UAP Holdings has posted a Sh518 million loss for the year ended December 2018, a massive hit from a Sh608 million profit after tax recorded the previous year.
Consequently, the firm’s gross losses hit Sh480 million, a whopping 136 per cent plunge compared to Sh1.3 billion gross profit in 2017.
The insurer had in December issued a profit warning citing lower asset valuation and one off restructuring costs.
Speaking at the investor briefing on Tuesday, Group CEO Peter Mwangi attributed the loss to poor operating environment in Kenya and South Sudan.
"A combination of bearish performance on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, contracting economy is South Sudan, increased competition and one-off restricting cost led to the loss," Mwangi said.
The bearish performance at NSE that saw the headline NSE20 drop by more than 18 per cent saw UAP Holdings shed Sh478 million in value while the one-off restructuring of 89 employees exerted Sh324 million on the firm’s books during the year under review.
In addition, the company spent Sh780 million provisioning for IFRS9 new financial reporting standard that took effect January last year.
Also on rise were net payable claims mostly originating from health and motor insurance segments.
Mwangi said the company is re-organising its investment profile, cutting on equities in preference for long-term investments including private and government securities.
