The MSE Equity Total Return Index (MSE) headed north after a six-week negative streak. The MSE advanced by 0.8% over the four-day trading week to 7,639.015 points.
A total of 17 equities were active, as losers and gainers tallied to seven-a piece. Turnover was in excess of €0.7m generated across 103 transactions.
In the banking sector, Bank of Valletta plc jumped by 3.8% to end the week at €0.82, a price last seen in early March.
A total of 99,591 shares worth €78,459 were executed, as the share price fluctuated between a weekly low of €0.77 and a high of €0.82.
Likewise, HSBC Bank Malta plc (HSBC) finished the week 3.8% higher after a small trade executed in the last minutes of trading on Thursday pushed the equity to the €0.83 level.
A total of 146,786 shares exchanged ownership across 14 transactions, with turnover tallying to €119,073.
Malta International Airport plc (MIA) was the most liquid equity, registering a turnover of €167,757.
MIA started the week in negative territory, as it dropped to €5.65 on Monday but recovered to close at €5.85. As a result, the equity finished the week 0.9% higher following 15 transactions involving 29,084 shares.
MIA announced its traffic results for the first three months of the year. The company welcomed 316,713 passengers in March, with this number bringing the traffic for the first quarter up to nearly 673,000 passenger movements.
This quarterly total was 44.1% below the traffic handled by the airport during the same period in 2019.
The number of seats available on flights to and from Malta remained 35.4% below pre-pandemic levels, while the seat load factor averaged at 65.5% for the first quarter of the year. This was 10.2% below 2019 levels.
GO plc followed a negative trend between Monday and Wednesday, to ultimately finish the week 3% lower at €3.20. The equity registered a total turnover of €108,282.
In the properties sector, two out of the six active equities headed north. Hili Properties plc was the best performing equity, as four trades of 37,120 shares pushed the share price 5% higher to the €0.254 price level.
A sole trade of 10,000 AX Real Estate plc shares pushed the equity to the €0.55 price level, a week-on-week increase of 0.9%.
Malta Properties Company plc seemed to be heading to a positive close but ended the week unchanged as a result of a last-minute trade on Thursday.
The equity ended the week at €0.51. A total of 81,472 shares exchanging hands across seven transactions.
On the other hand, VBL plc retracted by 1.6% to end the week at €0.25. The equity was active on a single transaction worth €2,500. Similarly, Malita Investments plc lost 1.3%, as it closed at €0.75 after reaching a weekly high of €0.79.
Malta International Airport was the most liquid equity, registering a turnover of €167,757
A total of 38,627 shares changed hands across five deals.
In the IT services sector, Harvest Technology plc traded three times over 5,050 shares on Monday. The equity fell by 0.7%, closing the week at €1.49.
BMIT Technologies plc closed the week with a positive 2% change in price, reaching the €0.51 price level. This was the outcome of five transactions involving 79,985 shares.
Five deals of 1,199 Simonds Farsons Cisk plc shares resulted into a 2.5% increase in price, as it closed at €8.20.
Lombard Bank Malta plc registered a 1.1% decline, as a single trade of 13,760 shares were executed. The equity closed the week at €1.83.
FIMBank plc shed 0.9% to finish at $0.218 on three trades of 35,067 shares. The board of FIMBank plc met on April 13, 2022 and approved the bank’s annual report and financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.
During 2021, the group’s net operating revenues rose by 6%, to $41.2m, while there was only a marginal increase of 4% in operating expenses, to reach $40.5m.
The group’s net interest margin felt the impact of a persistently low global interest environment. As a result, net interest income dropped by 13% to $24.9m. This decrease was fully offset by the net fee and commission income, which increased by 21%, from $9.0m to $10.8m, together with a $3.0m gain from trading assets.
At the end of the financial year, the group’s total consolidated assets stood at $1.79bn, down by 2.5%, or $45.6m, when compared to 2020. The group’s consolidated liabilities, stood at $1.56bn, reflected a 2.3% drop, equivalent to $36.4m, from the previous year.
The bank’s AGM will be held remotely on June 14, 2022.
Tigne Mall plc traded between a weekly low of €0.62 and a high of €0.695, this week’s closing price. Four deals worth €11,000 were executed.
The AGM of Tigne Mall plc will be held remotely on June 17, 2022. Revenues rose by 23% to almost €6.7m, while EBIDTA increased by 27% to €6.1m. Profit after tax tallied to €2.8m.
The directors of the company recommend the payment of a final net dividend of €750,000 or €0.0133.
M&Z plc was active over two transactions of 67,052 shares but closed unchanged at €0.75. Similarly, no movement was noted in the share price of the retail conglomerate, PG plc, having closed at €2.24. This was the outcome of a single deal worth €2,464.
On Thursday, the board of RS2 Software plc announced that it will be meeting on April 27, 2022, to consider and if thought fit approve the Group’s and the Company’s Financial Statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.
MedservRegis plc announced it does not expect to be in a position to publish its annual financial report for the financial year ended December 31, 2021 by April 30, 2022, and expects that it will be in a position to publish the annual financial report on June 15, 2022.
The share for share exchange transaction announced on June 25, 2021, significantly increased the complexity of the group, and with continued COVID-19 infections amongst key accounting staff members, the audit of financial statements is taking longer than anticipated.
The board and audit committee are in regular contact with KPMG and have confirmed that the audit is progressing without any issues. The board expects that it will be in a position to publish the annual financial report on June 15, 2022.
Meanwhile, the board of International Hotel Investments plc announced that on April 20, it is due to consider and, if thought fit, approve, the audited financial statements of the company for the financial year ended December 31, 2021.
No trades were executed in the company’s equity.
The MSE Corporate Bonds Total Return Index returned to negative territory, as it closed 0.2% lower at 1,134.011 points.
A total of 52 issues were active, 12 of which advanced while another 19 closed in the red.
The 6% MedservRegis plc Secured and Guaranteed € Notes 2020-2023 S1 T1 headed the list of gainers, as it closed 3.1% higher at €98. On the other hand, the 4% Shoreline Mall plc Secured € 2026 lost 5%, ending the week at €95.25.
The MSE MGS Total Return Index continues to decline, as it reached 1,010.959 points, equivalent to a 0.8% decrease.
All the active issues headed south. The worst performer was the 1.80% MGS 2051 (I), as it eased by 10% to close at €90.
In the Prospects MTF market, four issues were active.
The 4.75% KA Finance plc Secured Callable Bonds 2026-2029 was the most liquid, as it generated a total turnover of €6,650 closing at €95.
This article, compiled by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited, does not intend to give investment advice and the contents therein should not be construed as such.
The company is licensed to conduct investment services by the MFSA and is a member of the Malta Stock Exchange and the Atlas Group. The directors or related parties, including the company, and their clients are likely to have an interest in securities mentioned in this article.
For further information contact Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors Limited at 67, Level 3, South Street, Valletta, tel: 2122 4410, or email info@jesmondmizzi.com.