Plaza climbs 10% following large off-market deal

The MSE Equity Price Index increased by 0.05% to 3,724.225 points as the gains in BMIT, BOV, Grand Harbour Marina, MaltaPost and Plaza outweighed the declines in GO, Mia and the ordinary shares of RS2. Meanwhile, four equities closed unchanged as today’s trading activity was muted at just under €90,000. Download today’s Equity Market Summary. 

Plaza Centres plc surged by 10.3% to a three-year high of €0.75 on three deals totalling 37,900 shares. Yesterday evening, Plaza announced that its shareholder Mapfre Middlesea plc had disposed of all its 31.4% shareholding in the company. Furthermore, Plaza also announced that Virgata HQ Limited, a subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based private investment firm Virgata Group Sarl increased its shareholding from 6.2% to 37.6%. The Off-Market transaction took place at an execution price of €0.94 per share, which translates into a price-to-book value of 0.86 times and represents a premium of 38% over the previous traded price of €0.68. In a statement to the media, Virgata Group explained that the investment signals its long-term commitment to Malta as the firm intends to take an active role in supporting Plaza’s future growth and development and the creation of value for all shareholders.

MaltaPost plc gained 4.1% to the €0.458 level on a single deal of 9,000 shares. Yesterday, MaltaPost published its full-year results for the financial year ended 30 September 2025. Revenue increased by 6.3% to €42.7 million while operating profit surged by 37% to €6.2 million. Net profit attributable to shareholders improved by 39% to €4.0 million. The Directors declared an unchanged final net dividend of €0.024 per share, which will be paid on 18 March 2026 to all shareholders as at close of trading on 16 January 2026 subject to shareholders’ approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled for 19 February 2026.

Bank of Valletta plc moved 0.5% higher to the €1.92 level albeit on low volumes.

BMIT Technologies plc increased by 3.6% to the €0.29 level over five deals totalling 34,087 shares.

A single deal of 1,000 shares pushed the share price of Grand Harbour Marina plc 3.4% higher to the €0.90 level.

PG plc closed unchanged at the €1.69 level on one trade of 4,000 shares. Following the close of trading, PG published its interim results for the six-month period ended 31 October 2025. When compared to the same period last year, revenue increased by 8.4% to €104.8 million and operating profit increased by 7.7% to €10.5 million. The operating profit margin remained virtually unchanged at 10%. The directors’ report highlighted that a revenue increase of 10% was registered following the reporting period.

Malta Properties Company plc traded flat at the €0.35 level as 9,492 shares changed hands. Yesterday, MPC announced that it entered into a promise of sale agreement with Ten21 Limited for the eventual sale of the Rabat Exchange building for a total consideration of €2 million. This represents a premium of €0.8 million over the property’s asset value in the MPC’s financial statements as at 31 December 2024 of €1.2 million. The promise of sale agreement is valid up to 30 December 2026.

HSBC Bank Malta plc held the €1.41 level on one deal of 3,556 shares.

APS Bank plc remained unchanged at the €0.48 level over five deals amounting to 2,810 shares.

On the other hand, the ordinary shares of RS2 plc dropped by 3.3% to the €0.29 level on two deals amounting to 20,000 shares.

Malta International Airport plc decreased by 0.9% to the 5.80 level over eight deals totalling 2,982 shares. Today, MIA announced that it cancelled 50,404 shares, which are all of the shares re-purchased through the share buy-back programme until 30 November 2025. Consequently, the total amount of outstanding shares of MIA was reduced to 135,249,596.

GO plc fell by 1.6% to the €2.44 level on a single trade of 2,500 shares.

The RF MGS Index declined by 0.06% to 900.205 points. Yesterday, the ECB released updated economic forecasts in which the expected economic growth in the euro area was revised higher to 1.4% in 2025, 1.2% in 2026 as well as 1.4% in both 2027 and 2028. The growth is supported by resilient domestic demand, investment, and strong labour markets. Moreover, inflation is anticipated to be 2.1% in 2025, 1.9% in 2026, 1.8% in 2027 and 2.0% in 2028. Elsewhere in the US, data released yesterday showed that headline inflation in the US during November was 2.7% which was considerably below the 3.1% which was anticipated.

Today the Central Bank of Malta also released updated economic forecasts for Malta. Real GDP growth is set to moderate from 6.8% in 2024 to 3.7% in 2025 and expected to remain stable at 3.7% in the following three years. Domestic demand (consumption and investment) will be the main growth driver, supplemented by a modest surplus in services trade. Employment growth is expected to moderate gradually from 5.3% in 2024 to 3.5% this year before easing further to 2.3% by 2028. The unemployment rate is forecasted to stand at 2.9% in 2025 and edging further down to 2.8% for the rest of the forecasted horizon. Inflation is projected to stand at 2.4% in 2025, unchanged from a year earlier, as a decline in food inflation is expected to offset higher services inflation. HICP inflation is expected to ease to 2.3% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027 and 2028, driven primarily by lower services inflation.

 

This report contains only public information and is not to be construed as investment advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. Information contained herein is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but no representations or guarantees are made with regard to the accuracy of the data. Stock markets are volatile and subject to fluctuations which cannot be reasonably foreseen. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Rizzo, Farrugia & Co. (Stockbrokers) Limited is a company licensed to undertake investment services in Malta by the MFSA under the Investment Services Act, Cap. 370 of the Laws of Malta and a member of the Malta Stock Exchange.