Cashbuild’s meteoric rise since 2009 came just as stock exchanges around the world imploded into the global financial crisis. The JSE was no different, but Cashbuild held a steady course northwards. It has had a few tricks up its sleeve. Not least it has raised the wages of workers when other firms were shedding employees. It also charges the lowest prices possible, but is firm on margins. Since its listing in 1986, Cashbuild’s share price has risen from R1.10 to about R340. Since January 2009 the share has risen about six times from R56, or 607%. CEO Werner de Jager puts this down to "focusing on our strategy, understanding our model and managing the business in detail". "We are focused on a very specific market sector — the middle to lower LSM’s [Living Standards Measure] where a lot of housing delivery and housing improvement have happened over the years." From 182 stores in January 2009, the group has added 57 Cashbuild stores, 10 Cashbuild do-it-yourself stores, and most recent...

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