Chobe holdings ends year on a high
Business
Chobe Holdings Limited has delivered impressive results, suggesting that the tourist outfit will end the year on a high. The group’s interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2016 was met by a 0.4% uptick in share price, extending the group’s good run in the stock market.
The group’s revenue increased to P158.6 million from P119.1 million, representing an increase of 33% from the corresponding period. This was on the back of increased occupancy levels which shot up by 5%, a marked improvement from the 2% decline recorded in the previous year end financial results.
“A significant increase in revenue was recorded as a result of the aforementioned increase in bednights sold, favourable exchange rates, and a marginal increase in achieved bed rates in US Dollar terms and contribution from the newly acquired wholly owned aircraft maintenance organisation,” the group said.
The group’s financials show that the operating costs were contained in line with inflationary levels. The operating costs shot up by 15% to P82.2 million. Chobe says an operating cost increase of 15% is considered satisfactory in light of the volume of business and current inflation levels. Profits before tax increased from P44.4 million to this year’s P64.4 million, an impressive increase of 45%. Basic earnings per share increased from 52.8 thebe to 38 thebe, a 39% jump that will delight shareholders as the company is more efficient at using its capital for generating profits.
For the period under review, the tourism operator parted with P22.1 million, financed from internally generated cash flows, on significantly improving existing equipment, buildings, as well as the purchase of additional equipment. A further P7.7 million was used to purchase buildings and equipment for North West Air (Pty) Ltd, a wholly owned aircraft maintenance operation. This complements the company’s previous P41.5 million splurge on major projects undertaken which included the complete rebuild of Camp Okavango and refurbishing of rooms at Chobe Game Lodge.
The group has also reiterated that the leases they were awarded are still yet to be signed. In December 2013, two of the Company’s subsidiaries submitted tenders for the lease, utilisation and management of Camp Okavango and Shinde Camp for non-consumptive tourism purposes.
“After considerable delay both leases have been awarded to the Group for an initial period of fifteen years. The formal leases have not yet been signed owing to certain clauses that are not consistent with the invitation to tender documents.”
Chobe is bullish about the future prospects as they feel the scales will tilt in the favour. “It is anticipated that tourist numbers to Southern Africa in general and Botswana in particular will rise in the short to medium term. The Group is well positioned to benefit from this increase through its ever improving product offering coupled with the prime location of the Group’s camps and lodges,” the group revealed in their note to investors.
However, the group warned that initiatives by government such as the planned introduction of a tourism levy for every visitor entering Botswana, if implemented, may have a negative impact on the growth trend. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Chobe Holdings Limited owns and operates ten eco-tourism lodges and camps on leased land in Northern Botswana and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia with a combined capacity of 290 beds under the brands Desert & Delta Safaris and Ker & Downey Botswana. Safari Air, a wholly owned air charter operator, provides air transport services to the group's camps and lodges.
Desert and Delta Safaris (SA) (Pty) Ltd, another wholly owned subsidiary operating in South Africa, provides reservation services to the group. Just recently this year, the group, through its wholly owned subsidiary North West Air (Pty) Ltd, acquired Air Charter Botswana (Pty) Ltd’s aircraft maintenance operation at Maun International Airport for a cash consideration of P19.5 million financed using the group’s internal cash resources.
“This subsidiary has made a positive contribution to the group’s bottom line for the reporting period. It is anticipated that the financial contribution from this subsidiary will be fully realised in the forthcoming financial year once the entity has been fully integrated into the Group,” the group said.
Chobe Holdings, the second largest listed tourism and leisure group on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE), has kept to its trend of not paying interim dividend in favour of a final year end declaration.
In the previous year end results, the company declared a final dividend of 40 thebe per share. Chobe which has a market capitalisation of P679.7 million has been a star performer in the main domestic board, delivering a return of 11.7% in the past 11 months.
Business
Grit divests from Letlole La Rona
Grit Services Limited, a member of the pan African real estate group, London Stock Exchange listed Grit Real Estate Income Group is divesting from Letlole La Rona Limited (LLR), a local real estate company established by government investment arm Botswana Development Corporation over a decade ago.
The Board of Directors of Letlole La Rona Limited this week announced in a statement to Unitholders that Grit Services Limited (‘Grit’) has informed them of its intention to exit its investment in the company.
Grit has been a material shareholder in LLR since 2019. On 07 March 2023, Grit sold 6 421 000 linked units, representing 2.29% of the Company’s total securities in issue, at a market value of BWP 22 537 710.
This trade follows previous sales of 6.79% in December 2022, as communicated to Unitholders on 10 January 2023, as well as a further sale of 4.78% (representing 13 347 068 linked units) on 24 February 2023 to various shareholders.
In aggregate, Grit has sold 13.9% shareholding in the Letlole La Rona between December 2022 and March 2023, resulting in current shareholding of 11.25% in the Company.
Letlole La Rona said in the statement that the exit process will take place in an orderly manner so as to maintain stability of the Company’s share price.
The statement explained that Grit’s sale of its entire shareholding in LLR is in line with its decision to exit investments where it does not have majority control, or where it has significant exposure to currencies other than US dollar, Euro or hard-currency-pegged revenue streams.
“Grit has announced similar decisions pertaining to certain of its hospitality assets in Mauritius recently. The Company would like to advise Unitholders that it remains focused on long-term value delivery to all stakeholders” LLR said
In July last year as part of their Go-to-Africa strategy Letlole La Rona acquired an initial 30% equity stake in Orbit Africa Logistics, with an option to increase this investment to 50%. OAL is a special purpose vehicle incorporated in Mauritius, owning an industrial asset in a prime industrial node in Nairobi, Kenya.
The co-investment was done alongside a wholly owned subsidiary of London listed Grit. The Orbit facility is situated on a prime industrial site on Mombasa Road, the principal route south of Nairobi center, serving the main industrial node, the port of Mombasa and the industrial town of Athi River and is strategically located 11 kilometers south of the international airport and 9.6 kilometers from the Inland Container Depot.
Grit shareholding in Letlole La Rona was seen as strategic for LLR, for the company to leverage on Grit’s already existing continental presence and expand its wings beyond Botswana borders as already delivered by Kenya transaction.
Media reports have however suggested that LLR and Grit have since late last year had fundamental disagreements on how to go about the Go-to-Africa strategy amongst other things, fuelled by alleged Botswana government interference on the affairs of LLR.
Government through LLR founding shareholder – Botswana Development Corporation has a controlling stake of around 40 percent in the company. Government is the sole shareholder of Botswana Development Corporation.
Letlole La Rona recently released their financial results for the six months ended December 2022, revenue increased by 4% to P50.2 million from P48.4 million in the prior comparative six months, whilst operating profit was up 8% to P36.5 million. Profit before tax of P49.7 million was reported, an increase of 8% on the prior comparative six months.
“We are encouraged by the strong results, notwithstanding a challenging economic environment. Our performance was mainly underpinned by annual lease escalations, our quality tenant base and below average market vacancy levels, especially in our warehouse portfolio,” Kamogelo Mowaneng, Letlole La Rona Chief Executive Officer commented.
LLR reported a weighted average lease expiry period of 3.3 years and escalation rates averaging 6.8% per annum for the period ended 31 December 2022.Its investment portfolio value increased by 14% year-on-year to close the period at P1.4 billion, mainly driven by the acquisition of a 30% stake in OAL in July 2022.
The Company also recorded a significant increase in other income, predominantly due to foreign exchange gains on the OAL shareholder loan. “We continue to explore pipeline opportunities locally, and regionally in line with our Go-to-Africa strategy and our interest remains on value-accretive investments,” Mowaneng said.
An interim distribution of 9.11 thebe per linked unit was declared on the 6th of February 2023 for the half-year period to 31 December 2022, comprising of a dividend of 0.05 thebe and debenture interest of 9.06 thebe per linked unit which will be paid to linked unit holders registered in the books of the Company at the close of business on 24 February 2023.
Business
Stargems Group establishes Training Center in BW
Internationally-acclaimed diamond manufacturing company StarGems Group has established the Stargems Diamond Training Center which will be providing specialized training in diamond manufacturing and evaluation.
The Stargems Diamond Training Institute is located at the Stargems Group Botswana Unit in Gaborone.
“In accordance with the National Human Resource Development Strategy (NHRDS) which holds the principle that through education and skills development as well as the strategic alignment between national ambitions and individual capabilities, Botswana will become a prosperous, productive and innovative nation due to the quality and efficacy of its citizenry. The Training Centre will provide a range of modules in theory and in practice; from rough diamond evaluation to diamond grading and polishing for Batswana, at no cost for eight weeks. The internationally- recognized certificate offered in partnership with Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School presents invaluable opportunities for Batswana to access in the diamond industry locally and internationally. The initiative is an extension of our Corporate Social Investment to the community in which we operate,” said Vishal Shah, Stargems Group Managing Director, during the launch of the Stargems Diamond Training Center.
In order to participate in this rare opportunity, interested candidates are invited to submit a police clearance certificate and a BGCSE certificate only to the Stargems offices. Students who excel in these programs will have the chance to be onboarded by the Stargems Group. This serves as motivation for them to go through this training with a high level of seriousness.
“Community empowerment is one of our CSR principles. We believe that businesses can only thrive when their communities are well taken of. We are hoping that our presence will be impactful to various communities and economies. In the six countries that we are operating in, we have contributed through dedicating 10% of our revenues during COVID-19 to facilitate education, donating to hospitals and also to NGOs committed to supporting women and children living with HIV. One key issue that we are targeting in Botswana is the rate of unemployment amongst the youth. We are looking forward to working closely with the government and other relevant authorities to curb unemployment,” said Shah.
Currently, Stargems Group has employed 117 Batswana and they are looking forward to growing the numbers to 500 as the company grows. Majority of the employees will be graduates from the Stargems Diamond Training Center. This initiation has been received with open arms by the general public and stakeholders. During the launch, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Honorable Lefoko Moagi, stated that the ministry fully endorses Stargems Diamond Training and will work closely with the Group to support and grow the initiative.
“As a ministry, we see this as an game changer that is aligned with one of the United Nations’ Six Priority Sustainable Development Goals, which is to Advance Opportunity and Impact for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). What Stargems Group is launching today will have a huge impact on the creation of employment in Botswana. An economy’s productivity rises as the number of educated workers increases as its skilled workmanship increases. It is not a secret that low skills perpetuate poverty and widen the inequality gap, therefore the development of skills has the potential to contribute significantly to structural transformation and economic growth by enhancing employability and helping the country become more competitive. We are grateful to see the emergence of industry players such as Stargems Group who have strived to create such opportunities that mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on the economy,” said the Minister of Minerals and Energy.
Business
Food import bill slightly declines
The latest figures released by Statistics Botswana this week shows that food import bill for Botswana slightly declined from around P1.1 billion in November 2022 to around P981 million in December during the same year.
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