NCB Financial and Lasco Financial are reporting conclusion of the acquisition of their new subsidiaries.
NCB Financial acquisition of the majority shares in Bermuda’s Clarien Bank that was subject to regulatory approval by the Bermudan authorities is concluded.
Clarien has assets just over U$1.16 billion and reported profit of US1.2 million for 2016 before incurring an overall loss when other comprehensive loss is factored in, netting a loss of US$572,000 for the year. Results were weighed down by impairment losses on loans amounting to US$8.6 million in the year compared to US$9.2 million in 2015.
Lasco Financial advised that Scotia Group Jamaica has completed the transfer of Scotia Jamaica Microfinance Company Limited to the company. No details of the purchase price is mentioned but Scotia Group reported on the balance sheet as of October, assets held for sale amounting to $664 million which most likely represent the assets of CrediScotia.
NCB & LascoFin close acquisitions
NCB’s next stop Republic Holdings?
The price of US$2.45 offered by NCB Financial‘s for 32 percent more ownership in Guardian Holdings, is below the price the stock is trading at on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange of TT$18 or US$2.67.
They need not worry, as they are virtually assured of getting the amount needed, based on the interest that Chairman Arthur Lock Jack has influence over in the Group. The acquisition of the added Guardian shares, will give the bigger NCB control over 2.6 million shares or just over 1.6 percent in Republic Financial Holdings, up from 2.17 million units in 2016, in Trinidad’s largest banking group. But that would be the start of a much bigger prize, that of control over Republic Holdings. Acquiring control of Republic while much more costly that the case of Guardian, will not be too difficult, as the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has directive over a large portion of Republic.
Clico Trust holds 40 million shares or 24.69 percent of Republic, the trust has a finite life of 10 years ending in 2021, while an addition 9.98 percent is held by CLICO Investment Bank (In liquidation) and Colonial Life owns 11.786 million units or 7.26 percent. All three amounts are subject to the direction of the Government of Trinidad who will be willing to sell to the right candidate, but the Colonial Group held 51 percent prior to the Government taking over some of the assets of the group.
The early target would be the Clico’s holdings, an amount set aside to compensate creditors in the Colonial Group. Sale of the Republic shares would allow for liquidation of the trust fund with investors getting an early exit and give NCB Financial an ownership level that would allow for booking any such acquisition as an associate.
Acquiring majority shares in Republic won’t be as easy as Guardian Holdings, while the capitalization of the latter is TT$4, Republic is now over TT$16 billion. NCB currently has assets at the end of September is US$5.5 billion but Republic assets are US$10.3 billion. Earnings per share for Republic at September 2016 was 88 us cents climbing in 2017 to US$1.16.
NCB Group total assets with the acquisition of majority shares in Clarien Bank will be in the region of US$7.6 billion and with majority shares in Guardian US$12 billion.
Acquisition of majority shares in Republic would give NCB a footprint in a number of Caribbean countries that the Bank has no interest in presently. The countries include Suriname, Guyana and Grenada.
NCB Group goes for 62% of Guardian
NCB set to increase shares in Guardian Holdings.
NCB Financial Group announced the launch an offer and take-over bid to acquire up to 74,230,750 ordinary shares in the Trinidad based Guardian Holdings at US$2.35 each, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NCB Global Holdings Limited.
Guardian Holdings, a publicly-traded company listed on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, and last traded at TT$16.55 around US$2.45. Guardian has 231,899,986 ordinary shares in issue with NCB Group holding approximately 69,547,241 units acquisition of the stated shares would take their holdings to 62 percent of the company and thus return the company back to Jamaican majority ownership which it had in the 1990s.
The offer, if successful, would result in NCBFG acquiring a controlling 62 percent interest in GHL following the 2016 acquisition of a 29.99 percent interest. Unless extended, the Offer period will close on January 12, 2018. Full acceptance of the Offer would result in a cash payment by NCBFG of the sum of up to approximately US$174,442,262 to the shareholders of GHL who accept the Offer.
Arthur Lok Jack Chairman of Guardian was one of the original sellers of Guardian shares to NCB and would have sold more at the time, but if NCB had acquired more then, it would have triggered the take over bid rule of the TTSE, requiring them to offer to buy the majority.
Guardian Group profit attributable to shareholders for the nine months ended September 2017 amounted to $254 million, a decline of $6 million compared to the corresponding period last year $260 million. NCB Group made profit of $19.1 billion for 2017, up from$14.45 billion in 2016.
The Offer will be conditional upon NCBFG acquiring control of GHL and obtaining regulatory and other approvals required to acquire the GHL Shares in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica as well as all other jurisdictions in which GHL and its subsidiaries are regulated.
According to President and Group CEO Patrick Hylton, “We believe that this partnership will not only support our strategy to expand regionally, but will provide numerous growth opportunities for both NCB and GHL. The successful completion of this Offer will be a significant milestone for our business and we anticipate the great potential that this presents.”
Last week NCB announced the acquisition of the majority stakes in Clarien Bank in Bermuda.
Week starts for JSE with new record
It was another day of records on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday. The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 2,606.73 points to close at a record 323,606.90 and the JSE Index advanced by 2,375.03 points for a fresh record close of 294,842.48.
The movement in the market was helped by a $3 jump in NCB Financial to a closing record high of $108, $1.99 in the price of PanJam Investment and $2 in Scotia Group. JMMB Group traded at a new high of $29.99 during trading and ended at a new closing high of $28.10.
A total of 20 securities ended up changing hands in the main market, 10 advanced, 4 declined and 6 traded firm with 1,993,979 units valued at $25,589,860 compared to 2,104,737 units valued at $70,790,407 on Friday.
In the US dollar market trading accounted for the JSE US dollar Equities Index closed at unchanged at 183.13 with just 1 security trading and rising with 8,700 units with a value of US$9,700.
Trading ended with an average of 99,699 units for an average of $1,279,493 in contrast to 84,189 units for an average of $2,831,616 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,228,254 units valued at $17,171,780 and 1,279,786 units with an average value of $17,897,455 previously. In contrast, September closed with average of $283,480 units at $3,630,990 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with a lower offer.
NCB leads JSE to 8,028.94 points rise
NCB Financial closed at a record $107 on Friday, pushing a stock split one step closer.
NCB Financial surged to a new record of high of $107 and along with 9 other stocks and pushed the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index by 8,028.94 points to a record close of 313,990.54 for a 49 percent gain in 2017.
The JSE Index to jumped 7,315.27 points to a record close of 286,080.89 on a day when two new record close was achieved by two securities. Trading picked up from Thursday’s low levels with 5,159,785 units valued at $78,990,902 trading compared to 3,438,708 units valued at $30,094,508 on Thursday.
Trading on the Main Market settled with 21 securities changing hands, of which 10 advanced, 6 declined and 5 traded firm. The US dollar market had 3 securities trading with one suffering a decline. Volume traded in this market was 141,361 units valued at US$80,724 and the US dollar Index fell 2.29 points to 183.01.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at a new high of $15 after rising 99 cents, trading 3,630,842 units while Berger Paints closed at $14, but attempts were made to trade it as high as $17.50 but the price exceeded the 30 percent limit it could trade at for the day. 
Trading closed with bids to buy Berger ranging from a low of $11.02 to a high of $14 to purchase 259,773 shares, 204,458 units are on sale from a low of $16.75 for 41,583 units to most at $22 for 89,388 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 245,704 units for an average of $3,761,472 in contrast to 132,258 units for an average of $1,157,481 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,667,082 units valued at $22,952,418 and 1,765,920 units valued at $24,286,888, previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows a strong reading of 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer.
Bulls take charge of Exchange Place
Bulls at large in down town Kingston again
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at another record on Friday with 21 securities changing hands in the main market and 3 in the US dollar market and 22 in the Junior Market.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 8,028.94 points to a record close of 313,990.54 and the JSE Index to surged 7,315.27 points to 286,080.89. The Junior Market rose 48.58 points to end the week at 3,034.13. The US dollar Index fell 2.29 points to 183.01.
Friday’s move pushed the market outside of the medium term channel it has been trading in since 2014 and if the price of NCB holds, the break out for the market will be significant as it move on to the 360,000 points level.
NCB Financial traded at a new record of $107 and is ahead of the $102 it traded at in Trinidad on Friday, up until today it trailed the price of J$100 it was trading at in the twin island state. Berger Paints traded at $14, after news broke on Thursday that only 6.6 million shares were sold by minority shareholders to
Ansa Coating following the company’s mandatory offer of $10.88 per share. Attempts were made to trade it as high as $17.50 but the price exceeded the 30 percent limit it could trade at for the day and was cancelled at the close of the market. Trading closed with bids to buy Berger ranging from a low of $11.02 to a high of $14 to purchase 259,773 shares, 204,458 units are on sale from a low of $16.75 for 41,583 units to mostly 89,388 at $22.
For the year to date, the All Jamaican Composite Index is up 49.4 percent and the JSE Index 48.8 percent.
In the foreign exchange market at midday dealers bought US$13,372,228 at J$127.31 and sold US$11,367,821 at J$127.74.
Major stocks surge to new record
NCB helped push JSE to record close on Tuesday.
NCB Financial with 611,333 units trading jumped to $93 at the close, along with Scotia Group that traded just 9,271 units to close higher at $52 were two of the main contributors to the day’s rise in the market indices.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange finished trading on Tuesday with 23 securities changing hands, 12 advanced, 4 declined and 7 traded firm with 4,504,312 units valued at 68,391,852 compared to 94,545,441 units valued at 1,119,081,050 on Thursday. In the US dollar market, trading just 1 security accounted for 102,838 units with a value of $24,009 and the JSE US dollar Equities Index closing with a modest loss of 0.70 points to 183.66.
Trading ended with an average of 142,884 units for an average of $3,108,721, in contrast to 204,741 units for an average of $3,108,721 Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 2,085,099 units valued at an average of $28,710,794 and 2,279,320 units valued at $31,266,958 previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
Berger Paints resumed trading but with ne official report on the out turn of the acceptance of the offer by investors, the stock closed at $11.50 after 248,769 units were traded.
Another reord close for JSE
The Jamaica Stock Exchange all Jamaica Composite Index close at yet another record with a rise of 2,135.19 points to 302,498.35 on Monday.
The JSE Index jumped 2,198.62 points to close at 285,647.03 as NCB Financial closed at $91 with 611,333 shares changing hands. Berger Paints resumed trading with 248,769 shares changing hands as the price closed at $11.50 and Scotia Group rose to close at $52.
with todays close and NCB Financial closing with limited supply, the market could be moving away from the recent short term resistance and heading for the next at 360,000 points.
Record fall closes week for JSE – Friday
Scotia Group dropped from at record high of $60 before nine months reuslts and fell to $45.05 after.
Investors pushed down the prices of Scotia Group from $51 to $45.05 within 2 minutes of the close and NCB Financial from $90 to $80.06, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, knocking off around 6,000 points within 11 minutes of the close.
The sharp fall in the prices of the two stocks, pushed an already battered All Jamaica Composite Index, down by a record 10,134.09 points to close at 276,949.36 points, and well off the intraday high of 296,779.53 points, reached at 9.50 am on September 7.
Friday’s decline is the largest in a single day, exceeding the 9,295.39 points fall on April 2004, down to 94,329.90. In percentage terms Friday’s move ranked pretty low representing 3.5 percent compared to 9 percent in 2004 fall. The JSE Market Index fell by 9,233.31 points to 252,332.20 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 0.89 points to 186.68.
The market was pulling back from short term resistance level close 300,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index. the market seems to have closed around a short term support level and should be consolidating next week, to again challenge the resistance level. With Scotia Group report unattractive nine months’ results, it is unlikely to deliver the punch it did when the market was making new highs during the first week in September. The market is moving within an upward moving channel, clearly shown in the chart of the index. The odds favour the market moving within the channel for a while as investors await nine months’ results that will be the guide as to the direction of the market.
At the close of trading, 26 securities changed hands in the main market with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 11 stocks advancing and 10 declining. The main market ended with 58,667,241 units valued at $128,145,103 changing hands compared to 5,966,372 units valued at $106,313,754 at the close on Thursday.
Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 219,700 units valued at US$52,495 bringing the total of all trades to J$135,021,959.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 2,256,432 units valued at $4,928,658 for each security traded compared to an average of 284,113 units valued at $5,062,560. The average volume and value for the month to date, ended at 367,591 units with an average value of $3,438,723 compared with an average of 178,706 units with an average value of $3,303,275 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for August ended at 184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090.
Watch SOS this week
In the Junior Market activity last week, Stationery & Office Supplies moved back to $5 after the company released impressive results for the year to June. Buying also came in for Barita Investments and Berger Paints while during the week and Scotia Group raced to a record high.
For the coming week investors should continue to keep eyes on NCB Financial Group, Berger Paints, that is priced currently at a PE of 6 times 2018 earnings, Caribbean Producers and Stationery & Office Supplies that IC Insider.com upgraded earnings to 50 cents per share from 40 cents previously, with the initial public offer helping to drive more business subsequent to the June quarter, with reports of sales rising faster than the 25 percent levels experienced in the second quarter.
Caribbean Producers with improved 2017 results over 2016 with profit doubling, moved up to $4 during the week, before closing at $3.11 on Friday, after a big trade and should head back to the $4 range in the coming week.
Last week Insider.com stated, “with cut in BOJ benchmark interest rate by 25 basis and a fall in the August Treasury bill rates, the entire main market is on IC Insider.com’s watch list as the All Jamaica Composite Index could move to the 300,000 points mark before long.”
IC Insider.com also stated, “the most noted move in the Jamaica Stock Exchange last week was Scotia Group racing to a record high of $52 but ending the week without any stock being offered for sale. This stock has to head the stocks to watch list this week.”
The All Jamaica Composite Index rose to 296,779.53 points during the past week and by the end of the week closed at a 291,332.10 up from 289,247.13 at the end of the previous week and Scotia Group ended at a record high of $60.