Some companies may surprise the market with the release of profit results or other announcements that could encourage investors to buy into the stock. In some cases, information already in the market could lead to demand growing and supplies falling. ICInsider.com identifies the following for the watch list. It does not mean the stocks should be bought now but watching to see when to pounce if the signal is triggered.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, General Accident, Guardian Holdings, Jamaica Broilers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Financial, Stationery and Office Supplies and Paramount Trading.
Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Express Catering will be major beneficiaries of the strong rebound in tourist arrivals and the supply of General Accident has declined over the past few weeks, but investors may be reluctant to pile into the stock ahead of the hurricane season.
Fosrich is expected to release second quarter results this coming week and it will be interesting to see what effect they will have on demand for the stock.
Stocks to Watch
Another big win for ICTOP10 pick
If investors needed reminders, the stock market showed why severely undervalued stocks should be acquired early, as most investors don’t know when surprises will occur. The announcement this week that IC stock watch pick, Stationery and Office Supplies (SOS), a former ICTOP candidate, that their directors would meet to consider a dividend in August sent the stock to a record high of $19.29, but it closed the week at $15 up 155 percent for the year to date.
Stationery & Office Supplies hits a record high of $19.29 this week.
SOS was last in the TOP10 on the week starting June 13 at $11. It was number 12 on the ICTOP15 chart to start 2022 but climbed to the sixth position on January 11. The dividend to be considered in early August signals that record profit as shown in the first quarter results continues apace. Insider.com forecast is for earnings of $1.70 for the current year, with more to come in 2023. The forecast is for the stock to reach the $30 range by year end. But investors should also consider what a stock split that seems imminent could do to the price.
There were no changes to the TOP10 listings this past week, but there was much volatility in the Junior Market, with CAC 2000 and Jetcon Corporation dropping 13 percent to 8.50 and $1.16, respectively. Caribbean Cream fell 11 percent to $4.30, Dolphin Cove dipped 5 percent and Medical Disposables fell 4 percent to $6.80. The only stock with a rise worth mentioning is Caribbean Assurance Brokers, up 6 percent.
The Main Market enjoyed a better week than the Juniors with no significant declines, while Sterling Investments rose 5 percent to end at $2.88.
Investors should keep a careful watch on Dolphin Cove, Express Catering, General Accident, Jamaica Broilers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Stationery and Office Supplies and Paramount Trading, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Express Catering will be significant beneficiaries of the strong rebound in tourist arrivals. The supply of General Accident has declined sharply over the past few weeks, but investors may be reluctant to lie into the stock ahead of the hurricane season.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.2, well below the market average of 13.7, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 versus the market at 12.8. The Junior Market and the Main Market TOP10 are projected to gain an average of 239 percent each to May 2023.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 
ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning 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, resulting 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.
More Gains for JSE Main Market
Main Market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in more gains for the major indices on Tuesday, but with declining stocks edging out advancing ones.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,603.82 points to close at 554,689.07, the JSE Market Index gained 1,368.73 points to 505,051.51 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.86 points to end at 137.19.
The market closed with 42 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 16 stocks advancing, 18 declining and 8 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 36 securities accounting for 25,370,029 units valued at $66,307,015 in contrast to 12,661,713 units valued at $111,971,239 from 47 securities on Monday.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund dominated trading with 16.9 million shares for 67 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 4.1 million units for 16 percent of the day’s trade, and Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution with 1.9 million shares for 7 percent of the market’s volume.
The Market closed with an average of 704,723 units valued $1,841,862 units for each security traded, in contrast to 301,469 units valued at an average of $2,665,982 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 463,503 units valued at $2,179,721 for each security changing hands, compared to 439,042 units valued at $2,218,333 for each security traded. Trading in December resulted in an average of 595,143 units valued at $9,344,514 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two securities closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.4, while the Main Market ended at 18.7 times the 2019 earnings.
In the prime market, Caribbean Cement dropped $4.50 to end at $69, with an exchange of 21,839 shares, Eppley gained 60 cents to close at $14.40 trading 5,607 shares, Grace Kennedy lost 99 cents exchanging 28,130 shares to end at $76.01, Jamaica Broilers closed 50 cents lower to $38.90, after swapping 8,915 shares. Jamaica Producers dropped $2.39 to settle at $24.01, with an exchange of 14,000 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed 90 cents transferring 150,186 units to end at $28.85, JMMB Group closed $2 higher to $48 in trading 106,771 units. Mayberry Investments ended at $8.50, after losing 50 cents with 21,947 shares changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed 89 cents lower at $11.31, in swapping 4,158 units, NCB Financial Group gained $3 to settle at $198, after transferring 23,644 shares. PanJam Investment closed $2 higher at $102 after trading just 364 units, Pulse Investments lost 44 cents to close at $6.45, with 122,736 units changing hands. 
Sagicor Group gained 40 cents to end at $70 in swapping 50,866 shares, Scotia Group advanced $3 to $58 in exchanging 58,212 shares and Supreme Ventures closed with a loss of 50 cents to end at $25, in swapping 10,227 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 84,352 units valued at over US$42,656. The market index advanced 8.56 points to close at 238.40. Margaritaville closed at 34.99 US cents, with 425 units changing hands, Proven Investments traded 58,581 units, in losing 1 US cent to close at 32 US cents. Sygnus Credit Investments ended with 8,800 shares changing hands at 18 US cents, Sterling Investments closed at 3 US cents after exchanging 3,458 units. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share traded 8,731 units at US$2.02 and JMMB Group 6% preference share traded 4,357 units at US$1.04.
Limners & Bards revise EPS
Kimala Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of The Lab.
Following IC Insider.com’s report that the earnings per share (EPS) for Limners & Bards were incorrect, the audited accounts of the company are now revised to reflect the EPS the article suggested they should be.
The revised audited reports now state that the calculation of earnings per stock unit is based on the profit after taxation and the weighted average number of stock units in issue during the year. Net profit attributable to shareholders of $94,746,238 in 2019, $62,313,858 in 2018. The weighted average number of ordinary stock units is 803,836,715 in 2019 and 756,552,202 in 2018, resulting in Basic and diluted earnings per stock unit of12 cents in 2019 and 8 cents in 2018.
The original audited financial statements showed the basic and diluted earnings per stock unit at 10 cents for the 2019 fiscal year and 7 cents for 2018 based on the weighted average of ordinary stock units 945,690,252 in each year.
IC Insider’s report on Tuesday stated that “Limners and Bards released full-year results with profit after taxation of $95 million, up by an impressive 52 percent from the $62 million earned in 2018 from healthy gains in revenues, with earnings per share (EPS) works out at 12 cents for 2019 and 8 cents for 2018.”
The company’s operating revenues grew 31 percent to $632 million from $483 million in 2018, with the last quarter growing a stunning 58 percent to $146 million, generating income just below the $152 million generated in the July quarter and profit before tax of $18 million versus $16.5 million in the July quarter. 
While revenues for the year rose 31 percent, direct cost rose at a slower pace, resulting in the gross profit climbing 39.4 percent over 2018 as gross profit margin rose to 36 percent compared to 33.7 percent in 2018. Administrative cost rose well ahead of revenue growth with a 41 percent increase over 2018, but the full-year increase is below a 70 percent surge in the July quarter while the fourth quarter saw a rise of 39 percent over 2018, is in line with the full-year increase.
In a statement accompanying the nine months results, Chairman, Steven Gooden and Kimala Bennett, Chief Executive Officer stated, “Administration expenses increased by $23.737 million, or 42 percent, which represent 16.63 percent of revenue for the nine months compared to 14.60 percent to the corresponding period ended July 31, 2018. These increases are primarily attributable to staff costs (due to increase work volume), subcontractors (on retainer contracts), depreciation charges and security costs”.
The company reports on three segments comprising Production, Media and Agency. For 2019 Production generated earnings of $226 million and profit of $100 million while Media raked in $292 million but ended with just $40 million in profit and agency the most profitable brought in $114 million and delivered $85 million in net income.
The company ended the year with cash and equivalent of $292 million with shareholders’ equity of $356 million, up from $123 million in 2018. Borrowings stood at $50 million with payables of $83 million and current assets of $387 million.
IC Insider.com forecast earnings per share of 20 cents for 2020 that puts the PE ratio at 15 with the stock closing trading at $3 on Tuesday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and is a stock to be watched into 2020.
Gains for TTSE market – Monday
Market activity on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange ended Monday with 15 securities changing hands against 17 on Friday, with four stocks advancing, two declining and nine remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 4.73 points to 1,457.19. The All T&T Index gained 4.38 points to 1,827.44, while the Cross Listed Index added 0.69 points to close at 147.30 as two stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high and one ended at a 52 weeks’ low.
Investors traded 369,862 shares amounting to $5,832,895 compared to 790,993 shares amounting to $4,244,292 on Friday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended at two stocks with bids lower than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Gains| Clico Investment Fund concluded trading 2 cents and ended at $25, after exchanging 21,009 shares, First Citizens Bank gained $1 and settled at a 52 weeks’ high of $44, after trading 50 shares. NCB Financial added 10 cents and settled at $11.30, with 304,000 stock units changing hands and Republic Financial rose 5 cents and concluded trading of 7,687 stock units at a 52 weeks’ high of $130.15.
Losses| Calypso Micro Index Fund fell 5 cents in trading 920 shares and closed at $15.75 and One Caribbean Media closed 25 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $9.50, with 5,000 units.
Firm Trades| Ansa Mcal completed trading at $52.50, with 200 units crossing the exchange, Ansa Merchant Bank settled at $35.50, with 160 units trading, Massy Holdings closed at $59.75, with 327 stock units changing hands. National Enterprises ended at $5.55, with an exchange of 463 stock units, Scotiabank settled at $60, with 3,540 units, West Indian Tobacco concluded at $41, with 828 units crossing the exchange. Trinidad Cement completed trading at $1.95, after exchanging 1,000 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL traded 24,453 shares to close at $21.11 and Unilever Caribbean settled at $23.50, with investors swapping 225 units.
Prices of securities trading are those at which the last trade took place.
Strong first quarter for Wisynco
Wisynco traded at $22 on Thursday.
According to brothers William and Andrew Mahfood, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer respectively, in their joint commentary accompanying the quarterly, “we had very strong growth in our core beverage brands as a result of increased demand and improved efficiencies in plant productivity. In addition, the strategic alliances between Worthy Park and St Mary’s Snacks along with increasing revenue from other portfolios contributed to drive revenues to new highs.”
The quarterly revenues are much higher than the $6.9 billion generated in the June quarter and profit of $694 million after-tax.
Wisynco brand Wata to benefit from 3 new production that is now in operation.
According to the directors, “the leveraging of our distribution system with the new portfolios, while driving revenue growth, favorably impacted our expense to sales ratio that declined to 22.5 percent of sales from the 25.6 percent for the first quarter of 2019. Selling, Distribution and Administrative expenses for the quarter increased by 18 percent to $2 billion above the $1.7 billion for the prior year and well below the increased revenues.
True Juice orange juice bottled by and distributed Wisynco
The Group had equity capital of $12 billion with loan funding of $2.6 billion but with cash and investment funds at $5.5 billion after the Group operations delivered cash inflows of $1.64 billion. Net Current Assets stood at $6.2 billion with current assets of $11.5 billion.
IC Insider.com projects earnings of $1.40 for the current fiscal year with revenues reaching just under $37 billion and $1.95 for 2021. The stock closed at $22 and now sells at a PE ratio of 15 times the current year’s earnings and is fairly valued currently and seems to hold good long-term growth potential.
Trading & prices rise on TTSE – Tuesday
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange climbed well above Monday’s level with 646,866 shares valued $8,173,637 crossing the exchange compared to 31,251 shares at a value of $1,140,527 on Monday.
Trading ended with 15 securities changing hands compared to 13 on Monday and ended with 8 advancing, 3 declining and 4 remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index added 0.44 points to 1,389.72. The All T&T Index declined 1.19 points to 1,751.52, while the Cross Listed Index rose 1.86 points to close at 139.26.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 2 stocks closing with the bids higher than the last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Gains| Angostura Holdings closed with an increase of 1 cent at $15.85, with 2,000 stock units changing hands, Clico Investment Fund rose 10 cents and to close at $24.10, with 11,070 units crossing the exchange, Grace Kennedy added 1 cent and ended at $3.30, after exchanging 349,363 shares. JMMB Group gained 5 cents and ended at $2.25, with 260 units crossing the exchange, Massy Holdings rose 45 cents and completed trading of 48,380 units at $54.50. NCB Financial closed with a gain of 24 cents, settled at $10.25, with 468 stock units changing hands One Caribbean Media finished trading with 9 cents and ended at $10.10, with 200 stock units trading and Trinidad & Tobago NGL traded 79,140 units and gained 1 cent to close at $24.51.
Losses| CinemaOne lost 35 cents and concluded trading of 740 units at 52 weeks’ low of $7.15, First Citizens Bank ended trading 29 cents lower and settled at $40.10, in swapping of 3,137 shares and Trinidad Cement closed with a loss of 5 cents at 52 weeks’ low of $2.30, with 4,284 stock units changing hands.
Firm Trades| Guardian Holdings ended at $18.01, swapping of 15,428 shares, Guardian Holdings completed trading at $18.01, with 15,428 units, Republic Financial concluded at $121.33, with 524 units, Sagicor Financial completed trading 126,967 units at $10.45, with and Scotiabank settled at $58.50, with 5,645 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those at which the last trade took place.
RJR heads market watch list
Radio Jamaica came into increased buying last week to hit a 52 weeks’ high of $2.58 before pulling back to close at $2.07. The stock shows strong signs of going higher and is the main stock to watch this week.
More buying interest developed for General Accident having posted net profit after tax of $135 million, up 42 percent on the $95.4 million earned in the 2018 period. Pretax profit for the second quarter grew by a stronger 58 percent to $127 from $80 million in 2018. There was no tax change in the second quarter of 2018. The stock price is range bound between $3 and $5.80 but has broken out and should pave the way for a higher price level going forward, some selling around $6.40 could hold back the move higher for a while.
More buying came in for Elite Diagnostic it is unclear if investors are ready to buy out supplies just above $7 in the short term. The stock is poised to move higher with recent signs of improving financial performance. Caribbean Cement has some new buying interest that suggests higher prices ahead, but all of that could well be due to month-end dressing up than real short-term demand. Recent big selling for Jamaican Teas could be over with the near 11 million trade in the second half of last week. Buying interest continues to build that could take the price higher soon.
True Juice orange juice bottled by and distributed Wisynco
One technical indicator is showing Jetcon Corporation’s downturn is over and there is likely to be a big upside for the stock after the company reported in their second results an upswing in sales in June and July over the similar periods in 2018 and that orders for August suggest they will enjoy a much better sales than in 2018. It is not very clear but Honey Bun is on an upswing and could move higher over the next few weeks.
Medical Disposables closed with just one offer of 49,900 shares for sale at $8.80, but buyers may wait out buying until more sellers come with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing is hitching to break into the $6 region as more demand has come in for the stock. Wisynco Group came under selling pressure recently with the price moving into the $30 region, technical reading shows it at support around $24 with an upward bias.
Wigton profit to help light up JSE
Wigton stock could spike on Wednesday.
Some main market companies are reporting big gains in earnings after the market closed on Tuesday and these could push prices up on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm posted positive results for the June quarter, with profit jumping from $175 million to $366 million with modest foreign exchange gains, resulting in earnings per share of 3.3 cents that should translate to over 10 cents for the year. Revenues grew 12 percent at Kingston Wharves to $3.8 billion, over the corresponding period in 2018 and net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 40 percent to $1.2 billion. For the June quarter, net profit rose 54 percent to $729 million on revenues that rose 12 percent to $19.7 billion. Importantly, Kingston Wharves reported earnings of 51 cents per share for the second quarter (annualized $2 per share) and 82 cents for the half-year.
Jamaica Producers increased second-quarter revenues by 12 percent to $5.4 billion over the 2018 period and net profit attributable to shareholders increasing 52 percent to $399 million.
Jamaica Producers snacks
PanJam results benefited from investments gains and gains from the sale of shares in an associated company. Productivity Business Solutions posted a rise in profits toUS$724,000 in the June quarter compared to a profit of $372,000 in 2018 and a profit of US$184,000 for the six months to June.
SOS & tTech head IC MarketWatch
SOS anticipates maximising profits from every business line in 2019.
Second-quarter results are coming out but still, a number of them are due out over the next few days. Results released today throws up a few strong numbers and the stocks of these companies are worth watching.
First, out the block today was tTech an IC TOP 10 BUY RATED selection with possible gains of 167 percent. The company reported a 20 percent increase in revenues in the second quarter of $91 million and a 62 percent rise in profit to $16 million and 15 cents per share with flat profit of $17 million or 16 cents per share for the half-year. The stock climbed to $6.50 at the close on Thursday and seems headed higher.
Stationery and Office Supplies reported a strong 195 percent rise in profit fro the second quarter to reach $34 million compared to just $12 million in 2018 from a 23 percent rise in sales to $295 million. for the half-year profit rose 63 percent to $92 million from $56 million from a 23 percent revenue increase to $639 million. The company is on target to meet IC Insider.com’s forecast of 75 cents for the full year. Radio Jamaica is yet to release its first-quarter results but investors have sent to stock to a high of $1.90 on Thursday. 
Demand has built and supplies shrank sharply and that should help move the price higher.
Caribbean cement traded 3,770,741shares up to $85 and is worth watching with supply falling. Sagicor Select ETF Fund was listed on Thursday but demand resulted in the price exceeding the 30 percent limit permitted by the JSE with investors attempting to trade the stock as high as $1.90 but the stock closed with no trading and closed with bids amounting 12 million shares at $1.30 and 324,520 were the lowest offers at $1.85. Lasco Manufacturing could be moving higher in coming trading days as supply declines and demand rises.
