After a record run this past week, Epply hit a record high of $23, but closed at $22 and leaped out of the Main Market IC TOP 10 listing, with a gain of 80 percent from the end of March, when the stock went into the TOP 10 for 2020.
During the past week, companies continued the release of midyear results, with little impact on the market. Jamaica Broilers released decent first-quarter results to the end of July, with a slight improvement in after-tax profit, with operating profit rising 25 percent on lower revenues. Wisynco Group full-year audited financials showed modest gains in profit while Blue Power profits jumped 41 percent. Of the three, only Jamaica Broilers is in the TOP 10. At the close of the week, Medical Disposables dropped out of the Junior Market listing and replaced by Jetcon Corporation. NCB Financial returns to TOP 10 and now sits at the bottom of the list, having replaced Eppley.
The top three stocks in each market saw little change in ranking, leaving the top three Junior Market stocks, with the potential to gain between 300 to 676 percent by March 2021. 
Caribbean Producers heads the list, followed by Lasco Financial and Elite Diagnostic, the focus on all three is on the 2021 fiscal year results, projected to show recovery from the 2020 financial year final numbers. The top three Main Market stocks, with expected gains of 205 to 264 percent, are Berger Paints followed by Radio Jamaica and JMMB Group, all three suffered declines during the week.
This week’s focus: Jamaica Broilers revenues declined 5 percent in the July quarter to $12.6 billion from $13.26 billion in the prior year. Operating profit rose 25 percent to $851 million from $679 million in the prior year, with profit after taxes rising moderately from $361 million to $383 million. A significant fall in administration and other expenses was the main contributor to the improved profit performance by adding $375 million to the results with a decline in cost from $2.28 billion down to $1.9 billion, while other income added nearly $200 million to the increase as well after gross profit had declined by $377 million to hit $2.95 billion. Earnings per share rose to 41 cents.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, an indication of the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15 and the Junior Market 10.5, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.7 at just 54 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8 or 54 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 291 percent, and 161 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication of potentially greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 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 will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. 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, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,900.02 points to settle at 401,910.62, the Main Index declined by 1,720.64 points to close at 366,825.76 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.39 points to settle at 96.76.
Trading month to date is well ahead of July with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
JMMB Group carved out a loss 50 cents to close at $30, with 44,422 stocks crossing the market, Kingston Properties shed 40 cents in closing at $7.20 with an exchange of 169 stock units. Kingston Wharves rose 95 cents to close at $50 in exchanging 572,067 stocks, NCB Financial Group dropped $3.97 to end at $136.01 after trading 158,851 shares, Palace Amusement dropped by $50 in closing at $1700 crossing the market one stocks. PanJam Investment gained $6 to end at $71 in trading 1,520 stocks, Proven Investments advanced 40 cents to $36.50 with investors swapping 20,001 stock units, Sagicor Group shed 50 cents to close at $45 after exchanging 18,139 units. Scotia Group dropped by $2.50 in ending at $47, with an exchange of 112,320 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 40 cents and closed $6.90, with investors switching ownership of 117,840 units.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 11.06 million shares for 48.8 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 5.38 million units for 23.7 percent of the day’s trade, QWI Investments with 1.55 million units for 6.8 percent market share and Wigton Windfarm ended with 1.17 million shares changing hands for 5 percent of total shares changing hands.
Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained 50 cents to end at $50 after 6,411 units passed through the market, Grace Kennedy carved out a loss $1.48 to settle at $55.01, with 99,348 stocks passing through the market, Jamaica Broilers Group gained $1.30 to end at $24.80 in exchanging 6,351 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 80 cents to settle at $19 after 23,485 stocks crossed the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy shed $5 to close at $150 in an exchange of 66 shares, NCB Financial Group gained $1.48 in closing at $139.98, trading 728,385 stocks. Proven Investments dropped by $1.90 in closing at $36.10, with 700 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Group gained $1.45 to close at $45.50, after 266,558 stocks passed through the market, Scotia Group jumped $4.50 to close at $49.50 with an exchange of 36,229 stock units and Seprod advanced by $2.99 in closing at $54 and exchanging 7,026 shares.
Transjamaican Highway was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 2.12 million units changing hands.
Jamaica Producers Group lost 50 cents to close at $20 with investors swapping 2,147 shares, JMMB Group climbed 44 cents to $30.47 while exchanging 20,425 stock units. Key Insurance shed 70 cents to close at $7.69 and finished trading 75,312 stocks, NCB Financial Group carved out a loss 50 cents in closing at $138.50 while 207,362 stock units changed hands, 138 Student Living carved out a loss 32 cents to close at $5.50 after exchanging 330,439 shares. Proven Investments rose $2 to end at $38 in trading 37,208 stocks. Scotia Group lost 51 cents to end at $45, with 282,290 stock units passing through the market and Seprod declined $3.49 to settle at $51.01 in exchanging 290,603 shares.
The fall elevating it back into the Junior Market TOP 10, with Lasco Distributors dropping out, while there was no change to the main market list.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, an indication of the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15 and the Junior Market 10.6, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. 
The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere six at just 56 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.1 or 54 percent of the PE of the overall market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on possible 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 will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index increased 1,974.17 points to settle at 403,525.65, Main Index gained 1,787.12 points to close at 368,099.13 and the JSE Financial Index advanced by 0.67 points to finish at 96.52.
Trading for the day ended with an average of 229,432 units changing hands for the day at $1,207,987 for each security, in comparison to an average of 441,246 shares at $1,282,200 on Thursday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 460,700 units at $2,591,884, in contrast to 479,152 units at $2,702,302. Trading month to date compares adversely to July with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 35 cents to settle at $20.14 with 3,815 stock units traded, JMMB Group advanced 60 cents to close at $31.30 with investors switching ownership of 38,865 units, Kingston Properties finished 40 cents higher at $7.60 with 250 stock units changing hands. Kingston Wharves declined by 90 cents to end at $49.10 with an exchange of 3,134 units, NCB Financial Group increased by $1 to close at $139, with 30,821 stocks traded, PanJam Investment climbed $3.50 to end at $68 with investors transferring 932 stock units. Proven Investments carved out a loss of $1.75 to finish at $34.10 with 40,514 stock units changing hands, Scotia Group climbed $1.75 to settle at $48 in the exchange of 27,903 stock units, Seprod dropped 50 cents to end at $54.50 with 5,874 stock units traded and Wisynco Group carved out a loss of 50 cents to close at $16.90 with 48,649 stock units crossing the exchange.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped by 223.64 points to settle at 401,551.48, the Main Index declined by 383.35 points to end at 366,312.01, the JSE Financial Index lost 0.10 points to settle at 95.85.
Trading ended with an average of 441,246 units changing hands at $1,282,200 for each security, in comparison to an average of 871,770 shares at $7,874,805 at the close on Wednesday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 479,152 units at $2,702,302 for each security, in contrast to 482,123 units at $2,813,629. Trading month to date compares well, with a July average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
Key Insurance declined by 30 cents in closing at $8.09 with investors swapping 4,549 stock units, Kingston Wharves gained $1 to close at $50 after trading at 4,058 shares, Mayberry Investments rose 39 cents to end at $6 and crossing the exchange, with 424,095 stocks. Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced 46 cents to $8.75, after exchanging 250 shares, Palace Amusement rose $198 to settle at $1750, with 33 units clearing the market, PanJam Investment fell 50 cents in closing at $64.50 in an exchange of 1,366 shares. Proven Investments increased $1.83 to settle at $35.85 in exchanging 3,100 stocks, Seprod carved out a gain of 85 cents to end at $55, after 9,670 shares passed through the market and Wisynco Group increased 85 cents to end at $17.40 in exchanging 9,404 stock units.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,637.5 points to settle at 401,775.12, the Main Index lost 1,462.96 points to end at 366,695.36, the JSE Financial Index shed 0.01 point to close at 95.95.
Also trading over a million units are Pulse Investments with 1.55 million shares and Sagicor Select Financial Fund 1.25 million units.
Kingston Properties gained $1.04 to end at $7.20 in an exchange of174 stocks, Kingston Wharves dropped by $5 to close at $49 changing hands 600 units, NCB Financial Group increased $7 to close at $138 after exchanging 98,898 shares. 138 Student Living declined by $1.18 ending at $5.80 after exchanging 325 units, PanJam Investment fell $7 in ending at $65 and exchanging 205 stock units, Proven Investments lost $1.92 to end at $34.02, with 200 stock units changing hands, Scotia Group increased 50 cents to settle at $46.50 with investors swapping 1,500 units. Seprod lost 85 cents to close at $54.15 with an exchange of 325 units and Wisynco Group dropped by 70 cents in closing at $16.55 after exchanging 50,260 stock units.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,959.50 points to settle at 403,412.62, the Main Index shed 1,852.03 points to close at 368,158.32 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.13 points to end at 95.96.
Trading month to date compares well, with July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
Mayberry Investments advanced by 75 cents in closing at $5.85, with 36,930 units passing through the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost $10.99 to close at $152.01 after exchanging 123 stock units, NCB Financial Group declined by $7.50 to close at $131 and finishing with 199,286 stock units crossing the exchange. Palace Amusement rose 50 cents to close at $1,552 after clearing the market with 19 units, PanJam Investment climbed $2 to close at $72 with investors swapping 3,804 stocks, Proven Investments rose $2.04 to close at $35.94 and finishing trading of 18,376 shares. Salada Foods carved out a gain of $1 to settle at $29 with investors swapping 50 units, Scotia Group rose $1 to end at $46, with 1,660 stock units changing hands, Seprod carved out a gain of $1 to settle at $55 in trading 16,225 stock units. Stanley Motta fell 33 cents in finishing at $4.80 trading 1,000 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 39 cents to end at $15.50, with 22,258 shares clearing the market.
This week’s focus: 138 Students Living reported a 44 percent increase in revenues to hit $334 million from $223 million in the June 2019 quarter and a 60 percent rise in the nine months to $1.09 billion. The company moved from a loss of $17 million in the 2019 third quarter to a profit of $132 million in 2020 and from a loss of $60 million in the nine months to June, to a profit of $402 million. Operating cost fell in both periods compared with the 2019 cost. The big problem is that the company continues the extremely poor practice of not showing operating and administrative expenses separately, making it impossible to see what gross margins are. The significant increase in profit is due to claims made on the University going back to 2019, which are booked in the current year that distorts earnings from ongoing operations. 
While earnings per share for the quarter is an attractive 32 cents and year to date 97 cents. Earnings from ongoing operations suggest that the full year’s results should be in the order of 40 cents after a regular tax charge.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 278 percent, and 152 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication of potentially more significant gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.