Archives for June 2015

Paramount a new high of $6

June 29, 2015 by

Paramount traded at a new all-time high of $6.

Paramount traded at a new all-time high of $6.

Activity on the Junior Market was moderate and closed with 7 securities trading and ended with only 116,204 units changing hands valued at $443,370. The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 0.18 points close at 899.72. The market ended with the prices of 5 stocks advancing, 2 declining with 2 closing at 52 weeks’ high and 1 at a new low.
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices, 4 with lower offers and 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 8 that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial Services closing with 21,233 shares trading $1 lower, at $11, Caribbean Flavours trading 20,496 shares to close at $2.55, Dolphin Cove trading only 811 units at $13 for a new high, after gaining 40 cents. JM 29-6-15KLE with a small volume of 1,364 shares, lost 5 cents to close at 65 cents, the lowest price it has traded at to date. At the close KLE was offered for sale at 60 cents and had no bids posted to buy. Lasco Distributors traded 47,500 shares and gained 4 cents to end at $1.69, Lasco Financial Services 19,800 shares at $1.81 after losing 12 cents and Paramount Trading closing at a new 52 weeks high of $6, after adding 89 cents. Caribbean Cream did not traded but closed with an offer to sell 30,000 units at $1.55 with the last price the stock traded at being $1.60, the bid is someway off at $1.25.

Filed Under: JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

JSE off to slow start Monday

June 29, 2015 by

After 60 minutes of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 14 securities traded with JSE Intra - 10.30 29-06-15.4 rising and 6 declining comprising a total volume of 519,320 shares changing hands, only 2 stocks have so far traded in the junior market with both declining.
The all Jamaican Composite index inched up 179.45 to 108,283.79 points, JSE Combined Index put on 84.53 to 100,321.40 points, JSE Index is now at 97,827.49 points after adding 160.54 points and Junior Market Index fell to 892.53, down by 7.37 points.
The most noticeable trades so far are KLE with a small volume but ended down to 65 cents the lowest price it has traded at to date, Gleaner Company with 5,600 units at $1.29 with a 10 cents gain, for a 52 weeks’ high and Sagicor Group traded at $13. Paramount Trading has a bid at $6 versus the last traded price of $5.11 as investors try to find where supply may be.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market Tagged With: , , ,

LascoMan profit jumps 78% in Q4

June 28, 2015 by

Lasco's new I Cool drink where demand is resulting in an increase in the plant size.

Lasco’s new I Cool drink where demand is resulting in an increase in the plant size.

Lasco Manufacturing generated total revenues of $1.45 billion, 27 percent more than the $1.14 billion garnered in the March 2014 quarter, resulting in a 78 percent jump in profit for the quarter to $243 million from $138 million.
For the financial year, revenues climbed 19.4 percent to $4.8 billion from $4.03 billion and profit of $669 million is up from $584 million. Gross profit climbed 34.7 percent well above the growth in revenues, a very positive development. Gross profit for the quarter jumped a huge 86 percent helping to deliver the stunning increase in profit for the quarter and augurs well for results for the coming fiscal year, and is a result of new products now being produced by the new plant.
Administrative expenses climbed 44 percent to $555 while finance cost moved from $73 million to $125 million. The average number of persons employed by the company during the year was fifty-one up from forty-two in 2014 helping to push labour cost from $147 million to $209 million. With the new factory facilities operational, depreciation ended at $67 million up from $27 million in 2014 but is set to jump in 2016 with only a Borrowingfraction of the annual charge booked in 2015, additionally, there are more assets to be transferred to fixed assets that will give rise to even higher depreciation charges.
Borrowing climbed to $1.64 Million from $1.49 billion at the end of March 2014, the increase helped to fund capital expenditure of $523 million during the year. A total of $329 million was paid back on loans during the year.
The last quarter numbers suggest that profit could end around $1.2 billion for the year or around 30 cents per share. While the company becomes taxable this year capital allowances coupled with tax payable at 12.5 percent, will result in little or no taxes being paid on profit for the year.
The net book value of property, plant and equipment includes assets under construction amounting to $1.34 billion. The cost will be depreciated once the property is complete and available for use. The estimated additional cost of completion of the facility is $373 million.
The company is listed on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and last traded at $1.31 for an historical PE of just over 8 and around 4 based on IC Insider’s projected earnings. The stock should deliver a healthy increase in price during the fiscal year.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Company News, Company Results Tagged With: ,

Barbados between rock & hard place

June 28, 2015 by
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barbados_flagBarbados once the pearl of the Caribbean is encountering some tough times these past few years. The economy has grown only 1.5 percent since 2009 with a 0.6 percent growth in 2014 up from negative growth in the previous year.
If slow growth was the only problem it would not be so bad. The country faces mounting debt with a gaping fiscal deficit and rising interest cost. The fiscal numbers showed improvement last fiscal year to March, with higher revenues and grants and lower cost before debt servicing, but still ended with a $633 million deficit or 7.2 percent of GDP.
The data that tells of a major problem, is to be found in corporate taxes. Having taken in $521million in 2009 the take has fallen by $342 million to only $179 million in the latest fiscal year, partially offset by a 31 percent rise of $102 million in personal taxes. Vat tax took in 16 percent more in the 2015 year than it did in 2009, an increase of $125 million and that is to benefit from a broadening of items to be included as of the new fiscal year.
Good news| Wages remained at roughly the same level as in 2009 at $802 million but is down from $872 million in 2013, while the government cut subsidies and transfers by $177 million in the last year. Overall revenues rose in the year to March 2015 above that of 2014 by $171 million and just $34 million ahead of the 2009 intake. The other good news is that while the deficit is high it is down from 11.2 percent of in 2014. On the negative, the bulk of the funds borrowed is from overseas and with the credit rating downgraded recently, borrowing cost which is set to rise due to large deficit will increase move than might have been contemplated earlier.
In its 2015/16 budget presentation, the projection for the 2015/16 fiscal year is revenues of $2.539 billion with the fiscal deficit is projected at $734 million or 8.3 percent of GDP with measures that will raise B$200 million in additional taxes and excise duties in the full fiscal year announced, this could result in reduced economic activity and may negatively affect inflows.

Filed Under: Economy

Barbados slow Q1 growth

June 28, 2015 by

Image courtesy of arztsamui/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of arztsamui/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Barbados economy grew by 0.6 percent in the March 2015 quarter over the similar 2014 period, the growth was unable to recover the 0.8 percent decline the country suffered in the March 2014 quarter, data from the country’s Central Bank show.
In 2014 the country enjoyed growth of a mere 0.02 percent, slightly better than the negative growth of 0.01 percent suffered in 2013. The country has been struggling since the global economic collapse in 2008 with a 4 percent contraction in the economy in 2009. Economic growth is yet to get the economy back close to that level in 2008 with moderate growth of 1.4 percent from 2010 to 2012 and just 1.5 percent to 2014.
Barbados growth is being stunted by rising government debt with large fiscal deficit despite adjustments make in reducing wage cost and subsidies to state entities.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: , ,

Huge forex trading in Jamaica Friday

June 26, 2015 by

NCB buys US$32.9m on Friday

NCB buys US$32.9m on Friday

Friday was a huge day for trading in foreign currencies in Jamaican as foreign exchange dealers bought the equivalent of US$109,789,460 or US$23,322,004 more than the amount sold, in contrast to only US$29,947,285 on Thursday, while they sold the equivalent of US$86,467,457 versus just US$27,593,054 previously.
Scotia Bank bought US$18.7 million and sold US$16.8 million while National Commercial Bank bought US$32.85 and sold only US$21.5 million, the next largest trade was Sagicor Bank with US$10.9 million bought to US$8.6 million sold.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$104,883,104 compared to US$27,666,499 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar increased 50 cents to $116.72 and US$83,731,477 was sold versus US$26,103,111 on Thursday, the selling rate rose 3 cents to $116.92. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose $1.05 to $93.36 with dealers buying C$2,034,353 and selling C$1,742,563, at an average rate that rose 2 cents to $94.44. FX sum 26-6-15rThe rate for buying the British Pound gained 48 cents to $181.84 for the purchase of £1,661,063, while £785,759 was sold, at an average rate that climbed 34 cents to $183.71. At the end of trading, it took J$130.83 to purchase the Euro, 20 cents more than on Thursday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.13 for 21cents more than Thursday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$691,331, while the equivalent of US$93,900 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar dipped 12 cents to $117.10, the lowest buying rate jumped $4.91 to $95.61. The highest selling rate remained at $122.52 and the lowest selling rate jumped $17.69 to $113.30.FX hl 26-6-15rv The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar moved down $1.40 to $94.60, the lowest buying rate remained at $74.95. The highest selling rate declined $1.45 to $96.55 and the lowest selling rate rose $1.50 to $91.80. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 85 cents to $185, the lowest buying rate remained at $147.74, with the highest selling rate rising $1.08 to $188 and the lowest selling rate climbed $1.70 to $179.70.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, FX Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Trading returns to norm on TTSE

June 26, 2015 by

Republic Bank may have bottomed out & seems poised to rise.

Republic Bank may have bottomed out & seems poised to rise.

Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange returned to lower levels investors have become accustomed to in recent months and cooled from high level enjoyed on Thursday when Republic Bank accounted for $30.56 million and Clico Investment with $11 million of the total value of trading.
On Friday the market ended with 11 securities changing hands of which 1 advanced, 4 declined, 6 traded firm, with a total of 642,830 units, valued at $1,697,215 changing hands. At the close, the Composite Index lost 0.43 points to close at 1,161.52, the All T&T Index fell 0.64 points to 1,969.75 and the Cross Listed Index declined by a mere 0.03 points to end at 46.36.
Gains| Unilever Caribbean traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $66.39 with just 315 units changing hands.
TTSE sum 26-6-15 Declines| ANSA McAl with 700 shares changing hands fell 25 cents to end at $67.25, First Citizens Bank with 1,575 shares trading closed 1 cent lower at $35.75. Grace Kennedy traded 157,665 shares valued at $551,838 for a loss of 3 cents to end at $3.50 and One Caribbean Media had 1,101 units changing hands and lost 2 cents at $22.40.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, CLICO Investment Fund with 8,200 units valued at $185,320 changing hands at $22.60, JMMB Group closing with 362,964 shares with a value of $165,037 to end at 45 cents. Massy Holdings trading 1,647 shares to close at $64.34, National Flour had 104,708 shares changing hands valued at $214,251, to end at $2.05, Republic Bank ended trading with 1,509 shares valued at $173,535 to close at $115. Republic closed with a bid to purchase 7,686 shares at $115 with an offer to sell 1,754 units at $116, an indication that the decline in price may now be over with some recovery may be on the way with the big trade on Thursday. Scotiabank traded 2,446 shares with a value of $152,264 to close at $62.25.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.

Filed Under: Stock Market, TTSE Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cargo Handlers new high of $28.50

June 26, 2015 by

CAR H 6-15 Activity on the Junior Market closed with 9 securities trading and ended with 227,627 units changing hands valued at $719,458. The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 5.56 close at 899.90. The market ended with the prices of 5 stocks advancing, 2 declining with 2 closing at 52 weeks’ high.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices, 4 with lower offers and 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 5 that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, AMG Packaging ending with just 100 units changing hands to close 4 cents higher at $3.20 but had an offer at $3.15 at the end. Cargo Handlers recorded yet another all-time high in trading 2,170 units $2.50 higher to close at $28.50 and record a strong gain of 78 percent since the start of the year. Caribbean Cream with 8,757 shares traded at $1.60, Caribbean Producers traded 200,000 shares to gain 20 cents to $3, Consolidate Bakeries landed just 1,000 units but ended atJM 26-6-15 a 52 weeks’ high of $1.25 after posting a gain of 8 cents. Dolphin Cove traded 200 shares to close at $12.60 by shedding 18 cents, Jamaican Teas ended at $4 with 5,000 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 2,000 shares and declined by 3 cents to end at $1.65 and Lasco Financial traded 8,400 shares but rose 3 cents in closing at $1.93. At the close there was an offer to sell 11,241 units of Lasco Financial at $1.85.

Filed Under: JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , ,

17 stocks rose 6 declined

June 26, 2015 by

Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with 17 stocks rising, 6 declining as 28 securities changed hands and ending in 1,670,491 units trading, valued at $31,272,240 and 4 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high in all market segments. The main market closed with 12 stocks advancing to 4 falling.
JSE sum 26-6-15The JSE Market Index gained 616.53 points to 97,666.95, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 689.12 points to close at 108,104.34 but the JSE combined index added 631.68 points to end at 100,236.87.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator was showing a worse reading than Thursday’s close of 12 to 5. The reading at the end of Friday’s trading is 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower as the market continues to swing between ups and down.
In trading, Carreras put on $2.23 while trading 1,000 shares to close at $50.50, Gleaner ended with 13,000 shares changing hands to gain 12 cents for a 52 weeks’ high of $1.19, Jamaica Broilers gained 50 cents in trading 7,605 units to end at $6, JMMB Group added 10 cents in trading 219,702 shares and ended at $7.50.JSE fn qts 26-6-15 Kingston Wharves climbed 15 cents to $7.15 with 14,071 shares, Montego Bay Ice has not traded in more than two years finally traded today but lost $2.95 to end at $15 while 1,560 shares traded to end at a 52 weeks low. National Commercial Bank rose 40 cents while trading 137,540 shares to close at $29.40, Proven Investments traded 132,278 share to close at 19 US cents, Sagicor Group inched up 9 cents with 105,691 units trading, to end at $12.70, Sagicor Real Estate Fund saw trading in 101,000 units but lost 30 cents in closing at $7.70 and Scotia Investments climbed $1 to $28.50 with 677,500 units, most of the stock traded at $2.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

JSE enjoying slow Friday

June 26, 2015 by

Trading was mild with 75 minutes of trading having elapsed leading to 11 securities JSE Intra - 26-06-15.trading with 5 rising and 2 declining comprising a total volume of only 252,281 shares changing hands.The all Jamaican Composite index inched up 81.31 to 107,496.53 points, JSE Combined Index put on 77.40 to 99,682.59 points, JSE Index is now at 97,123.17 points after adding 72.75 points and Junior Market Index fell to 895.31, up by 0.97 points.
The most noticeable trade so far is Pan Jamaican with just 760 units trading as the price rose by $2.93 to $63.70, National Commercial Bank with 137,010 shares changing hands at $29 and Proven Investments with 76,970 shares at 21.2 US cents.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , ,