The Junior Market eked out another record close on Wednesday, having closed for Labour Day Holiday on Tuesday, with the index edging higher by 5.68 to end at 3,375.24 with 26 securities trading, compared to 24 on Monday.
At the close of trading, 6 stocks advanced and 9 declined with 4,044,209 units valued at $14,886,455 changed hands, compared to 1,187,417 units valued at $9,868,439 on Monday. Trading ended with 12 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and none with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 155,547 units for an average value of $572,556 compared to of 49,476 units for an average value of $411,185, on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 82,470 units and $582,200 while at the close of the prior day, 88,211 units and $582,803. The average volume and value for April ended at 502,597 units and $2,768,003.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging lost 45 cents to end at $4.50 with 5,239 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers ended with 626 shares changing hands, to close at $20, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 33,340 units to end at $8.40, Caribbean Flavours traded 10,749 units to end at $12.01, Caribbean Producers dropped 90 cents in trading 3,100,200 shares to close at $3, Consolidated Bakeries gained 3 cents trading 100,000 shares to close at $2.90, C2W Music had 6,000 units changing hands to close at 50 cents. Derrimon Trading jumped $1 to end at record high of $9.50 with 23,500 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove shed $1 to end at $21 with 6,960 shares trading, Eppley ended with 90,878 units changing hands to close of $12, General Accident fell 1 cent and closed trading with 18,600 shares at $3.09, Honey Bun had 2,892 shares changing hands at $7.25. ISP Finance ended at $28 with 970 units changing hands. Jamaican Teas rose 9 cents and closed trading with 306,489 shares, at $4.69. Jetcon Corporation rose 5 cents and ended at $15 with 14,114 shares trading, KLE Group fell 20 cents and ended at $2.30 with 41,913 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express lost $2 and closed with 1,570 shares trading at $66. Lasco Distributors dropped 81 cents and ended with 67,950 units trading at $7, Lasco Financial rose 20 cents and ended with 6,000 shares changing hands at $4.20, Lasco Manufacturing rose 49 cents and closed at $5.64 while trading 3,226 shares, Main Event lost 29 cents and ended trading of 15,323 shares at $7.20, Medical Disposables ended at $5.85 while trading 37,438 units, Paramount Trading ended with a fall of 5 cents as 140,820 shares changed hands at $3, Sweet River ended with 4,482 units changing hands at $3.50, tTech had 4,730 units changing hands at $7.50 and Eppley 8.25% preference share traded 200 units at $6.09.
Bun sales shift hit Consolidated
Consolidated Bakeries suffered a reversal in fortunes in their first quarter results to March this year, with Easter falling in mid-April compared to the end of March last year, resulting in revenues falling to $228 million from $261 million last year and profit falling from $22.8 million down to $5.8 million in the latest quarter.
Earnings per share end at 3 cents in 2017 and 10 cents in 2016, for the fiscal year ending December last year the company reported just 5 cents per share in earnings. In the December quarter the company doubled Selling and Distribution cost resulting in a rise of $22 million while revenues rose by just $3 million pulling a profit of $30 million at the third quarter down to just $10 million. For the March quarter, cost in this area came in at $33 million closer to the quarterly spend for 2016 but for December quarter with spend of $43 million.
Administrative, Selling and Distribution cost were effectively flat during the quarter, at $76 versus $73 million in the 2016 period. Gross profit margin declined to just over 36 percent compared to 37 percent in 2016, but gross profit fell $14 million to $82.4 million.
In the 2016 June quarter, revenues were just $210 million and generated $4.3 million in profit. With Easter bun sales taking place mostly in April, the company should see revenues popping around $60 million and profits by around $20 million for the current quarter.
Consolidated ended with cash funds of $148 million and borrowings of just $128 million with shareholders’ equity standing at $553 million. The company has current assets of $271 million and current liabilities of $159 million.
The stock is listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and last traded on Friday at $2.40 and is down from a high of $4.50 earlier this year.
Junior Market gains on Friday
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined on Friday with the market index falling 26.72 points to end at 3,259.86 with volume rising above 1 million shares for the second trading day for the week.
At the close of the market, the number of securities trading, ended at 20 compared to 24 on Thursday with 10 advancing and 11 declining. Overall, 1,367,990 units valued at $8,114,770 changed hands, compared to 830,850 units valued at $6,979,202 on Thursday. Trading ended with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 4 with lower offers. Two stocks ended trading at new closing highs and two traded at an intraday high.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 62,181 units for an average value of $368,853, compared to 41,543 units for an average value of $348,960, on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 66,313 units and $496,664, while at the close of the prior day, 66,772 units and $511,865. The average volume and value for April ended at 502,597 units and $2,768,003.
At the close of the market, Access Financial Services dropped $6.75 and closed at $40.25 trading 3,531 shares, AMG Packaging fell 35 cents to end at $4.65 with 154,820 units changing hands, Blue Power closed at $39 with 400 units changing hands, CAC 2000 traded 3,200 shares to close with a loss of 30 cents at $7, Cargo Handlers gained 50 cents in trading 3,548 shares at $20.50 Caribbean Cream closed trading with 19,059 changing hands, to close 35 cents higher at $8.50, Caribbean Flavours traded 9,800 shares at $11, after rising 49 cents, Consolidated Bakeries lost 49 cents in trading 367,563 shares to close at $2.40, Derrimon Trading fell 55 cents and ended at $7.70 with 10,000 shares changing hands, General Accident rose 17 cents and closed trading with 544 shares at $3.29, Honey Bun added 15 cents and ended with 900 shares changing hands, at $7.95, Iron Rock Insurance traded 1,000 shares to end at $3.40, after rising 40 cents, ISP Finance fell $1 to end at $24 with 61,418 units changing hands. Jamaican Teas lost 70 cents in trading 294,454 shares, to close at $4.75. Jetcon Corporation rose 24 cents and ended at record $15.74 with 28,217 shares trading, KLE Group lost 10 cents and ended at $2.70 with 50,000 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express jumped $8.50 with 2,175 shares trading to end at a record $68. Lasco Distributors ended with 184,427 units trading with a fall of 3 cents at $7.02, Lasco Financial gained 20 cents and ended with 5,000 shares changing hands at $4.20, Lasco Manufacturing rose 27 cents and closed at $5.40 while trading 64,418 shares, Main Event ended trading 64,002 shares at $7, Medical Disposables ended at $6.50 with 1,500 units trading, Paramount Trading shed just 1 cent to end with 28,224 shares changing hands at $3.09, tTech ended with 11,600 units changing hands at $7 after falling 15 cents.