The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange moved within less than 5,000 points of the record close in November last year as investors pushed the prices of some stocks higher during the past week.
Based on the date the first quarter results for Scotia Group was released in 2018, the 2019 results should be released on Thursday but so far the company has not posted the date of dividend consideration that is normally the date of announcing the results. Caribbean Cement closed at $55 and should move higher with limited supply on offer and an analysis of the audited 2018n results suggesting that cost should decline and revenues rise in the current year. IC Insider.com raised earnings to $6 for the year with the expensive $1 billion cement import last year not recurring this year and the benefit of a full year of removal of lease cost with added saving this year from the $2 billion annual savings from resulting from owning the kilns rather than leasing. Keep on watching this one for a break out in price.
Radio Jamaica pulled back to $1 late last week but there is buying at those levels and above.
The Junior Market is consolidating with a slight negative bias, even as this market seems far more undervalued than the main market, the release of quarterly profit results is not helping this market currently as investors wait to see what 2019 results will look like.
Last week, a number of results were released but they showed that investors may have pushed prices to their limit already. Jamaica Stock Exchange report big increase in profit for 2018 of $413 million versus $221 million in 2017 with earnings per share of 59 cents and thus pushing the PE ratio to a rich 30. Berger Paints profits were flat but the company had a blowout final quarter with revenues jumping 155 percent from the poor 2017 quarter and profits of $130 million versus just $30 million in 2017. Grace Kennedy reported improved results with earnings per share of $5, helped
Grace new HQ close to the end of construction in downtown Kingston
Fontana’s and Wisynco continues to trade around their current prices just below $4 and $12 respectively and seem poised to continue to move side wards for a while.
Elite Diagnostic moved up to $3.20 last week with good demand at that level continues to trade around $3.10 with a gap developing between the bids at $3.10 and sellers at $3.40. Will buyers move higher or will sellers come down where the majority of buyers are? Watch to see how this develops.
Buying for General Accident continues to trade around $4.50 level with no clear signs when it will the break out to a higher price level.
Lasco Financial remains stuck around $4.60 price level with some selling taking place at $4.60, but buying is not strong enough to move the price in the short term. Medical Disposables bounced last week but the price may bounce around for some time in the medium term.
