Purity

No rewards for Purity’s minority shareholders

April 9, 2024 by IC Insider.com

After just over 11 years of listing on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange shareholders of Consolidated Bakeries are yet to see any meaningful returns from their $1.88 per share investment in the company, with the price now hovering at just over $2 and no dividend payment during the period, the situation is made worse with the company granting heft salary increases, with no increase in profit for 2023.
In their most recent financial report with revenues rising nearly 11 percent a gross profit jumped by $57 million to $594 million, only the majority of owners benefitted from that improvement. Management paid out the increase in gross profit to themselves and other workers in 2023. Minority shareholders received no benefit.
Management remuneration for directors climbed by nearly $6 or 27 percent to $26.6 million from $21 million. Salaries and related expenses included in direct manufacturing cost, jumped a staggering 40 percent or $42 million to $146 million from $104 million in 2022, this was the major factor that gross profit was not higher.
Salaries for selling and distribution rose by $21 million or 19 percent to $128 million from $107 million in 2022. Surprisingly, administrative salaries and related expenses remained flat at $103 million. In total, salaries rose by $70 million, some $13 million more than the increase in gross profit and just $28 million excluding the direct labour cost.
Other income contributed $4.6 million to profit, up from $2.4 million in 2022. Profit after Corporate taxes of $4.3 million for the year, slipped to $13 million from $14 million in 2022, after tax of $3.9 million.
Administrative costs rose only 2.8 percent from $266 million to $274 million but selling and distribution costs jumped a sizeable 21.2 percent to $247 million from $203 million. Depreciation and amortization costs climbed 15.7 percent to $41 million from $36 million. Finance charges rose to $20 million from $16 million in 2022, with borrowings increasing by $67 million during the year which helped in funding addition to fixed assets of $106 million, with equipment accounting for $49 million and motor vehicles $46 million.
Other areas with above average cost increases are Security with a rise of 21.5 percent to $15 million, Insurance up 18.6 percent to $19 million, and rented space jumped 110 percent to $8 million from $3.8 million. Professional fees rose 38.4 percent to $19 million from $14 million and other expenses climbed 33 percent from $17.5 million in 2022 to $23.2 million in 2023.

Consolidated Bakeries – Miss Birdie Easter bun.

Not all items of cost rose. Bank charges declined from $5.7 million to just over $4 million, a drop of 28 percent. Utilities fell 11 percent from $36.7 million to $32.6 million. Repair and maintenance declined by 61 percent to $3 million from $7.6 million.
The operations generated Gross cash flow brought in $58 million but growth in inventories, additions to fixed assets offset by loan inflows and a reduction in payables resulted in a cash deficit of $27 million for the year.
Current assets ended the period at $276 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $114 million, cash and bank balances of $66 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $242 million, with net current assets ending at just $34 million.
At the end of December, shareholders’ equity amounts to $710 million with loans totalling $253 million up from $187 million in 2022 of which long term borrowings amount to $166 million and short term at $88 million. One loan amounting to $40 million is due to be repaid in full in 2024 and the rest have full repayments dating from 2026 to 2033 with annual payments.
Earnings per share was 6 cents for the year. IC Insider.com computation projects earnings of 30 cents per share for the fiscal year ending December 2024, with a PE of 7 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $2.19 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market. Net asset value ended the period at $3.13 with the stock selling at a steep 30 percent discount to book value.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Emerging market stock, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Purity, Trading Activity

Consolidated Bakeries turnaround

April 19, 2023 by IC Insider.com

Consolidated Bakeries seems to be on the mend, with 2023 looking like the year it finally comes into its own having posted the first full year profit in 2022, the first since 2018, with sales exceeding the billion mark for a second consecutive year and the third time in four years.

Anthony Chang, Managing Director of Consolidated Bakeries

Purity, a name the company is also well known by, reported profit in three of the four quarters last year with profit in the first two quarters as well as in the December 2022 quarter but reported a $14.5 million loss in the third quarter even with revenues in that quarter being the same as the final quarter at $323 million.
The improved 2022 profit performance evolved from a 26.5 percent rise in revenues to $1.37 billion for the full year above the $1.079 billion in 2021 with profit after taxation coming in at $14 million compared to an $18 million loss in 2021. Pretax profit was even more impressive being $17.7 million versus a loss of $21.7 million in 2021 resulting in a $38 million turnaround.
The improved results show up in a strongly transformed financial position resulting in an enhanced working capital position even as sales surged, with a buildup of cash and reduction in borrowed funds.
Revenues climbed 30 percent in the March quarter, from $291 million last year, to $378 million and rose a stronger 42 percent in the June quarter to $342 million from $241 million in 2021. At the same time gross profit margin that tends to hover around 39 percent rose to 42 percent in the second quarter, from 38 percent in 2021. For the six months, revenues were up 35 percent to $720 million from $532 million in 2021 while gross profit rose 41 percent to $292 from $207 million. The Easter period provides added revenues for the company, resulting in the first half of the year producing higher revenues and profit than the second half.
In the first quarter, profit before tax rose 61 percent to $14.5 in 2022, from $9 million last year and is up 200 percent in the second quarter to $13.5 from a loss of $13.4 in 2021. For the half year pretax profit surged 735 percent to $28 million from a $4.4 million loss in 2021.
The company generated a gain on other comprehensive income from investments of $783,279 for 2022 and $6.3 million for 2021.
Administrative and other expenses rose by just 6 percent to $266 million from $250 million in 2021. Selling and Distribution expenses increased by a robust 33.4 percent to $203.4 million in 2022 over that of 2021 with $152.5 million. Depreciation rose 8 percent to $35.6 million from $33 million in 2021. Finance cost jumped sharply to $16.3 million from $11.7 million in 2021.
The company’s finances are looking much better in 2022 than in 2021. Operations for the half year generated gross cash flow from operations of $118 million after changes in working capital, allowing it to fund the acquisition of fixed assets amounting to $63 million to end the year with an increase in cash of $57 million.

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.

Shareholders’ equity stood at $697 million, while Long term borrowings ended the period at $136 million and short term loans at $51 million, representing a $47 million reduction from December 2021 and resulting in cash and bank balances and investments rising to $99 million, from $90 million at the end of December 2021. Current assets ended the period at $293 million, with trade and other receivables standing at $115 million, compared to $110 million in 2021. Inventories rose moderately to $79 million from $67 million in 2021. Current liabilities ended at $237 million, up from $175 million at the end of December 2021 and net current assets ended at $56 million compared with $93 million at the end of the previous year.
In the past the big concern was the ability of the company to hold on to the profit made in the first six months in the second half of the year, this changed in 2022 as revenues benefitted from increased volume sales as the company made headways into new areas as well as some new products. In an interview with Managing Director, Anthony Chang in 2022, he stated that while new products helped sales, in some cases traditional products found new takers in areas of the country where demand was not as strong in the past. Chang also stated that they are now benefiting from some changes made in personnel that is delivering improved results, he also indicated expansion of the distribution channel into smaller stores while consolidating business in the bigger stores. They also placed focus on cost by employing a cost accountant.
Retooling played an important role in the gains but Chang say this is a work in progress. According to him, bread at one stage in the past accounted for 90 percent of sales, was in direct competition with the market leader and had low profit margin, but it took time to make the shift as new machinery was needed to effect the change to new products, that needed machinery for packaging these products. The company has been adding to fixed assets as a part of the drive to have the right machines and in the quantity required to churn out new products.
Based on the above ICInsider.com projects this year’s earnings per share of 40 cents and 75 cents for 2024 with the company benefitting from full recovery of the local economy and increased efficiency and reduction in interest cost as borrowings decline.
The company has a net book value of $3.07. If achieved, the PE ratio currently would be 6.3, based on the price of $2.50 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Friday.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: company results, Consolidated Bakeries, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Purity

Nice gains for ICTOP10 stocks, Purity returns

April 9, 2023 by IC Insider.com

The Main and Junior Markets did not maintain the sharp bounce of the previous week, but most ICTOP10 Junior Market stocks ended with gains. In contrast, the Main Market ended with mostly modest losses, with 138 Student Living rising 5 percent to $5.30 and JMMB Group declining by 5 percent to $31.49, all other changes in the Main Market were two percent or less.

Dr Karlene McDonnough – Chairman of Image Consultants Ltd. The stock came in for increased demand during the week ahead of the release of full-year results.

The Junior Market had one change in its TOP10 list as Iron Rock Insurance and Image Plus climbed 13 percent to $2.27 and $2.03, respectively, while Main Event and Honey Bun rose 5 percent to $12.26 and $6.75, respectively, with the only sizable decline being a 9 percent fall for Tropical Battery to $1.90.
Image Plus never benefitted from any serious IPO bounce seems to be finally finding buying interest and closed the past week with 159,904 shares on the bid at $2.02, 160,746 at $2 and just over 800,000 between $1.90 and $1.95, with 25,987 stocks on offer at $2.03, 81,709 at $2.05 with one big offer of 1.72 million units at S2.50 with smaller offers before the this. There has been healthy trading in the stock recently, with trading of 824,526 units on Thursday. Trading on Wednesday saw 1,153,255 shares changing hands in the stock, with 910,000 units on Tuesday and 1.75 million shares on Monday, which seems to have cleared out a great deal of overhang in the market.
Update on interest rate developments. A number of developments taking place in the economy are worth watching. Following last week’s $35 billion Bank of Jamaica CD auction that saw the average rate coming in at 8.49 percent, this week’s auction saw an offer of $34 billion, with the average rate remaining the same as the previous week with fewer funds chasing the offered amount. Another positive development is the average inflation rate running at 45 percent less than the same time last year and averaging 2.4 percent per annum since November last year. Foreign exchange inflows have been strong, with the NIR growing at $66 million in February and 220 million in March, putting it at a record end of month level as initial data suggest that tourism arrivals and foreign exchange generated by that industry exceed the similar period in 2019, the last year without the impact of covid-19 negatively affecting the sector. On top of those positive developments, corporate profits are expected to enjoy a good bounce for the majority of companies for the first quarter.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions to improve returns.

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun. The stock is back in the ICTOP10

Dropping from the TOP10 Junior Market list this past week was Honey Bun, but investors should expect a big jump in revenues and profits for the first quarter, with the Easter coming at the beginning of April versus the 17^th of April last year, as well as an improvement of gross profit margin that slipped up last year.
Returning to the TOP10 is Consolidated Bakeries in the number 3 spot. The company is projected to report a solid first quarter profit, with the Easter holidays coming at the start of April compared with April 17 last year and ensuring that mostly all Easter bun sales will be reported in the March quarter unlike 2022. The company reported a profit in 2022 a big improvement over a loss in the previous three years. ICInsider.com projects earnings of 40 cents for 2023 and 75 cents for 2024 with the company benefitting from a full recovery of the local economy and increase efficiency and reduction in borrowings. At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE
Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 13.5, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.7 compared with the market at 11.1. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 256 percent and the Main Market TOP10, an average of 271 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 29, averaging 19, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, suggesting this may be a logical value for junior market stocks.
The 16 stocks with the highest value in the Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 115, with an average of 30 and 19 excluding the highest PE stocks and 19 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate, resulting in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.

Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Stock Market, Stocks to watch Tagged With: 138 Student Living, AMG Packaging, Berger Paints, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakers, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, General Accident, Guardian Holdings, Honey Bun JMMB Group, Image Plus Consultants, Iron Rock Insurance, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaican Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Key Insurance, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event, NCB Financial, One on One, Paramount Trading, Purity, Scotia Group, Stationery and Office Supplies, Stocks to Watch, Sygnus Credit Investments, TOP 10 stocks, Trading Activity, Tropical Battery

Everything Fresh jumps 44% last week

August 22, 2022 by IC Insider.com

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Last week’s stock to watch, Everything Fresh, climbed 43.5 percent from $1.17 to close the week at $1.68 and should move higher and Future Energy Source, that reported fabulous results for the first quarter, was one to watch. The stock added to the $5.29 price it closed the previous week at and closed on Friday at $5.63, with a PE ratio of 22.5.

Everything Fresh traded at $1.68 on Friday to gain 43.5% for the week.

This week, Consolidated Bakeries is added to the list, following excellent half year results, with prospects of more gains ahead, but General Accident is out following a bump in claims in the second quarter that squeezed profit. Also added to the list is ONE on ONE Education Services, which should list this month and enjoy a significant price hike.
138 Student Living reported strong June results but hardly moved in a week that the markets suffered declines. Meanwhile, Stationery and Office Supplies pulled back a bit as demand weakened following good half year results.
This week’s other ICInsider.com watch listings are Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Producers, Dolphin Cove, Express Catering, Guardian Holdings, Jamaica Broilers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Financial and Paramount Trading.
Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Express Catering and Everything Fresh will be major beneficiaries of the strong rebound in tourist arrivals, now back to 2019 levels.
Refunds should start returning to investors from ONE on ONE Education Services this week now that allocations in the recent IPO are determined. That could make a big difference to the market as investors deploy those funds in the market.

Filed Under: Stock Market, Stocks to watch Tagged With: 138 Student Living, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Dolphin Cove, Express Catering, FESCO, Future Energy Source Fesco, General Accident, Guardian Holdings, Jamaica Broilers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Financial, One on One, Paramount Trading, Purity, SOS, Stationery and Office Supplies, Stocks to Watch

Has Purity broken negative spell?

August 21, 2022 by IC Insider.com

For many investors, Consolidated Bakeries wasted the ten years of tax holidays garnered in listing on the Junior Market back in December 2012 as profits pretty much stagnated at very low levels and moved into losses occasionally. But those dark days may well be behind, if recent quarterly results to June are to be believed.

Consolidated Bakeries Purity brand

The improved results show up in a strongly transformed financial position resulting in an enhanced working capital position even as sales surged, a buildup of cash and a reduction in borrowed funds.
Revenues climbed 30 percent in the March quarter, from $291 million last year to $378 million and rose a more robust 42 percent in the June quarter to $342 million from $241 million in 2021. For the six months, revenues are up 35 percent to $720 million from $532 million in 2021, while gross profit rose 41 percent to $292 from $207 million. At the same time, in the recent past, gross profit margin tended to hover around 39 percent, rose to 42 percent in the second quarter this year, from 38 percent in 2021.
Profit before tax rose 61 percent in the first quarter to $14.5 in 2022, from $9 million last year and is up 200 percent in the second quarter to $13.5 from a loss of $13.4 last year. For the half year, pretax profit surged 735 percent to $28 million from a $4.4 million loss in 2021.
Purity, as the company is more popularly known, generated a loss in other comprehensive income from investments of $2.65 million for the quarter and $3.57 for the half year, reducing the overall profits to $10.8 million for the quarter and $26 million for the half year.

Anthony Chang, Managing Director of Consolidated Bakeries

Administrative and other expenses rose 11 percent to $66 million in the quarter and increased 18 percent in the half year to $139 million. Marketing and sales expenses increased by 33 percent to $50.5 million in the June quarter over 2021 and are up 30 percent to $97 million for the six months of 2022. Depreciation rose 10 percent in the June quarter to $8.6 million and 8 percent for the half year to $17 million. Finance cost jumped sharply in the quarter to $7 million from $2.5 million in 2021 and from $6.3 million to $9.4 million for the six months.
The company’s finances are looking much better at the end of June than in 2021, which is undoubtedly helped by management’s renewed focus on these areas. Operations for the half year generated gross cash flow of $47 million and to $77 million with changes in working capital but slipped to $56 million after receiving an $11 million loan and spending $29 million on the purchase of fixed assets. Shareholders’ equity stood at $708 million, while Long term borrowings ended the period at $167 million and short term loans at $42 million, representing a reduction from December 2021 of $25 million and cash and bank balances rose to $82 million, up from $62 million at the end of December last year. Current assets ended the period at $295 million, with trade and other receivables at $105 million, a reduction from $115 million at the end of June 2021 and $110 million at the end of December 2021, even as sales surged. Inventories doubled over June 2021 from $41 million to $81 million and are up from $67 million at the end of December. Current liabilities ended the period at $181 million, up from $175 million at the end of December but down from $190 million in June 2021. Net current assets ended the period at $115 million and are well up on the $69 million at the end of June 2021 and $93 million in December last year.
The big concern in the past was the ability of the company to hold on to the profit made in the first six months in the year’s second half. This time seems set to deliver to the upside as revenues benefit from increased volume sales as the company makes headways into new areas and some new products. Anthony Chang stated that while new products helped sales, in some cases, traditional products found new takers in regions of the country where demand was not as strong in the past.

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.

According to Chang, they are now benefiting from some personnel changes that are delivering improved results. He also indicated expansion of the distribution channel into smaller stores while consolidating the business in the bigger stores. They also placed focus on the cost by employing a cost accountant. The company still faces challenges, Chang informed ICInsider.com; most flows from the economic environment businesses face locally with the supply chain for raw materials for production.
Retooling played a vital role in the gains, but Chang says this is a work in progress. According to him, bread at one stage in the past accounted for 90 percent of sales, was in direct competition with the market leader and had a low profit margin, but it took time to make the shift as new machinery was needed to effect the change to new products, that needed machinery for packaging these products. The company has been adding to fixed assets as a part of the drive to have suitable machines and in quantity required to churn out new products. In the 2022 half year, $29 million was spent on fixed assets, up from $21 million in the six months to June last year and $33 million for the financial year 2021.
As Chang indicated, July is showing growth in sales over last year, but while he is unsure where they will end the year, he is cautiously expecting some growth in the rest of the year.
Analysis done by ICInsider.com shows that over the past two years, the first quarter has had the highest revenues, with the second quarter 82 to 90 percent of what the first quarter generates. This year was somewhat different at 90 percent, no doubt due to Easter falling in the middle of April, that would have resulted in more Easter bun sales coming in April than in 2021 and moved the percentage from 83 to 90. The September quarter revenues year were 111 percent of the second quarter and was up from 93 percent in 2021, with December at 105 percent of 2021 September and 99 percent in 2020. Based on the above, ICInsider.com projects this year’s revenues at $1.4 billion, with a profit of $49 million for earnings per share of 22 cents. If achieved, the PE ratio currently would be 6.8, based on the price of $1.49, the stock traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Friday. The numbers pushed Consolidated Bakery in the lower end of ICInsdier.com TOP10.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Consolidated Bakeries, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Purity

Shift in Easter impact Purity

July 7, 2019 by IC Insider.com

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.

Consolidated Bakeries profit dropped sharply for the March 2019 quarter as the company suffered an estimated $50 million shift in some Easter sales coming in April compared to March in 2018.
Quite a bit of Easter bun sales will show up in the second quarter and should help to boost the quarter and half year the profit.
Unaudited financial statements, showed profit declined sharply by 34 percent to $13.5 million in the March 2019 quarter from $20 million after tax in the 2018 first quarter.
Revenues increased marginally to $273.6 million for the 2019 quarter from $271 million in 2018 but the shift in Easter to mid- April affected sales. Direct operating cost rose 2 percent to $161 million, resulting in gross profit ending at $112 million similar to that of 2018, but gross profit margin slipped slightly, to a still healthy 41 percent compared to 42 percent for the same period last year.
For the quarter, administrative and other expenses moved up 3 percent to $50 million, depreciation was flat at $7.5 million while Finance cost declined 14 percent to $2.8 million compared to the 2018 March quarter.
Earnings per share came out at 6 cents for the March 2019 quarter, down from 9 cents for the corresponding quarter in 2018. IC Insider.com forecast 25 cents in earnings per share for 2019 as sales rise in double digits going forward and that should provide a decent lift for the stock price that has languished around the $2 mark for a long time. The stock traded at $1.80 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 7 times 2019 earnings.
Gross cash flow, brought in $23 million but growth in inventories and receivables, purchase of fixed assets, reduced cash funds of net of overdraft at $46 million at the beginning of the year to $24 million at the end of March. Shareholders’ equity stood at $733 million with borrowings at $167 million. Net current assets ended the period at $114 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $112 million, as well as cash and equivalents of $79 million. The company ended the quarter with current liabilities of $185 million.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Consolidated Bakeries, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market, Purity

3 new stocks now in IC TOP 10

June 9, 2019 by IC Insider.com

Stocks mostly closed higher on the Jamaica Stock Exchange during the past week as Lasco Financial returns along with Caribbean Cement and Sagicor Group.
Leaving IC Insider TOP 10 at the end of the week are Everything Fresh, Jamaica Broilers and Sygnus Credit Investments.
Rising stock prices in the last week help in reducing the projected gains in to leading stocks compared to position at the end of the prior week. The three leading Junior Market stocks for the coming week are, Caribbean Producers with projected gains of 227 percent, followed by Iron Rock with likely gains of 213 percent and AMG Packaging with possible gains of 202 percent.
Sterling Investments with potential gains of 203 percent leads main market stocks, followed by Radio Jamaica with 150 percent and Berger Paints in third spot with the potential to gain 147 percent within twelve months.
The main market, closed the week with the overall PE at 14.8 and the Junior Market at 11.2. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages 7.2 and the main market PE 8.8. These levels, point to a big upside for TOP 10 stocks over the next 12 months and Junior Market stocks in particular.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 36 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks and main market stocks trade at a discount of 41 percent to the overall market.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Projected earnings, for each company’s current fiscal year, are used in determining, the selected stocks. The PE for and projected earnings for each stock are computed to show potential gains for the year, which are ranked in descending order. Potential values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis as new information is received that can result in changes in and out of the list.

This report is compiled by persons who may have interest in the securities commented on.

Filed Under: Buy Rated Tagged With: Berger Paints, Caribbean Producers, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, General Accident, Grace Kennedy, Jamaican Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, junior market, Lasco Financial, Main Event, Medical Disposables, Purity, Radio Jamaica, Sagicor Group, Stanley Motta, Sterling Investments, Stocks to Watch, TOP 10 stocks, Trading Activity, tTech, Victoria Investments

IC Top 10 delivered rich 2018 gains

December 30, 2018 by IC Insider.com

Barita Investments set to be 2018 best performing JSE stock.

With just one trading day left to go, before the 2018 ends, IC Insider.com TOP 10 selections enjoyed some healthy gains during the year, with former top tenner Barita Investments set to top the year with stunning gains of 567 percent. Palace Amusement moved up 159 percent to $1,450 and Salada Foods with 218 percent gain.
In the Junior Market, CAC2000 climbed 160 percent, Caribbean Flavours rose 73 percent and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 64 percent. The TOP 10 also saw others with lesser gains than the above ones. The list includes Caribbean Cement, NCB Financial, Pan Jam Investments, Grace Kennedy, Sterling Investments, with all of them trading at record highs during the year, Iron Rock, Key Insurance and General Accident. The outstanding performer in the Junior Market for 2018, Derrimon Trading was on the TOP 10 list on November 17, last year, but moved to $8 from $6.50 at the end of the following week and then exited the list and climbed in 2018 after a stock split and acquisition of new business.
Lasco Financial is back in the Junior Market list, having fallen to $4.50, so too is Consolidated Bakeries with the price down to $1.75 and Stationery and Office Supplies with a price mow at $8.10. Out goes Medical Disposables, with the price at $7.50 along with Iron Rock and Jamaican Teas. In the main market TOP 10, Sagicor Group returns to the list replacing Sterling Investments that closed the week at $4.09.
The main market and the Junior Market closed the week with the overall PE at 15.9. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks average 9.2 and the main market PE is now 10. The top Junior Market stocks continue to sell at a discount to main market stocks even as the overall average PE for both markets are equal. This is an indication that there may be more gains to be had from these Junior market stocks than those in the main market.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 42 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings. The main market stocks trade at a discount of 37 percent to the overall market.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Stocks are selected based on projected earnings for each company’s current fiscal year. Based on an assumed PE for each, the likely gains are determined and then ranked, with the stocks with the highest potential gains ranked first followed by the rest, in descending order. Potential values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis based on new information received that can result in changes in and out of the list as well.

Filed Under: Buy Rated Tagged With: AMG Packaging, Barita Investments, Berger Paints, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, General Accident, Jamaican Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JMMB Group, junior market, Paramount Trading, Purity, Stationery and Office, Sterling Investments, Stocks to Watch, Sygnus Credit Investments, TOP 10 stocks, Trading Activity, Victoria Investments, Wisynco Group

Cost control boost Purity’s profit

August 21, 2018 by IC Insider.com

Consolidated Bakeries (Purity) recovering from 2017 loss

Cost fell and profit margin rose at Consolidated Bakeries in the June quarter, this year, as the company put in a vastly better performance in the quarter than for the similar period in 2017.
For the half year, administrative, selling and distribution cost rose just 2 percent to $166 million but declined 6 percent to $79 million in the June quarter. While sales revenue grew 10 percent for the six months to $493 million and less than one percent to $221.5 million in the latest quarter. Input cost climbed just 3 percent for the half year, compared to 2017 and fell 4 percent for the quarter, giving rise to increased profit margin in the first half of the year to 38 percent, from 34 percent in 2017 and in the June quarter, to 35 percent from 31 percent in the year ago period.
Profit rose from a loss of $8.5 million in 2017, for the six months to June, to a profit of $22.6 million this year and earnings per share of 9 cents, but the company is reporting a loss of just $891,000 after tax credit of $128,000, a big improvement over the loss in the prior year’s quarter of $14 million. Full year’s profit should end at around 17 cents per share. If achieved, it would be the first time since the year it listed that profit has been this high.
Administrative expenses fell 13 percent to $42 million in the quarter and increased marginally in the six months period to $92 million from $91.6 million. Distribution and sales expenses declined 4 percent to $33 million. Finance cost rose in the quarter, to $3.6 million from $812,000 in 2017 and from $2.5 million to $6.8 million for the half year.

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.

Gross cash flow brought in $38 million but growth in receivables, inventories, addition to fixed assets of $35 million offset by loan inflows and increased payables position ended at a negative $3 million. At the end of June, shareholders’ equity stood at $736 million with borrowings at just $115 million. Net current assets ended the period at $100 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $96 million, cash and bank balances of $99 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $140 million.
The stock traded at $2.17 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 12 times 2018 earnings. Net asset value is $3.31 with the stock selling at just 66 percent of book value. The company is the only Junior Market stock to be selling at a discount to net asset value. This means management has a lot of work to do to break even and much more to reach the average of the market of a premium of more 400 percent.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: Consolidated Bakeries, Emerging markets, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican Stock, junior market, PE ratio, Purity

Purity can turn around 2017 loss this year

April 1, 2018 by IC Insider.com

Consolidated Bakeries (Purity) make a loss in 2017 but could return to profit in 2018.

Profit melted away at Consolidated Bakeries for 2017 with a loss of $40 million down from a profit of $10 million in 2016 from sale revenues that slipped from $880 million to $863 million.
The company continued the loss right through to the year with a loss of $9 million before differed tax charge in the final quarter but the 2017 loss was lower than the loss of $20 million in the same period in 2016. Closer examination of the results show hope for the company going forward, into 2018
While revenues for the year fell 2 percent it rose 10 percent in the December quarter and helped to improve gross profit to 39 percent from just 31 percent in 2016 quarter. The 2017 final quarter was also much higher than the 35 percent for the full year.
Cost appeared mixed, with marketing and sales expenses rising 31 percent to $55 million and 17 percent to $158 million as this category of cost out stripped revenues by a big margin.
Administrative expenses fell 41 percent to $23 million in the quarter and fell 3 percent for the year to $158 million. Finance cost jumped in the quarter, to $16 million from $7 million, in 2016 and from $12 million to $19 million for the year.

Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.

Revaluation of the Jamaican dollar cost the company $4 in the final quarter and resulted in reduction in other income ending with a negative $2.5 million versus $5.5 in 2016 and just 875,000 for the full year versus $9 million, while the big jump in Finance cost in the December quarter seems to be one off, as such without these two items the company would have reported a profit for the quarter and augurs well for the 2018 results.
Gross cash flow was negative $7 million but growth in receivables, inventories, addition to fixed assets and drawn down on investments was offset by net loan inflows and increased payables and increased in bank overdraft ended at $74 million. At the end of December, shareholders’ equity stands at $716 million which was boosted by gain on revaluation of land and building by $206 million. Borrowings at just $135 million. Net current assets ended the period $92 million well over payables of $77 million.
Earnings per share was negative for the quarter and the fiscal year. The stock traded at $2 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 12 times 2018 estimated earnings of 17 cents. Earnings could be more if revenues were to increase above 10 percent for 2018.