Reforms at Anglo begin to yield fruit – Business Report
Diversified global mining company Anglo American posted solid production figures in the quarter to September. Anglo raised its full-year iron-ore production forecast to a range of 45 million tons to 46 million tons. Rubin Renecke and Abdul Davids comment on the company’s production numbers. view article
BAT's cigarette sales volumes slowly going up in smoke – Business Day
The volume of cigarettes British American Tobacco (BAT) sold continued to decline in its third quarter ended September, amid contracting smoker markets in countries including Russia, Vietnam, Brazil, Poland and Canada. The JSE’s biggest stock by market value — R1.2-trillion — saw its share fall as much as 4.58% to R585 yesterday after it released interim […]
Retailers in for a rough ride – Finweek
Faced with a sputtering economy, high levels of consumer debt and a clampdown on unsecured lending, clothing and furniture retailers are under pressure to find new sources of growth. Big retailers reliant on offering credit sales to lower and middle-income consumers have been particularly vulnerable, with financial results reflecting an increasingly cash-strapped and cautious consumer […]
Autopage's new role – Financial Mail
Altron TMT is repositioning one of its telecom businesses, Altech Autopage Cellular, to offer increased internet services with a focus on corporate clients. Autopage’s business of reselling the products and services of various mobile network operators has come under pressure from price competition and the reduction in mobile termination rates. Its rival, Nashua Mobile, which […]
BAT: Confounding sceptics – Financial Mail
These days tobacco companies no longer carry the “sin share” badge but are increasingly given the more ominous “death share” tag. Ethical issues aside, the investment proposition, on paper, is preposterous: imagine investing in a company offering a much maligned product to a shrinking consumer market. It’s even more difficult when you consider that brand […]
Diversification helps grow Phumelela earnings – Business Day
Phumelela Gaming and Leisure — owner of five racecourses with training centres in Gauteng, the Free State, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape — saw earnings per share shoot up 32% in the first six months to July, underpinned by improved international operations. The positive momentum continued in the second half with a weaker rand providing […]
Listed property still offers opportunities – Moneyweb
Over the past decade, the local listed property sector has experienced stellar average compounded growth in excess of 20%, but does the sector still have attractive longer-term return prospects in the face of higher bond yields and interest rates? Justin Floor gives our view on this asset class. view article
Pick n Pay distribution upgrade is on track – Business Report
Pick n Pay was on track with the completion of its central distribution programme, which had already reduced distribution costs by 10 percent, the retailer said. Over the years, the supermarket chain has been criticised for not investing in centralised distribution and has had operational challenges at one of its distribution centres. Abdul Davids comments that […]
Penalty shoot-out – Financial Mail
Dirk van Vlaanderen is quoted in this company analysis of Cape-based empowerment ventures, Brimstone and Grand Parade Investments. view article
FirstRand on track to open Ghana bank – Business Day
FirstRand, SA’s largest bank by earnings and market capitalisation, hopes to set up a fully fledged bank in Ghana early next year and has R10.2bn in surplus capital to invest in its growing operations in countries such as Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia and India. Jihad Jhaveri comments on the company’s annual results. view article