MSE Trading Report for Week ending 29 April 2022

 

MSE Equity Total Return Index: 

The MSE Equity Total Return Index recovered a two-month loss after it registered a 3.4% increase, to close at 7,796.076 points. A total weekly turnover of €0.8m was generated, as 107 transactions were executed. Out of 18 active equities, seven closed higher while another seven ended the week in the red.

International Hotel Investments plc (IHI) was the best performing equity after it registered a double-digit gain. The equity spiked by 41%, as the company announced that it has entered in a preliminary term sheet with the United Development Company of Qatar (UDC) to assess a possible subscription for shares in the company. Subject to the attainment of all necessary approvals, a satisfactory completion of a due diligence process and satisfactory negotiation and completion of all requisite definitive agreements, UDC will subscribe to 100,000,000 new shares to be issued by the company at a subscription price of €1.22 per share. Furthermore, UDC will be granted with an option to subscribe to an additional 200,000,000 new shares within one year at a price of €1.28 per share.

UDC is the owner and developer of the Pearl in Doha, Qatar, consisting of a luxury residential, commercial, social and hospitality development. UDC is a listed company whose main shareholder is the Pension Fund of Qatar.

During the IHI’s AGM, which is going to be held on June 9, 2022 the company shall be seeking the consent of shareholders to make disclosures of information to UDC. The company will also ask shareholders to authorise its directors to issue and allot up to 300,000,000 new shares.

The financial statements for 2021 released last week clearly show that the company is on the road to recovery from the impact of the pandemic. The company is now forecasting that the 2022 financial results will surpass last year’s results, as the year-to-date performance confirms budgets are being achieved.

In terms of trading activity, 184,265 share exchanged ownership across 20 transactions, worth €124,239. The equity traded at a weekly low of €0.60 and a high of €0.805 – this week’s closing price.

Malta International Airport plc closed at €5.95, translating into a 0.8% decline. A total of 29,734 shares exchanged ownership across 11 transactions.

Bank of Valletta plc was the only banking equity which finished in negative territory. The banking equity declined by 3.8%, as it closed the week €0.03 lower at €0.77. This was the result of 22 transactions involving 109,025 shares.

HSBC Bank Malta plc kicked of the week on a positive note, as it reached €0.78 on Monday. The gain was fully erased on Thursday but regained yesterday, as it closed 1.3% higher at €0.78. This was the outcome of 10 deals of 46,136 share worth €35,639.

FIMBank Malta plc was active but closed unchanged at $0.206. A total of two deals involving 49,461 shares were executed.

A sole deal of just 282 LifeStar Insurance plc shares had no impact on the share price and closed unchanged at €0.45.

The board of LifeStar Holdings plc is scheduled to meet on April 29, 2022 to consider and approve the annual financial statements of the company for the financial year ending December 31, 2021.

The share price of GO plc advanced by 3.8%, closing the week at €3.30. A total of 37,860 shares exchanged ownership across 11 transactions, as the equity’s price oscillated between a weekly low of €3 and a high of €3.34.

Its subsidiary, BMIT Technologies plc was the only active equity in the IT services sector. The equity’s price fell by 4%. Eight transactions of 258,572 shares pushed the share price to the €0.48 level.

Four transactions in AX Real Estate plc executed on Friday, fully erased Wednesday’s decline. The share price increased by 3.5% to finished the week at €0.60.

On the other hand, the shares of Malta Properties Company plc eased by 1% to end the week at €0.505, as 17,120 shares were traded.

Trident Estates plc closed the week in the green after it registered a gain of 9.4%, finishing the week at €1.40. A single trade worth just €490 was executed. During the week the company announced that it is scheduled to meet on May 27, 2022 to consider and approve the annual financial statements of the company for the financial year ending December 31, 2021 and to recommend a final dividend at the forthcoming AGM. The AGM will be held remotely on June 24, 2022.

MaltaPost plc shed 1% off its share price, as a result of one trade of 1,236 shares. The equity finished the week at €1.09.

Retail conglomerate, PG plc closed flat at €2.24 as two trades of 7,500 shares were recorded.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc locked a weekly gain of 4.4% to end the week at €8.25. This was the outcome of a single trade of 10 shares. The company announced that it shall be meeting on May 25, 2022 to consider and approve its audited financial statements for the financial year ended January 31, 2022 and to recommend a final dividend at the forthcoming AGM.

Santumas Shareholdings plc was active yesterday, as a single transaction of 5,214 shares translated in a 1% decline. The equity closed the week at €1.09.

No movement was recorded in the share price of M&Z plc, having traded at €0.75 over 33,000 shares. The board of M&Z plc announced that the company’s AGM shall be held remotely on June 24, 2022. During the week, M&Z plc published the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. The company announced that although it faced a number of challenges during 2021, including the implications of Brexit and the additional costs faced due to import/export duties, the company still managed to close the year with an increase of 5.2% in revenue and 21.5% in profit after tax.

Meanwhile, MedservRegis plc headed the list of fallers with a double digit decline of 21%, closing the week at €0.70. A total of 71,713 shares were executed over a single deal.

Hili Properties plc announced that the board has approved the company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.

The company registered a consolidated profit after tax of €3.2m. The financial analysis summary (FAS) published in June 2021 contained a projected consolidated profit after tax of €1.5m. The improvement in the reported results is primarily attributable to higher increase in the value of properties owned by the group, when compared to those projected in the FAS.

The net movements in fair value reported in the financial statements amount to €2.1m whereas the comparable amount in the FAS was €1m. The difference of €1.1m mainly relates to higher fair values on properties in Malta and properties in the Baltics classified as held for sale.

Last Tuesday the directors of MIDI plc presented their annual report and audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. The group managed to register a profit after tax of €0.6m compared to a loss after tax of €2.1m registered during 2020. When compared to 2020 revenues increased by €0.2m to €2.8m. The Board of Directors continues to adopt a cautious approach in not recommending a dividend payment in respect of the year ended December 31, 2021. This decision was taken in light of the perceived current uncertainties in order to preserve the group’s cash resources enabling it to manage liquidity demands over the coming months.

The board of the RS2 Software plc approved the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. The board resolved that these financial statements be submitted for the approval of the shareholders at the forthcoming AGM which is scheduled to be held remotely on June 27, 2022.

During 2021, the company registered revenues from its principal activities of €24.5m, up from €23.8m in 2020 and a profit after tax of €3.5m compared to €3.6m in 2020. The group generated revenues of €38.7m compared to €26.8m for the group’s consolidated activities and registered a profit after tax of €3.3m when compared to a loss after tax of €6m in 2020.

The group’s total assets amounted to €47.6m in 2021 against €38.1m in 2020. Its current assets exceeded its current liabilities by €7.5m in 2021, whilst the current liabilities exceeded its current assets by €9.1m in 2020.

Plaza Centres plc approved its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The group generated revenue of €2.5m, a decrease of 8.1% when compared to €2.8m in 2020. The sale of Tigne Place Commercial Property in September 2020 automatically contributed to a reduction in the consolidated revenue when compared to previous year. Revenue generated by the parent company during 2021 amounted to €2.5m, an improvement of 17.2% when compared to previous year’s revenue of €2.1m.  Similarly, the group’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) decreased by 15.5% from €1.9m in 2020 to €1.6m in 2021, whilst the EBITDA of the company increased by 13.1% from €1.4m in 2020 to €1.6m in 2021.

The group’s profit before tax for 2021 increased by 13.7% to €0.9m from €0.8m in 2020. Taxation increased from €0.29 in 2020 to €0.34m in 2021. The group’s profit after tax increased to €0.52 in 2020 to €0.46 in 2021. The group’s operating costs amounted to €1.4m in 2020 compared to €1.5m in 2021 whilst the cost to income ratio increased to 56.1% from 54.8% in 2020.

Last Monday, Main Street Shopping Complex plc published their annual financial report for 2021. Revenues for the year increased to €0.6m, up from €0.5m in 2020. Profit after tax increased by 67.3% to €0.2m versus €0.1m in 2020. The Directors recommended a net final dividend of €0.2m.

The MSE MGS Total Return Index gained ground after it registered a 0.3% increase, reaching 1,004.879 points. Out of 15 active issues, 12 headed north while another three closed in the opposite direction. The 1.8% MGS 2051 (I) was the best performer, as it closed 2.2% higher at €92.00. On the other hand, the 4.5% MGS 2028 (II) ended the week 0.3% lower at €119.68.

The MSE Corporate Bonds Total Return Index gained another 0.8%, as it closed at 1,146.844 points. A total of 55 issues were active, 20 of which advanced while another 17 traded lower. The top performer was the 5.75% International Hotel Investments plc Unsecured € 2025, as it registered a 3% increase, ending the week at €103. Conversely, the 3.5% Bank of Valletta plc € Notes 2030 S2 T1 lost 2.5%, as it reached the €97.51 price level.

In the Prospects MTF market, five issues were active. The 5.5% Testa Finance plc € Bonds 2029 was the most liquid, as it generated a total weekly turnover of €11,939, closing at €99.50.

 

Highlights:

 

Upcoming Events 
11 May 2022 MT: Malta International Airport plc – AGM Best Performers:
19 May 2022 MT: Malta Properties Company plc – AGM IHI 41%
23 May 2022 MT: Main Street Complex plc – AGM TRI 9.4%
24 May 2022 MT: BMIT Technologies plc – AGM SFC 4.4%
24 May 2022 MT: Mapfre Middlesea plc – Dividend Payment Date
24 May 2022 MT: Malta Properties plc – Dividend Payment Date Worst Performers:
25 May 2022 MT: Simonds Farsons Cisk – Full-Year Results MDS 21%
25 May 2022 MT: GO plc – AGM BMIT 4%
26 May 2022 MT: Lombard Bank Malta plc – AGM BOV 3.8%

 

This article, which was compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such. The Company is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a Member of the Malta Stock Exchange and a member of the Atlas Group. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article. For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, or on Tel: 21224410, or email [email protected]