The "too big, please don't fail" banks in Kenya

In this post, I talked about how banks can grow to a size that presents systemic risk to their domestic economies. That is, there are so large, that their likely failure would mean guaranteed govt assistance which would off-course mean every taxpayer peaks up the bill. Further, it was/is my opinion that such banks being deemed to be too large to fail and too expensive to rescue, should have applied to them, more stringent regulatory measures. The examples were higher capital and liquidity requirements to match their size or growth.

So do we have such banks in Kenya? The answer is yes:

1. KCB: At close of play in September 2009, KCB had a balance sheet of Ksh189bn, which si roughly speaking 27% of Kenya's total budget. It also has around 200 branches, 150 of those in Kenya. Thus its a large employer as well. Its collapse won't be pretty. Remedy: At 13%, its tier 1 capital ratio looks strong for versus some Western banks, but its target should be 20% or more given its host economy.
2. Equity: Holds just under 50% of Kenya's banking account population irrespective of the size of their accounts. And has 155 branches (130 of them in Kenya). Its collapse would lead to a severe dislocation SMEs and agriculture for which it serves a significant portion. I see its risk coming from liquidity rather than capital concerns. Remedy: Should be required to hold at least 12% of its assets in form of t-bills and or AAA-rated gilts.
3. BBK: At Ksh170bn (June 2009), its also a behemoth in the local economy. Included here because of its corporate client content which would again cripple our economy were it or the parent to collapse. Remedy: As with KCB, probably more suspect to lower capital thresholds and should thus be required to hold at least 15% tier 1 capital ratio at all times.
4. Co-op: The banker of co-operative societies and Saccos country-wide. And like Equity, therefore, carries systemic risk for the economy. Has a history of appalling size of bad loans coupled with political inteference. Remedy: Higher liquidity and capital requirements. The broker licence was probably a mistake.

NSE weekly: crucial next pt is post Q2 close, Olympia...

NSE was up almost 10% for the week on strong foreign buying. Top climbers were penny stocks such as Co-op (up 32% pre-dividend close) and MSC (up 19%, despite 73% fall in H1 profits). I think alot of investors are geting overexcited about co-generation which won't start revenue generation until 2010. ARM was up 24% being the pick construction stock. I am really waiting to say how its going to throw out the great Bamburi from its house with this being a first step. From all points of view, it doesn't make sense to have the kind of share-ownership that Bamburi has in its two main rivals. What happened in the 90s is history. One stock that has flown silently and fast under the radar is Crown Berger. I really like stocks with small amount of total shares and it is one (23m with only 6m floated). It has gone from Ksh10 in end February to close at Ksh29.50 jana. All well, I've now got it on my radar.

Next two weeks will be pivotal in signaling whether this is a bull with steady legs or an upside correction that will leave us swaying between 3-3,500. Next Friday should see fund managers exit to close books for half year. From there, it will increasingly become clear which shares are being ramped up and which are strong fundamentally. In addition to two of the above shares, I expect Equity to see some forward momentum in early part fo the week.

News, announcements and rumours:

Safcom continues to tidy up its broadband offering with jv/alliance with Jamii which will in effect save Safcom from having to cable up the city.

Rumours abound about the state of shambolic Olympic (once its was a furniture distributor with regional aspirations; next it became an investment firm; forever raising cash; etc) may be under some stress. Apparently,a single sourced SK-rumour suggests that Plush and Natwood, its businesses in SA have closed shop. Last time I got access to Olympia's website, Plush accounted for 50% of its turnover. I believe its full year results will have to be announced by close of play in June.

CMA rules announced over a year ago will now hopefully become law as they've been included in the recent budget.

Other markets-FTSE:

Some yo-yoing though at last data is out there showing we are over the absymmal era and now just in the bad. Banking stocks are not being helped by rating agencies being behind the curve as usual and issuing negative credit watch for a whole swathe of sector. Remains all-good though.

NSE Banks: Q1 2009 Results

General comment: Across the board, banks have reduced lending from prior quarter. They are basically wanting to avoid additional defaults. YoY quarter profit growth is slim. Peer analysis should mainly focus on outliers:

Good outliers:

• Net interest margin- thanks to the GoK bond, NBK is enjoying healthy interest income without sweat. It'll be on-going for a while yet.
• Cost Income ratio- this is good because it basically translates to a higher return on capital the more you can get from each shillingi you spend. StanChart despite anaemic income growth, has managed (via use of technology) to maintain leadership here.
• Return on capital- both UK banks standout. No real surprise because this is something that tends to be return as a personal development goal for CEOs/FDs of many UK banks.
• Insider loans as prop of loans: Equity stands out for low prop. Insider loans are notorious source of loan book instability for Kenyan banks.
• Excess liquidity ratio: It bears pointing out that Lehman was brought down by lack of liquidity. Stanchart looks really strong. A bit strange given recent report about all banks but Equity struggling for the stuff.
• Capital/RWA ratio: Equity is standout. This ratio can make or break business. It signifies a bank's ability to grow, but also to absorb nasty stuff like loan loss provisions aka bad debt write-offs.

Bad Outliers:

1. NIM- NIC and DTB must be paying over the odds for deposits. I understand this is what prompted NIC to be among the first to loan rates last year.
2. Cost income ratio-KCB's burden. Equity says it is in its investment phase hence the massive increase in staff costs. Keep an eye out.
3. YoY PAT growth- Whats up KCB?
4. Fwd P/E- Given the lowered growth rate for the year, the fwd multiple for 2009 looks too rich for Equity. Ksh10 looks more comfortable until we see what Q3/4 brings in.
5. NPLs as a prop of loans- Equity (perhaps unsurprisingly given target class and seeing K-Rep), is out here. Several pts of note. Several yrs back, I remember a blogger mentioning that Equity recognises NPLs much earlier than other banks. I'll confirm this in another blog. 2ndly, because of its capital capacity, it can still absorb the whole of its NPL fairly comfortably.

NSE weekly catch up-bottom found?

Another solid week at the bourse with the NSE index up marginally. Whether we have priced in all the bad news is something I remain sceptical about. I think NSE tends to price in with a lag and hasn't for example been taking into account the food and weather forecast for 2009.

Corporate Announcements and Actions:

NMG finally announced 2008 results. Was up 19% on 2007 driven primarily by strong cost control. Ksh4 DPS will be paid in May. I think this might be a tough year for it from the advertising point of view.

Co-op has bought 60% of Bob Matthews and is thus a stockbroker as well as its other businesses. The new broker will be the un/fortunately monikered Kingdom Securities. Imho, broking is a good easy business in Kenya. If your operational risk monitoring, prevention and detection is world class. Otherwise, there maybe cause to regret, moneterily and reputationally a few years down the road.

Hence Equity's well-known aversion to actually acquiring a broker licence. It held its AGM on Thursday to confirm the 3.9bn shares spilt-thingy, regional footprint/expansion and precious little on HFCK. I see HFCK as its potential achilles heel.

EA Portland has finally taken a hedge on its Ksh1.7bn loan from Japan. That took 5 years. And it still has Ksh3bn to go before paying off the loan...

USE:
Stanbic announced 48% rise in PAT from 2007 driven by 20% income growth agianst 5% cost growth. However, it also reduced DPS by 11% to be paid in June.

FTSE: Ended higher as Geithner's plan was being digested. MHO, I think the plan hinges on whether the banks will accept to sell toxic assets at throwaway prices. I prematurely exited Barclays after booking 100%gain only to see the UK gova give it a clean bill of health thus making price go up 24% yesterday! Waiting for end quarter profit taking.

Kenya Listed Banks: Comparison of 2008 Results

• An almost positive correlation between low cost/income ratio and high EPS.
• Return on capital is a bit of a misnomer as it sometimes represents unspent capital e.g. Equity and thin capitalisation (StanChart and BBK).
• Tell me how BBK and Equity have similar proportions of NPL to loans and such a difference in terms of LLPs for 2008. Wonder what Co-op is upto- it actually reduced its loan loss porivision in 2008, yet it has the highest proprtion of bad loans. I am assuming some of this is historic...
• Some banks lent out a lot in 2008-a proportion of these loans may turn bad if economy doesn't recover in '09.
  
• Fwd P/E of 6.3 shows Equity has among the cheapest bank stocks at the NSE today. Will wait for it to drop once spilt is effected. And KCB and DKB are cheaper too.

NSE weekly catch up: the next bull run

So, you've done your SWOT analysis, looked at recent share performance and finally you want to know how the share will perform i.e. when the NSE will have another bull run? Have a look at this 18 year chart for some clues. I believe without a shadow of a doubt that the NSE will only have another sustained bull run, if we have political changes that capture Kenyans' aspirations and imagination. Of a similar nature to the coming of the multiparty era of early 1990s and the Rainbow coalition of 2002. Why? Stock markets are about psychology (positive national mood has a positive effect on the stock market performance and vice versa). These changes also extend to the economy. Finally, those foreign investors who like to have some exposures emerging and frontier bourses will pick up on such changes and bring in their funds.
Bottomline: rather than averaging down and other bear tactics, why not invest some of that cash to change Kenya for the better? If 5% of the ksh690bn of the NSE turnover was invested in changing our politics for the better, we'd be far. And create the next NSE bull run.

Results:

Stanchart showed that you can be too cautious and it will hurt as PAT fell by 4% from '07. Its explanations about effeciency investments ring hollow unless there is a targetted revenue generation stream. Btw, it still remains the best share, dividend-wise (another Ksh5 will be paid). But also in terms of RoC.

Co-op: became the only bank so far that reduced its loan loss provision for 2008 (apart from HFCK). Many know that it has had previous history with bad loans so expect this move to bite it on the backside in 2009 or 2010. DPS of a whole Ksh0.10 was also thrown in for good measure.

HFCK's PAT was up 86%. Equity midas touch rubbing off on it perhaps?

Kakuzi also pulled a shocker with profit growth of 47%. And not only attributable to revaluation of tea leaves. DPS of Ksh1 to be paid in May.

FTSE: Finally got my second lot of Barclays's shares at a decent price. Otherwise very choppy waters as investors are fatigued by the bad news' stories. Mainly from across the pond.

NSE catch up: Co-op lands makes a splutter

A mild short week at the bourse with all eyes now on Feb/March results season. It was thus a good time for Co-op to list. Funny games as always. The stock was under-subscribed and the minute it lands, you have investors buying Ksh11, 10 i.e. above the Ksh9.50 price. Does it make sense? As mentioned last week, real price will be discovered in the next two months as the immobilised (exchanged from certificates) shares find their way into the market. Most were bought or valued at the equivalent of Ksh1.10 earlier this year...

In other news, NIC is going into TZ. It has put in a bid to acquire 51% of Savings & Finance, a medium sized bank in TZ. A word about TZ banks. Most tend to belong either to community groups or certain locales. They therefore rarely have the extensive branch network that one will see with Kenyan banks (only three have more than 10 branches). S&F only has 3 branches but these are in the main towns. NIC becomes the 3rd Kenyan bank to step into TZ after DTB and KCB.

The battle for the Mutomo coal deposits continues. Why do investments such as these which will provide much-needed employment take so long to get off the ground?

And finally: Xmas away from Kenya tends to be a fairly downbeat affair especially when as I did I spoke to relas back home who were just finishing some mutura. So its just as well that Mr & Mrs Muiru have made sure Kenyans can at least get some of their favourite foodstuffs locally via their Wahu Foods shop. Wishing them much success...

NSE Catch up: Pre CO-OP Listing

If you bought:
Centum on Monday-you'd have made 15%
Sasini (12%)
But
Rea Vipingo would have lost you 12%

Does this mean NSE recovery is underway? Well, maybe-ish (I know, i couldn't get more ambiguous than this). I have noticed a recent trend in IPOs that just before they are listed to trade, the NSE always goes up. Some of this upward trend might be circular trading which is meant to generate cash to allow investors to buy into the newly listed share. Fundamentals are also looking a bit more stable but only if we assume that recent gova moves of reducing banks cash reserve ratio and to contain inflation by lowering the cost of feeding on ugali and also lowering electricity costs will work meaning that investors can be a little bit more positive about 2009 earnings. Volumes remain patchy illustrating the fragile confidence of majority of investors.

Sasini posted very "good" numbers. Until you took a closer look and notice the biological assets pick-me-up. One of the reasons that many financials were/are against IAS39 is because by forcing them to mark to market various assets, your P&L goes up and down like yo-yo especially in the transition year from boom to bust as 2008 has done for Sasini. IAS41 which governs agriculture companies has a similar effect. The best solution would be to do the mark to market but put the appreciation in their revaluation account which has the same impact on capital anyway. Something in your financials has to reflect what you did for a given period and an asset revaluation doesn't.

Isn't it time KenGen stopped its annual whining about its ksh75m AGM costs and just emailed investors the annual reports?

Still don't understand why the Mpesa audit and court is happening now?

Co-op: Lands on Monday. Recalling Everready pre-Xmas IPO two years ago, I don't expect violent movements either way though sellers may try to force the issue. The interesting play will be when class B shareholders can immobilise their shares and start profit-taking in earnest...

Joint venture opportunity: I am looking for somebody with knowledge or working experience of doing credit ratings or credit scoring to work with on a joint venture. And you are currently based in East Africa.

Co-op IPO: 70% take up

On the one hand, all subscribers will get full allocation.

On the other hand, price will be down all the way.

Poor marketing and IPO process (I had to abandon my application because the easiest I could buy some was to open a nominee account-which as you know work like a dream for brokers), adversely affected the outcome. And all the drama sorrounding Safcom and brokers didn't help.

Malawi Telcom is a contrast...

IPOs: The matatu syndrome

The unspoken matatu rule that used to operate before the "Michuki rules" was that there was always room for one more. If a matatu had 4 seats per row, these were transformed into 6 or 7 passengers not counting children depending on how busy things were.

In the last few IPOs, this matatu syndrome seems to have become the rule of thumb that D&B (how come it goes all the lead broker roles?) applies to IPOs. So where:

• Safarcom would have been a better IPO listed as 2.5bn shares at Ksh20 each; it was listed as a flooding 10bn shares each worth a very cheap-looking Ksh5.
• Co-op could have been listed in a similar manner to Equity at say Ksh30 with fewer shares; it now has 3.2bn shares each worth ksh9.50.

Mathematically it may not make any difference, but there are several problems with this low-rent and myiopic approach:

1. Potential shareholders look for two things price appreciation and dividend. Most can forget about a Safaricom dividend.
2. Capital raising measures: One of the reasons that companies list is so that should they need to, they can raise capital via the stock market. Can you imagine Safaricom doing a rights issue or Co-op? Both would most likely flop unless offered at a Ksh1 each.
3. Administrative cost: Flooding the market shares means you also have to flood it with investors cue admin costs.

Hopefully going forward, IPOs will be done more flexibly and sensitively.

Co-op Bank IPO: Update

IPO application process kicks off today and closes in a fortnight's time i.e. 13th November. Listing is on 22nd of December. There is no dvp for retail investors.


The prospectus can be found here. Browsing through it, I couldn't help but note that Co-op is just another bank perhaps in the mould of NBK. The young CEO has done a good job so far, but the future is probably going to mean more of the same. The capital raising IPO will fund:

• IT: New core banking system that will hopefully reduce cost income ratio


• Branch expansion


• Mortgage financing: This is capital intensive business


• Re-capitalising its investment arm


• Connecting Saccos-I've always wondered why Co-op doesn't concentrate on creating its own banking network with the Saccos


• Visa card franchise


• Regional expansion: Idea has legs but others are already ahead
  
  Bottomline: Ask yourself the following two questions:

1. Is it the cheapest banking shares (half yr comparison is attached) on a forward P/E (not just 2008, but 2009, 2010 etc) plus dividend yield basis? Don't forget to add in 2% selling fee...



2. Can you, if you want/need to, exit above ksh9.70 (break-even point)?

All about the stocks...

If there is such a thing as Monday blues, stock markets typified jana. FTSE 100 was down 5% at one time and Nikkei closed at its lowest for 26yrs. Our own NSE is now on a free-fall and its painful to visit stockskenya and read all the wailing with some even asking that fella from Nyeri to do something...
They are the not only ones. If there is anybody who feels hot in the investing world, it has to be hedge funds. Most hedge funds actually promise absolute returns on your money (of course they are not an accessible investing avenue for joe public). Many are now heading one way. Down and out. And are behaving oddly too. VW was today ranked as the the largest company in the world by market cap, thanks to hedge funds scrambling to cover their losing short positions. "Some in tears", is not something I ever thought I'd read in the same sentence as hedge funds.
As this guy avers, trying to forecast the bottom (a key entry for many) is an exercise in futility primarily because the market is emoting. There are very few traders out there who are being logical about how they trade. All they know is that they've to cover their losing positions. WB can afford to put his few coins into the market now and watch them flow down. Fundamentally, he has made it. For some of us who are making it now, chasing prices downward is a bit like this annual exercise they do in Gloucester where they chase a big mountain of cheese downhill. Every year, you get many breaking legs and hardly anyone ever catches the cheese.
Interesting the silence on the Co-op IPO which kicks off this Thursday for a fortnight. You'd hardly know it from the deafening silence in all blogs and investment banks. Only AIB sent something via its customer clerks. One consideration is that Safcom IPO despite the all the hype is now trading at ksh3.10.

NSE conspiracy of the day: Was Murigu pushed or did ill-health finally decide for him. The evidence for a push is that practically all the brokers are in the painful grip of losses made when attempting to become day traders. Also as the pioneer of the otc market, he'd surely have wanted to be the launch it. Against that, he has been unwell for a while.

CO-OP Bank IPO

Application dates: 30th October to 13th November
Listing date: to be confirmed
Price is: ksh9.50
Minimum number of shares: 1,000
Retail allocation: 66%
Shares to be listed: 701m
Float: 38%
Valuing Co-op at: Ksh17.5bn
2007 EPS: 0.84
Historic P/E: 11.31
Average NSE Banks Historic P/E: 16.9
Annualised 2008 EPS: 1.35
Forward P/E: 7.06
D-v-p: to be confirmed

Recommend: First chance to get full subscription

Marketwatch: NSE, USE & FTSE

The bear continues to stalk the NSE as GoK continues to let loose bullet after bullet on its grand feet in the economy arena. Inflation remains the biggest issue affecting the market and the wider economy. So what does GoK do? Meet over whether KenGen will need to increase its tariff to KPLC which will of course pass this swiftly to consumers. Recent rises are slowly feeding through the economy and despite optimistic noises, inflation will not get below 20% this side of 2008 unless there is concerted effort.
Meanwhile...
Equity hit Ksh250-primarily due to this announcement, but I also suspect some of the principals are downloading slowly. There was a low of ksh240 on today.
Crown Berg-I am assuming that all it took was for two guys to conspire as follows. One puts in a sale "at any price" and the other puts in a buy at ksh20. On a 1,000 shares which are then input into ATS at the last minute. Causing price to fall by 50% on the one day it can do so. Why would somebody do this? In the hope that nervy shareholders thinking its half results were bad, sell at throw-away prices. Unfortunately for them, nobody has bitten.
Going by all the threads on stockskenya, CO-OP IPO is imminent. Because its being brought by D&B, expect low threshold values and plenty of shares. I'll only participate in future IPOs on two conditions:

1. Restrictive thresholds i.e. minimum Ksh50k or more.
2. DVP

UCL-climbed to KSh200 after the rights issue shares were downloaded. Its P/E stands at a great height of 85.If you held the share pre-rights, you'd be holding 70% gain (before commission) today.
FTSE had its worst week for a while after that speech by the inappropriately named Darling.

Wednesday shorts

The forthcoming era of fast internet connections continues to garner interest from all. Its one of the reasons I fear for AK. Internet provision like mobiletelephony is initially expensive to provide due to high capex, but the revenue generation afterward is phenomenal. You lay the network and then chop it up into small bits that you mass market in such a way that you cover the amortised capex, staff pay, generous bonuses and maintenance costs. The rest is profit...And who is very good at mass marketing in Kenya?

I like this article's question on how World Bank came up with its Ksh70. The measure requires context and also has to be dynamic because today Ksh70 is not much for a day's spend.

Bolt by name, bolt by action! I've taped that 100m so I can re-watch again and again... Its the equivalent of the first time I saw someone patting a lion.

NSE-are we out of woods yet? Most likely until Co-op IPO comes along. Last week's recovery was not unexpected given that investors had oversold, but the issues remain. Supply and demand are still looking for equilibrium. In the meantime, I have Equity, KCB (by end of next week we'll which way with supply), AK and NMG on my stockwatch.

2007 UPCOMING GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Kenya RE IPO
Dyer and Blair is the Lead Transaction advisor in the privatization of the Kenya RE Corporation. The Government of Kenya owns 100% of Kenya Re and intends to sell 40% of its shares. Kenya RE is undergoing a re-organization to reduce costs, improve processes and diversify its income stream. It made a profit of Kes: 461M in 2005 as compared to Kes: 452M previously. The IPO is slated for March 2007.

SAFARICOM: Kenya's most Profitable Company.
Having made a profit of over Sh. 12 billion last year, Safaricom is one of the fastest growing companies in Kenya and it’s riding higher. Safaricom valued at over Kshs: 200 Billion will offload at least 25% of its shareholding probably mid 2007.

Telcom Kenya
The government intend to sell about 34 per cent of its shares through an IPO around Sept 2007.


East African Portland Cement:
Lafarge and the Government to offload more shares to the public to reduce their holdings, and increase the total number of shares traded to the 25% required by CMA for listed companies.Lafarge holds 41.7% in EA Portland and 73% in Bamburi Cement. likely IPO is about end of the year.

Kengen:
The government plans to offload a further 19% to the public in June 2007. Around 400 Million shares reducing its stake to 51%.

FAMILY FINANCE BUILDING SOCIETY (BANK)
Soon to be Family Bank is one of the leading microfinance institutions in Kenya and is now offering 15,000,000 Million Share at Kes:60.00 per share (minimum of 500 shares). The share offer is by private placement and a subsequently IPO or like EQUITY BANK did. One need to be an account holder with family finance to be able to purchase the shares.

SAROVA GROUP
Owns a portifolio of profit making hotels chain in Eastern Africa.

Co-op Bank
Already selling their shares through private placement @100 per share
Profit making and available in many parts of the country.

(Other romoured IPO's include):

Sadolin paint-

Adopt-a-light-biggest outdoor advertiser in kenya, involved in road signing too.

Orion EA-sells agricultral chemicals in East Africa.

Triple A Capital-

More information will be provided about the above.