Archives for October 2022

Access Financial added to stocks to watch

Access Financial dropped out of the ICTOP10 this past week and is added to the stocks to watch, it could move higher if the closing bids and offers that were posted hold, Monday’s market activity will shed some light on it.  
With Barita Investments climbing to a record high of $115.04 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday after 6.5 million of the company’s shares were traded leaving only two lots on offer at the end of trading with the lowest offer, 7,200 shares at $140 and the other just 50 units at $200 and three bids at $115 and $115.04 to buy over 400,000 shares, this ought to be watched to see what investors respond.
Consolidated Bakeries ended at fresh multiyear closing high during the past week of $2.95 but closed on Friday, at $2.66 and is up 122 for the year to September and 79 percent since added to Stocks to Watch.
ICInsider.com watch list comprises Access Financial, Barita Investments, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Consolidated Bakers, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Elite Diagnostic, Everything Fresh, General Accident, Guardian Holdings, Jamaica Broilers, Key Insurance, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Financial, Stationery and Office Supplies, Paramount Trading and Scotia Group.
Major factors to consider going forward. The rebound in tourist arrivals only came back to 2019 levels since June. Providing there are no reversals, then companies who are highly dependent on the sector will enjoy a big bounce for the next nine months compared to the lower business generated since last year to April this year. The same applies to the entertainment industry as the sector only opened up after March this year. Banks will make a fortune from increased interest rates.

Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on.

Junior Market delivered 2022 JSE best

The eleven best performing stocks on the Jamaica Stock Exchange for 2022 to the end of September, all came from the Junior Market with Fosrich, a company that expanded into manufacturing, put in an incredible run of 326 percent, the 2022 listed Spur Tree Spices was second with gains of 285 percent and Tropical Battery coming in at tenth position with gains of 99 percent.

Future Energy, distributors of gasoline, produced a rise of 96 percent to cap a spectacular two year run. 1834 Investments climbed 83 percent to be the best performing main market stock, after the company agreed to be acquired by Radio Jamaica, followed by Portland JSX, with 52 percent and Supreme Ventures the gaming company came next at 46 percent, in a period when the main market declined in value.

Access jumps ICTOP10 with 24% gains

Access Financial leaves the ICTOP10 this past week following the prior week’s 12 percent gain to $22.30 and a sizable 24 jump in the past week to close at $27.72, with 38,331 shares trading on Friday and leaving just nine lots being offered for sale at the close.

Access Financial Services head office.

For the first time in weeks, Access had more bids at the close on Friday than offers, a positive sign for more gains ahead. With month end window dressing, it is unclear what the coming weeks may hold for this stock.
For the overall market, there are positive signs for the market. Despite Jamaica’s central bank having overdone interest rate increases, investors continue to pump more money into local stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange data show. Main and Junior market stocks closed September higher than August, with funds accompanying trading substantially higher in each case. These are positive signals for the months ahead for the markets, with the Main Market having the lowest monthly trade of less than $2 million in July, with January the next lowest with $2.7 million.
Action in IC TOP10 stocks had some strong gains in the Junior Market the past week, with Lasco Distributors gaining 9 percent this past week to $3.10, Elite Diagnostic climbing 6 percent to $3.50, Lasco Financial gaining 5 percent to $2.83 as Caribbean Cream dropped 8 percent to $4.12.
In the Main Market, Productive Business Solutions rose 5 percent to US$1.39, Key Insurance gained 4 percent to $3.50, but Berger Paints shed 9 percent to $10, followed by Caribbean Producers, with a 6 percent to $13.14.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.2, well below the market average of 14.2, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 versus the market at 12.8, important indicators of the level of undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 246 percent and the Main Market TOP10 s projected to gain an average of 243 percent, by May 2023.
The Junior Market currently sells at an average PE of around 12.8 but already there are 13 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 16 to 36, averaging 22. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18. The data shows the extent of potential gains that the TOP 10 stocks possess. The situation in the main market is similar, with the 15 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 16 to 100, averaging 27.5 and 22 excluding the highest valued one.
Currently, the Junior Market reflects a positive positioning and is poised to move higher in the weeks ahead. The recent negative clouds that hang over the main markets seem to be lifting with the market index slowly bouncing off a recent bottom.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners. The list includes some of the best listed companies but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.