Aga Khan controlled Firms vs Merali controlled Firms on the NSE
Aga Khan Firms
Professionally run firms that draw on the resources of the Aga Khan network.
Diamond Trust - It is one of Kenya's largest banks & has done very well for its minority shareholders over the past 10 years. It has issued numerous bonuses.
TPSEA ("Serena") - Started out as TPS Holdings which was "absorbed" into TPS East Africa by giving 1.35 TPSEA for each TPSH share. The share price has risen over 100% since Jan 2005. Note that TPS Holdings (not TPSEA) was the listed entity on Jan 1 2005 therefore the current price for TPSEA should be multiplied by 1.35 to compare apples to apples.
Jubilee Insurance - A solid steady performer that has issued bonuses in the past & is at all-time high
Nation Media - Very successful media house that has expanded regionally despite the EA governments' attempts to muzzle it. Witness the misguided threats by Kenyan ministers like michuki, Tanzania's idiotic deportation of Kenyan newsmen/journalists/editors & Uganda's attempts to muzzle the Monitor as well as Nation's radio stations. There must be something in L. Victoria's water that make the EA governments act nicompoopy. Anyway, great profit growth with decent dividends & bonuses since it went public.
Merali Firms
Politically connected during the moi era thus the "meteoric" rise was a front.
Sameer Africa - Formerly Firestone EA & named after his son Sameer. It went public at KES 35.50 & it is still a mystery who bought the shares at the IPO which was horrendously overpriced. The price went up for the briefest of moments during initial trading. The price has NEVER reached the IPO levels since then!
The original shares purchased by merali belonged to icdc & were purchased at 5/- per share then sold at 35.50. Apparently NSSF was one of the largest buyers at the IPO netting merali 30/- per share. In essence ICDC (a controlled gov't entity) sold to NSSF (a gov't controlled entity) shares in Firestone with a "commission" accruing to merali of 30/- per share!
Sasini - It has a public company for a long time & pre-dates merali who took majority control. The highest price was 120/- (diluted) during the early-mid 90s. Sasini had given a 3:1 bonus which "boosted" the price to 300/- but fell to 100/- to 120/- range post bonus. Shareholders who bought at 100/- have been crying in their tea cup since then!
Bottomline:
Buy Aga Khan firms esp at IPOs but avoid Merali IPOs!
EVERY listed Aga Khan firm has made money (better than average returns) for its minority shareholders.
