Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Square Pharmaceuticals Limited dominated the turnover chart on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) last week that ended on Thursday.
Some 3.20 million shares of Square Pharma worth above BDT 842 million changed hands on the premier bourse during the week.
The average daily turnover for the company was BDT 168.4 million.
Each share of the pharma & chemical sector company closed at 263.2 on Thursday, the last trading day of the week, advancing 3.54 per cent over the previous week.
Market insiders said the investors took position on Square Pharma’s share amid optimism as the company posted 38.37 percent year-on-year growth in earning per share (EPS) in third quarter (Q3) for October-December period in 2015.
As per un-audited Q3 financial report disclosed last week, consolidated EPS for October-December, 2015 was BDT 3.39 as against BDT 2.45 for the same period in 2014.
In nine months (April-December 2015), consolidated EPS was BDT 9.48 as against BDT 6.77 for April-December, 2014.
Consolidated net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) was BDT 12.59 for April-December, 2015 as against BDT 7.75 for April-December, 2014. Consolidated net asset value (NAV) per share was BDT 56.86 as of December 31, 2015 and BDT 49.86 as of March 31, 2015.
The recent news that the least developed countries’ exemption from paying patent drugs royalty till 2032 also instigated investors to take position in pharmaceuticals stocks, said an analyst.
The pharmaceuticals company disbursed 30 percent cash and 12.50 percent stock dividend for the year ended on March 31, 2015.
Square Pharma’s net profits rose 42.50 percent for the year ended on March 31, 2015 on the back of higher operating efficiency.
The company has also reported EPS BDT 10.36, net asset value (NAV) per share of BDT 50.57 and net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) of BDT 12.75 for the year ended on March 31, 2015.
The company was listed on the Dhaka bourse in 1995. The company belongs to the “A” category.
The sponsor-directors own 53.52 percent stake in Square Pharma while institutional investors 10.85 percent, foreign investors 15.85 percent and general pubic 19.78 percent, according to statistics from the DSE.
The company's paid-up capital is BDT 6,235.9 million and authorised capital is BDT 10,000 million while total number of securities is 623,586,546.
Square Pharma was followed by City Bank with 31.58 million shares worth BDT 744 million changing hands followed by Beximco Pharma BDT 642 million, Appollo Ispat BDT 525 million, IT Consultants BDT 511 million and Alltex Industries BDT 509 million.
United Power Generation & Distribution Company was also included in the top turnover list with 2.70 million shares of BDT 427 million changing hands followed by Olympic Industries BDT 404 million, RAK Ceramics BDT 380 million and Emerald Oil BDT 363 million.
BBN/SSR/AD