Agrimark owner grows dividend; Maersk cuts its global container projection

News24

08-05-2025

In an extremely busy day for local corporate news, Agrimark and PEG fuel owner KAL upped its dividend despite some profit pressure, while Gemfields is picking up the pace again in Zambia. In international news, shipping group AP Moller-Maersk warned on Thursday that a global trade war and geopolitical uncertainty could trigger a drop in global container volumes this year, although it left its profit outlook unchanged.
SA business
Agricultural services and retail group KAL reported a slight slip in headline earnings to R310 million for its six months to end March amid a 2.6% fall in fuel volumes. But the group said while it saw less load-shedding related demand, it continued to outperform the rest of the industry. Profit from the Agrimark business segment, which includes the Agrimark retail branches, fuel filling stations, packaging distribution centres, New Holland agency services as well as fuel redistribution units, increased by 2.4%, while agri revenue - such as grain handling - growth was strong, with all sectors in which it operates performing well, except for the below-average 2024 wheat harvest. But the group remains bullish about its prospects, including due to Easter holidays falling in its second half, and it upped its dividend by 3.7% to 56c (R41.6 million. 'KAL Group has grown tenfold over the past 14 years. To put it in perspective – fourteen years ago, we made just 10% of what we've reported this half. That kind of growth, even in a flat period, shows that our business remains solid,' said CEO Sean Walsh.
Ruby and emerald miner and auctioneer Gemfields announced that its Kagem emerald mine in Zambia which is 25% owned by that country's government, will 'shortly' recommence a programme of focused open-pit mining to recover more premium emeralds. Kagem had suspended all mining from 1 January 2025 to focus on processing ore from its significant ore stockpile utilising the upgraded processing plant. Emerald production from the processing plant in 2025 so far, in terms of carats recovered, has been in line with the expectations, it said, producing a lower proportion of higher-quality or premium emeralds than direct open-pit mining methods. The decision to recommence full-scale mining will continue to be assessed as market conditions develop, it added.
Anheuser-Busch InBev reported that its brands took market share from competitors in South Africa, with Corona and Stella Artois seeing solid sales growth in the country in the first quarter. Still, the Belgium-headquartered giant reported a volume decline of 'low single digits' (below 5%) in South Africa, where its brands include Castle Lager, Carling Black Label, and Flying Fish. Along with others in the industry, the quarter was affected by the late Easter holidays, which this year fell later in April. Its 'Beyond Beer' brands – primarily Brutal Fruit – saw volume growth of mid-single digits, while Corona and Stella Artois volumes were up in the low-teens (10% to 14%).
State-owned chicken producer Daybreak Foods says it is considering business rescue, a day after officials from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) said they were forced to cull 350 000 starving chicks. Daybreak said that significant financial constraints were affecting its operations, meaning it could not afford feed and was struggling to pay suppliers and staff salaries. It has requested funding from the state-run asset manager, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Workers at Daybreak's facilities in Limpopo told News24 they were on strike due to the non-payment of salaries, meaning they could not make rental payments, cover debit orders, or pay for scholarships. Daybreak said it could not commit to a 'specific date for employee salary payments' as it was awaiting a response from the PIC regarding the funding request. Earlier this week, the NSPCA said it had been forced to cull 350 000 starving chicks at contract farms that raise them for Daybreak. Many had resorted to cannibalism in a desperate bid to survive. products or services,' Godongwana said in a written response dated 14 February this year.
Paper, pulp and packaging group Sappi reported a disappointing second quarter amid depressed SA wood prices, as well as longer-than-expected local maintenance shuts. Sappi reported a loss of $20 million (R365 million) for its second quarter to end March from a profit of $29 million previously. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation fell 40.5% to $107 million. The group reported a financial hit of $13 million more than expected as a result of extended maintenance at its Saiccor and Ngodwana mills due to wear and tear on equipment being worse than expected, though these issues have now been resolved. It also saw a R307 million ($17 million) forestry fair value loss amid depressed SA wood prices. It also had to contend with uncertainty around tariffs, with China being the major demand source for the ingredients used to make textiles, but Sappi said it was still eyeing some positive trends, including continued demand for environmentally sustainable packaging.
Naspers and Prosus, Africa's most valuable group of companies, said on Thursday that it expects to exceed its target for ecommerce profitability in its year to end March. In a letter to mark the 10 months since new CEO Fabricio Bloisi assumed the role, and ahead of full-year results to end March that are expected in June, Bloisi said the group will report adjusted earnings before interest and tax (aEBIT) of more than $430 million (R7.9 billion), ahead of a target of $400 million set in October. 'For (financial year 2026), I want to achieve at least the same level of incremental aEBIT. This is important because we should be measuring our results not by the millions, but by many, many billions and we will get there,' he said. Bloisi, who is the former CEO of iFood, the group's already profitable Brazilian delivery giant, has set a target of creating another $100 billion in shareholder value, aiming to leverage platform effects across the group - such as sharing best practice using innovative technology in customer service - but also through acquisitions.
Sugar producer Tongaat Hulett announced that two shareholders launched a High Court application on 25 April seeking to declare that its business rescue plan alters the rights of shareholders and has not been finally or lawfully adopted. Tongaat said it would oppose the motion, which seeks to interdict any further implementation. Creditors had approved the plan of a consortium called Vision in early 2024, but shareholders shot down a plan that could have seen the sugar producer potentially remain listed, kicking off an asset sales process that has already received nods from competition authorities in SA, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Paper and packaging giant Mondi reported it that higher sales volumes and strong cost controls helped bump up its first-quarter profits. Underlying earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation jumped almost 36% year on year to €290 million (almost R6 billion) in the three months to end March, with this profit measure excluding various items to reflect the cash-generating ability of the group. Strong demand also means the group expects price increases to benefit it in the second quarter.
Nasdaq- and JSE-listed Lesaka Technologies reported a record performance in its consumer division helped it keep to its guidance for its third quarter, and it's confident enough to expect a profit next year as well. Lesaka, which has been growing rapidly since rebranding from Net1 UEPS in 2022, reported its loss jumped to R404 million from about R76 million in its third quarter, weighed down by about a R311-million hit to non-core asset Mobikwik, an Indian payments firm which listed in that country late last year. However, revenue was within guidance, though it dipped, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) improved 29% in rand terms to about R237 million, in line with guidance. The group also said it expects net income attributable to shareholders to be positive in 2026, though this excludes possible acquisitions, while its guidance for 2026 implies an about 42% rise in adjusted ebitda at the midpoint. It has guided as much as R1 billion of this profit measure for 2025 and R1.45 billion for 2026.
Industrial group enX flagged a between 71% and 81% fall in headline earnings per share for its six months to end February, when it also expects to report a basic loss per share of as much as 48c. Revenue from continuing operations is expected to decrease by approximately 10% mainly due to lower demand related to minimal loadshedding, it said, while it also booked an impairment related to its disposal of its lubricant interests.
Stellenbosch University has appointed Professor Reza Daniels, Director of the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, as the new Dean of the Faculty of Economic Management Sciences (EMS). He will start his term on 1 November 2025. Daniels brings a wealth of experience in senior leadership, not only within the higher education environment but also within the private sector, the university said in a statement.
Global business
Shipping group AP Moller-Maersk warned on Thursday that a global trade war and geopolitical uncertainty could trigger a drop in global container volumes this year, although it left its profit outlook unchanged. Trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump have prompted companies worldwide to cut sales targets and major economies to revise down growth prospects, impacting demand for shipping goods at sea. Maersk, viewed as a barometer of world trade, said it now expects global container volumes within a range of down 1% to up 4% this year, compared with the 4% growth estimated at the beginning of the year. 'The outlook for global container demand over the remainder of the year remains highly uncertain, shaped by a rapidly evolving trade policy landscape and increasing recession risks in the United States,' Maersk said. - Reuters
Dubai's Emirates Group, which includes the Middle East's biggest airline, announced on Thursday gross annual profit of $6.2 billion (R112 billion), its third record in three years. The 18% rise in profit, based on strong customer demand, slimmed to $5.6 billion after the UAE's recently introduced corporate tax, which was applied for a full financial year for the first time. 'The Emirates Group has raised the bar to set new records for profit, revenue and cash assets,' chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said in a statement. The group invested $3.8 billion in new aircraft, infrastructure and technology 'to support its growth plans', the statement said. Its workforce grew by 9% to an unprecedented 121 223 employees. The group declared a $1.6 billion dividend to its owner, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). - AFP
The European Commission proposed on Thursday countermeasures on up to €95 billion (almost R2 trillion) of US imports if negotiations with Washington fail to remove the series of tariffs applied by US President Donald Trump. The new measures, representing the EU's response to US import tariffs on cars and its broader 'reciprocal' tariffs, would target US wine, fish, aircraft, car and car parts, chemicals, electrical equipment, health products and machinery. The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 27-nation EU, said it was launching a month-long consultation for EU members and business to react. It will then take a final decision on its counter-tariffs, likely to hit a smaller volume of US imports. The announcement of a new list of products the EU may target comes on the day Trump is expected to announce a trade deal between the United States and Britain. – Reuters
Sportswear brand Puma reported a decline in first-quarter profit margin on Thursday and no growth in first-quarter sales as the company cuts costs in an attempt to turn its performance around. Puma sales of €2.076 billion (R42.5 billion) were slightly better than analysts' forecast of €2.041 billion, up by 0.1% compared with the first quarter last year. - Reuters
China's top chipmaker SMIC said Thursday its first-quarter profit surged, despite a punishing trade war and tensions between Beijing and Washington over key technologies. China has sought to increase its self-reliance in the field of semiconductors, which are used in everything from televisions and cars to weapons and supercomputers. The United States has taken steps to stop Chinese firms from accessing its advanced technology and tightened curbs on exports of state-of-the-art chips and the equipment to make them. SMIC reported in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday that first-quarter profit attributable to owners of the company stood at $188 million, up 161.9% compared to the equivalent period last year. The Shanghai-based company said revenue rose 28.4% year-on-year to $2.2 billion. These results marked an improvement for the company after annual profits plunged 45.4% last year compared to 2023. The company said it expected revenue to decrease 4% to 6% in the second quarter, adding that it saw 'both opportunities and challenges' in the second half of the year. 'The company will enhance its adaptability and risk resilience capability,' it said. - AFP
$200 billion (R3.6 trillion)
Bill Gates pledged on Thursday to give away almost his entire personal wealth in the next two decades and said the world's poorest would receive some $200 billion via his foundation, which comes as governments worldwide are slashing international aid, Reuters reported.