Fat margins are a luxury – Financial Mail Investors Monthly
Tiger Brands has not only come under pressure from its offshore operations, its South African business has also been up against a wall in the past couple of years. Since the days of the recession, consumer spending has yet to fully recover, which means growth in the consumer goods industry largely remains subdued. Ongoing job […]
Successful diversification in the sugar industry – Finweek
The sugar producing business is cyclical by nature, as illustrated by the impact of a drought on the recent results from Tongaat Hulett and Illovo Sugar, the giants of the local industry. Both companies have worked hard in recent years to diversify their businesses, including into downstream operations such as ethanol and furfural production, electricity co-generation […]
Hospitals nervous ahead of probe – Citizen
Netcare, Life Healthcare (LHC) and Mediclinic are expected to take some heat when the delayed hearings of the Competition Commissions’ inquiry into the private health care market start. The three listed hospital groups dominate the private hospital market and, although none has a market share of more than 35%, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi contends each […]
PPC rises despite 38% earnings fall – Business Day
SA’s dismal construction and mining markets saw the country’s premier cement maker,PPC post a 38% plunge in headline earnings per share in the six months to March. The company, its reputation hard hit by the sudden departure of former CEO Ketso Gordhan late last year after a battle with the board, has seen its share price […]
Vodacom’s earnings decline for a ‘year of rebasing’ – Moneyweb
Vodacom Group Limited announced its financial results for the year ending March 31 2015, with Group headline earnings per share tumbling by 4% to 860 cents. The mobile network operator called the period ‘a year of rebasing’ amidst pressure on SA consumer spending, intensifying competition and a ‘challenging macro environment’. Aslam Dalvi comments. view article
Profit shoots up 75% and Sappi makes strides in cutting back debt – Business Day
Sappi’s profit for the second quarter shot up 75% from the same period last year to $56m. This was even as total sales fell 15% to $1.34bn. A one-off pension fund gain in Europe boosted operating earnings of the pulp, paper and chemical cellulose maker, with special items providing gains of $68m, up from $4m […]
Metair's great big hairy, audacious goals – Moneyweb
The world’s vehicle manufacturers are racing to meet tightening emissions legislation. They are investing heavily in technology to achieve increased fuel economy and lower vehicle emissions through innovations such as engine downsizing, turbocharging and weight reduction. They are also looking at start-stop engine management systems as a cost effective solution. JSE-listed Metair is one of a handful […]
Sappi: Positive signs but not everyone is convinced – Finweek
Steve Binnie, at the helm of Sappi for the past 10 months, has had a tough shift. The papermaker’s fortunes abroad, where Sappi derives 75% of its sales, are waning due to falling demand and subdued prices for paper. Added to this is a net debt of US$2bn (R24bn), due in part to the US$1.1bn […]
Market happy with BAT's slow burn – Business Day
The local market seemed reassured by yesterday’s quarterly management statement from cigarette giant British American Tobacco (BAT) in spite of a further drop in volumes, with the share falling 0.7% to R656.60. BAT’s business model is built on being able to counter dwindling cigarette volumes with pricing power — especially in its Global Drive Brands […]
SP corporate credit rating cut to add to Anglo's troubles – Business Report
Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) yesterday slashed its assessment of Anglo American’s ability to repay its debt because of the sharp drop in iron ore prices. In a statement yesterday, S&P said it had lowered the corporate credit ratings on the company to BBB-/A-3 from BBB/A-2 and the South Africa national scale rating to […]