By Peter Egwuatu

Red Star Express Plc has led the cream of top ten gainers in the Main Board sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE last week, rising by 41.5 per cent or N1.57 to close at N5.35 per share last Friday from N3.78 per share penultimate week. The company last year paid a dividend of N206 million to its shareholders for the financial year ended March31, 2014.

Red Star has consistently paid dividend to its shareholders since its shares were listed on the NSE. The company is a provider of logistics solutions and is a licensee of Fed Ex. It was incorporated in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act , CAMA on July 10, 1992, commenced business on October 12, 1992 and became a public company on July 9, 2007. It was listed on the NSE on November 14, 2007.

Beta Glass Company Nigeria Plc trailed behind RedStar Express Plc on the top ten chart, rising by 33.2 per cent or N9.97 per share to close at N39.97 per share from N30.00 per share. Beta Glass Company Plc has proposed a dividend of 62 kobo per share to its shareholders for the financial year end of 2014 as the closing date for its register has been fixed for 12th June, 2015.

The company reported revenue of N16.6billion in its full year result of 2014, indicating a growth of 18 per cent from N14.09 billion in the period of 2013. Profit before tax increased by 63 per cent to N3.3 billion from N2.05 billion in 2013. Profit After Tax, PAT increased by 62 per cent from N1.474 billion to N2.391 billion in 2014, Earning Per Share, EPS up by 62 per cent from 295kobo to 478 kobo in 2014.

Presco Plc trailed Beta Glass on the top ten gainers ‘chart gaining 16.9 per cent or N5.11 per share to close at N35.20 per share from N30.09 per share penultimate week. Presco Plc has recorded N2.153 billion in its financial year ended March 31, 2015 as against N2.108 billion posted the corresponding period of 20`15.

Its Gross Profit stood at N1.3 billion in 2015 as against N1.09 billion in 2014. The company Profit Before Tax, PBT climbed to N859.8 million in 2015 financial year as against N595.7 million in 2014. Presco recorded N556.7 million profit after tax in the 2015 financial year as against N406.7 million in 2015, while its Earning Per Share, EPS was N0.56 as against N0.40 in 2014.

Cap Plc came fourth on the gainers chart. It appreciated by 14.9 per cent or N5.34 per share to close at N41.00 per share from N35.66 per share. Cap Plc’s recently released result for the financial year ended March 3, 2014 shows that Revenue up by 12.8 per cent to end N6.986 billion from N6.196 billion in the corresponding period of 2013; Operating expenses went up by 9.8 per cent to hit N1.367 billion from N1.245 billion in 2013;

Operating Profit went up by 16.8 per cent to N2.231 billion from N1.911 billion in 2013; Profit Before Tax grew by 17 per cent to N2.442 billion from N2.087 billion; Profit After Tax, PAT surged by 17.3 per cent to N1.661 billion from N1.416 billion; Earnings Per Share, EPS grew by 17.3n per cent to N2.37 from N2.02. Cap

Conoil Plc occupied the fifth position as it gained 13.2 per cent or N4.79 per share to close at N41.00 per share fromN36.21 it closed penultimate week. The company acquired aircraft fullers recently.

Other gainers in the top ten chart include TotalFinaElf Plc , which garnered 11.9 per cent or N18.50 per share to close at N174.00 per share from N155.50 it closed penultimate week. It was followed by 7 7UP Bottling Company Plc , rising by 9.9 per cent or N16.00 per share to close at N178.00 per share from N162.00 per share. Okumu Oil Palm Company Plc was in the top ten gainers’ chart occupying the eight position.

It gained 7.6 per cent or N2.09 per share to close at N29.50 per share from N27.41 per share, followed by Unilever, which inched up by 6.4 per cent or N2.69 per share to close at N45.00 per share from N42.31 per share. Lafarge Africa Plc occupied the 10th top gainers chart as it appreciated by N4.00 per share or 4.3 per cent to close at N98.00 per share from N94.00 per share it closed penultimate week.