Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 23 percent but with a 14 percent higher value than on Monday, after trading in 54 securities compared with 58 on Monday, with 14 rising, 18 declining and 22 ending unchanged.
A total of 5,126,354 shares were traded for $42,703,699 compared with 6,629,759 units at $37,460,689 on Monday.
Trading averaged 94,932 shares at $790,809 versus 114,306 units at $645,874 on Monday and month to date, an average of 279,823 units at $2,441,137, compared with 289,287 units at $2,525,609 on the previous day and better than October with an average of 214,410 units at $1,325,907.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 1.73 million shares for 33.8 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.40 million units for 27.3 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 377,890 units for 7.4 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 3,930.88 points to end the day at 347,160.74, the JSE Main Index dropped 3,454.22 points to lock up trading at 312,225.96 and the JSE Financial Index shed 1.24 points to cease trading at 67.30.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement shed 98 cents to end at $54 as investors exchanged 4,401 stocks, Caribbean Producers rose 62 cents to $9.42 with a transfer of 29,843 units, Eppley gained $2 in closing at $36.50, with 400 shares crossing the market. GraceKennedy popped 50 cents and ended at $76 with an exchange of 133,749 stock units, Guardian Holdings declined $10 to close at $400 with 63 shares clearing the market, Kingston Properties climbed 27 cents to $7 after an exchange of 115,141 stock units. Massy Holdings lost $1.50 in closing at $88.50 in switching ownership of 465 units,
Mayberry Investments increased 30 cents to close at $8.10 with, 4 stocks changing hands, NCB Financial dipped $2.20 and ended at $67 after trading ended with 40,436 units changing hands. Pan Jamaica fell 45 cents to end at $49.55 and closed with 2,455 shares passing through the market, Proven Investments advanced $1.44 in closing at $25.04 with shareholders swapping 9,459 stock units, Pulse Investments rallied 38 cents to $2.29, with 22,000 stocks crossing the exchange. Seprod dropped 67 cents and ended at $75.33 with traders dealing in 9,108 units, Sygnus Credit Investments skidded 47 cents to close at $11.55 in an exchange of 23,259 stocks and Wisynco Group rose 49 cents to end at $19.70 as 9,255 shares passed through the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share fell 90 cents to $5.50 with investors transferring 205 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $12 to end at $100 in an exchange of 25 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Archives for November 2023
All traded stocks fell on JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 84 percent valued 80 percent lower than on Monday and resulted in three securities traded, compared to five on Monday with all three declining.
Overall, 132,328 shares were traded, for US$8,195 compared to 837,700 units at US$41,015 on Monday.
Trading averaged 44,109 units at US$2,732, versus 167,540 shares at US$8,203 on Monday, with a month to date average of 79,969 shares at US$4,702 compared with 80,896 units at US$4,753 on the previous day. October ended with an average of 47,977 units for US$4,392.
The US Denominated Equities Index fell 3.22 points to lock up trading at 223.77.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Proven Investments fell 0.98 of one cent to end at 15 US cents with traders dealing in 43,281 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments skidded 0.02 of a cent to 8.71 US cent in switching ownership of 4,000 units and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.15 of a cent in closing at 1.55 US cents with stakeholders exchanging 85,047 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading picked up on the Junior Market
Trading activity closed on Tuesday, with a jump in the volume and value of stocks trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a 149 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded and a 192 percent surge in the value compared to Monday with trading in 40 securities compared with 42 on Monday and ended with 11 rising, 16 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,118,187 shares for $16,249,732 compared with 2,456,405 units at $5,558,360 on Monday.
Trading averaged 152,955 shares at $406,243, compared with 58,486 units at $132,342 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 200,539 units at $445,744 compared with 202,969 stock units at $447,761 on the previous day. October closed with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 1.23 million shares for 20.1 percent of total volume followed by Lasco Manufacturing with 1.22 million units for 19.9 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 1.14 million units for 18.7 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 4.96 points to cease trading at 3,704.44.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped $1.10 in closing at $23 in trading 6,000 stocks, Cargo Handlers lost 50 cents to close at $13.50, with 540 units crossing the market, Dolla Financial dropped 8 cents to close at $2.46 with traders dealing in 14,419 shares. EduFocal rallied 11 cents to end at $2.11 as investors exchanged 195,468 stock units, Fontana increased 19 cents and ended at $10.50, with 28,009 shares clearing the market, 
Honey Bun climbed 10 cents to $6.10 with an exchange of 1,155 stocks. iCreate shed 9 cents to end at 61 cents after 103,596 units passed through the market, Image Plus fell 9 cents in closing at $1.91 in an exchange of 8,390 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance skidded 60 cents and ended at $2.05 after trading 306,500 shares. Jamaican Teas declined 14 cents to close at $2.31 after a transfer of 187,281 units, Lasco Distributors lost 12 cents to end at $3.98 in switching ownership of 10,021 stocks, Limners and Bards rose 13 cents to end at $1.74, with 14,349 stock units crossing the market. Main Event skidded 98 cents in closing at $13.01 in an exchange of 40,000 shares, 
MFS Capital Partners gained 25 cents and ended at $2.09 with 888,888 stocks changing hands and Spur Tree Spices fell 10 cents to close at $2.10 with a transfer of 107,170 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Decline for all JSE Markets as trading climbs
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed down on Tuesday, while the Junior Market slipped a few points and the JSE USD Market fell at the close of the market, with an increase in the value and volume of stocks traded compared to Monday.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 3,283.21 points to 325,261.79, the All Jamaican Composite Index dived 3,930.88 points to cease trading at 347,160.74, the JSE Main Index shed 3,454.22 points to 312,225.96. The Junior Market Index shed 4.96 points to cease trading at 3,704.44 and the JSE USD Market Index shed 3.22 points to conclude trading at 223.77.
Investors traded 11,376,869 shares, in all three markets up from 9,923,864 units on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $58.95 million up from $43.02 million on Monday. The JSE USD market closed after 132,328 shares were exchanged, for US$8,195 compared to 837,700 units at US$41,015 on Monday.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $12 to end at $100.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.5 on 2022-23 earnings and 14 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors.
Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Rising stocks edged by decliners on Trinidad Exchange
Trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 74 percent with the value jumping 67 percent above that on Monday resulting from trading in 20 securities compared with 19 on Monday, and ended with prices of six stocks rising, seven declining and seven remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 394,964 shares for $12,948,709 versus 1,547,366 stock units at $7,748,550 on Monday.
Trading ended with an average of 19,748 shares for $647,435 compared with 81,440 units at $407,818 on Monday, Trading month to date averages 20,614 shares at $248,241 compared with 20,668 units at $223,212 on the previous day. The average trade for October amounts to 15,711 shares at $151,451.
The Composite Index slipped 1.08 points to wrap up trading at 1,190.07, the All T&T Index dipped 2.29 points to end the day at 1,803.97, the SME Index remained unchanged at 80.00 and the Cross-Listed Index popped 0.03 points to 74.63.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended at $67.50 in an exchange of 2 stock units, Angostura Holdings dipped 1 cent to $22.14 with traders dealing in 5,000 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund lost 4 cents to close at $22.76 in switching ownership of 45 stock units. Endeavour Holdings remained at $15, with 6 units crossing the market, First Citizens Group popped 1 cent to $49.11 with a transfer of 8,346 shares, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7 after 70 units changed hands. GraceKennedy rose 5 cents to close at $3.90, with 23,398 stocks changing hands, Guardian Holdings rallied 40 cents in closing at $18.90 with investors transferring 11,950 stock units, JMMB Group ended at $1.35 after trading 40,732 shares. L.J. Williams B share rose 21 cents and ended at $2.26 after an exchange of 31 units, Massy Holdings dipped 2 cents to $4.43 with investors dealing in 192,809 stocks, National Enterprises ended at $3.55 after an exchange of 592 stock units. 
NCB Financial remained at $2.85, with 630 shares crossing the market, Prestige Holdings shed 50 cents in closing at $10.50 in trading 740 stock units, Republic Financial popped $1 to end at $121, with 91,964 stocks crossing the exchange. Scotiabank remained at $70 after investors ended trading 349 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 6 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $10.54 after an exchange of 2,576 stocks, Trinidad Cement advanced 5 cents to end at $2.95, with 10,000 units clearing the market. Unilever Caribbean fell 3 cents to close at $11.45 with shareholders swapping 438 shares and West Indian Tobacco skidded 25 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $9 after a transfer of 5,286 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Soft remittance flows to end at $3.4B in 2023
Remittance inflows into Jamaica fell 1.9 percent in September to U.S$284.4 million and 1.2 percent for the year to date to just under $2.53 billion, 
this marks the 6th month of decline in remittances for the year to date, data from jamaica’s central bank shows.
With three months to go before the end of 2023, the market seems on track to be close to this US$3.44 billion of total inflows in 2022, with the absolute shortfall in remittances to date of just US$31 million adrift of the 2022 intake to September. The 1.9 percent fall in September is far less than the 5.9 percent decline that occurred in August and a 5.8 percent fall in April.
Strong performance in ICTOP10 stocks
The main market has been quietly rising since the start of November and closed the past week at the highest level since the start of the month while the Junior Market declined to the lowest level since early May this year but the performance of the ICTOP10 was mostly positive, with the Junior Market having 4 stocks gaining between 5 and 15 percent and two with declines of 6 and 7 percent. The Main Market had two stocks gaining 5 and 11 percent and two falling by 3 percent.
Against the above market movements, there was just one new addition to the ICTOP10 with listings for the Junior Market with Caribbean Flavours moving out with a 15 percent gain for the week to close at $1.39 and Access Financial taking its place. The other big action in the Junior Market, resulted in Paramount Trading gaining 12 percent to close at $1.68, Caribbean Cream rising 9 percent to $3.70 and Jamaican Teas adding 5 percent to end at $2.35. Lasco Manufacturing dropped 7 percent to $4.20 and Express Catering fell 6 percent to $3.75.
The Main Market closed the week with Key Insurance climbing 11 percent to $2.50, while 138 Student Living rose by 5 percent to $4.22.
Access Financial Services is enjoying a turnaround in its fortunes with profit for the second quarter to September surging 153 percent over the same period in 2022 to reach EPS of 51 cents even with allowances for credit losses rising to $89 million from $54 million in the 2022 period as revenues from interest climbed 25 percent to $556 million and revenues net of finance cost was up 9.5 percent to $567 million. 
For the half year, profit jumped 76 percent to $234 million as loan granted borrowers rose almost $600 million to $5.36 billion from $4.76 billion in September 2022 and the same amount since March this year. The company had more than $760 million available to lend plus cash flows from profit that should pushed lending up around 25 percent year over year and helped to swell profits for the year substantially above the six months levels.
Elsewhere, we upgraded Scotia Group’s earnings to $6 per share making it a more attractive IC TOP10 stock.
An indication of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5, well below the market average of 13.1. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 318 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 20 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7, over half of the market, with an average of 12.9. There are 15 stocks, or 31 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 47, averaging 20 that are well above the market’s average of 12.9. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 260 percent on or around May 2024.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 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.
Winning & losing stocks share TTSE spotlight
Trading surged sharply on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday, with a 342 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded following a 398 percent surge in value over Friday’s trades, resulting in 19 securities trading compared with 17 on Friday, with five stocks rising, five declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 1,547,366 shares for $7,748,550 up solidly from 350,108 stock units at $1,555,401 on Friday.
An average of 81,440 units were traded at $407,818 well above the 20,595 shares traded at $91,494 on Friday, with trading month to date averaging 20,668 units at $223,212 compared to 16,820 units at $211,502, previously. The average trade for October amounts to 15,711 shares at $151,451.
The Composite Index skidded 4.33 points to settle at 1,191.15, the All T&T Index dipped 4.98 points to lock up trading at 1,806.26, the SME Index gained 7.62 points to close trading at 80.00 and the Cross-Listed Index shed 0.51 points to cease trading at 74.60.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s remained at $67.50, with 1,910 stocks crossing the market, Ansa McAl ended at $57 with investors exchanging 5 stock units, Calypso Macro Investment Fund rallied 5 cents to close at $22.80 with 300 shares crossing the exchange. Endeavour Holdings rose $1.60 to end at $15 after 494 stock units were traded, First Citizens Group ended at $49.10 with an exchange of 1,040 shares, FirstCaribbean International Bank remained at $7 after 10 stock units passed through the market. GraceKennedy skidded 5 cents in closing at $3.85 with investors dealing in 1,540 units, Guardian Holdings lost 40 cents to close at $18.50 with a transfer of 1,053 stocks, JMMB Group dropped 6 cents and ended at $1.35 after an exchange of 10,143 shares. L.J. Williams B share ended at $2.05 with shareholders swapping 1,509 stock units, Massy Holdings advanced 5 cents in closing at $4.45 in an exchange of 1,511,895 units, National Enterprises remained at $3.55, with 2,315 stocks crossing the market. 
One Caribbean Media popped 11 cents to close at $3.52 after an exchange of 635 shares, Prestige Holdings shed 25 cents and ended at $11 in trading 376 stocks, Republic Financial remained at $120, with 1,241 units changing hands. Scotiabank declined 99 cents to $70 with an exchange of 8,459 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $10.60 after investors cleared the market of 4,301 shares, Trinidad Cement climbed 4 cents in closing at $2.90 with investors exchanging 40 units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $9.25 with traders dealing in 100 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD Market rises as trading jumps
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Monday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 227 percent and valued 407 percent more than on Friday, resulting from trading in five securities, with similar numbers on Friday and ended with prices of two rising, one declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 837,700 shares were traded, for US$41,015 compared to 256,238 units at US$8,090 on Friday.
Trading averaged 167,540 units at US$8,203, versus 51,248 shares at US$1,618 on Friday, with a month to date average of 80,896 shares at US$4,753 compared with 76,993 units at US$4,598 previously. October ended with an average of 47,977 units for US$4,392.
The US Denominated Equities Index increased 1.77 points to conclude trading at 226.99.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.6. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Proven Investments ended at 15.98 US cents and closed with trading of 187,273 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.27 of a cent in closing at 8.73 US cents, with 1,000 units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.19 of a cent to end at 1.7 US cents with traders dealing in 647,585 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% climbed 1.5 cent and ended at US$2.20 in an exchange of 59 stock units and JMMB Group 6% remained at US$1 with investors dealing in 1,783 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fall for JSE Main Market
Declining stocks overwhelmed those rising in trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday, sending the indices careening downwards at the close of the market, with a 42 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded at a 65 percent lower value than on Friday, with trading taking place in 58 securities compared with 55 on Friday, and ended with 14 rising, 24 declining and 20 ending unchanged.
A total of 6,629,759 shares were traded for $37,460,689 down from 11,457,646 units at $107,505,758 on Friday.
Trading averaged 114,306 shares at $645,874 down from 208,321 units at $1,954,650 on Friday and month to date, an average of 289,287 units at $2,525,609, compared with 299,466 units at $2,634,962 on the previous trading day, well above October with an average of 214,410 units at $1,325,907.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.98 million shares for 29.8 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.72 million units for 26 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 776,731 units for 11.7 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,216.15 points to end the day at 351,091.62, the JSE Main Index dropped 210.01 points to finish at 315,680.18 and the JSE Financial Index declined 0.21 points to close at 68.54.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $1.02 and ended at $69.98 after closing with an exchange of 13,434 shares, Caribbean Cement gained $3.78 to close at $54.98 with shareholders swapping 5,863 units, Caribbean Producers lost 40 cents to close at $8.80 in trading 10,350 stocks. Eppley popped $1.50 to end at $34.50 after a transfer of 1,623 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3.50 in closing at $36 with traders dealing in 654 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced 45 cents to $9.70 in switching ownership of 8,137 stock units.
JMMB Group shed 41 cents to close at $26.09 with investors dealing in 58,966 units, Pan Jamaica declined 40 cents and ended at $50 after an exchange of 130 stocks, Proven Investments dropped $1.44 to end at $23.60, with 1,056 shares crossing the market. Pulse Investments skidded 29 cents in closing at $1.91 in an exchange of 101,006 stock units, Scotia Group lost $1.48 to $33 after 127,879 stocks passed through the market, Seprod rose 90 cents to end at $76 with a transfer of 768 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance rallied $1.60 in closing at $10.50, with 4,612 stocks clearing the market and Wisynco Group fell $2.29 and ended at $19.21 with stakeholders exchanging 144,364 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share increased $1 to close at $19, with 470 stock units crossing the market and Eppley 7.50% preference share climbed 40 cents to $6.40 with an exchange of 1,169 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
