Dangote group, others get accolades at maiden CAMCAN awards

By Chioma Obinagwam

Dangote Group, Zenith Bank Plc. among other listed companies have been presented with awards for their impressive performance in their various sectors.

The Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) disclosed in a statement on Sunday.

“It was a celebration of excellence for companies that emerged tops in various categories on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at the weekend in Lagos,” the statement indicated.

“The event, the maiden CAMCAN Nigeria Capital Market Performance Awards 2018 to reward resilience based on performance of companies listed on the NSE for the year ended December 31, 2017, with members of the Dangote Group showing class across various sectors,” the statement continued.

For example, Dangote Cement Plc, the biggest company (by market capitalization) emerged as the most profitable with its net profit of N204.25 billion in the industrial goods sector, as well as the entire market.

For the overall profitable company prize, Dangote Cement beat Zenith Bank Plc, which had emerged best in its sector with its N177.61 billion, and Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) which was second in its sector after reporting N170.67 billion profit.

Dangote Cement also showed that it was not just about being biggest or most profitable, it emerged most efficient stock in its sector with 25.35 per cent Net Profit Margin ( NPM)- measured by how much of each Naira of revenue is converted to net profit by dividing net profit by turnover and multiplying it by 100. It however came behind Seplat Petroleum Development Company, which clinched the prize with NPM of 58.66 per cent after winning in the oil and gas sector.

Diamond Bank won the award for the stock with best Price/Book Value (P/B V) both in its sector and the entire market; while Total Nigeria was best in Return on Investment (ROI) for market-wide; while MRS Oil won in the Earnings Yield category.

In the consumer goods sector, Dangote Sugar Refinery, another member of the Dangote Group emerged most profitable with N39.78 billion; followed by Nestle Nigeria’s N33.72 billion.

Nestle Nigeria, however, won the prize for best RoI in its consumer goods sector, as well as the entire market for the period.

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In the insurance sector, the prizes were a straight battle between Custodian & Allied and NEM Insurance plc, which clinched two awards each, leaving AIICO with just one.

Custodian, the statement revealed, was most profitable with N7.31billion, followed by NEM; which emerged most efficient at 20.7 per cent; as well as the best RoI of 28.5 per cent; leaving Custodian with best Earnings Yield; while AIICO followed, and then emerged with best P/BV.

In the banking sector, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated was rated first with total assets of N6.86 trillion; ahead of Zenith Bank’s N5.59 trillion while FBN Holdings grabbed N5.24 trillion.
The statement also showed that GTBank emerged most efficient stock with 40.66 per cent NPM, followed by Zenith Bank’s 23.83 per cent and Stanbic IBTC, 22.77 per cent.

GTBank again came tops in RoI; trailed by Stanbic IBTC.

Moreover, the prize for best Earnings Yield went to Fidelity Bank, which posted 25.23 per cent trailed by ETI with 20.24 per cent even as FCMB grabbed 19.97 per cent.

Diamond Bank recorded the best P/BV of 0.21; ahead of FCMB’s 0.25 and Fidelity, 0.37, while Wema Bank emerged best with Non-performing Loan (NPL) ratio of 3.89 per cent; ahead of Zenith Bank’s 4.7 per cent ahead of Access Bank’s 4.96 per cent.

In the oil and gas sector also, the statement showed, MRS Oil emerged best in Earnings Yield and P/B Value; with Sir Sunny Nwosu, a director and shareholder activist receiving both awards on behalf of the company.

Besides honouring all past Presidents of CAMCAN, including Gbenga Agbana, whose wife received his posthumous award, the organizers also honoured past Directors-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa and Musa Al-Faki; as well as Apostle Hayford Ikponmwosa Alile, former DG of the NSE, as well as his successor, Prof (Mrs.) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke.

Receiving the awards, Ndanusa, who was represented by Mrs. Okereke-Onyiuke appreciated CAMCAN for the recognition and for remembering to honour those who served the Nigerian capital market meritoriously, contributing to making it what it has become today.

In a keynote speech on behalf of Ms. Mary Uduk, Director-General of the SEC, Henry Roland Adekunle, Acting Commissioner, Corporate Services, at the commission, noted the relationship between excellent performed company and imbibing good corporate governance.

Also acknowledged at the event were the NSE and FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange for their contribution to the development of the Nigerian Capital Market.

In the individual awards category, CAMCAN acknowledged the contributions of Mr. Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings Limited, a major investor in UBA Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), United Capital Plc and African Prudential, all listed on the NSE.

His price was received at the occasion by Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Transcorp Hotels Plc, and Mrs. Owen Omogiafo, Executive Director at Transcorp Plc.

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The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc was also recognized for living true to its name by taking and hoisting the Nigerian flag in 20 countries across the African continent, thereby diversifying its earnings and profit base, among others.

The bank was represented by Ugo Nwagodoh, Group Chief Finance Officer and Abiola Razak, the Head, Investors’ Relation.