Revenues at Lasco Financial Services jumped 22.4 percent for first quarter over the similar 2016 period to reach $319 million for an increase of $58.5 million, but importantly trading income climbed 31 percent to $303 million.
According to Managing Director, Jacinth Hall-Tracey “this result represents year over year growth of and is being driven by our strategy of expansion which began in the previous financial year”.
Profit before taxation, moved from $69.7 million in 2016 to $81 million, a 16.5 percent increase with profit after tax increasing 15.8 percent to $66.9 million, compared with the corresponding financial period and resulting in earnings per share of 5.4 cents.
Total Expenses grew 24.6 percent over the 2016 quarter to $238 million with Selling and Promotion cost rising by 31 percent. The increase was “largely driven by increases in Selling and Promotion as we continue to push the LASCO Money consumer facing brand name. This brand has resonated well with our customers and has enabled us to fully explain all our services. Previously, most customers were only aware of our Cambio and MoneyGram services. This brand awareness has been paying off in the increased transactions in all our locations as our customers embrace our more friendly community brand,” Hall-Tracey advised shareholders in a release accompanying the financials.
In the previous financial year, Lasco began the implementation of a strategy to expand the Loans Division by adding a Business Loans Unit. This expansion gave rise to several new loan offices as well as an increase in administrative and sales staff. Increased focus on lending, resulted in 70 percent growth in the loan portfolio that should move the portfolio in the region of $340 million. At the end of March loans amounted to $282 million up 43 percent over the $197 million due at the end of March 2016, no figures for loan is disclosed in the quarterly.
The balance sheet shows assets of $1.54 billion, cash funds of $574 million and stockholder’s equity of $1.22 billion.
IC insider.com is forecasting earnings per share of 30 cents for 2018 and should go on to about double in 2019. Lasco Financial last traded on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $3.55.
Lasco Financial setting for profit explosion
Express Catering up 50c to $2
Express Catering started trading today with 102,100 shares trading at $2 to record a 33.33 percent gain of 50 cents over the initial public issue price of $1.50, if the price is allowed to stand.
The opening price for the stock is $1.75, under the stock exchange rules, the maximum price change increase for the day is limited to 30 percent from the issue price of $1.50 or 45 cents.
On the bid are 2.33 million units ranging in price from $1.50 to $2.15 with only one offer of 26,661 units posted on the stock exchange trading platform at a price of $2.75.
The company’s shareholders sold 327.5 million shares valued at $491,250,000 just over a week ago to the public.
The stock price movement has helped the Junior Market index in adding 21.56 points to trade at 2,962.79 at 11.40am.
More declines for Junior Market – Tuesday
Trading which dropped sharply on the Junior Market on Monday declined even more on Tuesday with only 401,316 units changing hands down from 671,349 units trading on Monday. Traded valued also declined to $2,286,974 from $3,163,547.
At the close 16 securities traded, up from 21 on Monday with the market index posting a loss of 16.66 points to end at 2,970.41 as the price of 6 stocks advanced and 5 declined. Trading closed with 3 stocks having a higher bids than the last traded price and 3 closing with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of just 25,082 units for an average value of $142,936 compared to 31,969 units for an average value of $150,645 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 55,788 units valued at $307,527 compared 58,347 units valued at $321,243 previously. In contrast, June closed with averages of 395,969 units valued at $1,799,200 for each security traded.
At the close of the market, Access Financial Services lost 4 cents to close at $46.01 in trading traded 413 units, CAC 2000 gained 1 cent to end at $6.73 with 10,000 shares trading, Caribbean Producers lost 10 cents and closed trading with 17,628 units, at $3.40, Consolidated Bakeries ended with 29,635 units changing hands, to close at $2.62 General Accident closed trading with 2,960 shares to end at $2.70, Honey Bun . lost 14 cents to close trading with 2,000 shares at $5.70, ISP Finance dropped 50 cents and closed with 12,000 units changing hands at $13, Jamaican Teas ended trading 9,700 shares at $4.20, Jetcon Corporation traded 12,961 shares and rose 5 cents to end at $4.54, Knutsford Express traded 750 shares to end at $14.50, after falling 20 cents, Lasco Distributors closed at $6.37 after trading 164,442 units, Lasco Financial ended with 500 shares changing hands to end at $3.60, Lasco Manufacturing fell 3 cents and ended with 117,131 shares trading at $4.77, Main Event rose 32 cents with 3,048 shares trading to end at $5.50, tTech added $2 trading 17,148 units to close at $10 and Eppley 9.5% preference share lost 5 cents to close at $6 with 1,000 units trading.
Another miniscule IPO allocation
The general public ended up collecting a miniscule amount of shares in Express Catering recent public offering of shares with the first 12,000 shares being allocated in with the balance in excess allocated approximately 4.57 percent.
Mayberry Investments, brokers to Express Catering public issue, advised that a total of 1,270 applications valued at approximately $1,197,204,000 were received for 327.5 million shares valued at $491,250,000 that were on offer. Mayberry states that 1,237 applications valued at $634,599,000 were received for the public pool, approximately 13 times the value of $48,937,000 on offer in the public pool.
Shares allocated for Company Reserves Shares, Mayberry Reserved Shares and Key Partner Reserved applications were allocated in full. Mayberry states that “the company will endeavour to return refunds within 10 working days after the closing date.
Junior Market trading drops sharply – Monday
Trading dropped sharply on the Junior Market on Monday with only 671,349 units changing hands well off the 3,595,987 units trading on Friday. Traded valued also declined to $3,163,547 from $20,377,796.
At the close 21 securities traded, up from 18 on Friday with the market index posting a loss of 21.57 points to end at 2,987.07 as the price of 6 stocks advanced and 11 declined. Trading closed with 5 stocks having a higher bids than the last traded price and 3 closing with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of just 31,969 units for an average value of $150,645 compared to 199,777 units for an average value of $1,132,100 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 58,347 units valued at $321,243 compared 60,745 units valued at $336,751 previously. In contrast, June closed with averages of 395,969 units valued at $1,799,200 for each security traded.
At the close of the market, Access Financial Services lost 45 cents to close at $46.05 in trading traded 166 units AMG Packaging fell 25 cents to close at $3.75 with 11,335 units changing hands, Blue Power saw investors buying 2,082 shares at $50, CAC 2000 rose 15 cents to end at $6.72 with 10,000 shares trading, Cargo Handlers dropped 75 cents in trading 3,000 shares to close at $13.75, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 500 units and fell 40 cents to end at $6.60, Caribbean Producers added 49 cents and closed trading with 300,000 units, at $3.50, / Derrimon Trading ended with 2,133 units changing hands, to close at $8 after falling 2 cents. General Accident closed trading with 300 shares to end at $2.70, Honey Bun lost 27 cents to close trading with 5,000 shares at $5.84, >ISP Finance dropped 6 cents and closed with 6,700 units changing hands at $13.50, Jamaican Teas gained 20 cents and ended trading 300 shares at $4.20, Jetcon Corporation traded 10,354 shares and rose 19 cents to end at $4.49, Knutsford Express traded 1,700 shares to end at $14.75, after falling 10 cents, Lasco Distributors added 12 cents and closed at $6.37 after trading 115,667 units, Lasco Financial ended with 94,678 shares changing hands to end at $3.60, Lasco Manufacturing rose 10 cents and ended with 6,363 shares trading at $4.80, Main Event dropped 75 cents with 75,392 shares trading to end at $5.18, Medical Disposables ended at $5.50 with 21,679 units trading, and tTech dived $2 trading 2,425 units to close at $8.