Stationery and Office Supplies returns to the Junior Market IC TOP 10 list for the first time since February last year as the stock price dropped to $4.55 and replaced Medical Disposables that reported a loss in the half-year, resulted in the downgrading of full year’s earnings and potential stock price movement.
Stationery & Office Supplies Head quarters
Medical Disposables earnings per share are now projected at 30 cents for the current year and 85 cents for the succeeding year and put the PE ratio at 14 times current-year earnings. As indicated last week, Lasco Financial was set to be a big winner for the past week, after the company reported outstanding second-quarter profit. The stock rose 23 percent to close the week at $2.60 after trading as high as $2.75 in the week. The price should move higher going forward, with likely earnings around 40 cents per share for the current fiscal year and a PE ratio of 6.5.
Signals in the market continue to point to higher prices ahead. The Junior Market is currently signaling a big surge in a few weeks as short-term moving averages cross over longer-term ones to confirm a strong rally ahead. The big move in the Main market seems a few months away, but signs are that the market should continue to move gradually higher ahead of the year-end.
This week’s focus: Grace Kennedy continues to enjoy a phenomenal year, with profit attributed to the company’s shareholders, rising 33 percent to $1.68 billion in the September quarter, from $1.26 billion for the third quarter in the previous year and grew 35 percent for the nine months to September, to just $4.4 billion from $3.27 billion the corresponding period in 2019. Taxation more than doubled in both periods, but profit before tax grew 49 percent in the third quarter to $2.79 billion and for the nine-months, it rose 51.5 percent to $7.3 billion. Earnings per share are $1.69 for the quarter and $4.47 for the nine months and should exceed $6 for the full year.
The top three stocks in Junior Market remain as they were this past week, with the potential to gain between 272 to 726 percent by March 2021. Caribbean Producers heads the list, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and elite Diagnostic. The focus on all three is on the 2021 fiscal year profit, projected to recover from reduced profit for the 2020 financial year. 
With expected gains of 150 to 238 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are now, Berger Paints followed by JMMB Group and Grace Kennedy in the third position.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.8 and the Junior Market 12.1, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 6.5 at just 54 percent to the average of the Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.3 or 52 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 247 percent, and 147 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, indicating potentially greater gains in the Junior Market than the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists for most weeks. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands, up from 34 on Thursday and finished with 13 stocks rising, the prices of 15 declining and seven with prices remaining unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
GWest Corporation lost 1 cent to settle at 88 cents with 100 shares traded, Indies Pharma gained 10 cents to close at $2.60 in the transfer of 16,575 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance dropped 20 cents to end at $3 with 17,544 stock units changing hands. Jetcon Corporation dipped 5 cents to finish at 75 cents after exchanging 74,587 stocks, Knutsford Express fell 11 cents to $6.69 with 329 shares passing through the market, Lasco Distributors increased 1 cent to close at $3.15 trading of 67,623 stock units. Lasco Financial lost 10 cents to end at $2.60 with 344,300 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents to finish at $3.75 with a transfer of 17,883 shares, Limners and Bards dipped 1 cent and exchanged 369,298 stocks to settle at $2.50. Lumber Depot slipped 3 cents to close at $1.27 with 142,641 stock units passing through the market, Mailpac Group gained 1 cent, trading 690,324 shares to end at $2, Main Event fell 1 cent to finish at $2.99 with 1,000 stocks changing hands. Paramount Trading shed 30 cents to settle at $1.60 with investors transferring 97,894 stocks, Tropical Battery lost 3 cents to close at $1.21 with 601,792 shares traded and tTech jumped $2.60 to end at $6.70 with 40 units crossing the exchange.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,132.01 points to 404,161.89, the Main Index fell by 1,989.11 points to 368,737.93 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.05 points to settle at 96.00.
Trading month to date compares adversely to October’s average of 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $9 to close at $141, in exchanging100 units, NCB Financial finished at $133.90, with gains of 30 cents after an exchange of 22,786 stock units, PanJam Investment rose 95 cents to end at $63.95, with the trading of 632 units. Portland JSX lost 97 cents ending at $8.99, with a transfer of 36,015 stock units, Proven Investments advanced $4.80 to settle at $39.80, with 3,440 stock units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group fell $2 to end at $42 and clearing the market with 13,510 units. Scotia Group rose 80 cents in closing at $45, with an exchange of 3,820 units, Seprod declined by $4 to end at $60, with 17,581 stock units passing through the market, Stanley Motta gained 85 cents to settle at $5.50, after exchanging 107 units and Victoria Mutual Investments lost 40 cents to close at $5.35 after trading 26,384 stock units.
At the close of the market, trading ended with four securities changing hands compared to four on Thursday and ended with two stock prices rising, one declining and one remaining unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows one stock ending with bids higher than its last selling price and none with lower offers.
National Enterprises finished at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.85, with a loss of 5 cents after trading 1,550 units and West Indian Tobacco slipped 2 cents to $33.43, with 40 units changing hands.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,323.05 points to 406,293.9, the Main Index lost 1,996.58 points to 370,727.04 and the JSE Financial Index shed 1.32 points to settle at 96.05.
Trading ended with an average of 223,636 units changing hands at $2,567,448 for each security, in comparison to an average of 192,871 shares at $1,502,526 on Wednesday. The average trade for the month to date ends at 160,915 units at $1,670,277, in contrast to 142,384 units at $1,405,203. Trading month to date compares adversely to October’s average of 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 40 cents to end at $17.60, with 3,292 units passing through the market, JMMB Group lost $1.20 to settle at $30.05, in an exchange of 28,095 stock units. Mayberry Investments rose 58 cents to $6.09, with investors switching ownership of 583 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $9.99 to settle at $150, with 552 units crossing the market, NCB Financial finished 50 cents lower at $133.60, with an exchange of 19,267 stock units. 138 Student Living gained 39 cents and settled at $4.89, with an exchange of 25 units, Palace Amusement dropped $300 to close a 52 weeks’ low of $1,000 after exchanging 54 units, Pan Jam Investment gained 50 cents to close at $63 trading 6,931 stock units, Proven Investments fell $4.99 in closing at $35, with investors switching ownership of 5,202 units. Scotia Group shed 80 cents to end at $44.20 after trading 6,910 units Seprod climbed $2.30 to close at $64, with a transfer of 12,400 stock units and Wisynco Group shed 70 cents after ending at $15.20, with 727,281 shares changing hands.
At the close of the market, trading ended with four securities changing hands compared to three on Wednesday and closed with the prices of one stock rising, one declining and two ending unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows one stock ending with a bid higher than its last selling price and one with a lower offer.
The number of securities trading remained the same as on Wednesday with 34 stocks changing hands and ended with the prices of 10 stocks rising, the prices of 17 declining and seven with prices remaining unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
ISP Finance dipped 5 cents to close at $22.45 trading 97 units, Jamaican Teas gained 17 cents to finish at $5.40 with 41,049 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors slipped 1 cent to $3.14 with the trading of 13,879 stocks. Lasco Financial increased 10 cents to end at $2.70 with a transfer of 147,160 units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 1 cent to $3.70 with 14,280 shares passing through the market, Limners and Bards lost 4 cents to close at $2.51 with 21,043 shares changing hands. Lumber Depot fell 11 cents to $1.30 and exchanged 605,780 shares, Mailpac Group lost 1 cent to end at $1.99 with 247,920 stock units traded, Medical Disposables dropped 40 cents to settle at $4.25 with investors switching ownership of 18,824 shares. SSL Venture Capital declined 12 cents to close at 55 cents with 183,012 units passing through the market, Tropical Battery rose 2 cents to finish at $1.24 with 123,750 shares changing hands and tTech shed $1.40 to close at $4.10 with 9,500 stock units crossing the exchange.
The market closed with 16 securities trading, down from nineteen on Wednesday, closing with three stocks advancing, five declining and eight remaining unchanged. Trading resulted in 52,879 shares for $1,798,639 compared to 318,046 shares valued $2,909,437 on Wednesday.
Republic Financial Holdings lost 30 cents trading 7,757 stock units to finish at $141 and Scotiabank was down 5 cents to $54.35, with 1,920 units crossing the market.
The average trade for November to date is 142,384 units at $1,405,203 for each security versus 117,991 units at $1,358,182. Trading month to date compares adversely to October’s average of 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
JMMB Group ended 55 cents higher at $31.25, in the transfer of 549,695 shares, Kingston Properties shed 63 cents in closing at $6.85 and trading 29,700 stock units, Kingston Wharves lost $2.40 to end at $45.50, with investors swapping 7,442 stock units. Mayberry Investments shed 58 cents in closing at $5.51, trading 14,915 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy shed $8.99 to $140.01, with an exchange of 253 units, NCB Financial lost 90 cents in closing at $134.10, after a transfer of 28,805 stock units. Pan Jam Investment fell $1.10 to $62.50, after an exchange of 14,959 stock shares, Proven Investments climbed $1.39 to $39.99 trading 7,325 units, Pulse Investments gained 48 cents to end at $4.73, with investors switching ownership of 2,656,385 shares. Sagicor Group fell $1.45 to settle at $44.10, with 9,121 units passing through the market, Scotia Group rose $1 to close at $45, in exchanging 45,982 shares and Seprod fell $1.75 to $61.70 after trading 53,957 shares.
