The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange bounced more than 87 points in early trading on Monday but gave back more than a two thirds of it by the close, with a 33 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded and the value dropping 31 percent from Friday outcome after trading was executed in 45 securities up from 42 on Friday and ended with 25 rising, 12 declining and eight closing unchanged.
A total of 4,366,193 shares were exchanged for $11,400,138 down from 6,478,077 units at $16,544,909 on Friday.
Trading averaged 97,027 shares at $253,336 compared to 154,240 units at $393,926 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 525,784 units at $1,047,653 compared with 550,362 stock units at $1,093,187 on the previous day. Trading in February averaged 318,024 units at $782,332.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 840,210 shares for 19.2 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 497,169 units for 11.4 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 465,352 units for 10.7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 26.01 points to end at 3,655.46.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
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 dropped 40 cents to $2.60 as investors exchanged 5,000 shares, Blue Power gained 32 cents in closing at $2.38 with the swapping of 1,500 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 8 cents to $1.98 while exchanging 4,097 stocks. Caribbean Cream rallied 20 cents to $3.50, with 7,534 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Flavours popped 12 cents to $1.15 as 82,197 shares passed through the market, Consolidated Bakeries rose 18 cents to close at $2.19 in trading 3,831 stocks. Dolla Financial increased 8 cents to end at $2.74 and closed with 497,169 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh shed 14 cents in closing at $1.41 with a transfer of 6,000 units, Express Catering dipped 39 cents to $4.81 in an exchange of 2,615 stocks. 
Fosrich advanced 13 cents after ending at $2.84 while 70,990 stock units crossed the market, General Accident lost 98 cents to close at $5 after exchanging 1,487 shares, GWest Corporation fell 12 cents to end at 93 cents with 11,453 units clearing the market. Honey Bun declined 75 cents in closing at $6, with 65,084 stock units crossing the exchange, Indies Pharma rose 19 cents to $2.99 after an exchange of 8,137 stocks, ISP Finance gained $4.55 after ending at $25.56 with 400 shares being traded. Jamaican Teas climbed 15 cents to end at $2.30 in switching ownership of 71,461 units, Lasco Distributors lost 23 cents to close at $2.46, with 162,701 units crossing the market, Lasco Financial increased 13 cents to $2.50 in an exchange of 518 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing popped 10 cents in closing at $4.15 after trading 39,365 shares, Lumber Depot rallied 8 cents to $2.14 with investors transferring 23,845 stock units, Mailpac Group advanced 8 cents to end at $1.81 after a transfer of 107,962 stock units.
Main Event popped 15 cents in closing at $12 as 7,047 shares passed through the market, Regency Petroleum advanced 8 cents after ending at $1.98 with a transfer of 465,352 units and Tropical Battery increased 14 cents to close at $2.09, with 25,001 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Key Insurance highest ICTOP10 jumps 37%
Stocks dropped to their lowest levels this past week after falling even lower than they did to close of the previous week as investors continue to shun the market, but the time is not far off that Bank of Jamaica will begin lowering interest rates and fuel a market resurgence as they sent the clearest signal that interest rates have not only peaked but will be headed downwards this past week.
The first signs of an easing of rate came this past week with BOJ CDs rates plunging 16 percent to an average of 8.85 percent from over 10 percent where it stood for several months. Importantly, the central bank cut the stock of CDS it holds from a peak of $109.5 billion on March 3, down to $82 billion at the latest auction, far less than from mid-January to the end of February, as more than $58 billion chasing after the $18 billion that was offered last week. While this happened the foreign exchange market looks very liquid with the rate falling under $152 to one US dollar from $155 earlier in February.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw only two stocks rising and seven falling, the majority of the declining stocks registering fell by 3 percent or less. General Accident jumped 20 percent to $5.98, but the bids are not there at the close, to support the price, but selling has abated for this stock currently. Everything Fresh rose 9 percent to close at $1.55 and actually traded at $1.65 during the week. Iron Rock Insurance fell 13 percent to $2 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 6 percent to $1.90.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 34 percent, after Key Insurance jumped to $3.50 and was followed by 138 Student Living with an 8 percent rise to $5.40, but Caribbean Producers dropped 8 percent to $9.07. All other movements were 3 percent or less.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions that can improve returns.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.2, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 10.6. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 248 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average of 274 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 9 stocks representing 19 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 19, well above the average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, suggesting that this may be a logical value for junior market stocks currently.
The Main Market 16 most valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest valued stocks and 18 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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 rallies on lower volume
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 58 percent and the value falling 68 percent compared with Thursday’s activities following trading in 42 securities compared with 43 on Thursday and ended with prices of 16 rising, 17 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 6,478,077 shares were traded for $16,544,909 compared with 15,501,984 units at $52,166,724 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 154,240 shares at $393,926, compared to 360,511 units at $1,213,180 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 550,362 units at $1,093,187 compared to 57 2,754 stock units at $1,132,714 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Indies Pharma led trading with 1.31 million shares for 20.3 percent of total volume, followed by Dolla Financial with 1.29 million units for 19.8 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 1.01 million units for 15.5 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index increased 34.78 points to settle at 3,629.45.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.5. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose $2.44 to $22.99 after 8 shares were traded, Blue Power dropped 34 cents to $2.06 in switching ownership of 4,100 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 10 cents to end at $1.90 as investors exchanged 58,622 units. Caribbean Flavours lost 17 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.03, with 56,530 stock units crossing the market, EduFocal popped 14 cents to close at $1.93, with 205,458 shares clearing the market, Express Catering advanced 45 cents to end at $5.20, with 40,680 units changing hands. 
Fontana climbed 77 cents in closing at $8.17 after 58,097 stocks crossed the exchange, General Accident rallied 99 cents to close at $5.98 in an exchange of 16,691 stock units, Honey Bun gained 49 cents to close at $6.75 in an exchange of 9,412 shares. iCreate dipped 8 cents to $1.52 after investors traded 17,856 units, Iron Rock Insurance slipped 30 cents to $2 after trading 3,000 stock units, Knutsford Express increased $1.45 to close at $10.30 as 29,957 stocks changed hands. Lasco Financial fell 13 cents to end at $2.37 with a transfer of 1,489 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing dipped 10 cents to $4.05 with the swapping of 10,560 shares, Main Event gained 28 cents in closing at $11.85 after an exchange of 21,203 stock units. Paramount Trading rose 14 cents to end at $2.38, with 54,500 units crossing the market, 
Stationery and Office Supplies declined 33 cents to close at $14.17 as 14,663 units passed through the market and tTech shed 23 cents in closing at $2.30 with investors transferring 700 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling stocks overwhelmed Junior Market
Trading jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, but the market suffered more declines with falling stocks overwhelming those rising following a 69 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with 136 percent more value than Wednesday following trading in 43 securities up from 41 on Wednesday and resulting in prices of 10 rising, 28 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 15,501,984 shares for $52,166,724, up from 9,199,758 units at $22,141,233 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 360,511 shares at $1,213,180 compared to 224,384 units at $540,030 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 572,754 units at $1,132,714 versus 585,792 stock units at $1,127,771 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Future Energy Source led trading with 7.96 million shares for 51.3 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 3.14 million units for 20.3 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 586,143 units for 3.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 48.88 points to settle at 3,594.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.6. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 38 cents to end at $3 after trading 5,025 shares, Caribbean Cream fell 15 cents in closing at $3.30 while exchanging 20,000 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 75 cents to close at $15 in switching ownership of 7,635 stocks. EduFocal declined 12 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $1.79, with 12,319 stock units crossing the market, Everything Fresh dropped 9 cents to $1.54 after 15,311 stocks changed hands, Express Catering dipped 44 cents after ending at $4.75 with investors transferring 15,134 units. Fontana shed 11 cents to end at $7.40 with 54,775 shares clearing the market, Fosrich dipped 15 cents to $2.72 in an exchange of 259,589 stock units, 
Honey Bun increased 16 cents in closing at $6.26 after an exchange of 11,446 stocks. Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents to close at $2.80 after a transfer of 160,593 stock units, ISP Finance gained $1.01 to close at $21.01, with investors exchanging 80 units, Jamaican Teas fell 18 cents to $2.12 in an exchange of 192,340 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 8 cents to $1.68 in an exchange of 586,143 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 15 cents to end at $8.85 following 9,150 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to $4.15 with the swapping of 6,685 shares. Main Event shed 29 cents to close at $11.57 with a transfer of 12,086 units, Medical Disposables dropped 15 cents to close at $4.85, with 5,000 shares crossing the exchange. MFS Capital Partners shed 11 cents to end at $3.41, with 564,431 stocks crossing the market, 
Paramount Trading declined 15 cents in closing at $2.24 with an exchange of 100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 50 cents after ending at $14.50, with 31,821 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling stocks battered risers on the Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 55 percent and the value 58 percent lower than on Tuesday after trading took place in 41 securities compared with 40 on Tuesday and ended with prices of 11 rising, 24 declining and six closing unchanged.
A total of 9,199,758 shares were exchanged for $22,141,233 compared to 20,297,652 units at $52,761,871 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 224,384 shares at $540,030, compared with 507,441 shares at $1,319,047 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 585,792 units at 1,127,771 compared with 608,277 stock units at $1,164,338 on Tuesday the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 2.10 million shares for 22.8 percent of total volume followed by Mailpac Group with 1.59 million units for 17.2 percent of the day’s trade, Dolla Financial with 1.53 million units for 16.6 percent market share and Fosrich with 1.28 million units for 13.9 percent of the trading volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 46.89 points to end at 3,643.55.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined 45 cents to end at $20.55, with an exchange of 100 shares, AMG Packaging increased 8 cents to $3.38 in trading 30,002 stocks, Cargo Handlers shed $1.09 in ending at $13.01 after investors traded 2,333 units. Caribbean Flavours lost 9 cents to close at $1.26 with an exchange of 194,228 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries dipped 20 cents to $2 after an exchange of 248,902 shares, 
Derrimon Trading dipped 10 cents to $2.05 in trading 2,098,597 stocks. Dolphin Cove fell 99 cents to end at $14.25 after 10,546 units changed hands, Fontana dipped 66 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $7.51, with 52,622 stock units crossing the market, Honey Bun shed 35 cents in closing at $6.10 as investors exchanged 15,387 shares. Indies Pharma dropped 15 cents in ending at $2.71 with a transfer of 404,485 stocks, Jamaican Teas rallied 19 cents to $2.30 with investors transferring 15,150 stock units, JFP Ltd lost 9 cents in closing at $1.60 as 1,616 units passed through the market. Knutsford Express fell $1.15 after ending at $9 after an exchange of 17,979 stock units, Lasco Financial declined 16 cents to close at $2.55 in switching ownership of 21,263 stocks, Main Event gained 71 cents to end at $11.86, with 12,040 shares changing hands, 
Spur Tree Spices ended at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $2.51 after slipping 5 cents, with an exchange of 104,763 shares to close at $2.45 and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 10 cents to $15 after a transfer of just two units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More slippage for Junior Market
Trading activity jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with a 392 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded as the value climbed 391 percent above that on Monday with 40 securities trading compared with 39 on Monday and ended with 14 rising, 18 declining and eight closing unchanged.
A total of 20,297,652 shares were exchanged for $52,761,871 versus 4,128,803 units at $10,755,628 on Monday.
Trading averaged 507,441 shares at $1,319,047 compared to 105,867 units at $275,785 on Monday, with the month to date, averaging 608,277 shares at $1,164,338 compared to 614,793 stocks at $1,154,341 on Monday the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Fosrich led trading with 10.82 million shares for 53.3 percent of total volume followed by Jamaican Teas with 5.12 million units for 25.2 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 1.21 million units for 6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 13.86 points to end at 3,690.44.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined $1.20 to $21 in switching ownership of 1,769 shares, AMG Packaging climbed 40 cents to close at $3.30 after trading 74,274 stocks, Caribbean Flavours rallied 8 cents to $1.35 with investors transferring 3,500 units. Dolla Financial fell 10 cents to $2.69 with 360,212 stock units crossing the market, 
Elite Diagnostic dropped 19 cents to $2.70, with 78,321 shares clearing the market, Future Energy Source popped 13 cents to $4.25 in an exchange of 107,537 stocks. Jamaican Teas dipped 33 cents to end at $2.11 with an exchange of 5,117,861 units, JFP Ltd increased 9 cents to close at $1.69, with 58,714 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors rose 19 cents in ending at $2.72 with the swapping of 11,257 shares. Lasco Manufacturing gained 23 cents in closing at $4.35 after an exchange of 14,910 stock units, Limners and Bards shed 16 cents ending at $2.20 in an exchange of 674,350 stocks, Main Event fell $1 to $11.15 after a transfer of 8,732 units. Medical Disposables declined 12 cents to end at $5.02 while exchanging 5,100 units, Regency Petroleum dropped 
10 cents to $1.90 in trading 1,214,127 shares and Spur Tree Spices dipped 9 cents to close at $2.50 after exchanging 28,382 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market at 14 months low
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday at the lowest point since January last year, with the market Index falling 31.75 points to 3,704.30, with the volume of stocks traded declining 55 percent with the value 61 percent lower than on Friday following trading in 39 securities compared with 40 on Friday and ended with 10 rising, 20 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 4,128,803 shares were exchanged for $10,755,628 down from 9,097,236 units at $27,766,092 on Friday.
Trading averaged 105,867 shares at $275,785, compared with 227,431 units at $694,152 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 614,793 units at $1,154,341 compared with 649,010 stock at $1,213,416 on the previous trading day. February ended with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 855,959 shares for 20.7 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 478,505 units for 11.6 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 402,878 units for 9.8 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with 
ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers. At the close, Caribbean Flavours lost 12 cents to close at $1.27 after an exchange of 100 shares, Elite Diagnostic rallied 19 cents in closing at $2.89 with 75,902 stocks clearing the market, Everything Fresh climbed 22 cents to $1.64 in an exchange of 3,200 stock units. Fontana declined 22 cents in ending at $8.18 after 22,925 units crossed the market, Honey Bun dropped 25 cents to end at $6.50 as 12,807 shares passed through the market, iCreate fell 11 cents to close at $1.57 with the swapping of 6,189 stock units. Indies Pharma shed 9 cents to $2.81 with a transfer of 17,869 stocks, 
Jetcon Corporation advanced 12 cents to $1.07, with 2,705 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express gained $1.13 to end at $10.15 as investors exchanged 93 stocks. Lasco Distributors dipped 21 cents in closing at $2.53 after investors exchanged 53,482 shares, Limners and Bards declined 14 cents in closing at $2.36 trading 94,523 units, Main Event fell 10 cents to close at $12.15 with an exchange of 89,562 stock units. MFS Capital Partners popped 9 cents in ending at $3.49, with 242,453 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 24 cents to end at $2.44 and closed with an exchange of 2,500 units, 
Spur Tree Spices traded 75,047 shares with a gain of 1 cent to close at $2.59 after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $2.51 and Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 10 cents to $14.90 while exchanging 39,934 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
KLE Group is Main Event in ICTOP10
Stocks continued to be battered in the past week sending the Junior Market back to January 2022 levels and the Main Market declined for a second week and as far back as September 2018 levels, but some stocks bucked the trend and posted gains.
Main Event
Earnings season delivered a few new results during the past week, with Main Event posting positive profit gains for the January first quarter and seeming poised to earn $1.80 for the year. Fosrich released full year results to December, with profit jumping to $325 million from $199 million in 2021 as revenues climbed a solid 43.4 percent, Dolla Financial posted increased profit of 18 cents per share and should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023, but it is not in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting solid results that augur well for full year’s profit. Limners and Bards delivered disappointing first quarter results of a mere $7 million, down from $66 million in 2022, as revenues dropped sharply from $443 million to $248 million. Lumber Depot suffered a decline in revenues for the January quarter, with a decline in profit and Blue Power reported an increase in revenues year over year, with a profit rising for their third quarter to January, with profit slipping for the nine months.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw four stocks rising and three falling. AMG Packaging gained 16 percent to $2.90, followed by Everything Fresh with a 5 percent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 4 percent to $2.74. Tropical Battery lost 10 percent of its value to close at $2.02 and Image Plus lost 4 percent to end at $1.85.
Stationery and Office Supplies is said to continue to enjoy buoyant business into 2023, rose 3 percent to $15 and dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 along with AMG Packaging as Main Event and KLE Group replaced those that fell out, with the former posting strong first quarter results that point to earnings of $1.80 for the year. KLE is now in, based on the fall in the stock price, but investment in the stock is not without above average risk. They are yet to release 2022 earnings, but they should benefit from pick up in business in their associated restaurant business in which they hold a 49 percent interest, with exposure in Montego Bay that will see added inflows from the considerable pick up in tourist patronage and should have income generated from managing the Bessa apartments in Oracabessa on the north coast of Jamaica.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 3 percent while Jamaica Broilers dropped 12 percent to $33.50’ following some large trades in the week, Guardian Holdings followed with a fall of 6 percent to close at $480 and 138 Student Living being down by 4 percent to $5.01.
There have been no changes in the listing in the Main Market ICTOP10 this past week.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. 
The Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 282 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 12 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 18.3, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15.
The Main Market 18 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 18 to 115, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding stocks with the highest valuations and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. 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 up to the end of May 2023 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, resulting 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.
Trading climbs prices dip on junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday, with a 74 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with 59 percent more value than on Thursday following trading of 40 
securities trading down from 46 on Thursday and ended with 14 rising, 15 declining and 11 closing unchanged leading to a moderate movement in the market index.
A total of 9,097,236 shares were traded for $27,766,092 up from 5,242,797 units at $17,417,126 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 227,431 shares at $694,152, compared with 113,974 units at $378,633 on Thursday. Trading month to date closed with an average of 649,014 units at $1,213,416 compared with 680,242 stocks at $1,251,880 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
MFS Capital Partners led trading with 5.06 million shares for 55.6 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 671,812 units for 7.4 per cent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd 650,615 units for 7.2 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 15.12 points to 3,736.05.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed based on the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed 20 cents to $22.20 in trading 5,398 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 9 cents to close at $2.90, with 2,357 stocks clearing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 13 cents to $2.03 with investors transferring 500 units. 
Caribbean Flavours rose 9 cents in closing at $1.39 with a transfer of 340 stock units, Elite Diagnostic dipped 10 cents to end at $2.70 in switching ownership of 100,582 shares, Express Catering lost 28 cents to $5.20 after exchanging 10,159 stock units. Future Energy Source fell 28 cents to close at $4.12 after a transfer of 89,600 units, Jamaican Teas increased 25 cents in closing at $2.45 as investors exchanged 800 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 9 cents in ending at $2.74, with 3,874 units changing hands. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents to end at $2.72 with the swapping of 13,610 shares, Main Event shed 75 cents to close at $12.25 after trading 35,032 stock units, Medical Disposables popped 14 cents after ending at $5.14, with an exchange of 47,630 stocks. 
Paramount Trading declined 20 cents to $2.20 while exchanging 8,145 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 10 cents in closing at $15 with an exchange of 8,908 shares and Tropical Battery fell 13 cents to end at $2.02 and closed with 466,649 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market trading falls back
Trading pulled back to more normal levels from Wednesday’s heady levels at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with a 98 percent declining the volume of stocks traded with the value 96 percent lower than on Wednesday following trading in 46 securities up from 42 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 19 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 5,242,797 shares were traded for $17,417,126 compared to 272,054,087 units at $419,217,066 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 113,974 shares at $378,633, compared with 6,477,478 units at $9,981,359 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 680,242 stock units at $1,251,880 in contrast to 732,972 units at $1,333,194 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
MFS Capital Partners led trading with 734,917 shares for 14 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery with 453,589 units for 8.7 percent of the day’s trade after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.90 and Future Energy Source with 399,936 units for 7.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied 9.49 points to close at 3,751.17.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. The average is down to this relatively low due to new company results that led to increased earnings for the Thursday report and following 
ICInsider.com upgrading earnings for Main Event to $1.80 from $1.45 and Dolla Financial being switched from 2022 earnings of 15 cents for last year to 40 cents for this year, following the release of 2022 full year results, with earnings of 18 cents per share. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed based on the last traded stock price and ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 12 cents to close at $22, with 11,249 shares changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 24 cents in closing at $2.24 after investors swapped 5,051 stock units, Dolla Financial gained 15 cents to end at $2.85 as investors crossing the market exchanged 243,218 stocks Dolphin Cove rose $1.09 in ending at $15.25 with 57,649 units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic rallied 9 cents to $2.80 in an exchange of 445 stocks, Express Catering advanced 38 cents to end at $5.48 with investors transferring 5,600 units.
Fontana popped 15 cents to close at $8.40 after a transfer of 68,140 stock units, Future Energy Source rose 23 cents to $4.40 with an exchange of 399,936 shares, after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $4.05, GWest Corporation climbed 12 cents in closing at $1.08 with a transfer of 1,564 stock units. Honey Bun lost 29 cents to $6.75, with 51,922 shares clearing the market, iCreate rallied 18 cents to end at $1.68 after trading 87,063 units, Indies Pharma rose 10 cents to close at $2.90, with 21,002 stocks crossing the market. Jamaican Teas shed 27 cents in closing at $2.20 with 151,736 units passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 10 cents to 95 cents with 3,984 stocks crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express declined 13 cents to $9.02 after exchanging 7,287 stock units. Mailpac Group dipped 10 cents to close at $1.70 in switching ownership of 113,259 shares, Main Event popped $1.20 after ending at a record closing high of $13 while exchanging 264,941 stocks, following the release of solid first quarter results of 39 cents per share before trading opened, 
MFS Capital Partners dropped 18 cents in closing at $3.33 in an exchange of 734,917 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies increased 89 cents to end at $15.10 in trading 9,521 units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 14 cents to $1.05 with the swapping of 26,055 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.