South African commodities group Tongaat Hulett (TNT) advised on Wednesday that the impact of valuation adjustments will result in a headline loss for the year to 31 December 2003.
The mark-to-market valuation adjustment required on maize contracts will result in a charge to the income statement of R211-million for the year. The decrease of the maize price of about 40% to 45% in the first six months of the year resulted in a charge at the half year of R255-million, it said.
There was an increase in the maize price towards the end of the year and this resulted in a gain of R44-million in the second half of the year.
The application of the exchange rate at December 31 2003 will result in a translation loss of R80-million for the year relating to offshore cash holdings.
Valuation adjustments in respect of export debtors, foreign loan hedges, foreign currency translation items and financial instruments will amount to a charge in the income statement of R107-million for the year.
“The impact of these valuation adjustments will result in a headline loss for the year to December 31 2003,” the company added.
In November the group had advised that conditions for the year to date were such that it expected both earnings per share and headline earnings per share for the year to be substantially below those of the year before and that at the prevailing exchange rate and maize price it expected to report a headline loss for the year to December 31 2003.
In an update on Wednesday, Tongaat Hullet said it has previously advised shareholders of factors that impacted on its results and has distinguished between underlying operating profit and valuation items in the income statement.
The interim results to June 30 2003 included negative valuation adjustments of R375-million, which exceeded underlying operating profit and a headline loss of R190-million was reported.
As the information has not been reviewed or reported on by the group’s auditors, shareholders are advised to continue to exercise caution when dealing in their shares until final results are published on 23 February 2004. – I-Net Bridge