Quoted Companies Survey Magazine is published by the Zimbabwe Independent and it is sponsored by Nedbank. This survey provides some interesting insights into how companies have been performing. This is especially important because the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of changes across all facets of society. In this article, I will look at companies that won awards in the respective categories.
Category: Overall Top Performing Companies
Winner: Seedco International
Seedco International scooped the award for the overall top-performing company. Seedco International specializes in the production of certified crop seeds. Primarily it is listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange whilst also being dually listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. For the period for which these recognitions were made the company grew by 19 per cent. Its profit after tax surged by a whopping 62 per cent. Sales volumes spiked by 37 per cent which is the reason why its performance grew significantly. Thus, the company scored big on both fronts i.e. volumes and earnings.
First Runner-Up: Masimba Holdings Limited
Masimba Holdings has been performing very well; against all odds, you could say. The respective sector Masimba Holdings operates in took a substantial dive last year. However, the company continues to secure contracts which saw their earnings rise. This has been an exception, despite the pandemic and they have continued to grow. Typically, I always see Masimba construction trucks moving around every single day – goes to show there is a lot of business going around for them.
Second Runner-Up: Zimplow Holdings Limited
The company has done quite well with a healthy mix of local sales and exports. One of the factors that led to that is that they did not just focus on the agricultural sector. They also diversified into other sectors namely, mining and infrastructure development. Given the fact that most of its sales are here in Zimbabwe, it is quite remarkable. It does not come as a surprise though because those 3 sectors are quite active despite the pandemic.
Category: Innovation And Technology
Winner: Gateway Stream
Gateway Stream is under Rainbow Tourism Group Limited. This award looks at companies that are doing excellently well in the introduction of products and processes that drive income generation and profitability. Gateway Stream is a virtual platform which started just providing hotel services. Now it has added more services such as online shopping (things like groceries, hardware, and so on), bookings of events, venues and even car rides. Things you can book include hotels, homes, and boats.
Runner-Up: TSL Limited
This company has a flagship product or service that deals with warehouse management. It is software that businesses can use to effectively manage their warehouses. Such software is vital because effective management of warehouses has been shown to reduce operating costs. This brings about a desirable surge in profit margins. TSL is mainly active in the agricultural sector – specifically the processing domain. Their service is being used by quite some players in the agro-processing sector.
Category: Sustainability
Winner: Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Limited
The sustainability award is new and Econet was the inaugural winner. When looking at the social impact of a company through sustainability initiatives we look at 3 core areas. We look at what a company is doing in the environmental, social, and corporate governance spectrums – coined ESG. Econet was found to be doing exceptionally well in impacting communities in Zimbabwe and beyond. It has also been on the forefront of rolling out renewable energy initiatives.
Some Things To Learn Here
Just by looking at these awards, there is a lot you can learn. For instance, you can see which domains are performing well locally. This can give you a hint on where you can start businesses or where you can invest in. These companies have stood out despite the COVID-19 pandemic which shows you the efficacy of their business models. It also goes to show you that their respective industries are a good place to be in.
In closing, of particular note is Gateway Stream – technological innovations are the real deal nowadays. I like that fact that the Gateway Stream success story has been juxtaposed with AirBnB. There are key takeaways from that and as such, we need to see more of these tech-based innovations. I once did an article on the biggest disruptors in the world – I did mention AirBnB. In Zimbabwe, I believe any entrepreneurs who can come up with disruptor businesses will thrive and make money.
