Transcorp Net profit Up by 161% to N10.9b

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc recorded impressive growths in turnover and profitability in the first half with net profit rising by 161 per cent to about N10.9 billion.
Going by the interim report and accounts of Transcorp for the six-month period ended June 30, 2018 showed that turnover rose from N34.17 billion in first half 2017 to N54.09 billion in first half 2018. Profit before tax jumped by 163.6 per cent to N11. 94 billion in first half 2018 as against N4.53 billion recorded in comparable period of 2017.
After tax, net profit grew by 161.2 per cent from N4.16 billion in 2017 to N10.88 billion in 2018. Earnings per share also leapt from 3.87 kobo in first half 2017 to 11.60 kobo in first half 2018.
The first half performance further reinforced Transcorp’s turnaround after the conglomerate recovered from a pre-tax loss of N5.93 billion in 2016 with a pre-tax profit of N12.31 billion in 2017. The audited report and accounts of Transcorp for the year ended December 31, 2017 showed that turnover rose by 35 per cent from N59.42 billion in 2016 to N80.28 billion in 2017. Gross profit increased by 21 per cent to N36.42 billion in 2017 compared with N30.17 billion in 2016. Operating profit increased by 25 per cent from N20.72 billion in 2016 to N26.03 billion in 2017.
Foreign exchange loss reduced to N4.55 billion in 2017 as against N18.7 billion in 2016 while net finance cost also improved from N26.64 billion to N13.73 billion. The company made provisions for N1.7 billion taxes in 2017 compared with tax credit of N4.80 billion received in 2016. With these, it reversed from a loss before tax of N5.93 billion in 2016 to profit before tax of N12.3 billion in 2017. After, taxes, net profit stood at N10.61 billion in 2017 as against net loss of N1.13 billion in 2016.
The balance sheet position of the conglomerate also improved in 2017 as total assets rose by 23 per cent to N285.52 billion in 2017 as against N232.16 billion in 2016. Shareholders’ funds rose by 11 per cent from N86.45 billion in 2016 to N95.71 billion in 2017.

Transcorp Plc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adim Jibunoh said the conglomerate’s businesses are in good position to sustain growth going forward.
“We are confident of improved fundamentals going forward, as we increase our available generation capacity to above 800 megawatts by year-end taking advantage of improving gas situation. We equally expect to benefit from the upside of the new improved infrastructure upon completion of our upgrade project in Transcorp Hilton Abuja. The upgrade project is currently on track,” Jibunoh said.
Transcorp’s group strategic investments include power, hospitality, agribusiness and oil and gas sectors. The group’s notable businesses are Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja; Transcorp Hotels Calabar; Transcorp Power Plc, Teragro Commodities Limited and Transcorp Energy Limited.