The JSE junior market rose to another all-time high on Tuesday with 2 stocks rising and 5 declining. The market gained a mere 0.01 point to close at a new closing high of 1,040.59.
At the close, 8 securities traded resulting in 769,557 units valued at $1,587,037 changing hands. The market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy, while 6 had no stock being offered for sale and 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and only 1 with the offer being lower.
Stocks trading are, Access Financial closed with a loss of 88 cents at $18.12 with 2,700 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers ended with 250 shares changing hands at $31, Caribbean Cream traded 345,244 units, gained 20 cents to close at $2. Derrimon Trading ended with 60,500 shares changing hands, with a loss of 20 cents to end at $2.15, General Accident trade 1,000 shares to close at $1.78 for a loss of 8 cents, Lasco Financial Services traded 30,000 units to close at $1.89 after falling 9 cents. Lasco Manufacturing with 251,363 units changing hands closed at $2, for a fall of 10 cents and Medical Disposables closed with 78,500 units trading 10 cents higher at $2.25.
Juniors just barely make new high
Juniors market at a another high
Lasco Manufacturing new “I Cool” drinks – the stock closed at an all time high on Friday at $2.10.
gain at $2.60, Derrimon Trading ended with 19,007 shares changing hands, with a gain of 10 cents to end at $2.35. Lasco Distributors traded 65,500 shares to close at $1.76, Lasco Financial Services traded 1,845,506 units to close at $1.90 after shedding 10 cents. Lasco Manufacturing with just 679,674 units changing hands, gained 39 cents to close at $2.10, for a new 52 week’s high and Derrimon Trading ended with 75,549 shares changing hands to end at $2.40.
First time above 1,000 for juniors.
The JSE junior market gained 25.57 points on Tuesday to close at over 1,000 points for the first time ever in another record breaker move. The index closed at 1002.75 points as profits and shortage of stocks being sold continue the impact price movements. Today’s gains bring the increase in index over 46 percent since the start of this year. Technical indicator shows resistance around the present level, if that is cleared decisively, which seems likely, then the junior market should be heading to 1,200 points before a major resistance develops.
In actual trading on Tuesday, 10 securities changed hands with 6 rising and 2 declining
Access Financial Q2 profit up 71%
Stocks trading are, Access Financial gained 50 cents to close at a new all-time high of $19 but with just 100 units, the company released results for the six months to June, with a 71 percent gain in the quarter, resulting in profit of $112.5 million versus $65.6 million and for the six months $252 million compared with $145 million. Today’s price, places the valuation of the stock around 10 times earnings. AMG Packaging with 16,596 units changing hands, ended unchanged at $3.60, Blue Power traded 164,139 units with the
price rising 75 cents to $13, Caribbean Cream traded 48,500 shares at $2.10, after gaining 5 cents. Caribbean Producers dropped 46 cents, with 201,480 shares and closed at $2.59, Derrimon Trading had 10,000 shares changing hands, for a gain of 19 cents, to end at $2.25, Dolphin Cove jumped $3.35 to $12 while only 2,000 units traded. Honey Bun with 12,900 shares changing hands, closed 10 cents lower at $3, Lasco Distributors traded 14,500 shares to close at $1.80, Lasco Financial Services traded 935,900 units and gained 25 cents to close at $2.
Cargo Handlers keep on sailing away
Activity on the Junior Market was moderate and closed with 11 securities trading and ended with only 347,331 units changing hands valued at $1,016,457. The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 15.05 points close at 914.77. The market ended with the prices of 4 stocks advancing, 5 declining with Cargo Handlers closing at 52 weeks’ high.
At the close of the junior market was flashing weak signals for Wednesday with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last selling prices, 5 with lower offers and 5 securities closing with no bids to buy while only 3 had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial Services closing with 5,951 shares trading 2 cents up at $11.02, AMG Packaging ending with just 200 units changing hands to close 1 cent lower at $3.19 but had an offer at $3.15 at the end to sell 27,775 shares. Cargo Handlers recorded yet another all-time high in trading 9,342 units $1.50 higher to close at $30, Caribbean Cream traded 1,000 units at $1.60, Caribbean Flavours trading 16,581 shares to close at $2.53 after losing 2 cents, 
Caribbean Producers traded 5,000 shares and lost 20 cents to $2.80, Dolphin Cove trading only 811 units at $13 for a new high, after gaining 40 cents. At the close Knutsford Express sold 920 shares at $6.10. Lasco Financial Services traded 218,100 shares and gained 12 cents to end at $1.93, Lasco Manufacturing had 26,937 shares changing hands at $1.45 to again 14 cents at the end, Medical Disposables ended at $2.25 with 10,000 shares changing hands with a loss of 5 cents and Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference share closed with a 10 cents loss at $2.40.
3 new highs for junior market
Knutsford Express closed at a new all time high of $6.10 on Monday.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices, 2 with lower offers and 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 6 that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Blue Power closing with 659 shares trading at $10.51, after being as high as $11.60 for a new 52 weeks’ high. Caribbean Cream finishing with 60,000 units to close with a gain of 10 cents at $1.70, Caribbean Flavours trading 200,000 shares and ended 25 cents higher at $2.55,
Dolphin Cove finishing trading with only 400 shares to gain 50 cents to end at a new 52 weeks’ high of $12.50. Knutsford Express closing with 829 shares changing hands, 5 cents higher at $6.10 for a new 52 weeks’ high, Lasco Financial Services finishing trading with 662,171 units. The price slipped 15 cents to $1.80 after trading as high as $2, Lasco Manufacturing had 38,773 shares changing hands at $1.40, Medical Disposables contributed 11,240 shares with the price rising 5 cents, to $2.30 and Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference ended trading with 120,000 units at $2.50.
9 down 3 up on junior market
Trading picked up on the Junior Market with 15 securities trading, and ended with 1,497,036 units changing hands valued at $. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 25.44 points to close at 907.33, with the price of 3 stocks advancing and 9 declining and 2 closing at 52 weeks’ high.
At the close of the market, there is just 1 stock with the bid that is higher than their last selling price and only 2 with lower offers. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 7 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, AMG Packaging, ending with 5,500 shares changing hands, to close 1 cent lower at $3.19, Caribbean Cream trading 20,000 shares, 10 cents higher to new all-time high of $1.85, Caribbean Flavours finishing with 1,667 shares trading to close 1 cents higher at $2.09. Consolidated Bakeries ended with 65,234 units changing hands but lost 2 cents to close at $1.15, Derrimon Trading finished with 3,599 shares trading to close 10 cents higher at $2.20. 
Dolphin Cove concluding trading with 3,333 shares changing hands to close 25 cents lower at $11. General Accident Insurance ended trading with a loss of 20 cents to close at $1.75 with 34,252 shares trading, Honey Bun lost 33 cents in trading just 2,053 units. KLE Group traded 3,500 shares at 70 cents, Lasco Distributors traded 348,516 shares to close lower by 20 cents at $1.40, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 671,000 units with the price slipping 6 cents to $2. Lasco Manufacturing had 124,982 shares changing hands as the stock traded lower by 5 cents to $1.45, Paramount Trading ended trading with 200,000 shares to end unchanged at $5.50 and Eppley 10% preference share closed trading with 8,400 units and lost just 1 cent to $6 and the company’s 9.5% preference share saw 5,000 units treading at $6.01
Carib Producers tops trading
Trading picked up on the Junior Market with 7 securities trading, and ended with 8,635,658 units changing hands valued at $25,070,304 as Caribbean Producers accounts for the majority of the volume and value of trades. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 11.91 points to end at a new closing high of 912.66, with the price of 2 stocks advancing, 1 declining and 1 closing at 52 weeks’ high.
At the close of the market, there were 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 2 with lower offers. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 8 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Caribbean Producers traded 7,617,000 units to close at $2.88, after it traded earlier in the trading session at $3. General Accident Insurance concluded trading with just 5,822 shares changing hands to end at $2, Jamaican Teas ended with 150,000 shares trading unchanged at $3.50, Lasco Distributors traded 322,540 shares at $1.70, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 216,350 units, 5 cents at an all-time high of $1.86. There was dealing in 69,846 Lasco Manufacturing’s shares as the stock traded lower by 2 cents to $1.38 and Derrimon Trading 9.5% preference share closed trading with 254,100 units at $2.50.
16 junior stocks traded 9 up 2 down
Caribbean Cream traded over 700,000 shares and closed at a new all time high on Tuesday
At the close, there were 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 9 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial trading 500 shares to close at $17, AMG Packaging ending with 800 shares changing hands to close higher by 1 cent at $3.20, Blue Power closed with 6,350 shares trading at $9.50, Cargo Handlers finishing with 205,972 units, closed at a new high of $22.29, after gaining a cent. Caribbean Cream traded 703,034 units to end at $1.25 to gain 10 cents, Caribbean Flavours closed trading with 8,581 shares but lost 5 cents to end at $2, Caribbean Producers with 59,329 shares traded unchanged at $2.80, General Accident Insurance concluded trading with 30,000 shares changing hands to close 10 cents Higher at $2. Honey Bun traded 11,973 units at $2.69 after adding 7 cents.
Jamaican Teas had 10,000 shares changing hands at $3.50, Lasco Distributors traded 62,000 to close 6 cents higher at $1.66, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 622,000 units, between $1.60 and $1.71 but the price lost 2 cents to $1.65. There was dealing in 201,993 shares of Lasco Manufacturing, the stock closed with an 11 cents rise to $1.40, Paramount Trading ended with just 2,543 units changing hands to gain 15 cents to $3.95, Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference share saw trading in just 900 units with a 25 cents gain to $2.50 and Eppley 9.5% preference share had 12,800 units trading at $6.01.
Derrimon profit jumps 83%
Derrimon Trading profit climbs 83 percent in the March quarter to $20.5 million although sales declined by 4.8 percent in in to $1.296 billion. Despite the sale decline, gross profit increased 17 percent from $142 billion to $166 billion.Other income declined from $12.6 million down to $5.5 million and distribution expenses fell $2.5 million to $21.7 million but administrative expense were up nearly $5 million to $119 million, interest cost rose from $14.9 million to $18.88 million. The company’s shares of associated company – Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances results contributed $8.36 million to the net results. There was no ownership of the associate in the similar period in 2014.
Decline in sales is not what investors want to see from a company, even when profit rise, looking forward increasing sales is what is going to drive profits and stock prices.
During the quarter under review, the directors approved the acquisition of the assets of Northern Cash and Carry as part of the strategy to expand the Sampars footprint at strategic locations island wide.
The financial structure remains a bother and places the company at a high level of risk with debt of $657 million including preference shares of $250 million and equity of only $380 million. Of the total loans, $335 million are short term and due within a year. There is also cash funds of $81 million but with the new acquisition approved, some of the cash is likely to be used to fund the purchase. With the short term loan due within a year, the company will have to restructure the loans as it is not producing the type of cash flow that would facilitate repayment from internally generated funds. In short, the company needs more equity capital or it ought to have a hybrid of debt, with an option to convert to equity at some point in time in the future.
Earnings per shares ended at 8 cents for the quarter and should end at around 32 cents for the year. The stock traded last on the Jamaica stock market at $2.15 putting the PE at 6.7 times earnings, not leaving much room for growth in the current market environment and valuation of junior market companies at present.
9 stocks rose on junior martket
A fall in the price of dolphin cove helped pull the junior market index south
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers. The junior market ended with only 2 securities closing with no bids to buy and 7 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial ending with 3,540 shares changing hands, to close lower by 2 cents at $17, Caribbean Cream closed with 100 shares trading at $1.19 to gain 14 cents, but ended with an offer of 120,000 shares at $1.10. Caribbean Flavours finished trading with 15,774 units to close with a gain of 24 cents at $2.10, Caribbean Producers with 28,511 shares trading, ended higher by 15 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $3.15, but had an offer of 18,000 units at $3.
Consolidated Bakeries traded unchanged at $1, with just 1,045 shares, Derrimon Trading finished with 38,000 shares changing hands and gained 15 cents to $2.15, Dolphin Cove had just 1,398 units changing hands at $10 while losing 75 cents, General Accident Insurance concluded trading with 6,507 shares changing hands, to close 17 cents higher at $2.17. Lasco Distributors traded 21,609 shares, 10 cent higher, at $1.65, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 60,200 units, the price rose just 1 cent, to $1.31. There was dealing in 22,900 shares of Lasco Manufacturing as the stock traded lower by 3 cents to $1.37, Medical Disposables contributed 34,000 shares with the price rising 10 cents, to $1.90 and Paramount Trading ended trading with 4,000 shares to end with an increase of 4 cents at $3.76.
