The JSE Main Market and Junior Market slipped to end the week marginally lower than the close of the previous week. Against the background, Berger Paints was the only stock moving out of the TOP10 as it made way for Sterling Investments.
Junior Market stocks kept above the 2,900 mark of the market index only slipping below that level just one day during the week, as the market continues to consolidate in the move higher. Main Market stocks made attempts to break clear of the consolidation zone but the market is awaiting some strong profit results to move prices and that will not come until late April.
The publication has stated that Junior Market TOP10 contains several companies that suffered a sharp reversal of revenues and profit in 2020, with recovery projected for them in 2021. Green shoots are showing for some with sales picking up in recent quarters with improving bottom-line. Some of these companies may require another quarter or two of improving fortunes before there is meaningful buying into them. Main Event is one such company and it reported a profit on reduced income for the January quarter with revenues climbing solidly in the latest quarter over the October and July quarters.
The Main Market has a number in the list that have put out record profits or show signs of strong earnings in 2021, with the stocks clearly undervalued, these include, JMMB Group, Jamaica Broilers, Sygnus Credit Investments and Grace Kennedy that are currently in the TOP10 Main Market listing and Caribbean Cement that is just outside.
Both the Junior Market and the Main Market continue to get support from technical indicators that point to robust gains ahead. To benefit from the growth in the market to come many investors will need to be on board at an early stage.
This week’s focus: Limners and Bards reported strong first quarter results with rising revenues and profit. Revenues grew a strong 36 percent over the 2020 period to $356 million with profit rising 36 percent to $67 million as cost of operations rising 38 percent over the 2020 period. The company nevertheless seems set to nearly doubling profit for the full year, with profit of $192 million and earnings per share of 20 cents.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market with the potential to gain between 292 to 312 percent are Main Event followed by Stationery and Office Supplies and Caribbean Producers. With expected gains of 181 to 433 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Radio Jamaica, followed by VM Investments and PanJam Investment.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, up to the second quarter of 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15 and the Junior Market 10, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2021-22 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.5 at just 55 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 7.4 or 49 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 268 percent and 184 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2021-22 earnings.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
At the close, 34 securities traded, down from 38 on Thursday, with prices of 14 rising, 10 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
The month to date averaged 253,478 units at $733,977, up from 241,183 units at $698,505 on Thursday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial rose 8 cents to $2.59, trading 233,500 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost 6 cents at $4.34 trading 121,330 units, Limners and Bards slipped 5 cents to $2.80 after an exchange of 3,012,301 stock units and Main Event shed 14 cents to close at $3.06 with the swapping of 10,952 units.
At the close, 38 securities traded, up from 33 on Wednesday, with prices of 18 rising, 11 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Trading averaged 210,216 units at $782,800, versus 394,569 at $1,213,758 on Wednesday. The month to date, averaged 241,183 units at $698,505, compared to 243,736 units at $691,556 on Wednesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial dropped 13 cents to $2.51 with 31,375 stocks changing hands, Limners and Bards climbed 30 cents to $2.85, with 1,105,667 units traded, Lumber Depot rose 7 cents to $2.57 with a transfer of 384,692 shares. Main Event gained 5 cents to close at $3.20 with an exchange of 1,018,764 stocks, Paramount Trading fell 12 cents to $1.31 with 7,206 stock units changing hands, Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to end at $1.15 with 150,083 units traded and tTech rose 5 cents to $4.75 with 3,677 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with 14 stocks rising, 10 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $1.16 to $19.84, with the swapping of 2,821 shares, Blue Power lost 27 cents to close at $3.82, after exchanging 2,139 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 43 cents to $2.31 with 94,785 units crossing the market. Caribbean Cream picked up 5 cents to end at $4.90 trading 290 shares, Caribbean Producers gained 15 cents to finish at $3.18 in transferring 99,874 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries rose 13 cents to $1.63 with 3,637 units changing hands, Fontana ended 9 cents higher at $5.90 trading 204,475 stock units, Fosrich advanced 13 cents to $5.25 in an exchange of 17,786 shares. General Accident fell 15 cents to $5.70 in swapping 9,303 stock units, GWest Corporation gained 12 cents to 95 cents with a transfer of 51,347 shares, Honey Bun picked up 9 cents to close at $5.09 after exchanging 5,396 units. Indies Pharma rose 24 cents to $3.40 trading 85,057 stock units, Lasco Distributors fell 2 cents to $3.83 in exchanging 82,088 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing shed 25 cents to $4.30 after transferring 26,065 units. 
Mailpac Group fell 4 cents to $3.34 in trading 1,259,240 shares, Main Event lost 7 cents ending at $3.40 with 8,004 shares crossing the market and Paramount Trading rose 12 cents to $1.43 with an exchange of 20,123 units.
Trading ended with 12 stocks rising, 17 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Financial slipped 5 cents to $2.64 after transferring 950 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents to close at $4.55, with 8,900 units changing hands. Lumber Depot shed 10 cents to $2.50 with investors switching ownership of 422,039 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 98 cents to $4.61, trading 5,357 stock units and tTech lost 5 cents to end at $4.70 after exchanging 809 shares.
A total of 36 securities traded against 35 on Wednesday and ended with 20 rising, eight declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stock ended with bids higher than their last selling price and four with lower offers.
Lasco Distributors slipped 5 cents to $3.70 with 43,656 units passing through the market, Lasco Financial rose 6 cents to $2.69 with 51,951 shares traded, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 17 cents to $4.40 with a transfer of 2,020,846 stock units. Lumber Depot advanced 13 cents to $2.61 with 999,321 units changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 14 cents to $1.45 with 1,000 stock units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 5 cents to close at $4.60 with 7,899 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading closed with 39 active securities up from 37 on Monday with prices of 21 stocks rising, nine declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents to $4.40 in an exchange of 38,079 shares, Limners and Bards lost 10 cents in ending at $2.50 with the swapping of 365,960 units, Lumber Depot shed 17 cents to close at $2.53 in a switch of ownership of 1,715,865 stock units. Main Event rose 13 cents to $3.48 trading 1,000 units, Medical Disposables shed 36 cents to end at $4.13 with the swapping of 20,000 stock units. Paramount Trading gained 13 cents in closing at $1.45 in trading 52,175 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 97 cents to $5.59 with an exchange of 22,030 stock units and tTech rose 33 cents to end at $4.75 with 1,500 shares changing hands.
The Main Market has a number in the list that have put out record profits or show signs of strong earnings with the stocks clearly undervalued; these include, JMMB Group, Jamaica Broilers, Sygnus Credit Investments, Grace Kennedy are currently in the TOP10 Main Market listing and Caribbean Cement that is just outside.
With expected gains of 165 to 456 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica, followed by VM Investments and PanJam Investment. 
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 274 percent and 181 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2021-22 earnings. IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Lasco Manufacturing dropped 34 cents to $4.26 with investors switching ownership of 154,200 units. Lumber Depot slipped 6 cents to $2.64 with 414,871 stocks traded and SSL Venture gained 8 cents to close at 66 cents with 3,850 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 38 securities changing hands down from 40 on Tuesday with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 15 declining and eight closing unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing advanced 34 cents to $4.60 with an exchange of 13,486 units, Lumber Depot rose 5 cents to $2.70 with 647,253 stocks changing hands, Mailpac Group increased by 14 cents to end at $3.49 with 782,591 stock units traded. Main Event climbed 32 cents to $3.47 with 900 shares passing through the market, Paramount Trading dropped 18 cents to $1.32 with a transfer of 449 stocks, SSL Venture slipped 6 cents to 58 cents with an exchange of 128,962 units and tTech rose 10 cents to $4.40 trading 90,000 units.
