiency ratio (administrative costs as a percentage of operating revenue) moved from 60.4 percent in 2013 to 69.9 percent. Management is taking medium to long-term measures to correct this increase, mainly through extracting synergies from its recent acquisitions through its integrated financial services model across regional territories, the company stated.
Concerns|Insider selling of the company’s stock has been high, raising concerns about the prospects going forward, with the likely impact on earnings that could arise with the restrictions being placed on repo trades that will see smaller amounts no longer acceptable to be booked directly by dealers. This change will affect margins on such funds, even if they are shifted to unit trust. The company made much income from foreign exchange trading which could be curtailed with what seems set to be greater stability in rate of the Jamaican dollar against the US dollar. IBL is operating in Trinidad where the economy is facing reduced income from the energy industry with the fall in the price of oil and gas, the country also is faced with high inflation, these developments are likely to see measures being implemented that could constrain business activities and so affect income and profits in the subsidiaries in that country.
Locally, Treasury bill rates have been falling since the first half of 2014 and seem set to decline some more, this can be both positive and negative, depending on the length of time, funds are placed on the asset and liabilities sides. Lower rates mean less income being earned by the company’s own funds, some investments will see an increase in values and greater activity in the stock market which can lead to more fee income as well as appreciation in any stock portfolio it may hold.
JMMB Group will replace shares in Jamaica Money Brokers shortly, and become the listed company. Shareholders of the group were paid 33 cents in dividend last year.