IS PE of 40 rational for junior stocks?
Yes, interest rates are at their lowest levels in decades, the Jamaican dollar hit rock bottom and bounced and business confidence as measured by the stock market, is at an all-time high. Even then there is little rationale for Cargo Handlers to be selling at a PE of 38 based on estimated 2017 earnings and worse, 51 times 2016 earnings.
IC Insider.com checked with an officer of the company, to get an understanding as to what was going on with the stock. Are profits running well ahead of 2016, there was no evidence of that, according to the company, operations are running close to that of 2016, was the response. Are there expansion plans on the table? The answer was there are no such plans in the works. Well, it could be the fact that the economy of Montego Bay where the company operates, is said to be growing at 7 percent per annum, be a factor. Some persons think it may be the dividend yield, but that makes no sense whatsoever as the yield would be a mere 2 percent, at the present stock price if all profit of 41 cents per share for 2016 were paid out. The only answer, the stock appears cheap to many, in dollar terms with the 10 to 1 stock split that took place in late 2016 and supply continues to be relatively low.
The stock is selling well in excess of the average market and the next highest valued in the junior market, Honey Bun that is at a PE of 21 based on 2016 earnings but a more moderate 14 times projected 2017 earnings.
It not surprising that Cargo Handlers heads the list of most overvalued stocks on both the main and junior market.
The company reported profit climbing 25 percent for their September quarter last year and 31 percent for the full year before taxation and could result in earnings of 55 cents per share for 2017. That would still leave it with an eye popping PE of 38 times current year’s earnings. At this level of PE investors are assuming that profits will be rising around 38 percent per annum for a while and that does not seem rational, if that were the case, then Access Financial should be selling around $137 per share, with earnings seemingly likely to grow around 30-40 percent per annum, for a while.
5 stocks hit 52 weeks’ high in early trading – Wednesday
Market activity has been moderate so far and resulted in 31 securities traded at 10:45 am, compared to 33 on Tuesday. A total of 13 securities advanced and 11 declined, resulting in a volume of 10,271,602 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $18,345,463, compared of 1,528,996 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $12,730,951 on Tuesday. The average number of shares traded, amount to 331,342 units versus 46,333 units on Tuesday.
Market activity was helped by Access Financial Services traded at a new intraday high of $25.30 but now trades at $25 with 939 units having changed hands, Cargo Handlers trading at a new high of $20.80 with 3,000 units changing hands, Blue Power traded at a new high of $36 with 10,000 units, Lasco Manufacturing traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.15 with 26,478 shares and JMMB Group traded at a 52 weeks’ high with 10,600 up to $15.20
Caribbean Cream gained 65 cents to $8.55 but with just 3,000 units, Jetcon Corporation lost 48 cents to $6.52 with 10,000 shares trading, Cable & Wireless had 9,410,195 units trading up to 90 cents and Scotia Group Jamaica fell $3.50 with 17,900 shares to $34.50.
The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 1,299.25 points to 212,380.07, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 1,161.75 points 193,509.39 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index dipped 862.39 points to 207,547.57 and the junior market index rose 15.95 points to 2,734.21.
Shameful, does the JSE care?
1834 Investments, (formerly The Gleaner Company Limited) advised the Jamaica Stock Exchange that the Audited Annual Financial Accounts for March, 2016 will be late and unavailable for publication by May 30, 2016. 1834 anticipates that it should be available for publication on or before June 30, 2016.
This is bad news for investors and bad news for the capital market. Both the Stock Exchange and the Financial Services Commission who overseas such matters should hang their heads in shame for such failure that have deprived investors of getting important financial information on the company’s operations for more than 8 months.
In the past several companies have changed their year end, as recently as late last year Desnoes & Geddes and Access Financial changed their but provided investor with results for all relevant quarters, but the Gleaner Company who changed theirs to March from December did not do so. Regulators of the Stock Exchange gave some clumsy excuse why they could not ask for the December quarter results.
The rules of the Stock Exchange are quite clear, listed companies are required to submit a quarterly interim financial report within 45 days of each quarter. In the case where a company opts to release an audited account within 60 days of the year-end, they can opt in lieu of a quarterly report within 45 days.
The focus is on reporting quarterly, that comes before the audited. What seems to escape the regulators at the Exchange is that investors are kings and queens and they are to one to be foremost in the minds of the regulators to ensure that their investment is protected. One of the main means is timely financial information. If the exchange understood this they would have ensured that the Gleaner Company would be demanded to release the December results within 45 days.
Based on the exchange’s inadequate surveillance we now have a situation where the Gleaner Company (now 1834 Investments) have not reported financial for what looks like 6 months and who knows when it will release the information.
Markets thrive on information and that is the reason why the JSE opted long ago to the publication of quarterlies rather than a six months interim and it has served investors well.
Results help junior activity Wednesday
There were only 2 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 3 ended with lower offers.
At the end of trading, Access Financial lost 10 cents in trading 30,500 shares to close at $16.60. AMG Packaging rose 62 cents in trading 108,100 units at $13.12, as investors welcomed the 65 percent increase in profits for the for the six months, to $52 million after charging out $16 million for the start-up cost of the new tissue operation. Caribbean Cream traded 123,630 shares and gained 10 cents, to end at $4.10, after the company released full year results on Tuesday, with 40 cents per share earnings, following writing off of assets amounting to $31.4 million or 8 cents per share. Caribbean Producers traded 40,500 units and lost 7 cents to end at $4.03, Derrimon Trading closed with a gain of $1 at $5 with 18751 units changing hands, Honey Bun jumped $1.50 on news the board will be considering a subdivision of its shares to close at $12.50 while 21,550 shares changed hands. ISP Finance slipped 2 cents to close at $2.50 after trading 25,500 units, Jamaican Teas rose 1 cent to close at $3.81 after 25,000 shares changed hands, KLE Group traded 270,000 shares and fell 5 cents, to end at $1.65, Knutsford Express closed with 1,601 units changing hands at $19. Lasco Distributors gained 4 cents to end at $5.04 with 59,000 units trading, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents to close at $2.90, with 40,889 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 10 cents and ended with 126,350 shares changing hands to close at $3.50, Medical Disposables fell 5 cents in trading 1,000 shares to close at $3.15 and Paramount Trading ended with 3,460 shares trading to end at $11.
Eppley up 26% in a week to Tuesday
Eppley surged $46 to hit an all-time high of $505 in trading on the Jamaican Stock Exchange junior market on Tuesday while trading 8,337 shares. The stock is now up 26.25 percent since last week with latest price putting the PE at 7.2 times last year’s earnings of $70.43 per share and comes ahead of the company exploring the raising of added equity capital for expansion.
The junior market closed slightly lower on Tuesday with a fall of 5.07 points to 1,819.09. Trading ended with 15 active securities, 5 of which advanced and 4 declined as 1,258,428 units valued at $7,440,298, changed hands.
There were 5 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and one ended with a lower offer.
At the end of trading, Access Financial had 500 shares trading to close at $16.60, Caribbean Producers traded 27,210 units and rose 5 cents to end at $4.10, Consolidated Bakeries had 782,175 units changing hands but fell 15 cents to $1, Honey Bun had 80,402 shares trading and ended unchanged at $11. ISP Finance slipped 3 cents to close at $2.52 after trading 11,000 units, Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to close at $2.70 after 49,157 shares changed hands, Key Insurance closed at $3 with 1,000 units changing hands. KLE Group traded 4,231 shares and gained 1 cent to end at $1.70, Knutsford Express dropped $3 with 9,631 units changing hands at $19, Lasco Distributors ended with 30,890 units trading at $5. Lasco Financial closed at $3 with 17,962 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 5 cents and ended with 199,772 shares changing hands to close at $3.60 and tTech traded 2,000 shares and gained 22 cents to end at $4.22.
Junior stocks soften – Tuesday
At the end of trading, the junior market index ended Tuesday with a small loss of 13.91 points to close at 1,930.73. The market closed with 11 active securities, 3 of which declined and 1 advanced as 934,404 units changed hands, valued at $3,657,423.
At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were only 3 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 5 ended with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial traded 1,990 shares to close at $17, AMG Packaging ended with 7,830 units changing hands to close at $11, Blue Power had just 379 shares trading but rose 18 cents to end at $11.18. Consolidated Bakeries had 2,500 units trading firm at $1.30, General Accident traded at $3 with 3,000 shares changing hands. Honey Bun traded 19,500 units at $13, Iron Rock Insurance traded 456,960 shares and closed unchanged at $4, Jamaican Teas closed at $4.99 after trading 11,119 units for the loss of 1 cent. Lasco Distributors closed with 5,457 units trading with a fall of 1 cent at $5.89, Lasco Financial ended at $3.03 with 272,427 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 151,621 shares changing hands to close at $3.50 with a fall of 30 cents and tTech traded 2,000 shares but rose by 10 cents to $4.30.
Junior stocks fell – Monday
At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 3 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 5 ended with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial traded just 220 and gained 50 cents to close at $17, AMG Packaging fell 47 cents with 400 units changing hands to close at $11, Blue Power had just 379 shares trading but rose 18 cents to end at $11.18. Caribbean Cream traded 52,000 shares but fell $1.05 to $3.70, Caribbean Flavours had 25,950 units trading firm at $8, General Accident traded at $3 with 129,400 shares changing hands. Honey Bun traded 24,051 units at $13 after falling 8 cents, newly listed Iron Rock Insurance traded 368,917 shares and closed unchanged at $4, Jamaican Teas closed at $5 after trading 8,465 units, the price traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5.24 before closing. Lasco Distributors closed with 88,618 units trading with a fall of 8 cents at $5.90, Lasco Financial ended at $3.03 with 134,243 shares changing hands 1 cent higher and Lasco Manufacturing ended with 103,029 shares changing hands to close at $3.80 with a fall of 10 cents.