STOCK WATCH: C&I Leasing, Beta Glass, AIICO Insurance top stock pick this week

Nigerian stocks slid by 1.2 per cent last week as a higher sell pressure weakened the market value of shares. The market has yielded 28.4 per cent since the year started, with the oil & gas index leading other sector indices, having returned 64.4 per cent so far.

The half-year earnings reports of four of Nigeria’s biggest lenders – Access Holdings, United Bank for Africa, Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Holding Company – are currently awaited by investors, and they are likely to shape the direction the market is headed in the short term when they are released.

A number of equities continue to offer value for money, some now lowly priced to a level that offers a strong entry point for different investors seeking stocks with the promise of price appreciation.

PREMIUM TIMES has assembled some stocks with fundamentals and other potential, adopting key analytical approaches to save you the hassle of randomly picking equities for investment.

The selection, a product of analytical market watch, offers a guide to entering the market and taking strategic positions in hopes that equities will increase in value with the passage of time.

This is not a buy, sell or hold recommendation but a stock investment guide. You may need to involve your financial advisor before taking investment decisions.

C&I Leasing

C&I Leasing tops this week’s list for presently trading well below its intrinsic value. The company’s price-to-book (PB) ratio ratio is 0.1x, while the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is 5.9x.

Beta Glass

Linkage Assurance appears in the pick for currently trading well below its actual value.

Its PB ratio is 0.5x, while the PE ratio is 4.3x.

AIICO Insurance

AIICO Insurance makes this week’s list for currently trading below its real value. The underwriter’s PB ratio is 0.6x, while the PE ratio is 2.1x.

Custodian Investment

Custodian Investment features on this week’s pick for currently trading below its intrinsic value, boosting its chances of strong price appreciation in the future. The PB of the financial services company is presently 0.7x, while its PE ratio is 1.8x.

NEM Insurance

NEM Insurance makes the cut for currently trading below its real value. The company’s PB ratio is currently 0.8x, while the PE ratio is 1.9x.

UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN)

UACN appears on the list for trading significantly below its real value at the moment. The conglomerate’s PB ratio is 0.8x, while its PE ratio is 3x.