Annual General Meetings and Upcoming 'Facts behind the figures' on GSE

Courtesy: CBL

Dividend schedule and Annual General Meetings for GSE companies.

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Coutesy: CBL

Annual General Meetings Scheduled for July by Companies on Ghana Stock Exchange

The beginning of the second quarter was a busy time for most companies as various directors prepared to meet their shareholders. Some companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange had their Annual General Meetings in April. Others like Golden Stars Resources Ltd (GSR), Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Enterprise Group Ltd (EGL) and CAL Bank (CAL) had theirs in May.

Taking a closer look at Unilever Ghana Limited (UNIL)

Today, I want us to focus on Unilever Ghana Limited (UNIL) and it's performance in 2011 and in the year so far. In my earlier post about the 1st Quarter of the Manufacturing sector, I wrote on the current standing of the company on the exchange. 

UNIL: 1st Quarter Chart on GSE: (courtesy; Bloomberg & GSE) 

We would look at more figures and how investors are reacting. UNIL as we know, manufactures and markets consumer goods throughout Ghana some of which includes toilet soaps, personal products, detergents, and consumable food products.

This year, UNIL began trading at GHS 6.64 (03.01.12) per share on the exchange. UNIL has issued about 62.50 million ordinary shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) with market capitalization of GHS 509.38 million. As released by the exchange, UNIL records a dividend yield (%) of 5.89. It was also recorded a price per book value from the most recent quarter as reported by Bloomberg as 8.6373. 

Investors reaction to the stock on the exchange has not changed so much. The shares are trading from time to time and most of the time as odd lots. As at today, the price remains at it's year high of GHS 8.15.

UNIL reported in March 2012 that it has made a revenue of GHS 239,005 for the 2011 financial year. In a press release to the Ghana Stock Exchange, it reports a profit after tax for the year as GHS 30,115, an increased of the one for 2010 which was GHS 17,947. Shareholders equity increase from GHS 41,340 to GHS 48,893.(NB: all figures are expressed in thousands of GH cedis unless otherwise stated)

UNIL would be having its Annual General Meeting on 27th April 2012 at the National Theatre. Shareholders are advised to go and contribute to the discussions and also vote on issues. Moreover, the company has proposed a dividend per share of 0.4800 pesewas which has a qualifying date as 25th April, 2012.

We hope to keep our eyes on UNIL and it's affairs in the household & consumer products sector.

Dividend Payments released for some companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange

The time has come again when shareholders look up to their various companies hoping dividends would be paid. Dividend investors are also looking for dividend stocks on the Ghana Stock Exchange whiles other type of investors hope the profits would be plough back for the growth of the companies.  This is the time where preference shareholders get paid first before the ordinary shareholders.

Some companies on the exchange are planning for their Annual General Meetings (AGM) and hoping to pay dividend for the financial year. Let’s take a closer look at what directors of those companies have decided to pay.

Companies	Dividend per share(GH cedis)	Payment Date
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)	3.05	May 31, 2012
Ecobank Ghana (EBG)	0.24	May 18, 2012
Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP)	0.0690	June 29, 2012
SG-SSB	0.04	April 30, 2012
HFC Bank (HFC)	0.022	May 14, 2012
Trust Bank Limited (The Gambia) (TBL)	20 butus	April 12, 2012
PBC Ltd (PBC)	0.0173	April 30, 2012
SCB-PREF	0.0324	March 30, 2012

For most of these stocks, the qualifying dates for their dividend payment are in March and April 2012. This simply means every potential investor who wants to enjoy the above dividend payments must buy the shares of those companies and be registered in their books before March or April. SCB, EBG and HFC for instance, have their qualifying dates on April 20^th, 19^th and 18^th, 2012 respectively, therefore investors must note these else would have to wait for another financial year to enjoy dividend payments.

AGMs

Ecobank Ghana ltd, HFC Bank Gh ltd and Ayton Drugs Manufacturing Company ltd planned to go for their Annual General meetings on April 27^th, 26^th and 5^th respectively. SG-SSB limited to have theirs on March 30^th whiles Benso Oil Palm Plantation Ltd planned for May 3rd, 2012.

Shareholders must do well to attend these meetings in order to get a better knowledge of the company and its plans for the future.

Keep investing, especially in the Ghanaian financial market.