IC Insider.com Junior Market TOP 10 stocks for 2018
The Junior Market rose just 5.3 percent at the end of the year, down from a high of 31 percent in May.
The pull back of the index from its peak pushed the market into very negative technical readings. The first negative is a head and shoulder pattern, then the deadly cross where the short and medium term moving averages have fallen below the long term moving average and to that is an examination of the potential gains for individual stocks show that more two third of them are valued around or above the market average for 2017 earnings. That means that there is not much ammunition left to seriously push this market much higher based on 2017 profit out turn. Weighting down on the juniors is a series of company results that are not reflected positive price driven data.
General Accident could be a leader in the Junior Market in 2018 as they benefit from higher premium rates.
The reports include, Paramount Trading with strong rise in revenues for the November quarter but lower profits as administrative cost rise Caribbean Cream enjoyed a strong 18 percent increase in revenues but that could not overcome a rise in administrative and direct cost in the November quarter, resulting in profit falling from $19 million in 2016 to less than $1 million in 2017 and helped to push six months profit to $71 million versus $137 million in 2016. AMG Packaging revenues jumped 24 percent in the quarter to November but increased cost wipe the sales gains away and more to leave a profit of $10 million versus $18 in the prior year period.
Express Catering is continuing to deliver strong increased earnings but the stock is already well priced and so too is Knutsford Express at which revenues rose by 18 percent in the November quarter but at a slower pace than in the prior year. For the August quarter and profit grew by just 15 percent, with half year earnings per share coming in at 19 cents, full year earnings should come close to 50 cents but the stock is already a high price relative to the overall market.
The positives in the market is that the 45 days moving average is now over stretched and should enjoy some rebound sooner than later. Looking fully at 2018 thinks appear brighter with IC Insider.com pointing to 14 stocks including the IPO, Elite Diagnostics that could double in price and around 8 that could gain over 50 percent.
Elite Diagnostics could be in the Junior Market TOP 10 by the end of 2018.
Based on projected earnings for 2018, the average PE ratio suggests that Junior Market stock prices should grow by 36 percent. Technical readings have the junior market moving to 3,900 points, 43 percent higher than the end of 2017, before major resistance sets in.
The Top 10 Junior market stocks are taken from those listed at the start of 2018. The list therefore excludes Elite Diagnostics which should end in the top of 2018 best Junior Market stocks at the end of the year.
The list comprise some 2017 under performers, insurance companies that should benefit from increased premium income and in the case of Key Insurance reduced administrative cost. Paramount Trading is adding new product lines that should not only boost top line but with bottom-line growth, while Caribbean Producers and Dolphin Cove will benefit from the strong growth in tourism.
