Fund reviews: analysis of lesser-known funds – Financial Mail
The high-equity unit trust sector is now the bedrock of the unit trust industry. With more than 200 funds in the sector, Stephen Cranston reviews the top performing lesser-known funds available in South Africa. Gavin Wood comments. view article
Restructure gives Adcock profit a boost – Business Day
Pharmaceutical group Adcock Ingram has managed to turn its rest of Africa operations profitable, contributing to a tripling of after-tax profit in the year to end-June. The group grew overall revenue by 7% to R5.96 billion and after-tax profit was up 213% to R561 million in the year to end-June. Aslam Dalvi comments. view article
Bidcorp off to a blistering start – Business Day
Bidcorp’s maiden full-year results show the company got off to a blistering start as a JSE-listed entity. The company, which was spun out of Bidvest in May 2016, reported a near double-digit rise in earnings despite difficult trading conditions in some key operations. Dirk van Vlaanderen comments. view article
Massmart sticks to expansion strategy – Business Day
Massmart says it has not given up on Africa and will continue to invest in its business on the continent. CEO Guy Hayward said that despite the challenges faced by most African economies, there were signs the tide could yet change for the better. In the period under review, Massmart’s total sales were R42.5 billion, […]
Battle of the PGM belt – Financial Mail
Platinum mining companies are having to take painful decisions to make operations resilient in the face of low prices, regulatory uncertainty, labour and community protests and an unclear demand outlook. Abdul Davids comments. view article
Hulamin sets example for ailing steel industry – Business Day
As SA’s steel industry appears to be going into terminal decline, the aluminium market has been looking up. The pride of South African aluminium production, Hulamin, has just reported strong interim results to June 2017, despite a stronger rand. Abdul Davids comments. view article
Future looks bright for Mondi – Business Day
Higher prices for Mondi’s products underpin a positive outlook for the international packaging, paper and pulp manufacturer after it reported a robust performance in the first half of 2017. Revenue rose 8% to €3.6 billion in the six months from the same period in 2016. But underlying operating profit of €497 million came off €32 […]
Still no light for Dawn – Financial Mail
In its annual results to March 2016, Dawn posted a net loss of R758 million. It has now posted an attributable loss of R637 million in the year to March 2017. Meyrick Barker comments. view article
Trading conditions squeeze Woolworths – Business Day
Investors are lowering their expectations for Woolworths as the outlook for the local retail sector deteriorates. The company reported that growth in the second half of its financial year had been affected by “increasingly difficult trading conditions in both SA and Australasia”. Simon Anderssen comments. view article
Datatec bounces on sale of Westcon – Business Day
Datatec announced the sale of its Westcon Americas business in a shares-and-cash deal worth about R10.2 billion — or 85% of its market cap. US Fortune 500 IT company, Synnex, will pay a maximum of US$800 million, of which US$500 million will be settled in Synnex shares, giving Datatec a 10.25% share. Aslam Dalvi comments. […]