Company Results
Zenith Bank’s Profit Before Tax Rises by 3% to N58.7 billion in Q1 2020
The increased profits benefited from the twin effects of continuing top-line growth and focused cost-of-funds optimisation.
Zenith Bank Plc has announced its unaudited results for the first quarter ended 31st March 2020, with profit before tax rising by 3% to N58.7 billion.
According to the unaudited account which was presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday 29th April 2020, the Group’s profit before tax improved 3% from N57.3 billion in the prior-year period to N58.8 billion in March 2020. The increased profits benefited from the twin effects of continuing top-line growth and focused cost-of-funds optimisation. The Bank’s cost of funds declined significantly from 3.0% in March 2019 to 2.6% in the quarter, translating to a 10% decrease in interest expense dropping from N36.3 billion in March 2019 to N32.8 billion in the quarter. Despite this drop, the low yield environment necessitated the repricing of interest-bearing assets which in turn resulted in a 13% compression in net interest margin, decreasing from 8.9% in March 2019 to 7.7% in the current period.
READ ALSO: Updated: CBN debits banks N1.4 trillion for failing to meet CRR targets.
The Group also recorded a 6% increase in Gross Earnings from N158.1 billion in March 2019 to N166.8 billion for the period. This top-line growth was driven by the 43% expansion in non-interest income from N32.7 billion in the prior-year period to N46.6 billion in March 2020.
Zenith Bank has continued to gain customer acceptance with customer deposits increasing by 5% from N4.26 trillion in December 2019 to N4.46 trillion in the current period. The customer deposit mix rebalancing remains on-track as the Group added N150 billion in savings account balances in Q1 2020, supported by its retail drive. The Bank’s total assets increased by 12% growing from N6.35 trillion in December 2019 to close at N7.13 trillion in the current period. In the quarter, gross loans grew by 11% from N2.46 trillion in December 2019 to N2.74 trillion within the period.
READ MORE: Total loans in Nigeria’s banking sector hit N15.35 trillion
Consistent with this performance and in recognition of its track record of excellent performances, Zenith Bank was voted as the Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria 2019 by the World Finance and the Best Digital Bank in Nigeria 2019 by Agusto and Co. The Bank was also recognised as Bank of the Year and Best in Retail Banking at the 2019 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards. Recently, the Bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, for the third consecutive year, in the Banker Magazine “Top 500 Banking Brands 2020”, Best Bank in Nigeria 2020 in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards 2020, and Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored content.
Company Results
Dangote Sugar yearly revenue surge by 33%, announces a dividend of N1.50
Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc. recently declared a 33.0% Year to year growth in earnings to N29.8 billion for the financial year of 2020
Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc via the Nigerian Stock exchange recently declared a 33.0% Year to year growth in earnings to N29.8 billion for the financial year of 2020
The company also announced a dividend of N1.50 (vs N1.10 total dividend in 2019).
Dangote Sugar’s revenue expanded by 33.0% YoY amid strong volume growth in its 50 kg sugar offering (c.96.0% of total sales).
The company’s impressive outing amazed a significant number of stock pundits despite a surge in tax charges which partially offset some of the positive passthrough from border closures on earnings.
READ: Dangote Sugar Refinery: Revenue soars amid rising cost of sales
Gross margin expanded by 1.31ppts Year to Year to 25.08%, which points to the effects of recent cost-containment measures and the slump in global raw sugar prices in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The raw sugar price dropped to as low $0.09/lb in 2020 and traded c.$0.13/lb on average during 2020 (-4.38% YoY)
What you should know: Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc (the Company) was incorporated as a Public Limited Liability Company on 4 January 2005, commenced operation on 1 January 2006, and became quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in March 2007.
Its current shareholding is 68% by Dangote Industries Limited and 32% by the Nigerian public.
The principal activity of the Group is the refining of raw sugar into edible sugar and the selling of refined sugar. The Group’s products are sold through distributors across the country.
READ: Buhari to commission phase 1 of brand new refinery this week
That being said, in spite of such impressive results from the N217 billion valued company experienced a surge in operational cost partly due to persistent FX scarcity.
Dangote Sugar reported a four-fold increase in finance cost, which can be largely attributed to the foreign exchange loss in its ordinary business operations, driven by persistent FX shortages and naira repricing at the exchange rate windows.
Company Results
Zenith Bank spends N20 billion on IT in 2020, up 122%
Zenith Bank spent a whopping N20 billion on IT in 2020 more than double its 2019 spend of N9 billion.
