Republic Bank’s assets grew by 6 percent for the year to June fueled by loans amounting to $26.6 billion that grew by 8.5 percent to over the same period.
The growth in assets and loans did not translate to increased profit. In fact profit was only saved from falling, by a turnaround in the result of associated companies moving from a loss of $74 million to a small profit of $7 million in the quarter and from a loss of $70 million in the nine months to a profit of $34 million. Profit before associated company results is down from $489 million to $426 million for the latest quarter and for the nine months, $1.22 billion from $1.27 billion. Net profit due to the bank’s shareholders is $308 million in the June quarter, compared with $305 million in 2013 and for the nine months, $869 million compared with $858 million. The results compare favorably with Trinidad’s Scotia Bank that suffered a 17 percent decline in profits for the 3 months to April and 7.5 percent for the six months.
Expenses| Operating expenses rose 18 percent, to reach $454 million for the quarter and 24.5 percent for the nine months, well ahead of the gain in revenues which is flat in the latest quarter but up 10 percent for the nine months. Interestingly, operating cost increased by 6.6 percent in the first quarter of the financial year. In the March quarter, Republic made a provision of $185 million writing down the value of goodwill on its investments in Barbados, resulting in a 45 percent jump in in operating expenses for the quarter. Countering the write off was a gain of $210 million, from sale of Visa Shares in the March quarter. What is clear is that results for 2014 will be around the same level as in 2013 of $1.297 billion or $7.30 per share. Republic Bank’s stock last traded at $122 each at a PE of 17.8.
Cost jumps sharply dents Republic Bank’s profit
Clico chips in with $13.7m on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange was primarily dominated by Clico Fund, with more than 82 percent of the value and volume trading, on Thursday. There was trading in 15 securities, 4 advanced, 4 declined and 7 traded firm, with 729,054 stocks changing hands, with a value of $16,618,607.
The Composite Index lost 0.09 points to close at 1,164.83, the All T&T Index fell by 0.18 points to close at 2,009.45 and the Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 41.92.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close, are Ansa Merchant Bank with 25 units to close with a 2 cents gain at $39.09, a new 52 weeks high, Clico Investment Fund 612,990 shares valued at $13,680,616, advanced by 33 cents, to end at $22.01. First Citizens Bank traded just 2 shares to close at $35.51 as the price moved up by 9 cents, One Caribbean Media gained of 2 cents to close at $23.28 while trading 600 units.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Flavorite Foods with just 2 shares losing a cent to close at $5.74, Guardian Holdings traded 1,000 units to close with a 5 cents loss at $14.35, Massy Group traded 35,443 shares for a value of $2,459,609 as the price slipped 3 cents to end at $69.42 and National Enterprises traded only 2 units, but lost a cent, in closing at $18.23,
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading, are Angostura Holdings contributing 13,570 shares with a value of $173,018, to close at $12.75, National Flour Mills with 61,000 shares changing hands for a value of $61,000 closed at $1, while Point Lisas Port development traded 7 units at $4.15, Republic Bank traded 80 units at $122, Sagicor Financial Corporation added 2,748 shares to end at $6.68, Scotia Investment had a mere 2 units trading at $1.55 and West Indian Tobacco contributed 1,583 shares to close at $118.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had one stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and one with the offer lower.
Only 3 stocks had price changes on TTSE
nTrading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange on Wednesday saw 15 securities changing hands of which 2 advanced one declined and 12 traded firm with 112,654 stocks changing hands with a value of $2,337,155.
The Composite Index rose 0.06 points to close at 1,164.92, the All T&T Index advanced by 0.24 points to close at 2,009.63 and the Cross Listed Index fell a mere 0.02 points to end at 41.92.
Guardian Holdings with 38,186 shares changing hands for a value of $549,878 closed at $14.40, followed. Trinidad Cement contributed 10,000 shares with a value of $19,500 to close at $1.95 while National Flour Mills added 4,000 shares to close at $1.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are First Citizens Bank with 17,828 shares traded for $631,416 gained 2 cents to close at $35.42 and Unilever Caribbean price gained 25 cents to end the day at a new 52 weeks high of $63 with 1,500 units traded.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Sagicor Financial Corporation suffered a loss, falling 2 cents to close at $6.68 as 1,821 shares changed hands
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading, are Agostini’s with 3,300 shares to end at $17.45, Ansa Mcal with 193 shares to close at $66.30, Clico Investment Fund traded 26,035 shares valued at $564,531, to end at $21.68, Flavorite Foods 2,200 shares as the price closed $5.75, National Enterprises 949 units to close at $18.24, Massy Group 540 shares at $69.49, Prestige Holdings 3,662 units in closing at $9.40, Republic Bank 240 shares to close at $122 and West Indian Tobacco with 2,200 shares as the price closed at $118.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 1 stocks with the offer that is lower.
One Caribbean Media drops $1.74
The previous Buy Rated One Caribbean Media which was moved to the Market Watch, tumbled by $1.74 in Friday’s trading levels on the Trinidad Stock Exchange. The stock closed with a bid to buy 17,412 shares at the closing price, but there was no stock on offer for sale at the close.
Scotiabank closed at a new 52 weeks low. The price continues to adjust downwards, following the bank’s fall in second quarter results. At the close there was little demand for the stock, with the bid at $65 well off the last sale price.
There was activity in 12 securities, of which 3 advanced, 4 declined and 5 traded firm with 207,602 stocks changing hands, valued at $2,718,931. The market indices closed mixed, with the Composite Index losing 0.17 points to close at 1,164.85, the All T&T Index declined by 1.74 points to close at 2,008.78 and the Cross Listed Index inched up by 0.19 points to close at 42.02.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Clico Investment Fund with 39,920 shares valued at $867,712, to advance by 15 cents to end at $21.85, First Citizens Bank traded 4,470 shares to close at $35.30, up 19 cents and Sagicor Financial Corporation contributed 27,883 shares with a value of $188,005, to close with a gain of 23 cents at $6.75.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading, are One Caribbean Media suffering a loss of $1.74 to close at $23.26 while trading 5,333 shares, valued at $124,662, Prestige Holdings with 77,131 shares changing hands for a value of $725,091, closed down a cent at $9.40, Republic Bank with 70 shares changing hands, closed with a decline of 5 cent to end at $122 and Scotiabank with only 14 shares, declined by 4 cents to close at $68.41.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with a volume of 45,206 shares being traded for $576,377 to close at $12.75, Grace Kennedy with 2,505 shares to end at $3.45, Guardian Holdings contributed 4,056 with the price closed unchanged at $14.40, Massy Group traded 14 units to close at $69.50 and Trinidad Cement traded 1,000 to close at $1.95
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 1 stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Moderate price changes on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange saw moderate price changes and accounted for 14 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced, 2 declined and 9 traded firm, with 273,809 stocks changing hands, with a value of $9,839,147.
The Composite Index lost 0.26 points to close at 1,165.02, the All T&T Index rose fell by just 0.53 points to close at 2,010.52 and the Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 41.83.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Ansa Merchant Bank that traded 21508 shares valued at $840,102 to close with a gain of 2 cents to end at $39.06, First Citizens gained 8 cents to close at $35.11 with 94 units changing hands, Unilever Caribbean gained 22 cents to end the day at $62.56 with 244 shares trading as the stock traded at a new 52 weeks high.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with 50,094 shares changing hands for a value of $638,699, closed with a loss of 23 cents at 12.75 followed by Scotiabank declined further with a loss of 3 cents to close at $68.45 for anew 52 weeks low, with 1,000 units.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Clico Investment Fund traded 111,940 shares valued at $2,426,776 remained at $21.70, while Grace Kennedy close at $3.45 with 610 units changing hands, Guardian Holdings traded 1,684 units to end at $14.40, Jamaica Money Market Brokers added 20,000 shares to close at 45 cent, Massy Group with 3,752 units closed at $69.50, Sagicor Financial Corporation with 1,114 shares closed at $6.52, Republic Bank with 45,219 shares traded for $5,518,979 to close at $122.05, Trinidad Cement traded 5,000 units to close at $1.95 and LJ Williams B shares traded 11,250 shares to close at 90 cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 1 stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
8 stocks rose & 2 fell on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange was dominated by advancing stocks. Stocks of 15 securities changed hands of which 8 advanced, 2 declined and 5 traded firm, 433,166 stocks changed hands, with a value of $2,425,082.
The Composite Index rose 0.18 points, to close at 1,165.28, the All T&T Index rose fell just 0.16 points, to close at 2,011.05 and the Cross Listed 
Index increased by a mere 0.07 points, to end at 41.83.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close, are Clico Investment Fund trading 14,297 shares valued at $309,934, the price advanced by 3 cents to end at $21.70, First Citizens Bank traded 1,120 shares, to close at $35.03 with a cent gain, Grace Kennedy with 250 shares gained a cent and closed at $3.45, Guardian Holdings gained 9 cents to end the day at $14.40, with 6,544 units changing hands. Massy Group gained a cent with 5,645 units traded, to end at $69.51, while Sagicor Financial Corporation added 13,242 shares valued at $86,338, to close 2 cents higher at $6.52, Scotia Investments with 3,500 shares, was up a cent in closing at $1.55 and Unilever Caribbean with 1,990, shares, gained 5 cents close at $62.35, a new 52 weeks high.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Scotiabank that lost 17 cents, to close at $68.48, a new 52 weeks low, while trading 445 shares and LJ Williams 10 cents A had shares, had 25,000 units changing hands, to close with a loss of 3 cents at 26 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are ANSA McAL with 100 shares, to close $66.30, Firstcaribbean International Bank with a volume of 43,968 shares traded for $220,240, closed at $5, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 2,000 units, closed at 45 cents, Republic Bank with 4,110 shares changing hands, closed at $122.05 and Trinidad Cement with 310,955 shares changing hands for a value of $606,362, closed at $1.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Little price changes on TTSE Monday
Trading on the Trinidad stock market on Monday, accounted for 15 securities changing hands of which 2 advanced, 3 declined and 10 traded firm, with 299,354 stocks changing hands, with a value of $5,664,767.
The Composite Index lost 0.03 points to close at 1,165.20, the All T&T Index was unchanged at 2,011.40 points and the Cross Listed Index fell a mere 0.01 points, to end at 41.76.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Guardian Holdings which contributed 27,157 shares valued at $388,617 to close 1 cent up, at $14.31 and Trinidad Cement enjoyed a gain of 3 cents to end the day at $1.93 while trading 1,730 shares.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund that traded 136,940 shares valued at $2,967,914, but the price close with a loss of a cent at $21.65, National Enterprises traded 1,078 units to close with a 1 cent loss at $18.24 and Scotia Investments with 1,000 shares changing hands lost a cent and closed at $1.54.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading, are Firstcaribbean International Bank 8,713 units to close at $5, First Citizens Bank with 7,847 units, to close at $35.02, Grace Kennedy with 43,430 shares changing hands, for a value of $149,699, to close at $3.45, followed by Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 18,500 shares, to close at 45 cents, Massy Group with 35 units to close at $69.50, National Commercial Bank with 31,000 shares changed hands for $33,790, to close at $1.09, Prestige Holdings closed at $9.41 with 150 units, National Flour Mills closed at $1 while trading 7,000 shares, Republic Bank saw 4,774 units changing hands to close at $122.05 and West Indian Tobacco 10,000 units to close at $118.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
One Caribbean jumps to $25 – a hold
One Caribbean is no longer a recommended Buy Rated currently based on the jump to $25 per share this week, but seems to be a hold based on the reading of the Trinidad Stock market where it looks as if it should rise some more.
Since July 5 last year when IC Insider gave the stock in the Buy Rated category it has moved up 43 percent and now enjoys a PE ratio of 17.7 compared with 12.6 last year July.
Elsewhere Trinidad Cement slipped to $1.90 making it more attractive, even as there is talk of major changes in directorship. Massy Group continues its slow gain as well as Republic Bank but they as well as a number of others remain attractively priced for good gains in the period ahead as they are undervalued.
Why PE?| The price earnings ratio is the most popular measure investors use to compare and determine stocks values. It is computed by dividing the price of a stock by the earnings per share. It allows investors to compare the value of one company with others, in order to determine which ones are to be bought, sold or held. When the market moves markedly away from the norm it is usually time for investors to move, the PE ratio is a good tool to measure such extremes.
In looking at good buying opportunities the crude measure is to buy those stocks with low PEs compared to the market or to stocks in the same sector.
Scotiabank drops on TTSE, more coming
Scotiabank stock continues it fall on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, with the price dropping 21 cents to hit a new 52 weeks low in Friday’s trading, with only a small volume changing hands. Since the start of June, the stock has found no resting price so far, and seems set to decline some more, based on recent profit reported and lack of buyers, at current prices.
On May 28, the bank reported net profit of $250 million for the six months to 30 April 2014, a decrease of $20 million or 7.5 percent, but the 17 percent fall in profit for the April quarter, from $128 million down to $105 has not sit well with investors, leading to a selling of the stock. The last trade of import, before the results, was on the May 22, for 236,520 shares at $70 each, the price it has been trading at for some time. Immediately after the results, the price started to drift downwards before the decline set in. There is not much interest in the stock now, close to recent sale prices. The price would need to drop to around $60 to take full effect of the latest fall in profits, for investors to consider it appropriately valued.
Summary|Trading on the Trinidad stock market, saw an increase in the number of securities changing hands, with 17 being active on Friday, of these, 2 advanced, 6 declined and 9 traded firm, with 246,489 stocks units changing hands, with a value of $2,027,882.
Indices| market activity led to the Composite Index losing 0.47 points, to close at 1,165.23, the All T&T Index falling by just 0.86 points, to close at 2,011.40 and the Cross Listed Index easing by a mere 0.01 points, to end at 41.77.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close, are ANSA McAL with the price increasing 5 cents, to end the day at $66.30, while trading only 200 shares, Massy Group traded just 2 units at $69.50, to gain a cent.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading, are Clico Investment Fund with 5,632 shares valued at $122,019, as the price declined by 4 cents, to end at $21.66, National Flour Mills, 4,857 shares, to close at $1, with a 5 cents fall, Republic Bank added 10,085 shares valued at $1,230,868 and closed down a cent, at $122.05. Sagicor Financial lost a cent when trading 3,440 units, to close at $6.50, Scotiabank suffered a 21 cents fall to close at $68.73, a new 52 weeks low while trading a mere 14 units. Trinidad Cement with 91,244 shares changing hands for a value of $173,365 suffered a fall in price of by 5 cents, to $1.90,
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading, are Angostura Holdings 800 units, to close at $12.98, First Citizens Bank traded 1,650 units to close at $35.02, Grace Kennedy with 67,270 shares valued at $232,042, closed at $3.45, Guardian Holdings 220 stock units, to close at $14.30, Guardian Media 20 shares, to close at $19.75, Jamaica Money Market Brokers contributed 51,904 shares with a value of $23,357, to end at 45 cents, National Commercial Bank with 4,000 stock units, closed at $1.09, National Enterprises 51 shares closed at $18.25 and One Caribbean Media 5,100 units to close at $25.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower, an indication that the market is likely to continue to trade sidewards.
Six stocks up, 3 down on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad stock market saw 14 securities changing hands on Thursday, of which 6 advanced, 3 declined and 5 traded firm with 417,721 stock units changing hands, with a value of $23,285,631. Price movements were all moderate by the end of trading.
The Composite Index gained 0.55 points to close at 1,165.70, the All T&T Index fell by just 0.35 points to close at 2,012.26 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.19 points to end at 41.78.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close, are ANSA Merchant Bank with only 400 shares changing hands and ended with a 1 cent gain at $39.04, Clico Investment Fund posted a volume of 14,930 shares, valued at $323,704 and advanced by 5 cents to end at $21.70, First Citizens Bank traded 5,340 shares to end at $35.02 with a 1 cent gain, Jamaica Money Market Brokers added 10,000 shares, to close 4 cents higher at 45 cents, Republic Bank traded 227 shares to close with a gain of a cent at $122.06, for and Sagicor Financial Corporation contributed 16,940 shares with a value of $110,239 while gaining a cent, to close at $6.51.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with 963 units to close down 2 cents, at $12.98, followed by Guardian Holdings, with 455 shares, to close at $14.30 while shedding a cent and Massy Group traded 4507 shares and suffered a loss of 2 cents, to close at $69.49.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading, are ANSA Mcal with 334,439 shares changing hands for a value of $22,156,584, ended at $66.25, Firstcaribbean International Bank with a volume of 22,400 shares traded with value of $112,000, closed at $5, National Commercial Bank had 6,070 units changing hands at $1.09, Prestige Holdings 1,000 units, traded to close at $9.41 and Trinidad Cement with 50 units, closed at $1.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.