Kingston Properties (KPREIT) plans to repurchase up to one half of one percent or 4.42 million shares in issue for up to two years to commence in the later part of May this year.
According to the release, “the Board of Directors sees this use of capital as an opportunity to enhance shareholder value through the purchase, from time to time, of undervalued shares”.
The repurchase of the shares will be done using the Company’s cash flows and will be conducted on the open market through the Company’s stockbrokers. A fixed price for the repurchase will not be set but will be the market price at the time of the repurchase. In keeping with the requirements of the Companies Act of Jamaica, within 30 days of the dates of the repurchase of shares, Kingston Properties will advise its shareholders of the details of the shares purchased.
The company has 884 million issued shares that were last traded at $8.10 on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE of 10 times last year’s earnings and a book value of $8.40.
A total of 7.5 million shares were traded over the past twelve months for a daily average of 30,000 units.
The company has also declared a dividend of 0.0566 US cents per share, payable on June 5 to shareholders on record at May 17 with the ex-dividend date of May 16, 2024.
The company reported a profit of US$4.65 million in 2023 an increase over 2022 with US$3.8 million from operating revenues of US$4 million in 2023 and US$3.5 million in 2022. Profit was boosted by gains from revaluation and gain on sale of properties of US$3 million in 2023 and US$2.4 million in 2022.
Share buy back & dividend at Kingston Properties
Share buy back for Kingston Properties
Kingston Properties advises that the Board of Directors authorized a buy-back of up to one percent (1%) of the company’s shares in issue for up to one year following the expiry of 21 days from the date of notice to the Stock Exchange. The repurchase of the shares will be conducted on an open market through the Company’s Stockbrokers. The Company’s cash flows will be the source of funds for the purchase of shares. Kingston Properties will advise its shareholders of the details of the purchase within 30 days of the repurchase of the shares. The total number of shares issued amounts to 68,800,102 units. One percent of the issued shares amounts 688,000 units. The stock last traded at $4 after it had fallen to $3.50 a few trading days before but the net asset value of the shares is around $12.