Author: ARM

ARM Research| Nigeria equity market booked another week of loss

The Nigeria equity market booked another week of loss, with the NSE ASI declining by 2.54% WoW to 30,874.17 pts and the market capitalization shedding N293.7 billion over the week. The loss was driven by declines in bellwether stocks in the banking (FBNH: -6.58%, GUARANTY: -5.63%, STANBIC: -2.04%, UBA: -3.85% and ZENITH: -3.33%), cement (DANGCEM: -4.15%, LAFARGE: -7.14%) and Oil & gas (SEPLAT: -9.68%) sectors. Top decliners during the week were DIAMONDBNK (-31.58%), PRESTIGE (-30.38%) and UNITYBNK (-18.82%).

• Fidelity Bank Plc – BUY (FVE: N92). We are now more optimistic on our earnings expectation over 2018 largely on the back of lower loan-loss provisioning. We have revised our FY 18E EPS higher to N0.82 (previously N0.76) which is 25% higher YoY. Our FVE of N2.92 (previously N2.82) translates to a BUY rating on the stock. Based on Friday’s closing price, our dividend expectation translates to a dividend yield of 8%.

 

• Nigerian Breweries Plc – SELL (FVE: N58): Reflecting the heated competition and further declines in volumes into Q4 18, we forecast FY 18E revenue to decline by 6.8% YoY to N321 billion. However,  we envisage cost pressures due to rising barley prices. Thus, we forecast FY 18E gross margin at 40.8% (FY 17: 41.7%) and EBIT margin of 12.6% (FY 17: 17%). Having rolled forward our model, we cut our FVE on NB to N76.58 (previous: N121.30), translating to a SELL.

 

• Guinness Nigeria Plc – UNDERWEIGHT (FVE: N96): As with NB, due to heated competition in the brewery sector, we foresee higher cost of sale over FY 19F due to rise in barley price and higher cost per unit due to loss of diseconomies of scale following weaker volumes. Having rolled forward our model, we cut our FVE on Guinness Nigeria to N73.96 (previous: N88.21), translating to an UNDERWEIGHT

 

• Okomu Oil Palm Plc – STRONG BUY (FVE: N75): Over our forecast period, we anticipate volumes growth emanating from the harvest of fresh fruit bunches from its extension 2 plantation. Based on our expectation for volumes growth, accompanied by margin expansion, we raise our FVE to N97.75.

 

• Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc – STRONG BUY (FVE: N27). The case for Seplat remains higher crude oil prices and volumes, unrecognized capital allowance, reserve accretion, higher receipt from crude oil lifted in OML 55 as well as the company’s extended debt maturity profile which feeds into an improved cash position

 

Kindly, visit ARM Research Portal for full stock reports

The post ARM Research| Nigeria equity market booked another week of loss appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

‘Poof’ went the money

Jane couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She was in shock.

All her plans for the Christmas just disappeared before her eyes and she couldn’t fathom what had happened.

For the past seven months, Jane had been saving towards Christmas. She was finally travelling home with her family after an 8-year break, and she wanted to storm her hometown in style. When she brought home the local piggy-bank she bought along the road to start her saving rendezvous, Edet her husband tried to dissuade her.

Edet tried to convince Jane to invest her money instead so that it could bring returns. Jane failed to listen because she always believed she had more control when she could feel and touch where her money was.

Today, as she stared unbelievably at the broken piggy-bank, she saw all her convictions shattered to pieces. Jane had consistently dropped one thousand naira everyday into the piggy-bank for seven months. Some days, she dropped more than that depending on the loose change she found herself with. She knew it was full because she had been forcing the currency notes into the small hole for the past month and planned to break it open in November ahead of December.

Her Christmas shopping list was ready. She had packed up her children’s old clothes to give away to relatives at her maternal home. She had given away her own old clothes to Iya Fatima who sold Moi Moi just down the street. Jane was ready for her and the children to slay in new clothes this Christmas. But when she broke open her local piggy-bank, all she saw were five and ten naira notes. She was weak, confused and angry.

She had been standing there staring for so long she didn’t hear her husband Edet walk in. When Edet saw her countenance and asked what the problem was, Jane told him a tale that sounded like it was enacted from a Nollywood movie. After recounting the ordeal to Edet, he burst out laughing.

Jane was infuriated “How can you laugh at something as mysterious and serious as this honey? Don’t you think someone has been stealing my money?”

Edet calmed himself down before responding “Dear, no one has been stealing your money. You just got ‘juju-duped’! Many people are falling victim to this now, that’s what I tried to tell you earlier. I know this is not the right time to say this, but I told you so. If only you had invested this money in a reliable investment vehicle, ‘juju’ wouldn’t have reached there and you’ll still have your money plus interest.”

Jane fell back into her chair and sighed bitterly “But why didn’t you tell me the part about juju” she quizzed but Edet had left the room leaving her alone. Alone with her thoughts, Jane vowed to be wiser next time. Never again will she make this kind of mistake.

 

Don’t take chances when it comes to your money. Explore investment options before the new year comes at www.arminvestmentcenter.com

The post ‘Poof’ went the money appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

Things men don’t understand about women

They say men are from Mars and women from Venus, but that analogy doesn’t even make logical sense to most men. What do planets have to do with women being such mysteries?

Here are some things that baffle guys about the ladies:

Why women say one thing and mean another

Oh, don’t even go there. How can you ask a crying or angry lady if she’s fine and she says yes, then you go on your merry way? That’s just wrong in a woman’s book. She expects you to know she’s not fine. Be ‘smart’ like that.

Women’s fascination with shoes

Guys wonder why women need so much shoes. Most guys get on just fine with a black pair, a brown pair and some sneakers. It’s still a mystery to them but they accept it. What they don’t get is why women get mad at them when they fail to notice their new pair of stilettos…

Why women won’t say what’s bothering them

Men can’t wrap their heads around the reason for a woman being mad at them when they have no clue what they did. They can’t understand why women think they have psychic powers to just figure it out themselves.

Why women are so good at multitasking

Women hold the belt when it comes to multitasking. Men don’t even come close. The fact that a woman can be on the phone and at the same time be writing an email, watching something on television and somehow still monitor the kids in another room is talent to the average man. How do they even do that?

Why women ask questions they won’t like answers to

Most men dread the moment their wife looks them in the eye while dressing up and asks “Honey, do you think I’ve added weight?” “Wait up lady! I don’t want to start a war”, you think inwards trying your best to cushion your answer with love especially if she has really added weight.

Why women say they have nothing to wear

How is that even possible when your closet is overflowing with clothes? Men don’t understand this.

Why women spend hours on make-up

Men don’t understand all the time women spend just putting on make-up. “Are you painting a house?” They wonder.

Why women wear something that’s uncomfortable

A woman complains the heels hurt her feet, yet she’s okay because they make her legs look great. That bandage dress is choking, yet she wears them proudly because they accentuate her hips. Men don’t get this.

Why women have drama always

It’s either there’s something going on between a woman and her friends, or there’s that lady at work who’s out to destroy her. Oh, and the world will end if someone wears the exact same outfit as her… Men wonder why the female folk are not exhausted by this much drama.

 

But drama or no, the world will not be an interesting place without women. So, you keep doing your service to the world by putting money aside in an ARM Life Education Plan for your lovely daughters. More women being trained for the men to try understanding.

The post Things men don’t understand about women appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

Are you paid fairly

This is a thought-provoking question as we round off 2018.

For all the hard work you do, your commitment and more – are you paid the right wage? Whether your answer is yes or no, consider this – no amount of money you are paid today counts really, what counts is what you do with it. Let me explain.

Even if you earn a six-figure salary and mouth-watering bonuses every other month, if you don’t manage your finances well enough and invest a fraction, many years down the line, you may still stay stagnant financially or worse still, go under depending on the lifestyle you choose to adopt.

The question then shouldn’t stop at asking if you’re paid fairly. In fact, it’s at this point you should begin to evaluate how you spend what you earn. If all you ever do is spend as you earn, forget financial freedom, with the ever-increasing cost of living in Nigeria, you may soon find yourself in debt.

Back to the question

Now let’s get back to the question: how do you spend what you earn? It’s imperative that you know where your money is going in order to account for it. This is what budgeting is really about.

When your budget only features bills, needs, wants or debts there’s a big problem. Why? Because you can never be financially free if you live to work and spend it all. Have you thought about the day you won’t be so young and agile enough to work as you do now? What if along the line, you have an emergency that needs money to solve, can you sincerely say you have an emergency fund somewhere? Better still, wouldn’t you like the peace that comes with knowing that even when you’re not working, you are making money? Think about it.

Wouldn’t it be a dream come true to have enough money, your own home and the freedom to go and do whatever you want especially as you get older without your heart skipping at the thought of the financial implication?

To get this life, you must focus on what you do with what you are paid while striving to get to a place where you are paid better.

One way to get closer to the affluent lifestyle is to make investing a habit. With focus, consistency, patience and a willingness to dream big, the sky will only be your starting point. Ready to play it big? Explore investment options at www.arminvestmentcenter.com 

The post Are you paid fairly appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

7 Signs S/he Is A #Fraudbae

If you’re social media savvy, you would have seen the #fraudbae viral story.

But for those of us who are not really into social media like that, here is the full gist:

It’s about this babe called Angel Exford and her ex-boo, Michael Fehsenfeld. 2 weeks ago, Ms Angel came on social media to accuse her ex-lover of being a fraud and a gold-digger.

According to her, the two decided to eat out with some of their friends. When it was time to pay, Fehsenfeld said he had lost his wallet, and asked her to give him access to her bank card which she did out of love.

Days after, the two broke up and Fehsenfeld blocked his ex-girlfriend on social media.

Ms Angel started receiving debit alerts on her account. After a series of investigations by her friends, it was discovered that her ex-boo had used her money to pay for flowers for his new boo and for a trip to Paris with her. He had also used the money to pay for parking tickets, Instagram likes bills from the council and a Sky TV subscription.

For you not to fall victim of such, here are seven signs on how to detect a #fraudbae

1. They never pay for anything. If s/he is always pushing the bill to you to pay, please run.
2. They’re always in debt and want you to bail them out.
3. They use the relationship with them as a bargaining tool.
4. They always come up with big business ideas that end up failing.
5. They want to control your finances and know your ATM pin.
6. They always live beyond their means
7. They always beg you for money to entertain their friends.

Fraud prevention is everyone’s responsibility!

 

Thank you.

The post 7 Signs S/he Is A #Fraudbae appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

How I Got Blacked Out on Black Friday

It was a well-orchestrated cyber bombardment like the Nazi’s aerial attack of Guernica in 1937.

Every time I turned on my phone, the ads would pop up, reminding me of how many days were left for Black Friday. It was as if on that day, the sky would turn gold and rain down Naira.

At times when I turned on my radio to listen to Top 10 Naija songs of the week, it was Black Friday jingles that would rent the airwaves; the TV stations were not left out.

It was annoying and interesting at the same time. Annoying because repetition made me feel guilty, almost as though I wasn’t giving attention to what really mattered. It was also interesting because these e-commerce sites were slashing the prices of their items at a very ridiculous percentage.

Personally, I have a fear of online shopping due to a not-so-good experience I had some years ago. I had ordered a tablet from an Asian e-commerce site. When the tablet arrived after a month at sea, half of the screen was broken, and it was useless. After that, I vowed never to buy anything online again. But the persistent “noise” by the e-commerce sites made me renounce my vow, coupled with the inviting price slashes they were offering.

On this Black Friday, I surfed a Nigerian e-commerce site and ordered a phone, not for me but for a babe I was toasting at that time.

I had asked her out, but she didn’t give me a definite Yes or No answer. She said she needed time to think about it, and we could still be “going out”, but I wanted a serious relationship with her. I felt that buying her a phone at a time she just lost hers to a pickpocket would increase my chances of getting a YES as an answer.

So, I searched for a nice phone that was relatively cheaper. I made an order for it and was delivered in a few days.

I called her and told her I had a surprise for her. We met, and I handed her the phone. I expected her to jump all over me and whisper YES to my ears, but she only smiled and said thank you in a rather superficial manner.

I went home thinking she would surprise me by saying it over the phone. Two days went by and I didn’t hear from her. She even stopped picking my calls.

On the third day, I headed over to her IG page. What I saw on her timeline swept me off my feet.

She had a post 22 hours ago that read:

“Thank you BabyBoo of life for this beautiful gift. I have always wanted an iPhone and you made it possible. I can’t wait to become your baby girl for life soon. #Lovergirl #Iaminlove #Iammadeforyou. #forevertaken

It was a picture of her holding the latest iPhone, collaged with the picture of the sender, a bearded fine boy and a card-carrying member of the Sweet Boys Association. I was sad.

Then I remembered my friend who had earlier advised me to invest the money wisely. I thought that buying her the phone was a wise investment, not knowing I had only helped another man to water his flower.

 

Invest in ARM Mutual funds

 

The post How I Got Blacked Out on Black Friday appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

Do you remember?

Do you remember what it felt like?

That humongous crowd, the adrenaline rush, the energetic dance session and the coldness of the medal as you smiled broadly after completing the ARM Pensions Run for the future in March 2018.

You ran with us on that day and not just you, we enjoyed every moment spent. Remember the new friends you made? The pump as you watched the dance competition get intense? The joy of finding out you were fit enough to run 10KM? Oh, it’s nostalgic!

 

Come and run once again with us on November 24th, 2018. This time, the excitement and fun will rival what you’ve experienced in the past.

Don’t dull on this. Hurry to www.armpension.com/rftf to register and be a part of this exhilarating moment.

We can’t wait to run with you!

The post Do you remember? appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

A Perfect Gift

Kola drove his Toyota Camry car hurriedly through the bumpy road of Ogba. Beads of sweat dotted his oily face. Beside him was Ngozi, his wife, grimacing and holding her protruding belly. From time to time, Kola would throw a look at her to be sure she was fine.

Ngozi writhed from side to side on the chair and her countenance showed more pain than that of labour. She was particularly worried about the future of the child and the impending responsibilities. She was unemployed, and her husband just got a job with a commercial bank.

At the hospital, Kola was muttering some words of prayer, pacing the ward passage when Jude, the Doctor, came out of the delivery room.

Kola and Jude had been friends since they were young. They went to the same schools. Jude lost his Dad to a road accident at the time he was about entering into the university to study medicine.

The death of Jude’s Dad came as a shock to the whole neighbourhood. He was a good man. Everyone had though Jude’s ambition of becoming a Medical Doctor had hit the rock; even his father’s extended family members, who had promised Jude and his two sisters heaven and earth, deserted them when it was time to pay for their school fees.

“Congratulations Bro, It’s a boy.” Kola jumped up with excitement and embraced Jude who led him to the delivery room. Kola kissed his wife and the baby wrapped in a shawl.

“Guys, so what gift do you have for the child?” Jude asked.

“I have bought some toys and…” Jude interjected Kola with a giggle.

“Bro, I am not talking about toys. The best gift you can give a child is quality education.”

“Oh, of course, I know. When the time comes, we will sort that out.” Kola said.

“You don’t have to wait till the child grows up before you start planning for his education. You can start securing your child’s future from now. My Dad did the same for us years ago.  When he died and everyone had thought it was over for me and my sisters, it was his ARM Education Plan that helped us to complete our schooling and made me what I am today.”

“You are very right.” Kola nodded.  “How do I start?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Congratulations once again.” the Doctor said and left them to relish their joyful moment.

The post A Perfect Gift appeared first on Realising Ambitions.