Economy
Stanbic IBTC Raises Interim Dividend to N1 Amid 50% Drop in Profit
By Dipo Olowookere
The board of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has recommended the payment of an interim dividend of N1 for the first half of 2021, higher than the 40 kobo paid in the same period of 2020.
The proposal was contained in the financial statements of the lender released to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Monday.
The cash reward to shareholders is coming despite a decline in the company’s top-line and bottom-line of the results as the gross earnings shrank by 26.06 per cent to N93.6 billion from N126.6 billion in the first half of last year, with the net interest income contracting to N32.9 billion from N37.6 billion due to a decline in the interest income to N44.2 billion from N55.1 billion a year ago as a result of a significant loss in interest on investments (N9.6 billion versus N21.6 billion in HY 20). The increase in interest on loans and advances to customers to N34.2 billion from N32.6 billion could not help the situation.
Also, the interest expense went down to N11.4 billion from N17.6 billion on the back of a decline in interest on borrowed funds, savings accounts, current accounts, term deposits and interbank deposits.
A look at the non-interest revenue of the financial institution showed a decline of 34.24 per cent to N45.9 billion from N69.8 billion mainly because of lower trading revenue in H1 2021 (N5.5 billion versus N34.3 billion in H1 2020).
Stanbic IBTC recorded an increase in net fee and commission income at N41.3 billion compared with N35.1 billion a year ago as the fee and commission income in the period under review stood at N44.8 billion in contrast to N36.7 billion in the same period of last year, while the fee and commission expense was N3.5 billion compared with N1.6 billion in the first six months of last year.
In the first two quarters of this year, the operating expenses of the company stood at N55.4 billion as against N48.5 billion in HY 2020, with staff costs gulping N20.2 billion versus N19.9 billion, while other operating expenses took N35.2 billion, lower than N28.6 billion a year ago.
As at June 30, 2021, the profit before tax of Stanbic IBTC was N24.7 billion, 52.86 per cent lower than N52.4 billion of last year, while the profit after tax went down by 50.22 per cent to N22.5 billion from N45.2 billion, with the earnings per share (EPS) moderating to N1.92 from N4.19.
Stanbic IBTC stated in the results analysed by Business Post that its deposits from customers increased on a year-to-date basis to N958.4 billion from N819.9 billion in FY 2020, while loans and advances to customers rose to N759.6 billion from N625.1 billion.
As for the interim dividend, totalling N12.957 billion, the board said it would be paid on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, to shareholders whose names appear on the register of members as at close of trading on Monday, September 20, 2021, and who have completed the e-dividend registration and mandated the registrar to pay their dividends directly into their bank accounts.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has been asked by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to suspend the implementation of the controversial tax laws.
In a reaction to the tax reform acts, the president of the group, Mr Afam Osigwe (SAN), the suspension of the laws would allow for a proper investigation into allegations of alterations in the gazetted and harmonised copies.
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that some parts of the laws passed by the parliament were different from the gazetted copy.
To address the issues raised, the NBA said it is “imperative that a comprehensive, open, and transparent investigation be conducted to clarify the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the laws and to restore public confidence in the legislative process.”
“Until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be immediately suspended,” the association declared.
It noted that the controversies “raise grave concerns about the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.”
“These developments strike at the very heart of constitutional governance and call into question the procedural sanctity that must attend lawmaking in a democratic society,” it noted.
“Legal and policy uncertainty of this magnitude has far-reaching consequences. It unsettles the business environment, erodes investor confidence, and creates unpredictability for individuals, businesses, and institutions required to comply with the law. Such uncertainty is inimical to economic stability and should have no place in a system governed by the rule of law.
“Nigeria’s constitutional democracy demands that laws, especially those with profound economic and social implications, emerge from processes that are transparent, accountable, and beyond reproach. Anything short of this undermines public trust and weakens the foundation upon which lawful governance rests.
“We therefore call on all relevant authorities to act swiftly and responsibly in addressing this controversy, in the overriding interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the preservation of the rule of law,” the organisation stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Demand for hot stocks, including MRS Oil Plc, buoyed the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 0.52 per cent on Tuesday, December 23.
The energy company was one of the three price gainers for the session as it chalked up N19.69 to sell at N216.59 per share versus the previous day’s value of N196.90 per share.
Further, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N2.95 to close at N56.75 per unit versus N53.80 per unit and Golden Capital Plc appreciated by 84 Kobo to N9.29 per share from Monday’s N8.45 per share.
Consequently, the market capitalisation went up by N10.95 billion to N2.125 trillion from N2.125 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) rose by 18.31 points to 3,570.37 points from 3,552.06 points.
Yesterday, the NASD bourse recorded a price loser, the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), which gave up 17 Kobo to close at N33.70 per unit against the previous trading value of N33.87 per unit.
The volume of securities traded at the session went down by 97.6 per cent to 297,902 units from the previous day’s 12.6 million units, the value of securities decreased by 98.5 per cent to N10.5 million from N713.6 million, and the number of deals remained flat at 32 deals.
By value, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc ended as the most actively traded stock on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units exchanged for N16.4 billion. This was followed by Okitipupa Plc, which traded 178.9 million units valued at N9.5 billion, and MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units worth N4.9 billion.
In terms of volume, also on a year-to-date basis, InfraCredit Plc led the chart with a turnover of 5.8 billion units traded for N16.4 billion. Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc ranked second with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.7 million, while Impresit Bakolori Plc followed with the sale of 536.9 million units valued at N524.9 million.
By Dipo Olowookere
It was another bullish trading session for the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited as it closed higher by 0.59 per cent on Tuesday.
The market further rallied due to continued interest in large and mid-cap stocks on the exchange by investors rebalancing their portfolios for the year-end.
Yesterday, Aluminium Extrusion sustained its upward trajectory after it further appreciated by 9.96 per cent to N14.90, as Austin Laz gained 9.81 per cent to close at N2.91, Custodian Investment improved by 9.69 per cent to N38.50, and First Holdco soared by 9.35 per cent to N50.30.
Conversely, Royal Exchange declined by 7.22 per cent to N1.80, Champion Breweries shrank by 6.57 per cent to N15.65, NASCON lost 5.36 per cent to trade at N105.05, Sovereign Trust Insurance depreciated by 5.28 per cent to N3.77, and Japaul went down by 4.51 per cent to N2.33.
At the close of business, 29 shares ended on the gainers’ table and 27 shares finished on the losers’ log, representing a positive market breadth index and bullish investor sentiment.
This raised the All-Share Index (ASI) by 895.06 points to 153,354.13 points from 152,459.07 points and lifted the market capitalisation by N579 billion to N97.772 trillion from the previous day’s N97.193 trillion.
VFD Group finished the day as the busiest stock after it recorded a turnover of 192.0 million units worth N2.1 billion, GTCO exchanged 63.5 million units valued at N5.6 billion, Access Holdings traded 49.8 million units for N1.0 billion, First Holdco sold 45.8 million units valued at N2.3 billion, and Secure Electronic Technology transacted 38.3 million units worth N28.4 million.
In all, market participants bought and sold 677.4 million units valued at N20.8 billion in 27,589 deals compared with the 451.5 million units worth N13.0 billion traded in 33,327 deals on Monday, showing an improvement in the trading volume and value by 50.03 per cent and 60.00 per cent apiece, and a shortfall in the number of deals by 17.22 per cent.
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