The Junior Market closed trading with 768,343 units valued at $761,700. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 0.54 points to close at 660.02, only 5 securities traded, 2 advanced and 2 declined.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to be weak with 10 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Caribbean Producers put through 50,000 units with a gain of 10 cents to end at $2.30 and Lasco Manufacturing had 187,742 units trading, to close at 95 cents, after gaining 4 cents.
AMG Packaging traded 300 shares and lost 1 cent, to end at $2.24, a new 52 weeks low and Consolidated Bakeries traded 271,241 shares, lost 3 cents at 82 cents and Lasco Financial with 259,060 units trading, closed at 96 cents.
Slight gain for juniors
Trading picked up in the Junior Market
Lasco”s new I Cool drinks
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 11 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading are, Consolidated Bakeries with 66,667 shares rose by 5 cents to 85 cents followed by General Accident with 2,059 shares and was up 1 cent, to end $1.51, Lasco Distributors traded 1,293,130 units, closed 10 cents lower at $1.20, AMG Packaging traded 2,300 shares at $2.25, Lasco Manufacturing had 1,662,000 units trading to close at 95 cents, Medical Disposables 2,500 shares traded down by 4 cents to $1.96 and Paramount Trading had 106,615 units changing hands at $2.70.
4 junior market companies trade
The Junior Market closed trading with 985,533 units valued at $941,249. The JSE Junior Market Index fell 8.63 points to close at 652.77. Only 4 securities traded in the market, continuing a long period of low participation, 1 advanced and 2 declined.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with the bids higher than their last selling prices, and 4 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market continues to exhibit weakness with 12 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 4 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
in actual trading, AMG Packaging with 2,480 shares lost 25 cents to end at $2.25, a new 52 week’s low, Lasco Distributors traded 92,000 units and closed 2 cents higher, at $1.17, Lasco Financial Services with 8,200 units, closed at $1, Lasco Manufacturing had 879,353 units trading to close at 91 cents after losing 7 cents and Paramount Trading had 3,500 units changing hands at $2.70, the offer closed at $2.50 at the end of trading.
Moderate day but JSE puts in nice gain
In Friday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the prices of 7 stocks rose and 6 declined, as 20 securities changed hands, one stock closed at 52 weeks’ low. A total volume of 3,160,771 shares, valued at $13,089,114 traded.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 922.25 points to 72,825.40 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index, jumped 1,031.25 points to close at 80,140.22.
Gains| The volume and last traded prices of stocks with gains, at the end of trading in the main market are, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 55,402 units changing hands, and gained 5 cents to $7, Kingston Wharves put through 40,914 shares at 1 cents more, to $5.01, Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 24,880 units, gained 10 cents to $7.10 and Scotia Group had 12,500 shares trading, to close with a gain of 95 cents at $20.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in price, with volume and last traded prices are, Gleaner 1,000 shares, closing at $1.05, National Commercial Bank had 17,049 shares changing hands at $18 and Radio Jamaica with 9,585 shares, closed at $1.04.
Declines| The volume and last traded prices of stocks with losses at the at the end of trading in the main market are, Barita Investments with 43,000 shares, closed at $2.19 with a 1 cent fall, Cable & Wireless had 1,485,092 units changing hands, with 1 cent fall to 28 cents, Carreras put in 4,140 units and closed 5 cents lower at $34.75, Jamaica Broilers 1,000 shares ended with 1 cent decline at $4.52, Jamaica Producers had a sizable trade of 650,000 shares but the price shed 20 cents to $15.40 for a new 52 weeks’ low and Supreme Ventures 11,264 shares cost 1 cent less at $1.80.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 100,000 units at $3 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 2,000 units at $5.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index put on 2.65 points to close at 660.49 as only 4 stocks traded with 3 advancing and none declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market, are AMG Packaging with 17,767 shares to close with a 10 cents gain at $2.50, Lasco Financial 587,650 shares led to a gain of 1 cent to 98 cents and Lasco Manufacturing with 37,576 units, to close 3 cents higher, at $1.04
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are, Jamaican Teas with 2,952 units a $3.30 and Lasco Distributors with 57,000 shares at $1.12.
Declines| No stock declined in the junior market at the end of trading.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
JSE trading extends to 33 securities on low volume
In Tuesday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the prices of 9 stocks rose and 9 declined as 33 securities changed hands, resulting in 2,457,366 stock units trading, valued at $5,927,351.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index dropped 323.78 points to 71,151.07 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved lower by 362.04 points, to close at 78,268.02.
Gains| The volume and last traded prices of stocks with gains, at the end of trading in the main market, are Jamaica Broilers with 6,000 shares gaining 15 cents to close at $4.80, Mayberry Investments put through 102,760 shares at 2 cents higher to end at $1.57 and Pan Jamaican Investment with 4,035 shares closed a cent up at $48.51.
Firm| Stocks with volume and last traded prices in the main market to close without a price change, are, Berger Paints with 2,400 shares closing at $1.65, Cable & Wireless 952,637 units at 37 cents, Gleaner had 34,853 shares changing hands at $1.05, Grace Kennedy 4,000 units at $59.50, Jamaica Money Market Brokers exchanged 53,005 at $6.95, National Commercial Bank 30,044 shares changed hands at $18.15 each, Proven Investments US$ ordinary stock, put through 24,750 units at 17US cents, Sagicor Group with 7,553 units at $9 and the Sagicor Real Estate Fund with a mere 300 units, closed at $6.85.
Declines| The volume and last traded prices of stocks with losses at the at the end of trading in the main market, are Carreras with 5,124 shares as the price slipped by 95 cents to end at$34.05, Ciboney 33,000 stocks units was at a cent lower to end at 7 cents, Jamaica Producers with 12,467 shares saw $3.40 lashed off the price to end at $15.60, Radio Jamaica had 3,150 shares changing hands to close 2 cents lower at $1.20, Scotia Group with 33,203 stocks units, lost a cent to end at $18.71, Scotia Investments with only 2,414 shares, lost 62 cents to end at $21.38 and Seprod had 70,427 shares going through the market, 50 cents lower to end at $10.50.
Preference| Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 58,000 units at $6.10, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 24,428 units with 2 cents off, to end at $2.98, Proven Investments 8% preference share, saw only 957 units trading at $5.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index gained 10.43 points to close at 643.38 as 12 securities traded with 7 advancing and only 1 declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market, are Caribbean Producers with 17,000 shares while gaining a cent to $2.31, Derrimon Trading with 7,900 units to close 10 cents higher at $2.15, Dolphin Cove gained 15 cents with 1,028 shares to end at $7.75, General Accident 200,000 shares traded resulted in a 5 cents rise to $1.40, followed by Lasco Financial with 116,015 units at a gain of 10 cents to $1, Lasco Manufacturing with 300,500 units gained 8 cents to $1 and Paramount Trading put on 2 cents, while trading 18,000 units to land at $2.52.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are, Consolidated Bakeries with only 500 shares at 80 cents, Honey Bun with 28,216 shares at $2.34 and Lasco Distributors with 300,000 units, ended at $1.11.
Declines| Only one stock declined in the junior market at the end of trading, with AMG Packaging exchanging 2,700 shares while losing 10 cents to end at $2.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Most stocks gained for third day
In Friday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the prices of 9 stocks rose and 4 declined as 22 securities changed hands, resulting in 5,499,109 shares trading, valued at $18,935,526. Friday was the third consecutive day that there were more stocks rising than declining.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 552.31 points to 72,007.93 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved up 617.58 points to close at 79,226.14.
Gains| At the end of trading in the main market, the volume of stocks with gains, and last their traded prices, are Cable & Wireless with 900,941 shares to close with a gain of 4 cents to 40 cents, Caribbean Cement 104,102 shares to close with a gain of 25 cents at $3, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 13,200 ordinary shares, closed with a gain of 4 cents at $7, Pan Jamaican Investment with 7,238 shares jumped $3.92 to $52, Sagicor Group traded 321,008 shares to close with a gain of 24 cents at $9.49, Scotia Investments 2,000 shares, to close with a gain of 55 cents at $21.15 and Supreme Ventures 4,500 shares to close 20 cents higher at $1.95.
Firm| The stocks with volume and last traded prices in the main market to close without a change in price, are Carreras with 25,243 units, closing at $34.50, Desnoes & Geddes 1,121 units to close at $4.10, Grace Kennedy with only 1,000 units and closed at $59 and Mayberry Investments with 951 units, to close at $1.55.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 236,587 units to close at $3, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share exchanged 412,000 units and closed at $2 and Proven Investments 8% preference share with 12,000 units closed at $5.05.
Declines| The stocks with losses, volume and last traded prices at the end of trading in the main market, are National Commercial Bank with 218,518 shares, losing 26 cents to end at $18, Proven Investments with 5,620 US dollar shares while losing 0.50 US cent to 17.50 US cents and Scotia Group with 78,069 shares as the price slipped 25 cents to $18.75.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index rose by 3.15 points to close at 629.39 as 5 stocks traded, with 2 advancing and 1 declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market, are Lasco Financial with 43,000 shares to close with a gain of 3 cents at 96 cents and Lasco Manufacturing with 454,353 units changing hands and gained 4 cents to 90 cents.
Firm Trades| The stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are, Caribbean Producers with 2,639,807 units at $2.38 and Honey Bun with 1,411 units at $2.30.
Declines| The stock declining in the junior market at the end of trading, is AMG Packaging with 6,440 units at 39 cents lower at $2.50, a new 52 weeks low.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Knutsford & AMG Packaging – Buy Rated
The buy rated list now has Knutsford Express, and AMG Packaging is moved back into the list. One Caribbean Media is moved to the Watch List as its valuation moved up considerably from when we crowned it BUY RATED in 2013.
Knutsford Express is moved in based on good May quarter revenue and profit growth which augurs well for profit going forward and AMG Packaging continued growth in sales flowing from increased volumes and a near doubling in profit in the May quarter and partial recover in profit margins. Jamaica junior market listed Caribbean Cream, posted strong gains in profit for its first quarter to May, to reinforce the Buy Rating placed on them.
In Trinidad ScotiaBank was removed from the watch list, with much lower profits reported in their second quarter.
The Jamaican BUY rated stocks overall did not do well but signs are showing that the usual summer recover is at hand. In addition IC Insider gathers that a least one big investor is looking to buy stocks now. Coupled with that, the two companies mentioned above, show that profits may be on the improve for Jamaican companies, and with likely stability not far off for the Jamaican dollar, above average gains can only be made in stocks.
AMG profit up 93% in Q3
Junior market listed company, AMG Packaging, enjoyed increased revenues and profits in the May quarter than they did in the same period, the previous year.
Revenues rose 36 percent in the quarter, to $151.6 million and 40 percent in the nine months to May, to reach $442.4 million, but profits were up by a very strong 93 percent in the quarter to $13.37 million from $6.9 million in 2013, and just moderately better in the year to date period, with $36.87 million versus $35.5 in 2013. Units sold increased by an impressive 23.4 percent, management sated in a release accompanying the results.
There is a noted build-up of inventory from $93 million to $174 million which would be a combination of rising import cost resulting from the devaluation of the local currency, as well as a hedge against continued devaluation and the need for more inventory to service increased demand for the company’s products.
While profit is up, an area of concern is the slippage in the gross profit margin, with the latest quarter, coming in at 25.95 percent, down from 31.19 percent in 2013, and for the nine months, it fell from 34.62 percent in 2013, to 24.20 percent in 2014.
For the three months, gross profit grew by 17.95 percent, much slower than the sales growth. For the nine months, the growth was a mere 6 percent. Fall in administrative cost from $13.38 million to $10.6 million in the May quarter and a decline in the nine months period, from $32.98 million down to $30 million, helped in boosting net profit. Other areas of cost savings, include finance by $4.4 million and depreciation $2.5 million, for the nine months.
Return on equity is around 18 percent, down from 20 percent in 2013 and could be accepted as being good, but there appear to be room for improvement. Receivables are up by $19.5 million over the company’s previous fiscal year ending of August, and so too is amounts in payables, climbing by $63 million, which seems to be helping to fund the inventory build while cash is down from $34 million to $8 million.
The continued increase in volume sales and cost containment augurs well for profit improvement going forward. With increased through put, unit cost of production will fall, allowing more growth in gross profit to flow into overall profits. AMG has to continue to grow its business by continued strong volume growth, to become a more cost competitive producer with lower unit cost.
IC Insider’s forecast for 2014 is 60 cents per share and $1.20 for 2015 on the assumption that volume sales continue close to current growth levels. The stock has been restored to the Buy Rated list, based on the forecast for 2014 and 2015.
Jamaican stocks flashing positive signal
At the end of trading on Friday, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 stock with the offer lower.
This is the strongest signal flashed for some time, but investors would need to see a continuation of this positive ratio to say whether this is an indication of what can be expected in the not too distant future. With Bank of Jamaica sending a powerful signal in the forex market that the top for the Jamaican dollar may be nigh, investors could well be sensing that the time for buying stocks may not be far off. What is known is that the majority of market rallies have their genesis in July or August.
Main Market| In Friday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the main market indices advanced, with The JSE Market Index rising by 193.15 points to 70,617.93, up more than 700 points for the wee and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved up by 215.98 points to close at 77,671.87, to be up 800 points for the week. The prices of 4 stocks rose and 6 declined as 20 securities changed hands, resulting in 8,773,022 shares trading, valued at $20,787,406. KLE Group dominated trading with 7,181,043 units sold by Craig Powell, one of the company’s directors.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market, are Sagicor Group with 586,363 shares, to close with a gain of 4 cents at $9.09 and Sagicor Real Estate Fund, with 20,000 units changing hands, as the price gained 15 cents at to end at $6.25.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in price, are Caribbean Cement with 18,248 shares to end at $2.20, Desnoes & Geddes 4,017 units to close at $4.25, Grace Kennedy with 13,251 shares to end at $56, Jamaica Broilers 3,920 units, to close at $4.57, National Commercial Bank 9,160 shares, to end at $18 and Scotia Group with 900 units, to close at $18.40.
Preference| There was no trading in the preference section.
Declines| The stocks that declined in the main market, are Carreras that traded 22,764 shares to close 5 cents down, at $35, followed by Jamaica Producers with 2,062 shares trading, for a fall of 50 cents, in closing at $17.50 and Jamaica Stock Exchange with 250 shares, declined by a cent, to close $1.88.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined sharply by 3.81 percent as it lost 26.75 points to close at 675.01 with 9 stocks traded, with 2 advancing and 3 declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market, are Blue Power with 718,136 units to close up 4 cents, at $9.05 and Lasco Financial with 12,500 units as the price gained 5 cents, to 95 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before, are AMG Packaging that traded 1,500 shares as the price closed at $3.10, Dolphin Cove with 14,071 units, to close at $8.30, General Accident with 25,000 shares, to end at $1.50 and Jamaican Teas with 22,000 ordinary shares, to close at $3.25
Declines| Stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading, are Access Financial trading 541 units, to close down $3.50, at $10, Caribbean Producers dropped a cent in trading 117,296 shares, to close at $2.65, and KLE Group lost 3 cents, with 7,181,043 changing hands, to end a an all-time low of 90 cents.
Prices of 9 stocks rose & 4 declined
In Tuesday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the prices of 9 stocks rose and 4 declined, 25 securities changed hands resulting in 3,183,862 shares trading, valued at $36,706,402.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index rose by 449.66 points to 70,196.56 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved up by 02.81 points to close at 77200.71.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are, Desnoes & Geddes with 30,000 units to close 15 cents higher at $4.45 followed by Mayberry Investments with 1,980 units as the price gained 2 cents to end at $1.48, National Commercial Bank 830,055 shares at a 85 cents hike to $18.35, Proven Investments with 10,450 ordinary shares as the price inched up by 0.0001 US cents to 18 US cents, Sagicor Group with 1,148,990 shares gained 10 cents and closed at $8.90, Sagicor Real Estate Fund 84,313 shares with the price rising 10 cents to $5.95, Scotia Group with 250,930 units changing hands, gained 11 cents to close at $18.61 and Seprod with 55,472 shares changing hands and closed 10 cents higher at $10.80.
Firm| Stocks trading in the main market to close without a change in price are Cable & Wireless with 11,981 shares to close at 29 cents, Caribbean Cement 6,244 shares at $2.25, Carreras 2,192 shares at $35, Grace Kennedy 420 shares and closed at $56, Radio Jamaica with 1,790 shares closing at $1.28.
Preference| in the fixed income market, Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 16,800 units to close at $6.10, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share, 10,000 units at $2, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share with 176,600 units at $3.03 and Jamaica Teas debenture dote with 3,000 units to trade at $100 each.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Gleaner with 120,000 shares, to close 8 cents lower at $1.10 and Pan Jamaican Investment with 84,470 shares at 40 cents lower to end at $48.10.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by 8.11 points to close at 706.69 as 7 stocks traded with 1 advancing and 3 declining.
Gains| The only stock that gained at the end of trading in the junior market is Caribbean Producers with 8,845 shares, to close with a gain of 18 cents at $2.83.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are, AMG Packaging with 2,500 shares to close at $3.10, Lasco Distributors with 74,000 shares to close at $1.19 and Lasco Financial with 65,500 units to close at $1.
Declines| Stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading are Honey Bun traded 500 shares but fell 12 cents to $2.90 for a 52 weeks low and Lasco Manufacturing 189,830 shares, as it closed lower by 12 cents at $1.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with higher bids than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
