Economy
New Team at Transcorp Assures Shareholders Improved Dividends
By Dipo Olowookere
Last week, the new President/GCEO of Transcorp Plc, Mrs Owen Omogiafo, presided over her first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the new position.
The AGM, which was held virtually, offered Mrs Omogiafo, whose appointment took effect from March 25, 2020, after succeeding Mr Valentine Ozigbo, the opportunity to let shareholders and other stakeholders know her plans for the company.
The respected boardroom guru set out her strategic ambitions, whilst also committing to safeguard shareholder interests by ensuring improved dividends.
Business Post reports that for the 2019 financial year, the board recommended the payment of one kobo to shareholders of the company.
But Mrs Omogiafo has assured that things will improve in the coming years, stating that the new management team was dedicated to delivering and exceeding the strategic objectives of the company, rooted in its founding vision and expressed in its corporate purpose of ‘Improving Lives, Transforming Nigeria’.
According to her, “In hospitality, we will deepen and expand our market share by deploying an asset light strategy, leveraging best in class technology and continuously drive the highest service standards.
“In power, we target completing the ongoing transaction for the 100 percent acquisition of another power plant in the gas rich Niger Delta Region of Nigeria – Afam Genco, this year.
“This will enhance our play in the power space, with increased generation capacity, revenue and profitability.
“Our drive to diversify our energy mix will also continue, with a focus on renewable energy and off grid solutions.
“We will continue to monitor developments in the oil and gas space, while making the best decisions in the interest of the company and its shareholders regarding the development of our oil and gas asset, OPL 281.
“Working with the MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Dupe Olusola and the MD/CEO, Transcorp Power Ltd, Chris Ezeafulukwe, and all our highly committed staff and partners, we are well positioned as a group to continue to deliver great value for our shareholders.”
Concluding, Mrs Omogiafo said despite current challenges brought on by the global pandemic, the underlining strength of the group’s businesses, the quality of its assets, its position as the leading Nigerian electricity producer, the proud owner of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the hospitality gateway to Nigeria and its growing strength as an effective natural resources player, should give shareholders great confidence in the group’s future.
She thanked staff and management particularly for their dedication during the recent lockdown.
At the meeting, shareholders of Transcorp applauded the board and management for the resilient performance achieved in 2019, despite the challenging environment.
They, including Chairman of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr Boniface Okezie, welcomed the diversified earnings provided by the group.
In the 2019 financial year, Transcorp achieved a turnover of N76.35 billion and profit before tax of N7.90 billion.
Revenue from its power business, Transcorp Power Limited, declined during the period, reflecting acute gas supply issues, transmission challenges, delay in debt payment by government and continuing structural impediments in the sector.
The company’s hospitality business, Transcorp Hotels Plc, on the other hand, grew its year-on-year revenue by 17 percent and gross profit increased by 19 percent compared with FY 2018.
Economy
CSCS, Geo-Fluids, FrieslandCampina Lift NASD OTC Bourse by 0.62%
By Adedapo Adesanya
Three bellwether stocks lifted the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 0.62 per cent on Friday, December 12 with the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) jumping by 22.20 points to 3,600.43 points from 3,578.23 points.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation of the trading platform increased by N13.28 billion to close at N2.154 trillion from the previous day’s N2.140 trillion.
During the session, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc went up by N2.53 to close at N39.71 per share compared with the previous day’s N37.18 per share, Geo-Fluids Plc added 35 Kobo to its price to finish at N5.00 per unit versus Thursday’s closing price of N4.65 per unit, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc appreciated by 23 Kobo appreciation to sell at N60.23 per share versus N60.00 per share.
It was observed that yesterday, the price of Golden Capital Plc went down by N1.05 to N9.45 per unit from N10.50 per unit, and UBN Propertiy Plc declined by 21 Kobo to N2.01 per share from the N2.22 per share it was traded a day earlier.
There was a significant improvement in the level of activity for the day, as the volume of transactions increased by 6.2 per cent to 37.4 million units from the previous day’s 35.2 million units, the value of trades went up by 265.1 per cent to N4.9 billion from N1.4 billion, and the number of deals soared by 13.80 per cent to 33 deals from 29 deals.
Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc ended the last trading day of this week as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units valued at N16.4 billion, the second spot was taken by Okitipupa Plc with 178.9 million units traded for N9.5 billion, and third space was occupied by a new comer in MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units worth N4.9 billion.
InfraCredit Plc also finished the session as the most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units transacted for N16.4 billion, followed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 1.2 billion units valued at N420.3 million, and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 537.0 million units sold for N524.9 million.
Economy
Guinness Nigeria, Others Buoy NGX Index 1.00% Growth
By Dipo Olowookere
The bullish run on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited continued on Friday with a further 1.00 per cent growth buoyed by gains recorded by Guinness Nigeria, Champion Breweries, and others.
Data showed that the consumer goods space expanded by 1.53 per cent during the last trading session of the week, as the insurance counter grew by 0.51 per cent, and the industrial goods sector marginally gained 0.01 per cent.
However, the banking index depreciated by 0.54 per cent due to a pocket of profit-taking, and the energy industry shrank by 0.09 per cent, while the commodity sector closed flat.
Guinness Nigeria gained 10.00 per cent to trade at N217.80, Morison Industries rose by 9.84 per cent to N4.69, Champion Breweries jumped by 9.69 per cent to N14.15, Austin Laz grew by 9.66 per cent to N2.27, and C&I Leasing appreciated by 9.62 per cent to N5.70.
Conversely, eTranzact lost 10.00 per cent to finish at N12.60, Chellarams slumped by 9.00 per cent to N13.20, Eunisell depleted by 9.89 per cent to N75.15, Africa Prudential moderated by 9.77 per cent to N12.00, and DAAR Communications decreased by 9.18 per cent to 89 Kobo.
The busiest stock on Friday was Access Holdings with 107.6 million units sold for N2.2 billion, Consolidated Hallmark traded 59.9 million units worth N245.8 million, Zenith Bank transacted 48.2 million units valued at N3.1 billion, Transcorp Power transacted 42.8 million units for N13.1 billion, and Champion Breweries exchanged 36.4 million units valued at N510.2 million.
At the close of business, a total of 602.8 million units worth N30.7 billion exchanged hands in 20,550 deals yesterday, in contrast to the 529.7 million units valued at N12.3 billion traded in 18,159 deals on Thursday, representing a surge in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 13.80 per cent, 149.59 per cent, and 13.17 per cent apiece.
Business Post reports that the All-Share Index (ASI) soared during the session by 1,485.89 points to 149,436.48 points from 147,950.59 points and the market capitalisation moved up by N945 billion to N95.264 trillion from N94.319 trillion.
Economy
Naira Chalks up 0.11% on USD at NAFEM as CBN Defends Market
By Adedapo Adesanya
An intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the foreign exchange (FX) market eased the pressure on the Naira on Friday.
The apex bank sold forex to banks and other authorised dealers in the official window to defend the domestic currency, helping to calm the FX demand pressure, with the Nigerian currency appreciating against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by 0.11 per cent or N1.57 to sell at N1,454.50/$1 compared with Thursday’s closing price of N1,456.07/$1.
Also, the domestic currency improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the official market yesterday by N3.95 to close at N1,946.15/£1 versus the previous day’s N1,950.11/£1 but lost 10 Kobo on the Euro to quote at N1,706.46/€1 compared with the N1,706.36/€1 it was exchanged a day earlier.
At the black market segment, the Nigerian Naira maintained stability against the Dollar during the session at N1,470/$1 and also traded flat at N1,463/$1 at the GTBank forex counter.
Despite the sigh of relief, demand pressures outweighed the robust supply from the CBN and inflow from offshore players looking to participate at the OMO bills auction.
Gross FX reserves increased for the twenty fifth consecutive week, growing by a strong $396.84 million week-on-week to $45.44 billion.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it was down on Friday as pressure remained after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell’s speech on Wednesday, which hinted at a possible rate cut pause in January. As a result, markets now expect only two rate cuts in 2026 instead of three.
However, Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee, who was against a December rate cut, said he expects more in 2026 than the current median projection.
Ethereum (ETH) slumped by 5.1 per cent to $3,090.61, Solana (SOL) declined by 4.5 per cent to $132.79, Cardano (ADA) depreciated by 3.8 per cent to $0.4103, and Dogecoin (DOGE) dropped 2.5 per cent to trade at $0.1373.
In addition, Bitcoin (BTC) lost 2.4 per cent to sell at $90,342.74, Litecoin (LTC) tumbled by 1.9 per cent to $81.86, Binance Coin (BNB) fell by 0.6 per cent to $886.93, and Ripple (XRP) slipped by 0.5 per cent to $2.02, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.
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