BUSINESS
Dangote Cement to Buy Back 170m Shares from Shareholders
Dangote Cement Plc says it will repurchase 170 million ordinary shares from shareholders in the second tranche of its share buyback programme.
The shares are worth 1 percent of the company’s issued shares.
In a statement on Wednesday, Edward Imoedemhe, deputy company secretary of Dangote Cement, said the programme will run from January 19 to January 20 or when the entire shares have been repurchased.
A buyback occurs when the issuing company pays shareholders the market value per share and re-absorbs that portion of its ownership that was previously distributed among public and private investors.
On December 31 2020, the company had completed the first tranche of its share buyback programme, repurchasing shares worth N40.
20 million at N243 per share, at a total value of N9.8 billion.The statement said the company has a total value of N17.04 billion fully paid-up ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.
The cement maker added it would be repurchasing 170 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, representing 1% of the company’s issued shares.
According to the company, this includes 40.2 million shares held as treasury shares, following the conclusion of Tranche I of the share buyback programme.
It said the transaction would take place at the open market on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), subject to prevailing market conditions and under the current daily trading rules of the NGX.
It also appointed Meristem Stockbrokers Limited and Vetiva Securities Limited as stockbrokers for the second tranche of the programme.
“Through its appointed Stockbrokers, the Company will, at its discretion, purchase DCP’s shares in the open market over the duration of Tranche II, subject to prevailing market conditions and under the current daily trading rules of the NGX,” the statement reads.
“DCP would, however, not be under any obligation whatsoever to purchase any or all of the DCP shares put on offer over the duration of Tranche II.
“The shares being repurchased by the company under the Share Buy-Back Programme will be held as treasury shares and may subsequently be cancelled. Execution of this Tranche II is not expected to have any material impact on the company’s financial position.
“Dangote Cement shareholders seeking to participate in Tranche II of the Share Buyback Programme are hereby advised to contact their stockbrokers or any other independent professional adviser registered as a capital market operator by the SEC for further guidance on the submission of trades on the NGX’s trading platform.
“DCP will provide weekly updates on the progress of Tranche II of the Programme on its website over the duration of this tranche.
“The Company will continue to monitor the evolving business environment and market conditions in making decisions on further tranches of the Share Buy-Back Programme.
“Shareholders and investors are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the securities of Dangote Cement until the completion of Tranche II of the Share BuyBack Programme. An announcement will be published upon completion of Tranche II of the Programme.”
Economy
Investors Gain N183bn on NGX
The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) continued its bullish trend on Wednesday, gaining N183 billion.
Accordingly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N59.532 trillion, gained N184 billion or 0.31 per cent to close at N59.715 trillion.
The All-Share Index also added 0.31 per cent or 303 points, to settle at 98,509.
68, against 98,206. 97 recorded on Tuesday.Consequently, the Year-To-Date (YTD) return increased to 31.
74 per cent.Gains in Aradel Holdings, Zenith Bank, United Bank For Africa(UBA), Oando Plc, Nigerian Breweries among other advanced equities drove the market performance up.
Market breadth closed positive with 34 gainers and 17 losers.
On the gainers’ chart, Africa Prudential, Conoil and RT Briscoe led by 10 per cent each to close at N14.30, N352 and N2.42 per share, respectively.
Golden Guinea Breweries followed by 9.95 per cent to close at N7.18, while NEM Insurance rose by 9.74 per cent to close at N10.70 per share.
On the other hand, Julius Berger led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent to close at N155.25, Secure Electronic Technology Plc trailed by 9.52 per cent to close at 57k per share.
Multiverse lost 7.63 per cent to close at N5.45, Haldane McCall dropped 6.07 per cent to close at N4.95 and Honeywell Flour shed 5.62 per cent to close at N4.70 per share.
Analysis of the market activities showed trade turnover settled lower relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions down by 49.44 per cent.
A total of 320.10 million shares valued at N6.48 billion were exchanged in 7,943 deals, compared with 939.41 million shares valued at N12.81billion traded in 9,098 deals posted in the previous session.
Meanwhile, ETranzact led the activity chart in volume with 70.27 million shares, while Aradel led in value of deals worth N1.22 billion.(NAN)
Economy
Yuan Weakens to 7.1870 Against Dollar
The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the Yuan, weakened 22 pips to 7.1870 against the dollar on Monday.This is according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.In China’s spot foreign exchange market, the Yuan is allowed to rise or fall by two per cent from the central parity rate each trading day.
The central parity rate of the Yuan against the dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day. (Xinhua/NAN)Economy
Bring Kaduna Refinery Back into Operation, Youth Group Urges NNPCL
Arewa Youths Initiative for Energy Reforms (AYIFER), has urged Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to do everything possible to bring Kaduna Refinery back into operation.
National Coordinator of the group, Mr Bashir Al’Amin, stated this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
Al’Amin specifically called on the Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari, to do all within his powers to rejuvenate the refinery and bring it up to global standard.
He said that having delivered the Port Harcourt refinery, coupled with the establishment of Dangote Refinery in Lagos, attention should be shifted to Kaduna refinery for easy spread of petroleum products.
“We are calling on Malam Mele Kyari to expedite action on Kaduna refinery so we can be at par with other regions in the country.
“We equally beg the NNPCL to do professional work in rehabilitating the old refinery and deliver a standard and functional petrochemical refinery and not a blending plant.
“Kyari should resist any temptation that could make him do something that can jeopardise his good image,” he said.
Al’Amin said that since the extinction of groundnut pyramid and textiles in Kano State as well as PAN in Kaduna State and with the Kaduna refinery getting moribund, a lot of youths had lost their jobs.
According to him, all their hopes in the north are tied to the legacy refinery, expressing the hope that God would use Kyari to deliver it well and on time.
He said that the group was solidly behind NNPCL in prayer and would be ready to celebrate the company if its expectations were met. (NAN)