The Main and Junior Markets closed the week slightly lower, resulting in big gains and losses in the Junior Market while movements in the Main Market were more moderate than the Junior Market stocks and surprisingly there is only one new entrant into the top 10 listings, this week.
Scotia Group released full year results with EPS of $5.54 and announced the payments of a dividend of 40 cents per share, with the price hitting a new one year high on Friday. The dividend suggests a minimum payment of $1.60 per share over the next twelve months. Based on historical norms of 40-50 percent payout of profits it should be a higher payout. With the release of 2023 full year results, ICInsider.com switched over to 2024 earnings, with EPS at $7.50. Buying interest picked up during the week. The stock trades at an extremely low PE of 4.8 times projected 2024 earnings and still only 6.5 times based on earnings for 2023. AMG Packaging trades at 6.5 times 2024 earnings with only 58,816 shares on offer at the close on Friday and so is Jamaica Teas, with offers now generally above $2.53, with buyers mostly at $2.30, some selling came in for Access Financial this week, Caribbean Cement also has limited stocks on offer and so does Seprod.
Three Junior Market stocks gained 9 to 21 percent and three ended with 10 to 20 percent losses, while the Main Market had two stocks with worthwhile gains of 9 and 13 percent and three with sizable losses of 6 to 11 percent.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with, Key Insurance popping 13 percent to $2.49 and Scotia Group up 9 percent, while General Accident declined 11 percent to $4.50, Palace Amusement down 8 percent to $1.19 and 
Caribbean Producers lost 6 percent to close at $8.50.
The Junior Market ended, with Iron Rock Insurance jumping 21 percent to $2.50, followed by Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing rising 9 percent each to $3.93 and $4.63 respectively. AMG Packaging dropped 20 percent to $2.30, Caribbean Cream and Jamaica Teas fell 10 percent to $3.31 and $2.30 respectively.
Tropical Battery dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 and is replaced by Elite Diagnostic. There were no changes in the IC Main Market TOP10
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.1, well below the market average of 12.8. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 299 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings and now provides better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 204 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 28 and 18 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 23 for the top half and 16 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.8, over half of the market, with an average of 13.2. There are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs from b>15 to 50, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around 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.
Gains for Junior Market as trading dips
Trading dropped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, but the market closed higher with the volume of stocks traded declining 74 percent, valued 68 percent less than Thursday following trading in 40 securities compared with 36 on Thursday and ended winning stocks outpacing those declining by more than two to one, with 19 rising and only nine declining and 12 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 4,960,272 shares for $11,287,117 down from 19,362,577 units at $34,892,741 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 124,007 shares at $282,178, compared with 537,849 units at $969,243 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 165,266 units at $344,495 compared with 169,444 stock units at $350,806 on the previous day just a fraction of November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
tTech led trading with 1.0 million shares for 20.2 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 758,218 units for 15.3 percent of the day’s trade and Stationery and Office Supplies with 539,060 units for 10.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 34.37 points to end the day at 3,695.69.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 50 cents to $25 after a transfer of 69 stocks, Caribbean Cream rose 31 cents to $3.31 after 478 units were traded , Caribbean Flavours increased 50 cents and ended at $1.75 after an exchange of 1,300 shares. Derrimon Trading fell 14 cents to close at $1.86 with investors trading 28,536 stock units, Everything Fresh skidded 25 cents to end at $1.43 in an exchange of 72,000 shares, Fontana popped 9 cents to $10.39 with investors dealing in 93,349 units. Fosrich gained 10 cents to close at $2.30 while 238,818 stocks were exchanged, Future Energy lost 9 cents in closing at $3.45, with 215,746 stock units crossing the market, Honey Bun rose 10 cents and ended at $6.40 with an exchange of 213 shares. Indies Pharma advanced 15 cents to end at $3 with 8 stocks clearing the market,
Iron Rock Insurance rallied 44 cents to $2.50 as investors exchanged 20,043 units, Knutsford Express popped 26 cents to close at $11.36 in switching ownership of 337 stock units. Lasco Financial rallied 26 cents to $1.88 with investors dealing in 1,000 shares, Main Event declined 40 cents in closing at $13 with an exchange of 81,035 units, MFS Capital Partners rose 21 cents to end at $2.37, with 6,460 stocks changing hands. Regency Petroleum advanced 8 cents in closing at $2.14 after 98,934 stock units passed through the market, Tropical Battery shed 11 cents to end at $1.80 with a transfer of 248,942 shares and tTech increased 12 cents and ended at $2 with investors swapping 1,000,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on the Junior Market
Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 43 percent and the value 58 percent more than Tuesday following trading in 40 securities similar to the outcome on Tuesday and ended with 18 rising, 13 declining and nine unchanged but that failed to save the market index from dropping at the close following a jump in the index in the morning session.
Investors traded 4,766,135 shares for $10,223,648 compared with 3,334,500 units at $6,456,830 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 119,153 shares at $255,591 compared to 83,363 units at $161,421 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 132,501 stock units at $288,790 compared to 134,174 shares at $292,953 on the previous day and markedly lower than November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545, after the market opened in the 3,750 range.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.02 million shares for 21.3 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 626,665 units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 626,493 units for 13.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 41.33 points to close at 3,682.38 after the market traded in the 3,750 range in early market activity.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rallied 35 cents and ended at $3 as 69,678 stocks passed through the market, following the release of half year results with profit up 330 percent to $70.5 million, Cargo Handlers rose 95 cents to close at $14.95 with an exchange of 110 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 26 cents to $2.50, with 1,232 shares clearing the market. Caribbean Flavours popped 20 cents in closing at $1.50 with a transfer of 135,000 stock units, Derrimon Trading dipped 17 cents to end at $1.86, with 75,221 shares crossing the market, Dolla Financial increased 10 cents in closing at $2.50 with investors trading 626,493 stock units. Dolphin Cove fell 17 cents to $17 and closed with an exchange of 614 stocks, Elite Diagnostic advanced 8 cents and ended at $1.74 with investors trading 29,491 units, Express Catering gained 12 cents to end at $3.95, with an exchange of 415 shares. Fontana skidded 49 cents to close at $10 after a transfer of 53,519 stocks, GWest Corporation popped 12 cents to 95 cents with shareholders swapping 300,000 units, Indies Pharma lost 16 cents to end at $2.83 after an exchange of 130 stock units. 
Jamaican Teas climbed 16 cents in closing at $2.46, with the trading of 14,560 shares, Lasco Distributors declined 46 cents to $3.52 with stakeholders exchanging 4,272 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 43 cents to end at $4.20 in switching ownership of 40,621 stocks. Mailpac Group dropped 8 cents to $2.02 as investors exchanged 18,030 stock units, Main Event popped 30 cents to $13.40 after 11,050 shares were traded, Paramount Trading advanced 15 cents in closing at $1.67 with traders dealing in 23 units. Regency Petroleum rose 18 cents and ended at $2.38 in an exchange of 216,183 stocks and Tropical Battery shed 15 cents to close at $1.80 with investors dealing in 85,794 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market surge
Trading activity sent the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surging on Tuesday by 54.04 points to 3,723.71, following a sharp reduction in the volume and value of stocks traded, as volume dropped 57 percent from that on Monday, with a 46 percent lower value following trading in 40 securities compared with 38 on Monday and ended with the prices of 18 rising, 17 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 3,334,500 shares for $6,456,830 compared with 7,705,493 units at $11,922,249 on Monday.
Trading averaged 83,363 shares at $161,421, compared with 202,776 units at $313,743 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 134,174 units at $292,953 compared with 141,459 stock units at $311,810 on the previous day. November closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
EduFocal led trading with 761,518 shares for 22.8 percent of total volume, Tropical Battery followed with 497,599 units for 14.9 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 361,282 units for 10.8 percent market share.
he Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rose 36 cents to end at $2.66 with just two stocks crossing the exchange, Blue Power shed 42 cents to $2.65 with a transfer of 400 units, ahead of the company reporting profit for the second quarter surging 221 per cent to $33 million, Cargo Handlers declined 95 cents and ended at $14 with investors dealing in 711 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 11 cents to close at $2.24 in an exchange of 1,000 stock units, Caribbean Cream dropped 69 cents in closing at $3 with 706 shares clearing the market, Caribbean Flavours fell 20 cents to $1.30 after a transfer of 2,067 units. Consolidated Bakeries rallied 10 cents to end at $1.90, with 5,000 stocks crossing the market, Derrimon Trading popped 8 cents in closing at $2.03 with an exchange of 467 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained 60 cents to close at $17.17 after 508 shares changed hands. 
EduFocal increased 16 cents and ended at $1.87 with traders dealing in 761,518 units, Elite Diagnostic dipped 18 cents to $1.66 after an exchange of 1,476 stocks, Fontana climbed 29 cents and ended at $10.49 with investors transferring 1,984 stock units. GWest Corporation skidded 17 cents in closing at 83 cents after 15,094 shares passed through the market, Honey Bun fell 10 cents to end at $6.30 with stakeholders exchanging 7,308 stock units, Indies Pharma advanced 17 cents to close at $2.99 in trading 37,465 units. Lasco Distributors popped 37 cents to $3.98 with 17,682 stock units crossing the market, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents in closing at $1.80 as investors exchanged 850 shares, Mailpac Group declined 9 cents to end at $2.10 with investors trading 4,515 stocks. Paramount Trading shed 22 cents and ended at $1.52 with shareholders swapping 1,000 units and Tropical Battery climbed 17 cents to close at $1.95 in an exchange of 497,599 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Shakeup of ICTOP10
The Main and Junior Markets closed the week lower, resulting in three new entrants into the top 10 listings and some notable price movements, with the two markets without a clear direction, but the Main Market is showing signs of bottoming out with a big breakout not seeming far away.
Some emerging signs of potential moves higher are emerging for some stocks, with a sharp decline in the volume of some select stocks being offered for sale, setting the stage for sharp upward push in prices of some stocks in the coming weeks. Scotia Group is one such, as it approaches the release of full year results and an announcement on dividend, but buying interest is currently low keyed. The stock trades at an extremely low PE of 5.7 times projected 2023 earnings. AMG Packaging trades at 6.5 times 2024 earnings with only 58,816 shares on offer at the close on Friday and so is Jamaica Teas, with offers now generally above $2.53, with buyers mostly at $2.30, Access Financial is yet another, but buying is weak, Caribbean Cement also has limited stocks on offer.
Four Junior Market stocks gained 6 percent and over and two ended with big losses, while the Main Market had two stocks with worthwhile gains and two with moderate losses of 4 and 6 percent.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with Palace Amusement rising 15 percent to $1.29, Key Insurance popped 10 percent to $2.20, while Margaritaville declined 6 percent to $16 and Caribbean Producers lost 4 percent to close at $9.08.
The Junior Market ended with Caribbean Cream jumping 19 percent to $3.69, AMG Packaging climbed 12 percent to $2.89 while Jamaica Teas rose 7 percent to $2.55, Iron Rock Insurance jumping 20 percent to $2.65 and Honey Bun rose 6 percent to $6.44. The losers were Iron Rock Insurance down 22 percent to $2.06 and Lasco Distributors with a fall of 12 percent to 3.61.
Honey Bun and Elite Diagnostic dropped out of Junior Market ICTOP10 and are replaced by Tropical Battery and Stationery and Office Supplies. Sygnus Credit Investments drop out of the Main Market TOP10 with Pulse Investments coming in to replace it.
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 12.8. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 287 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings and now provides better values than the Junior Market.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 20 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.9, over half of the market, with an average of 13.2. There are 16 stocks, or 33 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 49, averaging 20 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 200 percent on or around May 2024.
Of great significance is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around 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.
Junior Market trading jumps
Trading picked up on Friday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with trading in only 36 securities compared with 39 on Thursday following a 106 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded
as funds pulled into the market surged 152 percent more than Thursday as the market closed with prices of 12 stocks rising, 11 declining and 13 unchanged.
Investors traded 5,022,943 shares for $11,992,912 compared with 2,442,247 units at $4,763,066 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 139,526 shares at $333,136, compared with 62,622 units at $122,130 on Thursday, with the month to date, averaging 131,791 units at $311,505 compared with 130,432 stock units at $307,707 on the previous day and down compared to November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 3.19 million shares for 63.6 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 514,108 units for 10.2 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 208,566 units for 4.2 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 12.27 points to 3,700.76 after the market trade over 3,750 points in the morning session.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rose 59 cents to end trading for the week at $2.89 after an exchange of 66,994 units, even as the stock started trading X-dividend on Friday, with the record being December 11 for the dividend payment of a 10 cents per share. Express Catering gained 25 cents in closing at $4 after an exchange of 4,464 stocks, Fontana lost 63 cents to close at $9.57 with traders dealing in 65,965 shares. Honey Bun popped 18 cents to end at $6.44 in an exchange of 1,747 stock units, Indies Pharma increased 20 cents and ended at $3, with 5,665 shares changing hands, 
Jamaican Teas climbed 25 cents to $2.55 with a transfer of 119,469 stocks, as buyers eat away at the limited supply of stocks on offer. Jetcon Corporation shed 8 cents and ended at 75 cents, with a mere 1,335 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express declined $1.68 to close at $11.12 in switching ownership of 2,300 stock units, Lasco Distributors fell 39 cents to end at $3.61 with shareholders swapping 112,863 shares. Lasco Manufacturing dipped 20 cents in closing at $4.30 while exchanging 44,307 stocks, Limners and Bards dropped 9 cents to $1.61 with investors dealing in 5,109 units and Main Event skidded 98 cents to close at $13, after 54,527 stock units passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market trading falls off
Trading pulled back all-around at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 59 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded with a 60 percent decline in the value 
compared to Wednesday and resulting in the trading of 39 securities down from 41 on Wednesday, ending with prices of 12 rising, 15 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
Investors exchanged 2,442,247 shares at $4,763,066 compared to 5,954,626 units at $12,034,127 on Wednesday.
Trading ended with an average of 62,622 shares at $122,130 compared to 145,235 units at $293,515 on Wednesday with the month to date averaging 130,432 units at $307,707 compared with 146,364 stock units at $351,306 on the previous day and November that closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 541,346 shares for 22.2 percent of total volume followed by 
Jamaican Teas with 299,806 units for 12.3 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 289,403 units for 11.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 12.14 points to cease trading at 3,713.03.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $1.79 and ended at $25.49 with shareholders swapping a mere 1,000 shares, AMG Packaging skidded 30 cents to $2.30 after an exchange of 1,562 units, Cargo Handlers rallied $1.45 in closing at $14.95 with investors transferring 1,330 shares. Caribbean Flavours fell 9 cents to end at $1.50 after an exchange of 400 stock units, 
Derrimon Trading shed 16 cents to close at $1.87 with a transfer of 30,656 shares, Dolphin Cove increased 87 cents to $17.40 after 797 stock units passed through the market. EduFocal popped 17 cents to end at $1.93 in an exchange of 85,150 stocks, ISP Finance picked up $6 in closing at $30 with traders dealing in just 30 units, Jamaican Teas declined 10 cents to close at $2.30, with 299,806 shares crossing the market. JFP Ltd lost 11 cents and ended at $1.41 with an exchange of 25,970 units, Knutsford Express dipped 13 cents to $12.80 while trading 41 stocks, Medical Disposables dipped 38 cents to end at $2.92 in switching ownership of 4,906 stock units and Spur Tree Spices lost 8 cents in closing at $2.11 while exchanging 112,204 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market bounced on Wednesday
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with the advancing stocks outnumbering those that declined on a day with Knutsford Express leading the stocks rising with a jump of $1.75, 
followed by Access Financial, up $1.15 and Main Event with a rise of 98 cents as the market closed with the volume of stocks traded declining 16 percent at a 47 percent lower value than on Tuesday after trading resulted in activity in 41 securities compared with 44 on Tuesday and ended with 21 rising, eight declining and 12 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,954,626 shares for $12,034,127 compared with 7,063,052 units at $22,550,480 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 145,235 shares at $293,515, compared with 160,524 units at $512,511 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 146,364 units at $351,306 compared with 146,734 stock units at $370,261 on the previous day, closing below November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
One Great Studio led trading with 1.55 million shares for 26 percent of total volume followed by 
Regency Petroleum with 1.29 million units for 21.7 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 988,959 units for 16.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 47.42 points to end at 3,725.17.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained $1.15 to end at $23.70, with 6,000 stocks clearing the market, AMG Packaging rose 15 cents in closing at $2.60 after investors traded 237 units, Blue Power climbed 39 cents to $3.04, with 1,000 shares crossing the exchange. Caribbean Flavours increased 18 cents and ended at $1.59, with 67 stock units changing hands, 
Elite Diagnostic popped 21 cents to close at $1.85 with stakeholders exchanging 99,695 shares, Fontana advanced 18 cents to $10.20, with 19,328 stocks crossing the market. Future Energy rallied 8 cents and ended at $3.58 as investors exchanged 620,887 units, Indies Pharma lost 13 cents to end at $2.80 with shareholders swapping 2,403 stock units, Jamaican Teas popped 10 cents in closing at $2.40 while exchanging 251,734 shares and ended with stocks on offer declining. Knutsford Express advanced $1.75 to close at $12.93 in switching ownership of 567 units, Lasco Distributors rose 24 cents to $4.04, with 3,118 stocks crossing the market, Lasco Financial rallied 14 cents to close at $1.84 in an exchange of 750 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing increased by 10 cents in closing at $4.50 with investors transferring 4,471 shares, 
Main Event climbed 98 cents to end at $13.98 after exchanging a mere 379 stocks, Medical Disposables gained 38 cents and ended at $3.30 with a transfer of 3,018 units and MFS Capital Partners fell 10 cents to $2.05 after 132,587 stock units were traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big declines in Main & Junior Markets on Tuesday
Trading picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday with a greater volume of stocks trading at a much higher value than on Monday, with both the Main and the junior Market indices dropping from Monday’s close while the JSE USD Market rose after sharp declines in a series of stocks
led by Guardian Holdings, down $104.99, ISP finance with a fall of $7.50, Pan Jamaica down $5.41, Seprod falling $4.70, Eppley Property $4.30, Carib Cement off $2.77 and Access down $2,45.
Trading closed with a plunge in JSE Combined Market Index by 4,203.69 points to end trading at 323,867.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 3,347.62 points to finish at 347,377.50, the JSE Main Index dived 4,153.74 points to 310,988.80. The Junior Market Index dropped 35.17 points to wrap-up trading at 3,677.75 on Tuesday and the JSE USD Market Index rose 3.47 points to end trading at 227.60.
Investors traded 20,284,498 shares, in all three markets, up from 12,196,470 units on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $174.37 million up from just $40.13 million on Monday, as Wisynco Group dominated trading with 5.18 million shares for $104 million. The JSE USD market closed after 198,410 shares were traded, for US$3,547 compared to 89,619 units at US$7,899 on Monday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $1 to end at $46.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.5 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Main Market surge failed to ignite ICTOP10
The All Jamaica and the Junior Market indices closed the week higher than the previous week but with the Junior Market trading at its lowest since early June this year. The Main Market index which includes overseas companies, slipped back during the week. Stocks measured by the All Jamaica Index recorded gains of 4,565 points from the end of October in the past week and traded at a near two months high and have been flashing bullish signals with a sharp breakout looking very likely.
Some positives are visible in the market, with a sharp decline in the volume of some stocks being sold. Scotia Group is one such stock, as it approaches the release of full year results and an announcement on dividends, but buying interest is currently low keyed. The stock trades at an extremely low PE of 5.7 times projected 2023 earnings. AMG Packaging trades at 6.5 times 2024 earnings with a very limited supply of stocks on offer.
Even as the Main Market index rose in the past week, winners were hard to find the Main Market ICTOP10, with the highest riser up just 3 percent as Key Insurance dropped 20 percent to $2, followed by Palace Amusement down 14 percent to $1.12 and Sygnus Credit Investments declining 7 percent to $11.11.
The Junior Market has 6 stocks gaining, with Iron Rock Insurance jumping 20 percent to $2.65, Express Catering rallying 7 percent to $4 and AMG Packaging rising 4 percent to $2.59 while Caribbean Creamfell 16 percent to $3.10.
There was just one new addition to the ICTOP10 with a listing for the Junior Market with Access Financial dropping out of the list and replaced by Honey Bun, with projected earnings per share of 70 cents for the fiscal year ended September and $1 for 2024.
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5, well below the market average of 12.9. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 302 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings and now provides better values than the Junior Market.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 20 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.9, over half of the market, with an average of 13.1. There are 15 stocks, or 30 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 49, averaging 20 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 200 percent on or around May 2024.
Of import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around 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.
