RCL is a large producer of food, sugar products, and chicken in South Africa, which is owned 80.4% by Remgro. The company owns a number of very well-known South African brands such as 5 Star maize meal, Farmer Brown, and Yum Yum peanut butter. It competes with overseas imports of sugar, chicken, and other foods. It was impacted by the listeriosis outbreak,...
Kumba (KIO) is a highly successful iron mining operation which is owned (79%) and controlled by Anglo American. The share price fell to as little as R223 in March 2020 because of COVID-19 but recovered to R668 before falling on the March 2022 quarterly results. Importantly, exports make up 94% of the company's total sales - which means that it is not heavily...
Previously, Kaap Agri, the KAL Group is an agricultural company owned 40.9% by Zeder, which is, in turn, 43.7% held by PSG. The company operates through over 190 retail outlets offering a wide range of products and services mainly to the farming community. Kaap Agri has seven divisions: (1) Pakmark offers a wide range of packaging materials for the local...
Hudaco (HDC) is an importer and supplier of "...automotive, industrial and consumer products" mostly in Southern Africa. Its business has two sides: (1) Supplying automotive security, power tools, communications, and business supply products to the consumer market. (2) Supplying mainly the mining and manufacturing industries with mechanical and electrical...
Gold Fields (GFI) is a relatively high-cost international gold mining house with a single mine in South Africa - South Deep. South Deep was bought by Gold Fields in 2006, and it has struggled to make the mine profitable, pouring in a total of R32bn (R22bn purchase price plus R10bn in development costs) into it over the past 14 years. Brett Kebble once described...
DRDGOLD (DRD) was listed in 1895 and is the JSE's oldest listed company. It was followed by SA Breweries, which was listed in 1897 and has now been acquired by Anheuser Busch. DRD is now a gold surface treatment operation which is at an all-in sustaining cost of extraction of just over R627247 per kilogram which compares to the average received gold price of...
ArcelorMittal (ACL) is South Africa's largest steel-producing company. It has survived where companies like Highveld Steel have disappeared. Arguably, ArcelorMittal felt the impact of the sub-prime crisis more than any other South African company and has fallen from its high of R260 in June 2008 to as low as 25c in August 2020. Since then, it has rallied...
Anglo American Platinum (AMS), or Amplats, is the second-largest platinum producer in the world (after Sibanye) and plays a key role in the platinum group metals (PGM) industry. The company is 77.62% owned by Anglo American and has been at the forefront of transitioning from deep-level mining to shallow, mechanized mining, which has significantly improved...
Capitec Bank (CPI) is now South Africa's largest bank by customer numbers, with 21.1 million clients. Originally launched by PSG, Capitec has been a major disrupter in the local banking industry, steadily gaining retail market share from traditional banks by offering a simplified, lower-cost solution—particularly targeting the previously unbanked population. The...
Truworths (TRU) is a clothing, footwear, and accessories retailer operating in Southern Africa and the UK. It is listed on both the JSE and the Namibian Stock Exchange. The company generates 70% of its South African sales on credit, making effective credit management a critical factor in its profitability. Truworths operates in a highly competitive retail...
The Gemfields Group (GML), previously known as the Palinghurst Group, is a mining company focused on gemstone production. The group has two major projects: 1. Kagem – The world's largest producer of emeralds, located in Zambia. 2. Montepuez – A major ruby mine in Mozambique. Additionally, the company was previously involved in Jupiter Mines, a South...
Vodacom (VOD) is South Africa's largest provider of airtime and data services for mobile phones. It operates as a subsidiary of the international telecom company Vodafone. Its main competitors include MTN, Cell-C, and Telkom. The mobile industry has faced continuous pressure from declining voice revenue, partially offset by a sharp increase in data usage. One...
Pepkor Holdings (PPH), previously known as Pep, is 71.01% owned by Steinhoff International. Following the collapse of the Steinhoff group due to admitted "accounting irregularities," the directors decided to revert to the name Pepkor Holdings to distance the company from negative publicity. The group operates well-known retail brands, including Ackermans, PEP...
Mpact (MPT) is a leading producer of paper and plastics packaging in Southern Africa. The company specializes in recycling paper and cardboard, manufacturing corrugated cardboard containers for various industries, and producing polystyrene trays for the food industry. It operates 20 manufacturing facilities and employs over 5,000 people, with South African sales...
ArcelorMittal (ACL) is South Africa's largest steel producer and has managed to survive in an industry where competitors like Highveld Steel have disappeared. The company was severely impacted by the sub-prime crisis, with its share price falling from a high of R260 in June 2008 to as low as 25 cents in August 2020. Since then, it has staged a strong recovery,...
Harmony (HAR) was historically considered South Africa’s most marginal gold mining operation until it successfully integrated Mponeng gold mine into its portfolio. The development of Mponeng and its processing plant is expected to cost around US$2.8 billion, and Harmony has yet to secure its share of the required capital, which amounts to approximately R20...
Vukile (VKE) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) listed on the JSE and the Namibian Stock Exchange. The company owns properties directly, holds shares in other REITs, and has significant property investments in the UK and Spain. Its portfolio is geographically diversified, with 50% of its assets located in Southern Africa, primarily in retail properties, 46%...
Lewis (LEW) is a retailer specializing in furniture and electrical appliances, operating through 840 stores under the Lewis (498 stores), Beares (150 stores), Best Home (170 stores), Bedzone (12 stores), and United Furniture Outlets (39 stores) brands. Of these, 138 stores are located in neighboring countries. The company conducts 59.9% of its business on credit,...