The Junior Market recovered all of Monday’s index loss on Tuesday at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, after a 52 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded at a 65 percent lower value than on Monday after trading took place in 41 securities compared with 46 on Monday and ended with 16 rising, 16 declining and nine closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,101,812 shares for $15,733,543 compared to 10,566,673 units at $45,598,816 on Monday.
Trading averaged 124,434 shares at $383,745 down from 229,710 shares at $991,279 on Monday with a month to date average of 187,397 units at $612,549 compared to 206,379 stock units at $681,527 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Lasco Distributors led trading with 1.08 million shares for 21.1 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 640,636 units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and ending with Lasco Manufacturing trading 442,365 units for 8.7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 46.87 points to end at 3,791.44.
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 price in conjunction with 
ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed $3.05 in closing at $22.30, with 300 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cream climbed 52 cents to $4, with 11,692 stocks passing through the exchange, following the release of full year results to February this year, with a turnaround in profit. Dolla Financial dipped 10 cents to close at $2.62 after a transfer of 420,048 stocks, Dolphin Cove rallied $1.46 to end at $15.98 with 45,490 units being traded, Express Catering climbed 11 cents and ended at $4.99 as 122,381 stock units passed through the market, Future Energy Source declined 10 cents ended at $4.04 with a transfer of 176,726 shares, General Accident popped 58 cents to $5.05 with 7,700 stocks clearing the market,
Indies Pharma gained 24 cents in closing at $3.30 after investors traded 12,528 units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 35 cents to 2.35 in switching ownership of 500 stocks, ISP Finance lost $5.49 to end at $21 after an exchange of 2,212 shares, KLE Group shed 28 cents and ended at $1.65 as investors exchanged 2,208 units, Knutsford Express fell 28 cents to $11.50 in an exchange of 49 stock units, Lasco Distributors advanced 30 cents to close at $3.30 with 1,076,231 stock units changing hands, Mailpac Group lost 10 cents in closing at $1.85 after 164,015 stocks were exchanged, Main Event shed 69 cents to close at $14 with investors transferring 64,505 shares, Medical Disposables climbed 67 cents in closing at $4.85 with shareholders swapping 500 units, Paramount Trading rose 9 cents to $2.19 after an exchange of 2,663 stocks, Regency Petroleum rallied 8 cents to close at $2.98 while exchanging 83,796 shares, 
Stationery and Office Supplies dipped $1.01 to end at $15.99 in trading 9,503 stock units and Tropical Battery rose 18 cents and ended at $2.07 with an exchange of 149,371 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Sharp jump in Junior Market trading
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange fell on Monday, with Stationery and Office Supplies trading more than 1.5 million, with most of it overhanging the stock for months, while Dolla Financial swelled the volume with 1.45 million units and Fosrich chipped in with 1 million shares resulting in the overall volume rising 107 percent and the value jumping 251 percent over Friday after trading occurred in 46 securities compared with 45 on Friday and ended with prices of 19 rising, 21 declining and six closing unchanged.
Investors traded 10,566,673 shares for $45,598,816, up sharply from 5,098,602 units at $13,005,135 on Friday.
Trading averaged 229,710 shares at $991,279 compared to 113,302 shares at $289,003 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 206,379 stock units at $681,527 up from 194,453 shares at $523,209 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 1.51 million shares for 14.3 percent of total volume, followed by Dolla Financial closed with 1.45 million units for 13.7 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich ended with 1.02 million units for 9.7 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 40.76 points to close at 3,744.57.
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 price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.85 and ended at $25.35 with shareholders swapping 6,986 shares, Cargo Handlers declined $1.39 to $19.20 as 1,062 stocks passed through the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 14 cents to end at $2.54 after an exchange of 21,696 stocks. Caribbean Cream popped 28 cents to close at $3.48 after a transfer of 748,048 units, Caribbean Flavours lost 42 cents to end at $1.26 after investors ended trading 50,139 units, Dolphin Cove dropped 48 cents to $14.52 in trading 15,214 stock units, 
Elite Diagnostic gained 27 cents ended at $2.40, with 20,385 stocks crossing the market. Fontana rose 15 cents to close at $9.75 after 75,641 shares crossed the exchange, General Accident dipped 53 cents in closing at $4.47 in switching ownership of 1,000 units, Indies Pharma shed 34 cents to end at $3.06 10,893 shares clearing the market with, Iron Rock Insurance fell 10 cents to end at $2 in an exchange of 3,932 stock units. Knutsford Express increased 78 cents to close at $11.78 in exchanging 40,290 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 23 cents and ended at $3 with investors trading 70,083 stock units, Lasco Financial lost 12 cents to close at $2.34 after an exchange of 103,131 shares, Limners and Bards climbed 17 cents in closing at $2.39 with trading in 4,003 stocks. Lumber Depot increased 8 cents to $2.29, with 15,933 units changing hands, Main Event rose 39 cents to end at $14.69 in an exchange of 6,410 units, Regency Petroleum shed 8 cents to close at $2.90 with a transfer of 124,924 shares. 
Stationery and Office Supplies jumped $1.50 to $17 as investors exchanged 1,505,819 stock units and left just 1,880 units on offer between $17.96 and $18.75, with the next amount offered for sale being 42,277 shares at $34.97, all that could change on Tuesday when the wider investing public is updated on developments in trading on Monday. Tropical Battery dropped 11 cents in closing at $1.89 after trading 112,891 stocks and tTech advanced 29 cents to $2.49 after just one share crossed the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Profit returns for Caribbean Cream
Following a torrid 2022 fiscal year, with a loss before taxation of $13.7 million, Caribbean Cream delivered a much better performance in the fiscal year to February this year, with pretax profit of $41.8 million and $27 million after accounting for $14.7 million for taxes, up from a $9 million loss in 2022 in a year that finance cost almost doubled to $66 million from $34 million in 2022, from increased borrowings.
Sale revenues for the just completed year rose 20 percent to $2.5 billion from $2.1 billion in 2022. In the final quarter, revenues climbed 22.5 percent to $674 million from $553 million in 2022 and increased 17 percent over the $576 million in the November 2022 quarter. In contrast, revenues for the 2022 February quarter were 10 percent more than the $501 million generated in the November 2021 quarter. All in all, the 2023 fiscal year performance was well ahead of the year to February 2022, even as the year started with just $1.3 million in profit with cost of sales at 73.2 percent with the second quarter being slightly better with cost of sales down to 70.7 percent and profit improving to $7.2 million as both volume improvement and price adjustment to the output chipped in to help improve the bottom line.
Kremi, as the company is known, has had a checkered history with Profit meandering from 2015 to 2023. (See Chart)
Since 2020 the company has faced increased input costs that squeezed profit margin. In the latest fiscal year, cost of sales dropped to 64 percent in the final quarter compared to 69 percent for the year and 71 percent for the nine months to November. The jump in revenues in the fourth quarter over the November quarter would have helped to improve the margin, but it appears that raw material costs fell compared with the earlier months of the fiscal year. In 2022 cost of sales was 71.6 percent and 66.6 percent in 2021.
Cost of sales rose 16 percent, slower than sales in 2023, to $1.73 billion from $1.49 billion in 2022, with gross profit rising faster than revenues, a positive development with an increase of 31 percent to $593 million from $775 million in 2022. The cost of raw materials used in sales rose 16 percent to $1.17 billion, compared with a 33 percent rise in fiscal year 2022 over 2021. Milk solids, one of the primary raw materials, about 70 percent that is used in producing ice cream moved from an average of US$3,355 per ton in 2018 to US$5,067 in 2022 and is now $4,676 in 2023, down 9 percent. In 2022 the cost rose by 29 percent, these movements, coupled with exchange rate changes for the Jamaican dollar, would have pushed up the company’s production cost; also affecting cost would be a 7 percent movement in the exchange rate between the Jamaica dollar and the US dollar. If continued, falling commodity prices in 2023 will lower the cost for them and help improve profits. Also of note is that the price of crude oil is now 38 percent less than it was in 2023 at the start of June and that feeds directly into utility cost incurred in production, which was $166 million, 16 percent higher than 2022 and 19 percent more in Administration with $99 million versus $83 million in 2022.
Administrative expenses rose 17 percent to $598 million from $512 the previous year. Marketing and sales expenses increased by 18 percent to $72 million from $61 million in 2022 and depreciation came in at $100 million, marginally down from $102 million in 2022. Some $930 million is tied up in construction in progress at the end of the fiscal year and will result in the charge rising appreciably in the 2024 fiscal year when those assets are transferred to fixed assets but will reduce the actual taxation payable as capital allowances in the first year, will reduce the actual tax liability that will be payable. Finance cost jumped 91 percent to $66 million from $34.5 million in 2022, but a significant portion of the loans have interest rates capped and will not result in increases in the current period.
Gross cash flow generated $195 million from operating activities, up from just $53 million in 2022. Funds internally generated were augmented by loan inflows of $353 million and funds at the start of the year amounting to $145 million, which helped to fund additions to fixed assets of $541 million.
The total Current assets ended the year at $535 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $157 million, cash and bank balances of $67 million, down from $146 million in 2022. Current liabilities ended at $389 million, up from $313 million and net current assets ended the period at $167 million, down from $212 million in 2022.
At the end of December, shareholders’ equity stood at $826 million, with long term borrowings at $920 million, up from $603 million in 2022 and short term at $107 million against $67 million in 2022. The increased borrowing helped to fund additions to fixed assets amounting to $542 million during the year, of which $490 million is construction in progress.
Earnings per share came out at just 7 cents for the year, with a steep PE of 45.7, but earnings for the current year are expected to jump well over that for 2023. IC Insider.com forecasts a considerable increase of 90 cents per share for the fiscal year ending February 2024, with a PE of 3.6 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $3.20 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market and a net asset of $2.18.
The company did not pay a dividend in 2022 but 6.94 cents in 2021.
The company may have faltered over the last two years, but it has shown in the past that it can recover. Additionally, it is not going away anytime soon. It will recover lost ground as they invest in its manufacturing operations to generate cost reductions, greater efficiency, and improved profit. The first quarter results due by July should show the first signs of this robustness as the company reports a significant profit improvement over the 2022 first quarter and a better than the 2023 February quarter.
What should investors do? Investors should buy the stock that is selling well below potential as investors reacted negatively to poor results reported in 2022 before the release of the 2023 results.
Winners and losers share Junior Market spotlight
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose moderately Friday, against a backdrop of a 59 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with a 62 percent lower value than on Thursday after investors traded in 45 securities as was the case 45 on Thursday as market activity ended with 18 rising, 17 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,098,602 shares for $13,005,135 versus 12,402,210 units at $34,083,670 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 113,302 shares at $289,003 compared to 275,605 shares at $757,415 on Thursday with a month to date average of 194,453 units at $523,209 compared with May with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Fosrich led trading with 2.24 million shares for 44 percent of total volume, Derrimon Trading followed with 559,476 units for 11 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners ended with 260,270 units for 5.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 13.71 points to finish the week at 3,785.33.
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 price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging gained 23 cents to close at $2.90 while 20 shares passed through the market, CAC 2000 increased 48 cents in closing at $7.10 with a transfer of 28 stocks, Cargo Handlers climbed $2.75 to close at $20.59 after 3,542 units were traded, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 14 cents and ended at $2.27 as investors exchanged 216,020 stock units. Dolphin Cove lost 69 cents to end at $15, with 32,356 stock units changing hands, 
Elite Diagnostic declined 27 cents to $2.13 and closed after investors traded 19,300 stocks, Honey Bun rose 22 cents to $6.89, with 35,292 units crossing the market, Indies Pharma popped 16 cents to end at $3.40 in an exchange of 30,139 shares. Iron Rock Insurance dipped 38 cents in closing at $2.10, with 31,913 units crossing the exchange, Jamaican Teas rallied 15 cents to close at $2.34 with an exchange of 78,210 stock units, KLE Group advanced 43 cents to close at $1.95 in exchange of one share, Knutsford Express fell 55 cents and ended at $11 after an exchange of 1,572 stocks. Lasco Distributors shed 13 cents to $2.77 in trading 25,745 units, Medical Disposables declined 60 cents in closing at $4.18, with 4,101 shares changing hands, Regency Petroleum popped 13 cents to end at $2.98, with 121,078 stocks clearing the market. 
Spur Tree Spices increased 9 cents to $2.42 in switching ownership of 119,299 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 27 cents to close at $15.50 after a transfer of 97 shares and tTech shed 26 cents and ended at $2.20 with investors transferring 2,750 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market stumbles into June
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange stumbles into June on Thursday, following Wednesday’s rally to close out May positively, with the volume of stocks traded declining 27 percent and the value 43 percent lower than on Wednesday after trading occurred in 45 securities compared with 44 on Wednesday and ended with prices of 16 rising, 24 declining and five closing unchanged.
A total of 12,402,210 shares were traded for $34,083,670, down from 17,037,616 units at $59,386,219 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 275,605 shares at $757,415 compared with 387,219 shares at $1,349,687 previously. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Fosrich led trading with 4.69 million shares for 37.8 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices ended with 1.64 million units for 13.2 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 910,903 units for 7.3 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 13.41 points to finish trading at 3,771.62.
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 price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and 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 shed $3.30 and ended at $22.50 in an exchange of 40 shares following the dress up the stock got to close out May, Cargo Handlers jumped $2.84 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $17.84 with an exchange of just one share, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 13 cents to end at $2.40 after 20,886 shares crossed the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 15 cents in closing at $2.41 after investors traded 20,008 units, Dolphin Cove rallied 94 cents to $15.69 with an exchange of 34,055 stock units, Fosrich lost 10 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.19 while exchanging 4,694,002 shares, GWest Corporation fell 17 cents and ended at 88 cents, with 222,772 stocks crossing the market, 
Honey Bun dropped 13 cents to close at $6.67 with 5,014 units changing hands, iCreate dipped 11 cents to $1.20 after 260,961 stocks were traded, Image Plus Consultants shed 8 cents in closing at $2 as investors exchanged 904,162 stocks, Indies Pharma dropped 21 cents in closing at $3.24 with invetors swapping 53,927 shares, ISP Finance rose $1.10 to $26.50 with investors transferring 23,087 units, JFP Ltd declined 14 cents to end at $1.64 in an exchange of 876,924 shares, Knutsford Express dipped 23 cents to close at $11.55 with 34 stocks clearing the market, Lasco Financial advanced 11 cents and ended at $2.46 after an exchange of 1,660 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 25 cents to end at $2.23 with a transfer of 12,976 units, Lumber Depot lost 9 cents to close at $2.21 in switching ownership of 22,980 stock units, Mailpac Group fell 12 cents to $1.85 after a transfer of 586,278 units, Medical Disposables increased 64 cents in closing at $4.78 with 1,642 shares crossing the market,
Paramount Trading declined 9 cents to $2.09 after investors traded 428 stocks, Regency Petroleum dipped 10 cents to end at $2.85 as 136,537 stock units passed through the market and Spur Tree Spices dropped 27 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.33 after an exchange of 1,642,325 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market holding head above water
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday just managed to end above Monday’s close following a 12 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with a moderately lower value than on Monday with trading in 45 securities compared with 46 on Monday and ended with 21 rising, 20 declining and four closing unchanged as one stock closed at a one year high and two at 52 weeks’ low.
Investors traded 9,615,167 shares for $25,289,603 versus 10,918,480 units at $26,373,173 on Monday.
Trading averaged 213,670 shares at $561,991 compared to 237,358 shares at $573,330 on Monday, with the month to date averaging 232,896 units at $615,218 compared to 233,887 stock units at $617,962 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Fosrich led trading with 2.26 million shares for 23.5 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 1.40 million units for 14.5 percent of the day’s trade and Lasco Distributors with 885,161 units for 9.2 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 4.97 points to close at 3,762.62.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging dipped 26 cents to end at $2.64 as investors exchanged 6,005 shares, CAC 2000 rallied $1.10 to close at $7.10 in switching ownership of 6,451 units, Cargo Handlers rose 75 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $17.50 after an exchange of 11,300 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 12 cents in closing at $2.57 after 323,317 stocks changed hands. Caribbean Cream rallied 20 cents and ended at $3.20 with an exchange of 50 stock units, Caribbean Flavours increased 8 cents to $1.48 in an exchange of 9 units, Consolidated Bakeries rose 10 cents to close at $2.30 after a transfer of 125,334 stocks, Dolphin Cove popped 49 cents in closing at $15.45 with shareholders swapping 28,133 shares, Elite Diagnostic dropped 18 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $2.20, with 48,123 stocks clearing the market. Everything Fresh gained 8 cents to end at $1.80 while exchanging 154,617 units, 
Fontana lost 8 cents in ending at $9.40 with investors transferring 109,966 shares, Fosrich declined 29 cents to $2.40 after 2,255,770 stock units changed hands. Future Energy Source fell 19 cents to $3.92 in an exchange of 325,599 stock units, Indies Pharma popped 15 cents in closing at $3.30 after trading 131,851 units, Iron Rock Insurance advanced 28 cents to $2.16 after 5 shares passed through the market, ISP Finance climbed $3.83 to $23.98 after 2,092 stocks passed through the market. Knutsford Express rose 23 cents and ended at $11.52 after investors traded 20,220 stocks, Lasco Distributors rallied 34 cents to end at $3.09 with 885,161 stock units crossing the market, following full year’s results showing earnings of 38.5 cents per share, up from 29 cents in 2022. Lasco Financial declined 10 cents in closing at $2.35 in trading 454,503 units, following the release of full year results showing a fall from 24 cents per share to 16.7 cents. Main Event increased 40 cents to close at $14.65 with a transfer of 6,950 shares,
Medical Disposables dipped 66 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $4.14 after 750 stock units crossed the market, Paramount Trading shed 10 cents to close at $2.09 in trading 25 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 42 cents in closing at $15.16 in switching ownership of 417 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market stocks close higher
Rising stocks beat out losers at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, aided by a 14 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded at a 7 percent increase in value over Friday and resulting in the trading of 46 securities compared with 42 on Friday as market activity ended with prices 21 stocks rising, 16 declining and nine closing unchanged.
Investors traded 10,918,480 shares at $26,373,173, up from 9,582,877 units at $24,717,734 on Friday.
Trading averaged 237,358 shares at $573,330 compared to 228,164 shares at $588,517 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 233,887 units at $617,962 compared to 233,694 stocks at $620,445 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 5.01 million shares for 45.9 percent of total volume Caribbean Flavours followed with 998,112 units for 9.1 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 646,165 units for 5.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 7.48 points to settle at 3,757.65.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and 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 climbed 25 cents to $2.90 after exchanging 1,723 shares, Cargo Handlers increased 25 cents to $16.75, with 583 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 19 cents and ended at $2.69 after a transfer of 66,182 units, Caribbean Cream dipped 19 cents to end at $3, with 385 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Flavours rallied 18 cents in closing at $1.40 after 998,112 stocks passed through the market, Derrimon Trading advanced 8 cents to close at $2.07 with an exchange of 525,248 stock units, Dolphin Cove declined 54 cents in closing at $14.96 as investors exchanged 787 units, EduFocal fell 27 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.66 with 109,767 shares clearing the market. 
Express Catering popped 17 cents and ended at $5.11 after an exchange of 2,556 stock units, GWest Corporation rose 12 cents to $1.01 in an exchange of 8,564 units, Honey Bun increased 8 cents to close at $6.67 after investors traded 12,478 shares, Indies Pharma rose 12 cents to $3.15 with an exchange of 6,162 stocks. ISP Finance dropped $5.85 to $20.15 with investors trading 600 stock units, Jamaican Teas shed 8 cents to end at $2.10 with shareholders swapping 75,747 units, Lasco Distributors gained 25 cents and ended at $2.75, with 77,002 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing popped 10 cents in closing at $4.10 in switching ownership of 163,401 shares, Main Event lost 25 cents to end at $14.25 in an exchange of 2,411 units. Paramount Trading climbed 11 cents to $2.19 in trading 429 stocks, 
Regency Petroleum shed 8 cents and ended at $2.85 with a transfer of 198,751 shares, Spur Tree Spices advanced 11 cents to close at $2.64, with 5,012,865 stock units crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 60 cents to close at $15.58 after exchanging 5,327 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Winners beat JSE Junior Market losers
The Junior Market Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange just held above Thursday at the close on Friday even as trading ended with 21 rising, 14 declining and seven closing unchanged following trading taking place in 42 securities similar to trading on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 14 percent and the value 48 percent lower than on Thursday.
Investors traded 9,582,877 shares for $24,717,734 compared to 11,121,210 units at $47,797,567 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 228,164 shares at $588,517, compared to 264,791 shares at $1,138,037 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 233,694 units at $620,445 compared to 233,989 stock units at $622,153 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 2.42 million shares for 25.3 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 1.75 million units for 18.2 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 613,603 units for 6.4 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index inched 1.42 points higher to end at 3,750.17.
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 price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped 89 cents to $23 in an exchange of 2,804 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 12 cents in closing at $2.50 after 137,053 stock units were traded, Caribbean Cream increased 9 cents and ended at $3.19 while exchanging 85,098 units. Consolidated Bakeries fell 23 cents to close at $2.19 as 25,908 stocks passed through the market, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents to $15.50 with an exchange of 19,853 stock units, 
Fontana rallied 42 cents to $9.50 in switching ownership of 126,205 stocks. Fosrich shed 25 cents and ended at $2.71 after investors traded 1,747,851 shares, Indies Pharma advanced 12 cents to $3.03 with investors transferring 71,226 units, Jamaican Teas gained 10 cents to end at $2.18 after a transfer of 414,952 stocks. JFP Ltd climbed 9 cents to $1.72 with shareholders swapping 529,202 stock units, KLE Group gained 12 cents to end at $1.62, with 100 shares crossing the market, Knutsford Express popped 94 cents in closing at $11.29 after an exchange of 11,760 units. Lasco Distributors declined 10 cents and ended at $2.50, with 226,297 stocks changing hands, Main Event rose 27 cents to close at $14.50 in an exchange of 10,372 shares, MFS Capital Partners rallied 13 cents to $3.23 with a transfer of 235,207 units.
Paramount Trading dipped 11 cents in closing at $2.08 after 29,490 stock units crossed the exchange, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 48 cents to end at $14.98 and closed with an exchange of 677 units and Tropical Battery increased 11 cents to $1.97 with 40,994 stock units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market drops on Thursday
A few Junior Market stocks hit the Jamaica Stock Exchange circuit breaker in trading on Thursday and helped in pushing the market index lower with a 56 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with 33 percent lower value than on Wednesday following trading in 42 securities compared with 43 on Wednesday and ended with 12 rising, 27 declining and three closing unchanged.
Investors traded 11,121,210 shares for $47,797,567 compared to 25,198,464 units at $71,304,324 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 264,791 shares at $1,138,037, compared with 586,011 shares at $1,658,240 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 233,989 units at $622,153 compared with 232,248 stock units at $592,991 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Fosrich led trading with 1.86 million shares for 16.7 percent of total volume followed by JFP Ltd with 1.49 million units for 13.4 percent of the day’s trade, Dolphin Cove ended with 1.44 million units for 13 percent market share and Derrimon Trading traded 1.17 million units for 10.5 percent of total volume as the stock hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.56.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 21.56 points to settle at 3,748.75.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
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 fell $2.39 to $22.11 after investors exchanged 8,182 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 28 cents to $2.38 after an exchange of 615,122 stocks, Caribbean Cream dropped 10 cents to $3.10, with 10,000 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove dipped 50 cents to $15 and closed with 1,443,084 stock units changing hands, EduFocal popped 9 cents to $1.94 after a transfer of 31,716 units, Elite Diagnostic lost 10 cents to close at $2.40 with an exchange of 290,872 stocks. 
Everything Fresh climbed 21 cents to end at $1.71, with 5,303 stock units crossing the exchange, Express Catering declined 20 cents to $4.90 after 5,551 shares were traded, Fontana shed 45 cents and ended at $9.08 in switching ownership of 167,960 units. Future Energy Source gained 13 cents in closing at $4.15 with a transfer of 403,467 shares, Honey Bun rallied 53 cents to close at $6.63 after 823 stock units passed through the market, Indies Pharma fell 24 cents to $2.91 with shareholders swapping 135,969 stocks. ISP Finance jumped $6.35 to $26 in trading 11,850 shares, JFP Ltd lost 11 cents in closing at $1.63 after 1,487,550 stock units passed through the market, Knutsford Express dipped 65 cents to end at $10.35 with investors transferring 35,412 stocks. Lasco Distributors rose 10 cents to end at $2.60, with 2,770 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 13 cents to $4 after an exchange of 50,963 shares,
Main Event increased $1.24 and ended at $14.23 in trading 146,404 units. Medical Disposables rallied 25 cents in closing at $4.85 as investors exchanged 4,364 stocks, MFS Capital Partners shed 8 cents to close at $3.10 with 153,350 stock units changing hands and Tropical Battery declined 10 cents and ended at $1.86 after 264,489 shares crossed the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Paramount, the dominant Junior Market trade
Paramount Trading dominated market activity on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, on Monday in cornering 75 percent of the market and sending the volume of stocks traded surging 453 percent and the value 524 percent higher than on Friday after trading took place in all 48 securities compared with 43 on Friday and ended with 23 rising, 19 declining and six closing unchanged.
Investors traded 37,338,614 shares at $85,131,000 compared with 6,750,745 units at $13,652,638 on Friday.
Trading averaged 777,888 shares at $1,773,562, up from 156,994 units at $317,503 on Friday, with a month-to-date average of 210,517 stock units at $527,554 versus 168,748 shares at $435,824 on the previous day. Trading in April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Paramount Trading led trading with 27.82 million shares for 74.5 percent of total volume, followed by Jamaican Teas with 2.72 million units for 7.3 percent of the day’s trade, Spur Tree Spices with 2.10 million units for 5.6 percent market share and Fosrich with 1.59 million units for 4.3 percent of total volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 12.74 points to 3,759.14.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.7. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power fell 39 cents to $2.05 with an exchange of 21 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 9 cents in closing at $2.35 with shareholders swapping 71,020 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 45 cents to end at $16.90 after an exchange of 17,847 stocks, Express Catering popped 21 cents to $5.15, after 263,085 stock units changed hands, 
Fosrich slipped 9 cents to $2.41 after 1,593,293 shares passed through the market, GWest Corporation fell 12 cents to end at 90 cents in trading 654 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 70 cents in closing at $7 after a transfer of 165,127 stocks, Indies Pharma declined 9 cents and ended at $3.06, with 42,605 units crossing the market, Iron Rock Insurance dropped 65 cents to close at $1.85 with 66,268 units clearing the market, KLE Group dipped 16 cents to $1.50 with a transfer of 35,269 shares, Knutsford Express fell 96 cents to end at $10.04 with investors transferring 1,397 stock units, Lasco Distributors rose 8 cents in closing at $2.75 with an exchange of 44,444 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing rallied 13 cents and ended at $4.13 after 25,603 shares changed hands, Lumber Depot increased 8 cents to close at $2.28 with investors swapping 87,229 units, Main Event shed 45 cents to end at $12.55 8,189 stock units changing hands, Medical Disposables gained 70 cents to close at $5.50, with a mere 11 stocks crossing the market, 
Paramount Trading climbed 11 cents in closing at $2.19 with an exchange of 27,820,000 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $1.59 in ending at $15.59 following the switching ownership of one unit and tTech lost 36 cents to end at $2.15 in trading 179 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.