Trading activities on the Jamaica Stock Exchange was again slow in the early morning session as buyers and sellers continue their stand-off. The market has so far traded 18 securities with a volume of 3,409,859 units, with only 1 stock declining and 9 rising.
Trading activity resulted small changes to the indices with the JSE Market Index rising 697.61 points to 98,878.63. The JSE All Jamaican Composite index gained 779.62 points to 109,458.72 and the JSE combined index rose 725.77 points to be at 102,052.74. The junior market inched up 7.52 points to 973.90.
The main trades so far are, Desnoes & Geddes traded 3,095,177 units at $7.50 while gaining 50 cents, Mayberry Investments 178,500 units at $3 while gaining 19 cents and Proven Investments ordinary share trades 38,977 units at 19.9 US dollars.
9 stocks rise 1 fell on JSE – early Tuesday
D&G profit fell in Q4
Profit fell to $815 million for Desnoes & Geddes, the brewers of the famous Red Stripe beer, in the final quarter of the fiscal year to June, versus $1 billion in 2014. Earnings per share came in at 83 cents with $1.12 in 2014. The latter includes gain on sale of investments in Eastern Caribbean breweries, equal to 35 cents per share. IC Insider is forecasting $1.05 per share earnings, for the year to June 2016.
Revenues came in at $4.4 billion for the quarter versus $3.8 billion in 2014, for the full year $16 billion versus $14.3 billion. Sales growth was helped by a combination of increased volume, product mix and price increase, the company stated. Royalties earned amounted to $533 million in the year and $525 million in 2014.
General, selling and administrative expenses were virtually static for the year at $1.26 billion compared to $1.22 billion but marketing cost rose 37 percent to $1.37 billion against an increase of 15.7 percent to $5.46 billion in gross profit.
For 2015, the company paid a dividend of 13 cents in March while a dividend 27 cents was paid in December last year, providing a yield of 12 percent based on the stock price of $4.10 on August 21 last year. Based on the increased profit and past dividend payments, investors can expect to see an increase for the next dividend payment.
The company’s stock last traded at $7 on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange giving it a PE ratio of 8.4 and a 100 percent premium to net asset value.
The stock valuation may be on the high side just now compared with others in the market, there are a few things investors should focus on. These include the likelihood of increased sales that should occur in the period leading up to the next general elections, with the high dividend yield and falling interest rates the stock will become more attractive as an income generator in the not too distant future.
12 up 12 down on JSE Wednesday
The JSE Market Index lost 137.06 points to 97,315.35, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declining by 153.20 points to close at 107,711.34 but the JSE combined index declined 273.13 points to end at 99,982.34.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Caribbean Cement closed with 38,245 shares changing hands at $5.50, Carreras traded 12,000 shares but closed with a loss of $2.15 at $48.35, Desnoes & Geddes lost 45 cents in trading 21,600 shares to close at $7.55. Gleaner ended with 13,645 shares changing hands but gained 8 cents at the close to $1.08, Grace Kennedy had 26,700 units changing hands and fell 50 cents to $63.50, Jamaica Broilers remained firm in trading 94,000 units to end at $6. Jamaica Stock Exchange in trading 17,135 shares ended with a gain of 1 cent at $6.81, at the close Stocks and Securities offered 982,865 units for sale at $6.80. Kingston Wharves traded 12,229 shares in closing at $7. The stock traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $7.01, Mayberry Investments traded 123,703 shares to dip 7 cents at $2.53, National Commercial Bank declined by just 1 cents in trading 144,522 shares to close at $29, Proven Investments traded 117,000 shares to close at 21.5 US cents up from the closing price of 19.01 US cents on Tuesday. Sagicor Group fell 10 cents with 1,510,308 units trading to end at $12.85, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed 1 cent down at $8 after 11,625 shares were exchanged and Scotia Group had 156,455 units trading 25 cents higher at $23.50.
JSE poised to rise on Wednesday
Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange picked up with one of the better trading days in terms of the number of securities being active. At the close there were 14 stocks rising, 8 declining as 39 securities changed hands, including 4 that closed at new 52 weeks’ high and ending in 4,671,007 units trading, valued at $73,832,092, in all market segments.
The changes in the market indices were very small with the JSE Market Index gaining just 13.43 points to 97,452.41, theJSE All Jamaican Composite index rising by 15.01 points to close at 107,864.54 but the JSE combined index declined by 4.07 points to end at 100,255.47.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 3 with offers that were lower, a suggestion that advancing stocks should have the upper hand again on Wednesday.
In trading, Cable & Wireless closed with 1,149,216 units trading to end at 45 cents, Carreras traded 321,462 shares and gained $2.19 to end at $50.50, Desnoes & Geddes gained 44 cents in trading 733,245 shares to close at $8. Gleaner ended with 108,114 shares changing hands but lost 8 cents at the close, Grace Kennedy had 26,700 units changing hands and put on 64 cents to $64, Jamaica Broilers gained 55 cents while trading 8,410 units to end at $6. JMMB Group ended with 20,085 shares trading unchanged at $7.50, Kingston Wharves put on 30 cents in closing at $7 having traded just 2,900 units. Mayberry Investments traded 252,867 shares to close at $2.60 after shedding 30 cents, National Commercial Bank lost 44 cents in trading 1,008,211 shares at $29.01 at the end. 138 Student Living regained the 40 cents it lost recently to close at $4.40 with 20,000 units changing hands, Pan Jamaican dropped $2.70 with 59,230 units to close at $60.80, Proven Investments traded 305,252 shares between 22 US cents and the closing price of 19.01 US cents, for a slight gain at the end. Radio Jamaica closed with a gain of 30 cents to a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.50 with just 4,214 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group was up 55 cents with 191,448 units trading to end at $12.95, Sagicor Real Estate X Fund closed 1 cent higher at a new high of $8.01 after 4,000 shares were exchanged. Scotia Group had 95,808 units trading 10 cents higher at $23.25 and Scotia Investments traded 15,000 shares at $29.85 at the close.
138 Student Living big trades
On a day the junior market reached a new all-time high with 7 stocks advancing and none losing, with 4 stocks closing at new highs, the main market slipped, with only 3 stocks advancing with all losses coming from this market. The markets closed with the prices of 10 stocks rising, 11 declining as 31 securities changed hands, ending in 28,982,879 units trading, valued at $131,346,625, and 7 new 52 weeks’ highs and 1 new low, in all market segments
TheJSE Market Index lost 310.43 points to 97,890.06, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 346.98 points to close at and the 108,353.72 JSE combined index dropped 220.38 points to end at 100,762.69.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with offers that were lower. The junior market that recorded all gains showed weakness at the end with 5 stocks closing with lower offers than the last sale and only 2 with bids that were higher.
Stocks trading include, Cable & Wireless with 645,332 shares changing hands with a loss of 1 cent to close at 44 cents. Desnoes & Geddes closing with 870,000 stock units trading at $8, Grace Kennedy had 10,000 shares changing hands at $63.90 to lose 1 cent, Hardware & Lumber closed with 7,147 shares trading to end with a gain of $1 at a new 52 weeks’ high of $19. Investors continue to react to Jamaica Stock Exchange big jump in profits and announcement of a 53 cents dividend as they snapped up the 50,000 stock units on sale and still wanted more with bids at $6.00 to $6.55 to buy 162,000 units. The stock gained 25 cents for the day and closed at $6. JMMB Group saw 179,100 shares trading, to close at $7.26, down 24 cents, 138 Student Living traded 12,202,200 stock units and lost 40 cents to end at $4. Sagicor Group had 16,457 shares trading with a gain of 24 cents to end at a new 52 weeks’ high of $12.30, the stock closed with a bid of $13.20 to buy 1,000 shares, posted at 12:24 pm on Wednesday. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 63,800 stock units at $7.60, Scotia Group had 31,000 shares trading, to close with a 10 cents loss at $24.40, Scotia Investments fell $3.57 with 6,300 stock units trading, to end at $26.28. Seprod lost 50 cents with 6,888 shares trading, to close at $15.49, Proven Investments traded 229,035 stock units at 21 US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share trading 1,401,000 units at $2.03 while 138 Student Living preference share traded 12,000,000 units at $5 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 42,955 units at $5.