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.
Eppley preference share closes over
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.
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.
7 securities traded in junior market
Caribbean Producers traded 107,00 shares at $2.
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with the offer that was lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
There was dealing in 11,949 General Accident shares, as the price closed with a gain of 2 cents, to end at $1.55, Knutsford Express concluded trading with 2,500 units, with a decline of 1 cent to $5.49, AMG Packaging ended trading with 9,478 shares changing hands at $2.15, Caribbean Flavours closed with 23,872 shares trading at $2.35, Caribbean Producers finished trading with 107,000 shares at $2, Lasco Manufacturing exchanged 31,106 units, to close at 95 cents and Medical Disposables traded 2,000 shares at $1.90.
Eppley & Lasco Distributors dominate juniors
Trading picked up on the Junior Market on Friday, making it the best day for several weeks for volume and number of securities traded. Eppley preference share was the dominant trade, in monetary terms, Lasco Distributors with volume and Dolphin Cove with price change.
Trading ended with 2,058,386 units, valued at $6,226,015. The JSE Junior Market Index fell 1.25 points to close at 660.02, as 8 securities traded, with the price 3 advancing and 3 declining. At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Gains|Dolphin Cove had 33,690 shares changing hands and gained 80 cents to $8.80, Eppley 9.5% preference share contributed 661,120 units to trading and rose 2 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $6.10, Lasco Distributors finished trading with 1,181,969 units to close with a gain of 2 cents at $1.32.
Firm|General Accident exchanged 5,000 shares at $1.53 and Lasco Manufacturing finished trading with 50,000 shares changing hands 95 cents.
Declines| Blue Power ended trading with 7,350 shares to close with a 66 cents fall to $7.10, a new 52 weeks’ low, Caribbean Producers finished trading with 110,000 units with a fall of 50 cents to $2 and Lasco Financial ended with 9,257 shares traded with a loss of 8 cents to close at 90 cents.
Caribbean Producers reported a loss in its latest quarterly result to September before minority interest of US$23,000 by acme out with small profit of US$2,500, this contrast with a profit of $447,000 in 2013.
3 stocks rose on the junior market
CPJ gained 30 cents to end at $2.50 in trading on Thursday
At the close, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 9 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Access Financial ended with only 500 units at $10.01, Caribbean Producers traded 60,000 shares to end with an increase of 30 cents to $2.50, Lasco Distributors gained 15 cents to $1.30 with 70,000 units and Lasco Manufacturing traded 10,000 shares to end 4 cents higher at 95 cents.
Only 2 securities trade on junior market
Trading on the Junior Market has not be strong in recent weeks and the results of some of the companies have not been strong enough to drive investors buy these stocks. as such the level of participation has not been great with nearly half the market closing daily without bids.
On Tuesday the market closed trading with 87,295 units valued at $109,786 changing hands as only 2 securities traded, none advanced and one declined. at the close, the JSE Junior Market Index fell 4.31 points to 648.31.
At the end of the trading, there were 5 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 8 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Access Financial with 3,295 shares closed at $10.01 and Lasco Manufacturing had 84,000 units trading to close at 91 cents after losing 4 cents.
Slight October recovery for Junior market
The Junior Market closed trading with 540,594 units, valued at $832,210 on Friday. The JSE Junior Market Index fell 0.33 points to close at 656.46, a few points higher, than the 653.79 points, September ended at. Only 5 securities traded, there were no advancing stocks while 2 declined.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 stock with a lower offer. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
The stocks that traded firm in the junior market are, Access Financial with 9,700 units to close at $10.01, Caribbean Flavours 67,195 units, closed at $2.35 and Lasco Financial with 6,540 units, ended at 98 cents.
The stocks with price losses are, Blue Power traded only 100 shares but lost 24 cents to $7.76, for a new 52 weeks’ low and Lasco Distributors with 457,059 units, closed 10 cents lower at $1.15.
Flat sales higher cost hit Lasco Manufacturing
Lasco Manufacturing new “I Cool” drinks
Earnings per share fell to 3 cents for the quarter and 7 cents for the six months. Year to date revenue was $2.08 billion compared to $1.88 billion for the same period last year, an increase of 11 percent. “This growth was driven mainly by increased volume in our export markets. Our International Division reported a growth of 40 percent during the quarter” management stated in their release with the financials.
Gross profit for the six months rose 14 percent to $602 million from $526 million and in the September quarter it grew to $287 million from $276, bettering gross profit margin moderately. Net profit for the six months declined 15 percent to $268 million against the comparative period last year. “The net profit performance was in line with the expectations of management and the board, this was due to temporary increase in manufacturing cost resulting from the effect of changes in staff complement, overhead costs associated with the new manufacturing plant, and increased finance cost,” the company’s management stated.
Operating expenses climbed 54 percent to $151 million in the latest quarter, and 41 percent, for the six months period. While there is no breakdown for the operating cost, other than the increased staff cost mentioned above, increased depreciation charge on the liquid factory would also be one of the factors pushing cost. With the other factory to be opened after the quarter’s end, the depreciation charge will rise again. Finance cost jumped to $25 million in the quarter from just $2 million in the 2013 quarter and for the half year to $57 million from $2.3 million. Prior to the completion of the factory, the finance cost associated with building and equipping the factories was capitalised as part of the factory cost. With the completion of the facilities, the cost will be a direct charge against income.
Heating of raw material to make bottles for Lasco’s new drinks
“The company is on target with its long-term plan to invest in innovation across all facets of the business – from new product development to powering a pipeline of new products, drive financial performance and fuel continued consumer passion for the LASCO brand,” management stated.
Finances| At the end September, borrowed funds was at $1.49 billion with $187 million to be paid within the next twelve months, while cash funds were at $153 million. $2.1 billion is in work in progress to be transferred to fixed assets and will push total fixed assets to $3 billion when effected. The company is also in the process of constructing a new warehouse of 30,000 square foot. Up to the end of the September the company was operating from two factories one at the White Mall facilities as well as at Red Hills Road, thus resulting in duplicated cost. The liquid plant is to be up graded further by $3 million to reduce raw material cost and expanded for other products, including production for some foreign partner.
Slight gain for juniors
The Junior Market closed trading with 768,343 units valued at $761,700. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 0.54 points to close at 660.02, only 5 securities traded, 2 advanced and 2 declined.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to be weak with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Caribbean Producers put through 50,000 units with a gain of 10 cents to end at $2.30 and Lasco Manufacturing had 187,742 units trading, to close at 95 cents, after gaining 4 cents.
AMG Packaging traded 300 shares and lost 1 cent, to end at $2.24, a new 52 weeks low and Consolidated Bakeries traded 271,241 shares, lost 3 cents at 82 cents and Lasco Financial with 259,060 units trading, closed at 96 cents.