tTech, one of ICI Insider.com top selections for 2017.
With just over one month of 2017 slipping by, the junior market is up more than 14 percent in a relative short time. Market movement delivered some stunning gains with five stocks rising between 54 percent and 77 percent up to Friday.
The PE ratio, the best measure of valuing stocks, for this market is at 10.5 times 2017 estimated earnings and 16 times 2016, with 9 stocks selling above this level, including Cargo Handlers selling at a rich 51 times 2016 and 40 times 2017 earnings. The top 10 stocks have PE ratios for 2017 between 4.3 and 7.4 times estimated earnings compared to the average of 10.5. Nine socks are priced higher than the average.
Technical indicators show the junior markets braking through major resistance levels at 2,600 points and seem poised to reach new highs around 3,400 points before the next level of resistance is met, that is 15 percent away from the close on Friday.
What makes junior market stocks attractive, is their size, relative to the majority of main market stocks and their ability to grow at a much faster pace, from existing business or expansion into new ventures, delivering superior profits and greater growth in the stock prices.
ISP Finance has very limited supply of stocks available for sale, this should ensure that the price should surge to match seller and buyers. The company could see a sharp rise in profits if the $145 million raised in a bond issue last year is invested in new loans. Based on its interim results to September last year, interest income works out at 100 percent per annum. At these levels and with the infusion of cash from the bond and the cash to flow from profits, the stock could enjoy and explosive blast, if they are able to put the funds into profitable loans.
tTech revenues for this technology company grew strongly by 34.3 percent for the nine months to September and stronger 43 percent for the September quarter, with very good demand for its services. A negative is that cost has been growing just as fast, as they add personnel to service customers need. At September 2016, the company had 33 full-time employees compared to 24 at the same period in 2015. While staffing grew 57 percent between September 2015 and September 2016, the growth in the September quarter was only 7 percent over the June quarter. The sharp growth in cost slowed growth in profits, from a relatively small base. The slowdown in staffing in the September quarter, should allow more revenues to flow into profits in 2017 onwards.
Lasco Manufacturing
Lasco Manufacturing has enjoyed very strong demand for its new drinks, resulting in major expansion of the factory. Total revenue to September 2016 was $4 billion, an increase of 28 percent over the same period last year, resulting from increased production volumes brought to market, as part of the expansion of the manufacturing plant.
The company indicated that production at the liquid plant continues to grow steadily. The plan is for increase capacity to meet strong market demand for the iCool line of beverages, by ramping up production with the installation of additional equipment by the end of the financial year. The new Dry Plant at White Marl is fully operational together with the existing Red Hills Road Dry Plant. New products will be introduced by the end of 2016 to enhance the product line which is projected to continue to realize significant sales and profits, the company stated.
Main Event is the latest public issue to hit the market. The issue was heavily oversubscribed. The price is set to enjoy a big bounce when it list this week Wednesday with the PE ratio of just 7, based on 2016 earnings and less based on estimated 2017 profit. The funds raised will be used to expand its operation, including setting up a branch in Montego Bay.
Medical Disposables focussed on increasing the product line it represents in 2016, reflecting in a strong 38 percent sales growth for the first six months of the financial year, but at lower margins. Increased cost associated with the expanded sales has so far kept profit from growing a great deal in 2016. That should change in 2017, as sales growth, out pace cost increases. With the focus on rapidly expanding products and sales, this is clearly a stock for investors to keep a keen eye on.
Caribbean Flavours traded at $9.50 on the junior market last week
Caribbean Flavours is a company with much promise for growth, with potential for increased exports and new product lines for sale, locally and with the Caribbean region. The stock is selling below many other in the junior market currently, and the price has room to run, having fallen to $9.50 with the confusion investors faced, with the acquisition majority shares by Derrimon Trading.
Access Financial is undervalued based on a number of factors but the stock is extremely scarce. Earnings for the fiscal year ending March, should be in the order of $2.80 and based on this and with 10 junior market companies selling at more than 17 times 2016 earnings, the stock should be trading over $45. As the company makes profit, most of the funds are reinvested in its operation to expand loans, this in turn fuels strong increased profit. Access seems set to generate earnings of $4.35 per share for the 2018 fiscal year, which will push the price much higher than its current level.
Key Insurance nine months profit ended at $66 million compared to $68 million for the 2015 period and seems set to reach $120 million for the full year, for earnings per share of 35 cents. The company should benefit from the lowering of restriction on investments that insurance companies could undertake which should free up funds for more profitable investments as the companies see fit. Investing in general insurance companies can be riskier than for many other companies, in the short term.
Jetcon Corporation revenues enjoyed strong growth for 1st nine months of 2016
Jetcon Corporationlisted at $2.25 in 2016, is shot to $10.50 for a rise of 366 percent. An announcement of a stock split and dividend gave the stock added push as investors bought more shares at higher prices. The company more than doubled profits to September last year over results for 2015 for the same period. Jetcon benefitted from the capital injection of the public share issue. It helped boosts inventory, and in turn grew sales by 61 percent to $610 million for the nine months to September and 86 percent for the September quarter. The publicity from the listing seems to have enhance the company’s image in the minds of potential customers which has also helped sales. The trend of increased sales for the past two years suggest that sales growth may continue to be strong in 2017 and should be helped by the continued attractive financing terms available in the market, strengthening of the economy and reduction in PAYE that some workers will enjoy, when the tax threshold increases in April thus increasing take home pay.
Dolphin Cove was the darling of the investing public when the company was listed but seems to have lost its lustre as profit growth slowed sharply. With continued growth in the tourism industry and more cruise ships coming to the country, the company should get a boost in revenues and earnings for this undervalued stock.
Persons associated with this article may have an interest in the companies commented on.
The junior market shot through the 2,900 points level with strong gains 67.79 points in trading on Friday, to end at a new closing high of 2,959.31, after 24 securities traded, with the prices of 19 rising and only 2 declining.
Blue Power jumped $3 to close with 1,200 shares changing hands at a 52 weeks’ high of $50, CAC 2000 traded 16,000 units at $6.10. Cargo Handlers traded 31,840 units to close at $22, Caribbean Cream exchanged 63,000 shares and gained 55 cents, to close at $7.80, Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents in trading 7,197 units at $4.50. Consolidated Bakeries shed 20 cents in trading 30,000 shares to close at 52 weeks’ high of $3.60. C2W Music rose 5 cents and ended at 45 cents with 25,000 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $7 with 40,400 shares changing hands, after rising by 55 cents, Dolphin Cove ended with a gain of 24 cents at $14.74 with 3,890 shares changing hands. General Accident gained 10 cents and closed trading with 71,641 shares at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.50. Honey Bun shed 24 cents and closed with 56,056 shares changing hands at $7.25, Jamaican Teas traded 37,450 shares to close at $8.60 after rising by 10 cents, Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 475,275 shares, to end with a gain of 8 cents at $10.50. Key Insurance traded 10,000 units to close at $3.50, after rising by 15 cents, KLE Group gained 5 cents and ended with 6,305 units changing hands at a 52 weeks’ high of $3, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 86,100 units changing hands and gained 10 cents to close at $7.30. 
Lasco Financial gained 11 cents with 287,245 shares changing hands to end at $3.86, Lasco Manufacturing with 44,900 units changing hands, closed with a rise of 8 cents at $5.20, Medical Disposables added 10 cents and closed at $6.10 with 66,063 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading closed at $3.05 after slipping 5 cents, with 136,500 shares changing hands, tTech closed trading with 7,599 units changing hands to end at $6.90 after rising 5 cents, Derrimon preference share, traded 49,750 units and fell 7 cents to end at $2.05 and Eppley 10% preference share, traded 14,815 units to close at $6.85 after rising 10 cents.
but the stock is offered at $42 and in the junior market, Blue Power Group with 1,200 shares at a new high of $50, Derrimon Trading with 40,400 trading at a new high of $7, with no stock on offer and Lasco Financial Services trading 287,245 shares at $3.86.
At the close of trading, 
Lasco Distributors ended trading with 2,720 units changing hands and lost 10 cents to close at $7.20. Lasco Financial had 18,071 shares changing hands and shed 25 cents to end at $3.75, Lasco Manufacturing with 49,999 units changing hands, closed with a loss of 8 cents at $5.12, Medical Disposables shed 10 cents and closed at $6 with 33,545 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading closed at $3.10 after rising 10 cents, with 22,382 shares changing hands, tTech closed trading with 27,800 units changing hands to end at $6.85 after easing 5 cents, Derrimon preference share, traded 49,750 units and fell 7 cents to end at $2.05 and Eppley 9.5% preference share, traded 840,000 units to close at $6.04 after rising 1 cent.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging rose 90 cents to close at $21 with 1,965 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 2,000 units changing hands at $40.40, Caribbean Cream exchanged 710,000 shares and fell 24 cents, to close at $7.27, Caribbean Flavours put through 897 units to end at $9.50. Caribbean Producers lost 10 cents in trading 53,025 units at $4.25. Consolidated Bakeries jumped 50 cents in trading 146,122 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.50, C2W Music ended 35 cents with 23,480 shares changing hands, General Accident gained 5 cents and closed trading with 148,153 shares at $3.05, but traded at an all-time high of $3.50 earlier in the day. Honey Bun climbed 9 cents and closed with 202,754 shares changing hands at $7, Jamaican Teas traded 20,460 shares to close at $9.15 after rising by 34 cents, Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 53,787 shares, to end with a gain of 26 cents to $9.80. Key Insurance traded 15,000 units to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.35, after rising by 35 cents, KLE Group gained 30 cents and ended with 44,700 units changing hands at $2.80, 
Lasco Distributors ended trading with 63,350 units changing hands to end at $7.30. Lasco Financial had 126,647 shares changing hands and gained 8 cents to end at $4, Lasco Manufacturing with 134,019 units changing hands, closed with a gain of 7 cents at $5.13, Medical Disposables gained 20 cents and closed at $6.10 with 20,069 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading closed at $3 with 871,487 shares changing hands, tTech closed trading with 16,010 units changing hands to end at $6.90 after rising 30 cents, Eppley 10% preference share, traded 8,000 units and rose 3 cents to end at $6.03 and Eppley 8.25% preference share, traded 170,000 units to close at $6 after it traded at an all –time high of $6.05.
The junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange made moderate gains on in trading on Tuesday, but that was enough to land it with a rise of 9.5 percent for the first month of the year. The market on all trading days except for moderate declines on only two days. 
An average of 84,770 units with an average value of $567,533 traded, compared to 26,655 units with an average value of $168,890 on the previous trading day. The average for the month to date is 165,547 units with an average value of $884,749 versus 169,586 units with an average value of $900,610 for the preceding trading day. The average for December, ended at 131,147 units, with an average value of $672,488.
Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 141,658 shares, to end with a loss of 88 cents to $9.54. KLE Group gained 30 cents and ended with 5,300 units changing hands at $2.80, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 895,981 units changing hands to end at $7.30 after gaining 30 cents, Lasco Financial had 7,202 shares changing hands and fell 8 cents to end at $3.92. Lasco Manufacturing with 75,371 units changing hands, closed with a loss of 7 cents at $5.13, Medical Disposables closed with a loss of 30 cents at $5.60 with 21,586 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading closed with a loss of 10 cents at $3 with 34,921 shares changing hands and tTech closed trading with 2,200 units changing hands to end at $6.60 after falling 30 cents.
The market closed with 12 stocks with bids higher than their last sale and 1 with a lower offer than the last sale.
Jetcon Corporation closed trading with just 650 shares, to end with a gain of 56 cents to $10.10. KLE Group ended with 8,200 units changing hands at $2.49, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 16,985 units changing hands to end at $7.30. Lasco Financial had 45,650 shares changing hands and rose 15 cents to end at $3.95, Lasco Manufacturing with 3,240 units changing hands and closed with a gain of 5 cents at $5.15, Medical Disposables gained 30 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 with 2,850 shares trading. Paramount Trading closed with a gain of 2 cents at $3.22 with 2,500 shares changing hands and tTech closed trading with 40,936 units changing hands to end at a record $6.90.
The junior market ended trading on Wednesday with a new closing high, with index staying above the 2,800 points level and held on for a moderate gain of 4.05 points at the close to end at 2,808.74, after rising as high as 2,830.08 points in the morning session. 
The market closed with 11 stocks with bids higher than their last sale and one with a lower offer than the last sale.
Jamaican Teas lost 25 cents to end at $8 with 25,565 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 26,500 shares, to end with a rise of 30 cents at $10.30, KLE Group ended with 1,868 units changing hands at $2.20, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 43,100 units changing hands and gained 10 cents to end at $7.30. Lasco Financial had 51,904 shares changing hands and rose 15 cents to end at $3.80, Lasco Manufacturing with 96,444 units changing hands closed at $5.20, Medical Disposables gained 85 cents to end at $5.55 with 26,424 shares trading. Paramount Trading closed at $3.20 with 2,200 shares changing hands and Sweet River Abattoir with 4,713,213 units trading, lost 1 cent to end at $3.85
The market closed with 7 stocks with bids higher than their last sale and none with a lower offer, than their last sale.
Jetcon Corporation traded 48,465 shares to end at $10 after trading at a new intraday high of $10.50, Key Insurance traded 33,300 units to close at $3 after losing 10 cents, Medical Disposables lost 25 cents to close at $4.45 with 27,900 shares changing hands, tTech traded 2,000 shares to close at $6.50. Eppley 9.5% preference share, ended with 307,319 units changing hands to close at $6 after falling 6 cents and Eppley 8.25% preference share, ended with 185,036 units changing hands to close at $6.
The market closed with 8 stocks with bids higher than their last sale and 2 with a lower offer, than their last sale.
Jetcon Corporation traded 185,562 shares to end at a new closing 52 weeks’ high of $10 after adding 50 cents, KLE Group closed at $2.20 with 20,000 units changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended with 9,862 units trading, to close at $7.40, after adding 37 cents. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5, with a loss of 15 cents as just under 2 million units traded, Medical Disposables lost 13 cents to close at $4.60 with 21,127 shares changing hands, tTech traded 209,302 shares to close at $6.50 and Eppley 9.5% preference share, ended with 40,000 units changing hands to close at $6.06 after falling 12 cents.