Our opinion on the current state of MC-GROUP(MCG)MultiChoice (MCG) is a leading entertainment company in Africa and one of the fastest-growing pay-TV broadcast providers in the world with 21.1 million subscribers in 50 countries. The company's 90-day subscriber base is split 42% (8.9 million) in South Africa and 58% (12.2 million) in the rest of Africa. The share was spun out of Naspers and separately listed on the JSE on 27th February 2019.
This company is probably close to an ideal company for the private investor because its income is mostly annuity income, in the form of debit orders, with a very diverse client group. It has virtually no working capital because it is essentially a service company and does not need to carry large stocks. It also does not have a large unskilled or semi-skilled workforce, although it has had union problems in the past.
The potential for pay-TV in Africa appears to be substantial but may be eroded by 5G internet access in the future and the existence of free online access through platforms. Icasa (Independent Communications Authority of SA), in its efforts to boost competition, is looking at changing the rules for dominance in the pay-TV market, which may impact on MultiChoice. This may include changing the rules for dominance in sports coverage which has been MultiChoice’s strongest appeal. This would impact on MultiChoice’s ability to negotiate exclusive sports contracts.
Obviously, this company is in the home entertainment business which received a boost from the COVID-19 lockdowns. On 2nd March 2023, the company announced that it had entered into an agreement with Sky News and NBC Universal to enhance the Showmax service and make it dominant in Africa.
In its results for the year to 31st March 2024, the company reported revenue down 5% and a headline loss per share of 715c compared with a loss of 301c in the previous year. Core headline earnings per share (HEPS) was down 38%. The company said, "The group's 9% decline in active subscribers was mainly due to a 13% decline in the Rest of Africa business as mass-market customers in countries like Nigeria had to prioritize basic necessities over entertainment, while the South African business showed more resilience with a 5% decline."
In our view, this is a solid blue-chip share which faces some problems with the alternative products available to its subscribers. On 5th February 2024, MCG reported that Canal+ had increased its stake in MCG to 35.01% triggering a mandatory offer at R105 per share to the remaining shareholders. The company rejected the offer as too low. On 28th February 2024, the company announced that the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) had ruled that since Canal+'s ownership of MCG had exceeded 35%, it was required to make a mandatory offer to buy out the remaining shareholders in terms of section 123 of the Companies Act (71 of 2008).
On 6th March 2024, the company announced that Canal+ had increased its offer to R125 per share. On 7th April 2024, the company announced that it had reached a cooperation agreement with Canal+ in terms of which it would work with Canal+ to implement the takeover. On 24th April 2024, the company announced that Canal+ had acquired 41.6% of its issued shares and it had filed the required notices with the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). On 16th May 2024, Business Day reported that Canal+ had increased its stake to 45.2%. On 4th June 2024, Canal+ made an offer of R125 per share for all the remaining shares in MC Group which it did not own.
Technically, the share had been falling since 6th March 2023 and we recommended waiting for a break up through the 65-day exponential moving average before buying. That happened on 19th December 2023 at a price of 7440c. After that, the share rose to just over R120 on 30th April 2024. Since then, it has been drifting down and has broken down through its 65-day exponential moving average.
In a joint announcement on 18th June 2024, Sanlam agreed to buy 60% of MultiChoice's insurance business. This move is expected to strengthen MultiChoice's position and offer new growth opportunities in the insurance sector. M

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Our opinion on the current state of NOVUS(NVS)Novus (NVS) is South Africa's largest printing company with 11 printing plants. Until recently, it had the monopoly contract to do all of Media24's printing. With effect from 1st April 2018, that contract was reduced to roughly 58% of Media24's printing and the price paid by Media24 for printing was also reduced. The company appointed a new CEO, Neil Birch, who has decided in the short term to abandon the company's acquisitions and focus on consolidating the business and improving its operating performance. The board may also look to sell the company's tissue business. The company has a level 4 BEE status but will need to improve that to become more competitive.
On 12th August 2022, the company announced that it would acquire 75% of Pearson South Africa. In its results for the year to 31st March 2024, the company reported revenue up 24% and headline earnings per share (HEPS) of 78.8c compared with a loss of 7.4c in the previous year. The company said, "The increase in operating profit to R393.5 million (2023: R6.9 million) and gross profit margin improvement of 9.9% to 28.7% (2023: 18.8%), is attributable to a R264 million operating profit generated by MML and improved profitability in both Print and Packaging. Overhead costs were well contained throughout the Group."
Technically, the share price fell steadily since listing in March 2015 until March 2021. Then it began to move up and it currently trades at 92% of its NAV. We suggested waiting for a convincing break up through a 65-day moving average before investigating further. That has happened on 8th October 2020 at 88c, and the share has since moved up to 550c. The share trades about R225,000 worth of shares a day, which makes it practical for private investors. Our opinion on the current state of AYOAYO is a black-owned technology company that was spun out of AEEI and in which AEEI still holds 49.4%. There were suspicious circumstances with a massive R4.3bn investment by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), which has been the subject of a court action by the PIC and finally settled on 31st March 2023, with AYO paying the PIC R619m. In effect, the PIC pensioners appear to have been fleeced out of billions of rands.
Ayo shares listed at R43, fell to as low as 105c, but are now at around 305c after their latest results. Volumes traded are very thin, with many days where it does not trade at all. The company has 1400 employees. What income it got appeared to be from interest on the remainder of the PIC loan.
We find this share difficult to assess and consider it potentially dangerous, especially after the testimony from the former financial director, Siphiwe Nodwele, before the Mpati Commission, that the company is probably only worth R700m and the testimony of Naahied Gamieldien, previously the CFO, who said she had to "...adjust margins to increase the company's profit." - which resulted in the profit doubling.
In October 2019, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) conducted a raid on Surve's offices as part of an ongoing investigation. FNB has closed Ayo's bank accounts at Ayo Technology Solutions citing reputational risk. Ayo is opposing this in a court action and, in an announcement on 30th April 2021, claims to have put in place "alternative third party solutions" to enable the company to continue trading.
We would advise investors to stay well clear of this share until the uncertainties surrounding the Mpati commission can be resolved. On 1st June 2021, British Telecom (BT) announced that it was severing ties with Sekunjalo due to "misrepresentation of facts" before the standing committee on finance in parliament. On 10th February 2022, the JSE announced that two Ayo directors had been barred from being a director of a listed company for five years because of failing to carry out their oversight duties, leading to incorrect, false, or misleading financial statements. On 22nd December 2022, the JSE published a censure of Ayo because of their involvement in related party transactions without complying with the JSE rules on such transactions.
On 24th March 2023, the company announced that it had reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), but it seems unlikely that the PIC will recover the R4.3bn which it advanced to Ayo. In its results for the six months to 29th February 2024, the company reported revenue up by 0.19% and a headline loss per share of 33.12c compared with a loss of 79.13c in the previous period.
We cannot recommend this share to private investors because we do not trust its reporting. On 6th September 2023, the JSE publicly censured a director of Ayo, Khalid Abdulla, for breaching the listing requirements and failing to exercise his fiduciary duties. He was fined R2m and Ayo was fined R6.5m. On 14th June 2024, the company announced that Dr. NA Ramatlhodi would become Chairperson of AYO with immediate effect. A

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Our opinion on the current state of MC-GROUP(MCG)MultiChoice (MCG) is a leading entertainment company in Africa and one of the fastest-growing pay-TV broadcast providers in the world with 21.1 million subscribers in 50 countries. The company's 90-day subscriber base is split 42% (8.9 million) in South Africa and 58% (12.2 million) in the rest of Africa. The share was spun out of Naspers and separately listed on the JSE on 27th February 2019.
This company is probably close to an ideal company for the private investor because its income is mostly annuity income, in the form of debit orders, with a very diverse client group. It has virtually no working capital because it is essentially a service company and does not need to carry large stocks. It also does not have a large unskilled or semi-skilled workforce, although it has had union problems in the past.
The potential for pay-TV in Africa appears to be substantial but may be eroded by 5G internet access in the future and the existence of free online access through platforms. Icasa (Independent Communications Authority of SA), in its efforts to boost competition, is looking at changing the rules for dominance in the pay-TV market, which may impact on MultiChoice. This may include changing the rules for dominance in sports coverage which has been MultiChoice’s strongest appeal. This would impact on MultiChoice’s ability to negotiate exclusive sports contracts.
Obviously, this company is in the home entertainment business which received a boost from the COVID-19 lockdowns. On 2nd March 2023, the company announced that it had entered into an agreement with Sky News and NBC Universal to enhance the Showmax service and make it dominant in Africa.
In its results for the year to 31st March 2024, the company reported revenue down 5% and a headline loss per share of 715c compared with a loss of 301c in the previous year. Core headline earnings per share (HEPS) was down 38%. The company said, "The group's 9% decline in active subscribers was mainly due to a 13% decline in the Rest of Africa business as mass-market customers in countries like Nigeria had to prioritise basic necessities over entertainment, while the South African business showed more resilience with a 5% decline."
In our view, this is a solid blue-chip share which faces some problems with the alternative products available to its subscribers. On 5th February 2024, MCG reported that Canal+ had increased its stake in MCG to 35.01% triggering a mandatory offer at R105 per share to the remaining shareholders. The company rejected the offer as too low. On 28th February 2024, the company announced that the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) had ruled that since Canal+'s ownership of MCG had exceeded 35%, it was required to make a mandatory offer to buy out the remaining shareholders in terms of section 123 of the Companies Act (71 of 2008).
On 6th March 2024, the company announced that Canal+ had increased its offer to R125 per share. On 7th April 2024, the company announced that it had reached a cooperation agreement with Canal+ in terms of which it would work with Canal+ to implement the takeover. On 24th April 2024, the company announced that Canal+ had acquired 41.6% of its issued shares and it had filed the required notices with the Takeover Regulation Panel (TRP) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). On 16th May 2024, Business Day reported that Canal+ had increased its stake to 45.2%. On 4th June 2024, Canal+ made an offer of R125 per share for all the remaining shares in MC Group which it did not own.
Technically, the share had been falling since 6th March 2023 and we recommended waiting for a break up through the 65-day exponential moving average before buying. That happened on 19th December 2023 at a price of 7440c. After that, the share rose to just over R120 on 30th April 2024. Since then it has been drifting down and has broken down through its 65-day exponential moving average. M
