The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market and the Main Market moved in opposite directions in the past week with the Junior Market enjoying some recovery from the fall in the past week and the Main Market suffering more pain, with a near 2 percent fall, with a few of the stocks hitting 52 weeks’ low, with Scotia Group being one of them and pushed to stock to 6 positions in the TOP10.
Developments in the past week, the Main Market, Key Insurance rose 11 percent to close the week at $2.77, followed by a 10 percent fall in Scotia Group down to $30, but the bid closed higher than the last price, suggesting a rebound in the coming week. Scotia Group reported solid results for the nine months to July. ICInsider.com upgraded earnings to $5.50 but it could hit $6, with the stock being extremely undervalued. Caribbean Cement declined by 6 percent to close the week at $47.50 and JMMB Group fell 5 percent to $28.10
The Junior Market ICTOP10 closed the week with a 16 percent rise in the price of Caribbean Cream to $4.06 followed by a 12 percent decline for Elite Diagnostic to $1.61 and an 8 percent fall in General Accident Insurance to $4.55.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5, well below the market average of 12.3. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 336 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
A total of 12 of the most highly valued stocks representing 26 percent of the Main Market are priced with a PE of 15 to 84, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 21 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5 compared with the market at 10.6. There are 12stocks or 26 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 38, averaging 21 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, and projected to rise by 300 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
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, 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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of 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.
The market closed with trading in 52 securities, down from 53 on Thursday, and ended with 18 rising, 19 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
The Main Market closed with an average PE Ratio of 12.3. The JSE Main and USD Market PEs are based on the last traded prices and earnings projections by ICInsider.com, for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Mayberry Jamaican Equities declined by 25 cents to $11.25 with investors exchanging 200 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $11.50 to end at $81.50 with investors trading 1,292 units, NCB Financial increased $1 to close at $67, with 7,585 stock units clearing the market. Pan Jamaica lost $4.39 to $42.01 with investors trading 550 units, Proven Investments shed 45 cents in closing at $22 after an exchange of 6,352 stock units, Salada Foods increased 25 cents and ended at $2.80 in an exchange of 8,468 stocks. Scotia Group dropped $3.93 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $30 with investors dealing in 1,155,439 shares, but the bid of $32.01 at the close was higher than the last traded price.
Seprod dipped $3.49 in closing at $66 in an exchange of 1,279 shares and Supreme Ventures popped 26 cents and ended at $27.50 as 316,047 stocks changed hands.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 1,541.73 points to close at 328,361.75, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,705.34 points to 346,427.98, the JSE Main Index skidded 1,827.78 points to 314,347.08, the Junior Market Index added 17.87 points to close at 3,829.44 while the JSE USD Market Index dipped 3.02 points to finish at 255.36.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 19.5 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.1 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
A total of 50,800,250 shares changed hands at $320,174,232, up sharply from 5,494,640 units at $31,905,669 on Wednesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,390.33 points to 349,133.32, the JSE Main Index climbed 128.65 points to close trading at 316,174.86 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.31 points to finish at 70.35.
Kingston Wharves lost $1.48 to end at $26.52, with 1,390 stock units crossing the market, Massy Holdings rallied $1.50 in closing at $96.50 with 553 shares changing hands, Mayberry Investments declined 89 cents in closing at $7.61 while exchanging 2,225 units, NCB Financial dropped $2 to $66 with stakeholders trading 66,742 stocks. Pan Jamaica gained $1.40 to close at $46.40 with the swapping of 39,793 stock units, Proven Investments popped 95 cents and ended at $22.45 with 13,352 shares crossing the exchange, Pulse Investments fell 30 cents to end at $2.20 in switching ownership of 55,812 units, Sagicor Group fell 41 cents in closing at $44.09 in an exchange of 34,660 stocks and Supreme Ventures gained 22 cents and ended at $27.24 with investors dealing in 13,697 shares.
JMMB Group 7% preference share advanced 30 cents to close at $2 with investors transferring 3,276 units, 138 Student Living preference share lost $15 to end at $84.98 in an exchange of 44 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share dropped $180 and ended at $1020 with an exchange of 100 stocks.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,259.01 points to close at 329,392.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,390.33 points to close at 349,133.32, the JSE Main Index rose 128.65 points to 316,174.86, the Junior Market Index jumped 42.71 points to 3,811.57, while the JSE USD Market Index popped 13.81 points to finish at 258.38.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% skidded $13 to $42, 138 Student Living preference share lost $15 to end at $84.98 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share dipped $180 and ended at $1,020.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Trading took place in 54 securities compared with 53 on Tuesday and ended, with prices of 20 rising, 16 declining and 18 left unchanged.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 107.59 points to 350,523.65, the JSE Main Index shed 1,264.18 points to end at 316,046.21 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.24 points to 70.66.
Jamaica Broilers popped $1 and ended at $32 after investors swapped 4,600 shares, JMMB Group dropped 30 cents in closing at $28.20, with 38,141 stock units changing hands, Kingston Wharves rallied $1.20 to $28 in trading 22,050 stocks. Massy Holdings shed $1 to close at $95 after exchanging 3,000 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 45 cents to end at $11.50 after 26,200 stock units passed through the market, NCB Financial declined 25 cents to $68 after an exchange of 41,895 stocks, Proven Investments dipped 40 cents to end at $21.50 with traders dealing in 230 shares. Seprod lost 41 cents in closing at $69.49, with 5,713 shares crossing the exchange, Supreme Ventures rallied 30 cents and ended at $27.02 with investors dealing in 51,532 stocks and 
Victoria Mutual Investments rose 18 cents to close at $3.03 while exchanging 173,342 stock units.
Trading activity dropped sharply, with a 41 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with 55 percent lower value than Monday, resulting from trading in 53 securities compared with 54 on Monday, with 18 rising, 20 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,710.4 points to close at 350,631.24, JSE Main Index skidded 526.78 points to 317,310.39 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.27 points to 70.42.
Jamaica Producers fell $1.35 to $18.70 with 5,350 units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 50 cents to $10.15, with 19,583 shares crossing the market, JMMB Group climbed $1 to end at $28.50 after 34,852 stock units were traded, Kingston Properties rose 80 cents and ended at $7.40 in trading 10,000 stocks. Kingston Wharves dropped $3.16 to close at $26.80 after a transfer of 5,313 shares, Pan Jamaica dipped $1 in closing at $45 in an exchange of 2,716 stock units, Sagicor Group skidded 50 cents in closing at $44.50, with 155,542 units changing hands, Scotia Group rallied 40 cents and ended at $33.90 after an exchange of 119,374 stocks after the group reported nine month’s profit up 74 percent, to $12.8 billion. Seprod increased 90 cents to end at $69.90 after 963 stocks passed through the market, 
Stanley Motta advanced 59 cents to $5.34 with investors dealing in 100 units and Sygnus Credit Investments increased 30 cents to close at $11.30, with 58,391 shares crossing the exchange.
The market closed with trading of 9,156,436 shares at $134,445,305, up from 5,259,080 units at $54,075,283 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Guardian Holdings shed $34.80 to $401.20, with 182 units crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers fell $1 to $31 with an exchange of 66,931 shares, Jamaica Producers climbed $1.44 to end at $20.05 after 2,766 stocks changed hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 35 cents in closing at $9.65 with trading of 17,938 stock units. JMMB Group fell $2.20 and ended at $27.50, with 43,366 stock units clearing the market, Kingston Properties, lost 72 cents to $6.60, with 5,350 units crossing the exchange, Kingston Wharves advanced $3.39 to $29.96 with investors dealing in 3,501,338 shares, Massy Holdings dipped $4.20 to close at $96 with 4,965 stocks being traded. NCB Financial skidded $1.50 in closing at $68.50 after trading 18,481 shares, Pan Jamaica popped $3 to end at $46 with investors transferring 878 units, Pulse Investments rallied 31 cents and ended at $2.51 and closed after trading in 16,227 stocks, Sagicor Group rose 49 cents to $45, with 9,649 stock units crossing the market. 
Seprod dropped $1.10 and ended at $69 in trading 17,450 shares, Stanley Motta declined 46 cents in closing at $4.75 with traders dealing in 30,730 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 30 cents to close at $11 after an exchange of 71,631 stocks and Wisynco Group increased 60 cents to end at $18 after exchanging 122,891 units.
Elite Diagnostics had a bad fiscal year to June, with a loss of $1.7 million in the June quarter and a profit of only $2.8 million for the year, down from $49 million in 2022. With finance cost jumping to $47 million from $27 million the previous year while depreciation climbed by $41 million to $148 million. ICInsider.com expect revenues to keep on climbing at a above average rate and for cost to increase at a slower pace and deliver an attractive profit which is projected at 40 cents for the year. Recent history suggests that forecasts can be derailed by unforeseen developments, but the stock is worth while looking at as a medium term investment that is undervalued relative to potential.
The Junior Market ICTOP10 closed the week with General Accident rising 10 percent to $4.94, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers, up 6 percent to $2.83 as Iron Rock Insurance dropped 9 percent to $2.10 and Everything Fresh dipped 5 percent to $1.30.
The markets are not in a bullish state but there continue to be cases of slow upward movements in some prices as investors respond to some recent attractive results leading them to quietly nibble away at a number of stocks, gradually reducing the supply of a number of them that are attractively priced. The list includes stocks such as Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event and Transjamaican Highway.
On Friday 5,259,080 shares were traded for $54,075,283 compared to 10,619,694 units at $79,408,765 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed using the last traded prices and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
JMMB Group climbed $2.21 in closing at $29.70 with 175,016 stocks being traded, following an announcement by the company that it will be buying back 10 million shares in the open market. Kingston Wharves dropped $2.44 to close at $26.57 with a transfer of 22,863 shares, Margaritaville advanced 30 cents to end at $16.30 after a transfer of a mere unit. NCB Financial gained $1.90 to close at $70 after 27,066 shares changed hands, Pan Jamaica skidded $1 to $43 with investors swapping 1,645 stock units, Sagicor Group shed 59 cents to close at $44.51 in trading 112,999 units. Scotia Group advanced 39 cents in closing at $33.44 as investors exchanged 309,106 stocks, Stanley Motta climbed 61 cents to end at $5.21, with 1,001 shares crossing the market and Supreme Ventures fell 76 cents and ended at $26.74 with an exchange of 138,995 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share rose $1.39 to $20 in an exchange of 69 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% gained $109.99 in closing at $3099.99 after investors traded just one stock and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share dropped $135 to $1.200, with 150 stocks clearing the market.
