Traders held off trading on Wednesday, as prices of several stocks rose appreciably as they left the volume of shares trading to fall 35 percent less than on Tuesday, with the value dropping 40 percent at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as rising stocks were edged out by those declining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 2,785.64 points to 441,162.35, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,394.62 points to end at 398,792.32 and the JSE Financial Index increased 0.70 points to settle at 98.04.
A total of 54 securities traded versus 55 on Tuesday, with 16 rising, 18 declining and 20 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 16.2. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2022.
Just 5,449,840 shares traded for $26,843,381, down from 8,445,006 units at $45,087,324 on Tuesday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 2.26 million shares for 41.5 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 903,992 units for 16.6 percent of the day’s trade and Ciboney Group with 438,378 units for 8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 100,923 units at $497,100, against 153,546 shares at $819,770 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 141,026 units at $1,001,827, compared to 160,536 units at $1,247,370 previously traded. December closed with an average of 479,143 units at $6,686,322.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments spiked $3.87 to close at $96.87 in an exchange of 5,145 shares, Caribbean Cement popped 89 cents to $72.99 trading 52,388 units, Eppley climbed 50 cents to $36 after 970 stocks crossed the exchange. Guardian Holdings advanced $1.50 to end at $525 in exchanging 3,089 stock units, Jamaica Broilers declined 97 cents in closing at $29, with 3,174 shares clearing the market, Jamaica Producers dropped 50 cents in ending at $22.50 after trading 7,883 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 50 cents to close at $17 with the swapping of 28,789 units, JMMB Group fell 38 cents to end at $39 with 20,280 stock units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 35 cents to $9 trading 9,677 shares. NCB Financial rallied $3.49 in closing at $128.49 after exchanging 8,481 stock units, Palace Amusement gained $20 to end at $995 while 26 units changed hands, Sagicor Group climbed $1 to $54 in switching ownership of 9,100 stocks. Salada Foods lost 41 cents in closing at $6.57, with 12,580 units crossing the market, Scotia Group climbed 49 cents to close at $35.49 exchanging 16,850 shares, Seprod shed $3.30 to $62.10 12,582 after stock units crossed the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance fell $2.48 to end at $15.52 after trading 500 stocks and Wisynco Group declined 45 cents to close at $17.35 with an exchange of 57,334 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% lost 69 cents in closing at $2.62 in an exchange of 500 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
64% gains for ICTOP10 picks in 2021
The 2021 calendar year ended on Friday, with the Junior Market rising a near 30 percent and the Main Market just holding above the close of the prior year. Against this backdrop ICInsider.com TOP 15 stocks at the start of the year had a 53 percent average gain in the Junior Market but 64 percent when Honey Bun that was reported on in December 2020 and Future Energy Sources (Fesco) that was Buy Rated when the IPO hit the market was up and impressive 64 percent.
Only three Junior Market stocks declined amongst our selection with Elite being the worse with a loss of 11 percent.
TOP10 MM stock did not do as well as the JM but that was told to readers at the start of the year. The average gain for the TOP15 Main Market stocks was 10 percent that excludes Caribbean Producers. The highest gaining stock from the list was Radio Jamaica up 61 percent and Grace Kennedy 58 percent, the two worse performers were Berger Paints and Scotia Group down 12 percent each.
The big news for the market for the past week continues to be the Initial Public offer of Spur Tree Spices priced at $1 per share that was heavily oversubscribed.
Medical Disposables rose 7 percent for the week to $6.49 and dropped out of the TOP10 and was replaced by General Accident that comes in at $6. In the Main Market TOP10, Sagicor Group rose 9 percent for the week to close at $58 and was replaced by Scotia Group at $36.
During the week AMG Packaging rose 4 percent to $2.20, Access Financial Services lost 9 percent to $19, Lasco Distributors rose 6 percent to $3.47, Elite Diagnostic rose 5 percent to $2.85 and Honey Bun gained 8 percent to $9.25. In the Main Market, Caribbean Producers popped 9 percent to $13, JMMB Group and PanJam Investment rose 3 percent, while losses were suffered by Radio Jamaica down 5 percent and Sterling Investments with a fall of 7 percent
The top three Main Market stocks, this week are Guardian Holdings followed by JMMB Group and Radio Jamaica all projected to gain between 199 and 258 percent up from 183 and 261 percent last week.
The Junior Market top three stocks changed a bit during the week, with AMG Packaging leading, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Access Financial Services. All three can gain between 174 and 218 percent versus 158 and 230 percent, previously.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks remained unchanged at 149 percent and Main Market stocks moved from 154 percent to this weeks’ 152 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week, with an average PE of 14.8 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is currently well below the target of 20 and the average of 17 at the end of March this year based on 2020 earnings. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of a mere 8.2, with a 45 percent discount to that market’s average.
The Junior Market can gain 35 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 15 percent based on an average PE of 17.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 16.4, just 16 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 22 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8.2 representing a 50 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 13 stocks or 28 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average roundabout 25, suggesting that the accepted multiple is between 20 and 25 times the current year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios 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 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.
ICTOP10 winner up 369% to date
Caribbean Producers (CPJ) stock jumped 17 percent to close the week at a record high of $12.15 and now sits at fourth position in the Main Market TOP 10 with a lot more ground to cover before peaking.
CPJ started the year in the Junior Market TOP 15 at $2.89 in the number three spot, with a price target of $13, is now up by 369 percent since the start of the year based on projected earnings of 65 cents, since then ICInsider.com upgraded earnings to $1.65 for the current year with a new price target between March and July next year of $33.
Barring some unusual events, CPJ now the leading stock on the overall Jamaica Stock Exchange will most likely end the year way out front and well above Future Energy, another ICTOP10 winner with gains of 254 percent to date.
Lumber Depot dropped out of the Junior Market top 10 and Jetcon Corporation returned to the TOP10. There were no additions to the Main market TOP10 for the week.
Other notable TOP10 movers this week are; Lasco Distributors that rose 9 percent in closing at $3.28 and Honey Bun up 5 percent to $9.50, but Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 8 percent to $2.40 from $2.60 at the close of the previous week. In the Main Market, other than Caribbean Producers, Sygnus and Pan Jam Investment fell 4 percent.
For the week ahead investors should watch for a possible move higher, CPJ that could hit $15 with dwindling supply now on offer below $14.50 when the market closed on Friday. RJR is another worth watching with a limited supply under $3.50 during Friday there is relatively only moderate selling overall, but buying remains tepid.
The top three Main Market stocks, this week with CPJ dropping to number four are Guardian Holdings still in the lead followed by Radio Jamaica that returned in second spot and JMMB Group in the third spot with all projected to gain between 178 and 257 percent from 213 to 253 percent last week.
The Junior Market top three stocks changed a bit during the week, with AMG Packaging leading, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers, with Access Financial Services moving from the second spot to the third position. All three can gain between 167 and 240 versus 167 and 238 percent, previously.
This week’s focus: Why Lumber Depot is a stock to watch for the future? After posting outlandish first quarter results that were boosted by inventory profit, the company reported what appear to be normal profit in the second quarter of 5 cents per share and raised the half years earnings to 15 cents. While first quarter revenues grew 16 percent, the second quarter was flat, suggesting that full year results should end up around 25 cents or a little above that. On this basis, the stock may be considered a bit undervalued. With Paul Scott’s Stony Hill Capital Limited taking a controlling interest in it, what could be in it for them. There is good scope for expansion and growth, first within Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town and nationally. Other factors include the fact that the Musson Group has large holdings of real estate owned directly by the group or indirectly in the investment companies that can purchase materials for repairs or expansion through them.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks slipped from 150 percent last week to 149 percent and Main Market stocks moved from 159 percent to this weeks’ 155 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week, with an average PE of 14.3 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is currently well below the target of 20 and the average of 17 at the end of March this year based on 2020 earnings. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of a mere 8.1, with a 42 percent discount to that market’s average.
The Junior Market can gain 40 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 19 percent based on an average PE of 17. Seven stocks representing 17 percent of all Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level, similar to last week, indicating that many others will rise towards the 17 mark in the months ahead.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 16.2, some 17 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 23 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8, representing a 50 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 14 stocks or 30 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average roundabout 25, suggesting that the accepted multiple is between 20 and 25 times the current year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios 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 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.