South African Shares: Barloworld, Harmony, Spar, Oceana Move

The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index (JALSH) declined for a fifth day, dropping 0.3 percent to 33,434.04 by the close in Johannesburg, the lowest in more than a month.

The following were among the most active equities in the market today. Stock symbols follow company names.

Barloworld Ltd. (BAW) , the world’s biggest forklift trader, dropped the most in three years on speculation that a 75 percent jump in fiscal first-half profit doesn’t justify a rally in the stock this year. The stock fell 8 percent to 87.50 rand.

Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. (HAR) , the third-largest African miner of the metal, gained for the first time in three days, adding 2.4 percent to 74.73 rand. The company may boost output by 150,000 ounces in the fiscal year ending June 2013 as it starts new projects, Chief Executive Officer Graham Briggs said in an interview.

Oceana Group Ltd. (OCE) , a South African fishing company, advanced the most in two months after saying earnings per share for the six months through March rose as much as 22 percent and after the company reached a settlement with South Africa’s antitrust authorities. The shares gained 3.2 percent to 44.90 rand.

Sun International Ltd. (SUI) , a South African hotel and casino operator, rose for the first time in three days, adding 0.9 percent to 79.50 rand. First-quarter sales rose 10 percent, boosted by the company’s operations in Chile, the company said in a business update today.

The Spar Group Ltd. (SPP) , a South African food and liquor retailer, fell the most in more than three years, dropping 4.9 percent to 112.50 rand. The company’s gross margin declined to 7.9 percent in the six months through March as operating expenses jumped 12 percent after fuel costs climbed 38 percent and a strike at its KwaZulu-Natal distribution center cost the group 12 million rand ($1.5 million), the company said today.

Trencor Ltd. (TRE) , an investment company, increased to a record, climbing 3.1 percent to 47.78 rand. Earnings per share adjusted for one-time items as well as unrealized foreign- currency gains or losses jumped 40 percent to 113 cents in the three months through March from a year earlier, the company said today.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stephen Gunnion in Johannesburg at sgunnion@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Gavin Serkin at gserkin@bloomberg.net