This is a very stable company with a product that have longevity and it is very well run with no dominant individual shareholder as is visible in a company like EA Cables. Eveready has 3 shareholders who in total own 63% thus providing a balanced ownership.

Many of us urbanites do not appreciate the power of the D battery in powering the country as many of us either have rechargeable devices or use the AA and AAA battery.

At the bottom of the pyramid the D size battery is king, ask your watchman today when you get home which battery he uses.

When looking at the shareholding of EA cables and Eveready it is shocking that less than 6 shareholders have invested more than 1 million shillings and over 99% have less than 10,000/- invested.

It tells you that the over hyped investment groups are over spread. You want your investment group notices then buy 4 million worth of Eveready shares and you will be listed in the annual report.

Eveready is a very tightly run business with very little financial acrobatics which attests to their being able to survive all this years of imported products. To better deal with issues of ownership and management Merali relinquished his chairmanship and board seat which means improved corporate governance.

Eveready has an Achilles hill as relates to the current MD, his too hands on and the board needs to start working on leadership continuity.

If we can develop strong well funded investment groups then we can position for the post Kenyatta generation to take control of listed companies. Investment clubs need to remain unitized and avoid becoming business owners are managers.

In the case of Eveready a buy off of ICDC would cost 72 million, a figure that can be easily raised if 10 or so clubs agreed to put aside their egos and merged. Thus being able to take a decision making position in a good company.

It is said that investment clubs hold over 35 billion (http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/newrels/kenya-grassroots-savings-09.html) of which over 80% (28B) is in non & low performing assets such as plots and taxis.

Eveready has been able to manage their debt very efficiently and even though it took on additional debt last financial year it did it without increasing total interest payments.

For those who did not know Eveready will soon be diversifying into the baby care products such as diaper from the Playtex range this will supplement the other two consumer products for the medium income range energizer & Schick.

With the drop in calling charges from 8/- to 3/- many women who previously could not afford diapers will now be able.

In conclusion the company has a clear strategy which they follow through and this can be seen when you read the annual reports for the past 3 years.

Even though they will not be paying a dividend this year it is a solid company that has above average fundamentals and offers high opportunities for capital gains as a result of its large number of shareholders.

Many said the same about Wrigley's ask Warren

I was hoping they would go into 'save energy' bulbs, use their position to brand and sell, ati daipers jameni?

"Fundamental" and "eveready" should not be used in the same sentence.

I believe merali controls the firm... thru proxies & such...

On to you Robert Yawe. Explain to us. help us see what you are seeing friend.

In my view Eveready has lost the plot.Batteries are dead unless they can move into cellphone batteries.Diapers,shavers and the like are not mass market products like battries were a few years back thus their revenue will decline.They didnt take the opportunity to get into solar though they have a brand built on energy solutions.They need either a new management or strategy.If I had the money I would buy it wholesome for the real estate where its factory is located and leave batteries to the chinese.

Wazungus very cunning, so they exited everready through the IPO, knowing the company had a bleak future. Kenyan public was sold rotten mangos. They must have cooked the books seriously to dupe cma to allow them to list.

Eveready is an organisation that has survived the test of time through the thick of the KANU regime. It is now ready to take off as they make strategic investments in plant upgrading.

The majority shareholders are not in for the short haul, the MD is also well invested just like MJ is at Safaricom which is a sign of confidence in the organisation. Centum divested because they where not allowed to slaughter the bull which was being fattened.

Many have commented about its low share price yet they have not looked at the number of shareholders.

Any serious investor but learn to carry out in-depth fundamentals on a counter before investing. The speculator has no appreciation of this which is seen in investment clubs aka mbuzi clubs who went off to buy land in Kitengela/Kajiado to plant Eucalyptus for timber without getting that fundamentals which clearly indicated that the particular area could only produce construction polls.

I am exonerated as far as the baby care products are concerned with the results on the population growth rate and the level of urbanisation.

Merali is likely to sell off his holding in Eveready and likely to a Chinese manufacturer looking to penetrate the EA market.

Look at the details and make your own decision.

@RY. Do not assume that (all) speculators have no appreciation of a company's fundamentals. Succesful speculation actually calls for the speculator to have sufficient information to execute his/her strategy.

Besides, while many people are investors they just can't resist the urge to speculate every now and then. I know most investing books advise one to decide which of the two you are. In my view there's a bit of both in most of us and the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

There's nothing like sweet and quick profits as opposed to sitting for months on end on a position before you can make the big score!