Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market was moderate with 13 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced 6 declined and 4 traded firm with 118,765 stocks trading with a value of $2,455,859. The Composite Index lost 0.40 points to close at 1,180.44, the All T&T Index fell by just 0.65 points to close at 2,025.89 and the Cross Listed Index dipped by a mere 0.02 points to end at 43.89.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Clico Investment Fund traded 23,520 shares valued at $506,680 and the price advanced by 10 cents to end at $21.60, Neal & Massy had 2,613 units changing hands to close with a 5 cents gain at $68.90 for a new 52 weeks high and Unilever Caribbean hit another 52 week high with the price increasing 19 cents to end the day at $62.20.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Agostini’s with 100 shares, ended with a 1 cent loss at $17.48, First Citizens lost 4 cents in trading a mere 5 shares to end at $37.43, Prestige Holdings 2,000 shares at $9.40 with a 1 cent fall, Sagicor Financial with a volume of 25,000 shares being traded for $168,000, the price closed a cent lower, at $6.72, while Scotiabank had 4,014 shares valued at $278,774 units changing hand as the price dipped by 16 cents to end at $69.45 and West Indian Tobacco with 984 shares closed at $118.06 while giving up a cent.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with 51,157 shares changing hands for a value of $652,252 closed at $12.75, followed by ANSA McAL contributed 6,000 shares with a value of $397,740 to end at $66.29, Guardian Media traded 2,513 units and closed at $9.75 and Republic Bank with 554 shares at $120.70.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
TTSE – 3 up 6 down & 2 new highs
Two new highs as 3 stocks rise
Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market on Monday was moderate with 12 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced 4 declined and 5 traded firm with 63,104 stocks trading with a value of $$1,443,488 with two stock reaching new 52 weeks high.
The Composite Index lost 2.17 points to close at 1,180.84, the All T&T Index rose fell by just 4.26 points to close at 2,026.54 and the Cross Listed Index eased by a mere 0.01 points to end at 43.91.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Neal & Massy gained 5 cents to end the day at $68.85 while exchanging 871 units, to end at another 52 weeks high, Prestige Holdings added 3,755 shares valued at $35,335 to end at $9.41 up a cent and Unilever with 1,500 shares closed a cents higher at $62.01 for a new 52 weeks high.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are National Enterprises was the volume leader with 21,594 shares changing hands for a value of $404,911 and fell 25 cents to close at $18.75, Sagicor Financial Corporation with 3,375 shares to close with a one cent loss at$6.73, Scotiabank contributed 6,501 shares with a value of $452,578 while closing 17 cents lower at $69.61 and Scotia Investments lost a cent to close at $1.55 while trading 3,300 units.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Clico Investment Fund had a volume of 9,843 shares valued at $211,625 to remain at $21.50 followed by Guardian Holdings with 8,552 shares traded for $126,142 to close at $14.75, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with only 2,000 units to close at 45 cents, One Caribbean Media 1,313 to close at $23, Trinidad Cement 500 shares, closed 1.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
TTSE PE – suggests attractive buys
The price earnings ratio is the most popular measure investors use to compare and determine stocks values. It is computed by dividing the price of a stock by the earnings per share. It allows investors to compare the value of one company with others in order to decide which ones are to be bought sold or held on to. When the market moves markedly away from the norm it is usually time for investors to move. Nowhere is this truer than PE ratios.
In looking at good buying opportunities the crude measure is to buy those stocks with low PEs compared to the market or to stocks in the same sector.
The Trinidad market has several stocks that are priced at a PE that is well below the market average, this has been so from early 2013 and continues to present.
During the past week Trinidad Cement declined to $1.95, National Flour lost ground to close at $1, but Point Lisas gained ground to $4, Neal & Massy inched up further to $68.80 One Caribbean Media moved to new highs during the week to close at $23, while Citizens Bank lost value to end at $37.47.
The market has 6 stocks that are priced at a PEs that are well below the market’s average of 15, and a few close to the average, thus offering profitable investment opportunities for investors with medium term investment horizon.
Ana Merchant Bank & Unilever at new highs
Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market was moderate on Friday with 12 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced 2 declined and 7 traded firm with only 67,885 units changing hands with a value of $992,513. Two new 52 weeks high were reached at the end of trading.
The Composite Index rose 0.21 points to close at 1,183.01, the All T&T Index edged up by just 0.35 points to close at 2,030.80 and the Cross Listed Index barely move up by 0.01 points to end at 43.92.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Ansa Merchant Bank traded 500 shares to close 2 cents higher at $39.02, a new 52 weeks high, Scotia Investments rising by a cents to close at $1.56 in trading 3,700 units and Unilever Caribbean enjoyed a gain of 70 cents to end the day at $62 while trading just 500 shares, for a new 52 weeks high
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are First Citizens Bank with 127 shares traded to close down 2 cents at $37.47 and West Indian Tobacco traded 166 units to close 8 cents lower at $118.07.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are ANSA McAL with 1,646 units closed at $66.29, Clico Investment Fund traded 25,000 shares valued at $537,500 remained at $21.50, Guardian Holdings was the volume leader with 10,522 shares changing hands for a value of $155,200 to close at $14.75, while Grace Kennedy traded 1,000 units to close at $3.45, Jamaica Money Market Brokers added 4,724 shares valued at $2,126 to close at 45 cents, National Commercial Bank with 10,000 shares traded for $10,500 closed at $1.0500 and Prestige Holdings contributed 10,000 shares with a value of $94,001 to end at $9.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 1 stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Pick up in stocks traded
Trading on the Trinidad stock market on Thursday saw 15 securities changing hands, a noticeable increase over the previous two days of which 2 advanced, 6 declined and 7 traded firm, with 175,207 stocks trading with a value of $$3,078,925 as two stocks closed at new 52 weeks high. The Composite Index lost 1.19 points to close at 1,182.80, the All T&T Index fell by 1.99 points to close at 2,030.45 and the Cross Listed Index fell by a mere 0.05 points to end at 43.91.
Gains| The two stocks advancing, closed at new 52 weeks high as One Caribbean Media increased by 33 cents to end the day at $23 and Unilever Caribbean traded 50 shares to close with a gain of 5 cents to end at $61.30.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Clico Investment Fund trading 116,683 shares valued at $2,509,135 but the price fell 5 cents to end at $21.50, First Citizens Bank lost 31 cents to close at $37.49 while trading 1,870 shares, National Enterprises lost 5 cents in trading 6,406 shares with a value of $122,055, to close at $19.05, Sagicor Financial Corporation with 13,400 shares, traded for $90,316, closed at $6.74 with a cent loss, Scotiabank 1,000 shares at $69.78, down by 2 cents and Scotia Investments with 19,000 shares changing hands for a value of $29,450, closing at $1.55 with a 5 cents decline.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings 200 shares to close at $12.75, Guardian Holdings with 6,180 shares valued at $91,155 and closed at $14.75, National Flour Mills 1,946 units to close at $1, National Commercial Bank 500 shares to end at $1.0, Neal & Massy 150 units to close at $68.80, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development 200 shares in closing at $4 and Trinidad Cement with 5,000 units, closed at $1.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
New highs being scored daily – TTSE
Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market continues to throw up new highs even as overall trading remains moderate. In Wednesday’s trading 10 securities changed hands of which 4 advanced 3 declined and 3 traded firm with two trading at new 52 weeks high with 125,837 stocks trading with a value of $1,027,835. Trading activity resulted in the Composite Index inching up by 0.18 points to close at 1,183.99, the All T&T Index rising by just 0.36 points to close at 2,032.44 and the Cross Listed Index remaining unchanged at 43.96 points.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Ansa Merchant Bank that traded 1,056 shares to close up by 36 cents to $39, Neal & Massy gaining 10 cents in closing at a new 52 weeks high of $68.85 with 1,638 shares, National Enterprises traded only 100 units and closed at $19.10 with a cent increase and Unilever Caribbean enjoying $1.07 gain to end the day at $61.25 with 250 units trading, to reach a new 52 weeks high.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Clico Investment Fund with 19,086 shares valued at $411,303 as the price declined by 9 cents to end at $21.55, First Citizens added 2,862 shares valued at $108,184, and the price declined 19 cents to close at $37.80 and National Flour Mills with 29,671 shares traded for $29,671 and closed at $1 after an 8 cents fall.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Angostura Holdings that contributed 4,000 shares with a value of $51,000 to close at $12.75, Guardian Holdings with 2,190 units to close at $14.75 and Grace Kennedy 64,984 shares changing hands for a value of $224,195 to end at $3.45.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Only 6 stocks traded on TTSE
Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market on Tuesday was low with just 6 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced none declined and 3 traded firm with 48,447 stocks trading, valued at $737,074. Two stocks closed at 52 weeks high at the end of trading. The Composite Index lost 0.89 points to close at 1,183.81, the All T&T Index rose by just 1.77 points to close at 2,032.08 and the Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 43.96. Firstcaribbean International will pay US$0.015 per share dividend on June 27 and Jamaica Money Market will pay J$0.17 cents on June 26 went x dividend today. Firstcaribbean reported a loss of US$196 million compared with a small profit of US$35.4 million in the first six months to April of 2013. Scotiabank went ex-dividend on the 9th of June and will pay $0.40 per share on July 10.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are Ansa Merchant Bank that added 1,168 shares valued at $45,132 to close at $38.64, National Enterprises ended at a new 52 weeks high with 3,300 shares valued at $63,006 and closed at $19.10 with a 14 cents gain and One Caribbean Media with a volume of 10,100 shares being traded for $228,966 gained 7 cents to close at $22.67 for a new 52 weeks high.
Declines| There were no stocks declining at the end of trading on Tuesday.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are First Citizens Bank with 250 units to close at $37.99, Guardian Holdings with 24,329 shares changing hands for $358,853 closed at $13.75, Infrequent trader Praetorian Property Mutual Fund saw 9,300 shares changing hands valued at $31,620 to close at $3.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had only 2 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Easy Monday as 1 stock rose 4 fell
Only one stock recorded gain in trading levels on the Trinidad stock market on Monday with 14 securities changing hands. The prices 5 stocks declined and 9 traded firm with 648,623stocks trading with a value of $2,283,252. The Composite Index lost 0.28 points to close at 1,182.92, the All T&T Index declined by 0.56 points to close at 2,030.31 and the Cross Listed Index remained at 43.96.
Gains| The only stocks increasing in price at the close is Point Lisas Industrial Port Development that climbed 14 cents to end the day at $4 as 539 units traded.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are ANSA McAL with 2,300 units with the loss of a cent to close at $66.29, First Citizens Bank closed at $37.99 in trading 1,314 shares as the price slipped by a cent, Scotiabank fell 10 to close at $69.80 as 4,785 of the banks shares were traded and Trinidad Cement had only 100 units changing hands as the price slipped to $1.95 after falling by 4 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with 3,000 units to end at $12.75, Clico Investment Fund 5,124 shares valued at $110,869 to end at $21.64, Grace Kennedy 470 shares to close at $3.45, Guardian Holdings 6,500 with a value of $95,875 shares to close at $14.75, Guardian Media 128 shares to close at $19.75, National Commercial Bank with 597,239 shares changing hands for a value of $627,101 to close at $1.05, Sagicor Financial Corporation with 20,750 shares traded for $140,063’ closed at $6.75, Prestige Holdings 370 units in closing at $9.40, while Republic Bank added 6,004 shares valued at $724,683 to close at $120.70.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Trinidad & Tobago PE Ratio
The use of standards is vital in the assessment of stock values as investors are constantly comparing one investment with another. The price earnings ratio is the most popular measure investors use to compare and determine stocks values. It is computed by dividing the price of a stock by the earnings per share. It allows investors to compare the value of one company with others in order to decide which ones are to be bought sold or held on to. 
Pass developments also inform seasoned investors as markets tend to have familiar recurring patterns over time. When the market moves markedly away from the norm it is usually time for investors to move. Nowhere is this truer than PE ratios. Investors should therefore keep track of historical price earnings ratios and compare them with the current ones. Ratios that have been high in the past and are now low, may indicate potential.
Use of the PE ratio| There is a tendency to look at the earnings per share of companies and apply a price earnings ratio to them to arrive at the value of a stock. This is one approach, but we should go further, with companies having hidden values the purist approach will miss the underlying value that could surface at any time. Astute investors will take into account the difference in treatment of accounting policies could have on earnings in assessing company value. It usually takes a longer time for such concepts to gain investor acceptance, but once widely accepted, the patient investor is usually rewarded. increase in value for the stock or vice versa.In looking at good buying opportunities the crude measure is to buy those stocks with low PEs compared to the market or to stocks in the same sector.
The Trinidad market has several stocks that are priced at a PE that is below the market, this has been so from early 2013 and continues to present.
One stock rose to close week
Trading on the Trinidad stock market closed the week with more stocks declining than gaining with 14 securities changing hands, one advanced 5 declined and 8 traded firm with 94,363 stocks trading with a value of $1,642,870.
The Composite Index advanced by a mere 0.18 point to close at 1,183.20, the All T&T Index rose by just 0.42 point to close at 2,030.87 and the Cross Listed Index eased slightly by only 0.01 point to end at 43.96.
Gains| The only stock increasing in price at the close is National Enterprises that gained 6 cents to end the day at $18.96 while trading 1,000 shares.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are Clico Investment Fund with 4,765 shares valued at $103,162 and closed at $21.64 for a one cent decline, National Flour with 1,000 shares, declined by a cent to close at $1.08, Flavorite Foods with just 50 shares changing hands closed with a decline of 5 cents to end at $6.70, Readymix lost 13 cents to close at $19.36 while trading only 50 shares and Scotiabank traded just 714 shares to close down by 10 cents at $69.90.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are First Citizens Bank, 848 shares to end at $38, Guardian Holdings 2,000 shares to close at $14.75, Jamaica Money Market Brokers contributed 10,927 shares with a value of $4,917 and closed at 45 cents, National Commercial Bank had 50,000 shares changing hands for a value of $52,500, the stock closed at $1.05, L J WILLIAMS class B share traded 100 units to close at 90 cents, Neal & Massy traded 14,088 shares for $968,550 to close at $68.75, Republic Bank traded 2,818 shares to close at $120.70 and Sagicor Financial saw 6,003 units change hands valued at $40,539 to close at $6.75.
The week| Price changes during this past week have been very moderate resulting in little change in prices between the start and end of the week. This development meant that the average PE of the market that was at 13.6 at the start of the week remaining unchanged. With this the outstanding buys with potential for above average growth are Trinidad Cement, Point Lisa, Guardian Holdings, Berger Paints, National Flour, Neal & Massy, Republic Bank and Citizens Bank. One Caribbean Media seems poised to rise further but with potential gains of 25 percent, the risk for investing now for short term gains is elevated.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and only one with the offer lower.