Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded, with an 81 percent decline and ended with a 71 percent decline in the value compared with that on Monday with trading in 42 securities compared with 40 on Monday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 21 declining and six closing unchanged.
The market closed with 4,278,021 shares being traded for $9,351,166 compared with 14,902,945 units at $48,199,902 on Monday.
Trading averaged 101,858 shares at $222,647, compared to 372,574 units at $1,204,998 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 223,206 units at $555,847 compared to 230,159 stock units at $574,939 on the previous day and January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
EduFocal led trading with 1.04 million shares for 24.4 percent of the total volume followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 698,934 units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery with 482,246 units for 11.3 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 38.08 points to finish at 3,827.68 after trading in the region of 3,890 points in the morning session.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging dipped 61 cents to end at $3 in an exchange of 12,614 units, Blue Power lost 17 cents to close atone$3.13 with a mere 1 stock clearing the market, Caribbean Flavours climbed 9 cents and ended at $1.69 as investors exchanged 1,557 shares. Consolidated Bakeries skidded 18 cents in closing at $2.01 after 401 stock units crossed the market, Elite Diagnostic increased 9 cents to close at $1.68 after a transfer of 1,611 shares, Express Catering sank 12 cents to $3.83, with 8,382 units crossing the market. 
Future Energy popped 29 cents to end at $3.50 after an exchange of 197,647 stocks, Knutsford Express rallied 60 cents in closing at $12 with a transfer of 60 stock units, Lasco Distributors rose 24 cents to close at $4.35 while exchanging 50,879 shares. Lasco Financial dipped 12 cents to $1.81 in trading 51,043 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 69 cents to close at $5.09 after 281,163 stocks crossed the exchange, Main Event declined 71 cents to end at $14 with investors transferring 8,491 stock units. Medical Disposables fell 16 cents in closing at $2.52 after an exchange of 65,001 shares, MFS Capital Partners lost 8 cents and ended at $2.20 after trading 125,362 stock units and Paramount Trading gained 15 cents to close at $1.49 with an exchange of just one stock.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading climbs on the Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 57 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with a 35 percent more value than Friday following trading in 40 securities compared with 45 on Friday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 13 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
The market closed on Monday with trading of 14,902,945 shares for $48,199,902 compared to 9,473,714 units at $35,695,598 on Friday.
Trading averaged 372,574 shares at $1,204,998, compared with 210,527 units at $793,236 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 230,159 units at $574,939 compared to 221,939 stock units at $538,572 on the previous day and January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Future Energy led trading with 10.98 million shares for 73.7 percent of the volume followed by Lasco Manufacturing with 1.19 million units for 8 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 724,352 units for 4.9 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 5.60 points to lock up trading at 3,789.60.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
At the close, Dolphin Cove increased 20 cents to end at $19, with 91,260 units crossing the market, Future Energy dropped 30 cents in closing at $3.21 after a transfer of 10,977,580 stocks, Jamaican Teas climbed 13 cents to $2.54 while exchanging 32,221 shares. 
Lasco Distributors sank 24 cents and ended at $4.11 in trading 18,921 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 69 cents to close at $5.78 after exchanging 1,193,867 shares, Limners and Bards advanced 25 cents to $1.85, with 52,670 units crossing the market. Main Event popped $1.14 to end at $14.71 in an exchange of 4,350 stocks, MFS Capital Partners rallied 9 cents in closing at $2.28 with investors transferring 546,160 stock units, Spur Tree Spices gained 12 cents and ended at $2.41, with 109,290 shares crossing the exchange and tTech popped 28 cents to close at $2.50 with traders dealing in 53,905 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
ISP Finance & AMG tops ICTOP10
The Junior Market slipped by a few points at the end of the week but the Main Market declined around one percent, with Carreras and Wigton Windfarm hitting new 52 weeks’ highs.
AMG Packaging in ICTOP10
The Junior Market closed the week with ISP Finance jumping 26 percent to close at $31.50, a pretty high price based on the earnings of 57 cents per share in 2023, with 25 cents in the final quarter, with income jumping a solid 39.6 percent, that augurs very well for revenues and earnings for 2024. A close examination of the 2023 fiscal results reveals significant potential for revenues and profit ahead that should start in 2024. Watch for the first quarter numbers for this one.
There was an 18 percent jump in the price of AMG Packaging to close at $3.55, following the holding at the company’s AGM, Lasco Distributors rose 9 percent to $4.55. Lasco Manufacturing closed 4 percent higher at $5.09 after the price reached $6.14 on Friday, with the supply of the stock being sold drying up. Iron Rock Insurance dropped back 16 percent to $2.11 and in the Main Market TOP10, Palace Amusement shed 14 percent to close at $1.07.
For the full list of weekly percentage changes for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts for the weekly percentage price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 13.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.5 just over half of the market, with an average of 13.4.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 281 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 170 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 31 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 12 stocks, or 25 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 45, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Junior Market backs off 3,795 points peak
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded over 3,875 points in the early morning session on Friday, with Lasco Manufacturing hitting $6.14 when trading was halted but later pulled back after a big trade passed through the market on a day when the volume of stocks traded, declined 71 percent, with a 45 percent lower value than on Thursday, resulting in 45 securities changing hands compared with 43 on Thursday and ending with prices of 19 rising, 20 declining and six closing unchanged.
The market closed on Friday after 9,473,714 shares were exchange for $35,695,598 versus 32,133,533 units at $65,285,279 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 210,527 shares at $793,236, compared to 747,291 units at $1,518,262 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 221,939 units at $538,572 compared with 222,732 stocks at $520,887 on the previous day and better than January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 4.48 million shares for 47.2 percent of the total volume that traded, followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 990,778 units for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 579,426 units for 6.1 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rallied 13.60 points to finish at 3,795.20 after hitting over 3,875 points in early trading, before the fall in the intraday price of Lasco Manufacturing from $6.14.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 15 cents to close at $3.55 with an exchange of 11,657 stock units, CAC 2000 rallied 17 cents to $4, after 4 shares passed through the market, Cargo Handlers increased 51 cents to end at $14.51 in switching ownership of 1,744 stocks. Caribbean Cream dropped 9 cents in closing at $3.80 after an exchange of 107 units, Caribbean Flavours sank 8 cents and ended at $1.60 in trading 15,173 shares, Consolidated Bakeries popped 19 cents to $2.20, with 8,155 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading dipped 12 cents to close at $1.87 in an exchange of 11,021 stocks, Everything Fresh advanced by 9 cents to end at $1.68, with investors trading 103,479 stock units, Express Catering rose 18 cents to $3.98 while investors exchanged 72,863 shares. Future Energy lost 9 cents and ended at $3.51, with 579,426 units crossing the market, Honey Bun gained 20 cents to end at $6.85 with investors swapping 28,900 stocks, Jamaican Teas shed 13 cents and ended at $2.41 with a transfer of 1,525 stock units. 
Knutsford Express declined 60 cents in closing at $11.40 with investors dealing in 10,000 shares, Lasco Distributors climbed 35 cents to $4.35 in an exchange of 402,870 stock, Lasco Manufacturing skidded 36 cents to end at $5.09 after hitting a high of $6.14 during the morning session, with investors trading 4,476,083 units. Paramount Trading fell 25 cents to $1.30, after 10,851 stocks crossed the exchange, Regency Petroleum popped 10 cents to end at $2.20 with traders dealing in 164,976 shares, Spur Tree Spices shed 11 cents in closing at $2.29 as investors exchanged 357,294 units and tTech advanced 20 cents and ended at $2.22 with 10 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on Junior Market as prices soften
Trading jumped sharply on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 608 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, after a sharp jump of 565 percent in value compared with Wednesday and resulting in trading in 43 securities down from 46 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 13 rising, 18 declining and 12 unchanged.
Trading ended with an exchange of 32,133,533 shares for $65,285,279 up from 4,540,074 units at $9,824,488 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 747,291 shares for $1,518,262, compared with 98,697 units at $213,576 on Wednesday with a month to date, average of 222,732 units at $520,887 compared with 185,449 stocks at $449,999 on the previous day and January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Derrimon Trading controlled trading with 22.64 million shares for 70.4 percent of the total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 2.25 million units for 7 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 1.85 million units for 5.8 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index sank 21.66 points to end the day at 3,781.60, to be down 1.7 percent for the year.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial skidded $1.08 to $21.60 with investors trading 1,003 stock shares, AMG Packaging gained 62 cents and ended at $3.70 after an exchange of 85,009 stocks, Blue Power rose 41 cents in closing at $3.32 with an exchange of 849 stocks. CAC 2000 lost 68 cents to close at $3.83 in an exchange of 4,411 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed 25 cents to end at $2.36 with investors transferring 1,000 shares, Express Catering dipped 19 cents in closing at $3.80, with 154,568 stock units crossing the market. Future Energy fell 10 cents to $3.60 with investors swapping 184,342 stocks, 
KLE Group shed 58 cents to close at $1.90 after an exchange of 20,285 units, Knutsford Express sank 30 cents and ended at $12 with a transfer of 6,466 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing increased 36 cents to end at $5.45, with 753,346 units crossing the market as the supply of the stocks has sharply declined with only five offers to sell less than 80,000 shares on the board at the close. Limners and Bards popped 12 cents in closing at $1.62 with traders dealing in 3,128 shares, Regency Petroleum dripped 10 cents to $2.10, with 980,532 stock units changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies declined 8 cents to close at $1.75 in trading 300,607 shares and tTech shed 46 cents and ended at $2.02 after a transfer of 9,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday, with a 48 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with a 60 percent lower value than Tuesday with trading in 46 securities as was the case on Tuesday and ended with prices of 18 rising, 19 declining and nine closing unchanged, with KLE Group ending at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.48.
The Junior Market trading ended on Wednesday with 4,540,074 shares at $9,824,488 versus 8,723,426 units at $24,310,202 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 98,697 shares at $213,576 compared with 189,640 units at $528,483 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 185,449 units at $449,999 compared with 192,588 stock units at $469,455 on the previous day and more than January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.06 million shares for 23.3 percent of the total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 837,365 units for 18.4 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 373,478 units for 8.2 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rose 8.29 points to conclude trading at 3,803.26.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 34 cents to $3.08 with an exchange of just one share, Cargo Handlers rose 90 cents and ended at $14, with 842 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 27 cents to close at $2.11 with investors dealing in 4,001 shares. Caribbean Cream rallied 12 cents in closing at $3.89 in an exchange of 6 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries shed 19 cents to end at $2.01 with traders dealing in 101 shares, Dolla Financial sank 14 cents to $2.70 as investors exchanged 1,059,407 units. Dolphin Cove increased 30 cents to end at $18.80 after a transfer of 119 stocks, EduFocal climbed 10 cents in closing at $1.45 with 373,478 stock units clearing the market, Express Catering popped 9 cents to close at $3.99 while exchanging 124 shares. Fontana dipped 15 cents and ended at $9.79, with 17,099 units passing through the market, Future Energy gained 8 cents to $3.70 in trading 51,568 stocks, 
Honey Bun rose 25 cents and ended at $6.70, with 2,250 stock units crossing the market. Indies Pharma climbed 18 cents in closing at $2.75 with investors trading 42,965 shares, Iron Rock Insurance fell 42 cents to close at $2.10 in an exchange of 375 units, ISP Finance increased by 50 cents to end at $31.50, with 22,796 stock units changing hands. Lasco Distributors popped 13 cents to $4 after an exchange of 23,090 shares, Limners and Bards dropped 12 cents to close at $1.50 with investors swapping 38,046 shares, Mailpac Group gained 13 cents and ended at $2.30 in switching ownership of 74,668 stock units. Main Event skidded 65 cents in closing at $13.55 after an exchange of 1,401 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 18 cents to end at $1.83 following the trading of 143,479 units and Tropical Battery declined 10 cents to $2.40 after an exchange of 260,861 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising stocks dominate Junior Market
Stocks mostly rose at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with prices of 23 rising, 11 declining and 12 closing unchanged with nearly all stocks on the market traded result in 46 securities changing hands compared with 47 on Monday, following a 55 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with a 65 percent greater value than on Monday and ending with.
The market ended trading on Tuesday with 8,723,426 shares for $24,310,202 up from 5,643,750 stock units at $14,776,971 on Monday.
Trading averaged 189,640 shares at $528,483 compared to 120,080 units at $314,404 on Monday with the month to date, ending with an average of 192,588 units at $469,455 compared with 192,852 stock units at $464,162 on the previous day and January ending with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Future Energy led trading with 2.09 million shares for 24 percent of the total volume followed by Fosrich with 1.13 million units for 13 percent of trading, ONE on ONE Educational ended with 1.02 million units for 11.7 percent market share and Lasco Distributors with 1.02 million units for 11.6 percent of the total volume.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 2.07 points to end the day at 3,794.97.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 8 cents to close at $22.68 as investors traded just one stock, AMG Packaging lost 35 cents to end at $2.74 after a transfer of 5,955 units, Cargo Handlers declined 90 cents to close at $13.10 after investors traded 1,063 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 25 cents to $2.38 after 21,855 stock units passed through the market, Caribbean Cream popped 42 cents to $3.77 with an exchange of 4 shares, Express Catering increased 10 cents to $3.90, with 52,915 units changing hands. Jamaican Teas popped 10 cents in closing at $2.50 with a transfer of 161,220 stocks, 
KLE Group rose 8 cents to $2.47 with investors swapping 178,198 stock units, Lasco Financial sank 11 cents to close at $1.88 in an exchange of 62,675 shares. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 14 cents and ended at $5.09 with investors trading 661,103 stocks, Limners and Bards popped 12 cents to $1.62 after exchanging 12 units, Mailpac Group dipped 16 cents and ended at $2.17 with investors dealing in 141,373 stock units. Main Event climbed 10 cents to close at $14.20 while exchanging 1,595 shares, Medical Disposables rose 8 cents to end at $2.68 after trading 1,262 units and Paramount Trading gained 8 cents in closing at $1.48 in an exchange of 8,330 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling stocks dominates Junior Market
Trading closed on Monday, with all stocks being active, except for suspended iCreate at the close of the Junior Market on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the volume of stocks traded rising 32 percent following a 30 percent rise in the value compared to Friday with trading in 47 securities up from 42 on Friday and ending with prices of 13 rising, 24 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Trading closed on Monday after 5,643,750 shares were exchanged for $14,776,971 up from 4,262,868 units at $11,405,667 on Friday.
Trading averaged 120,080 shares at $314,404, compared with 101,497 units at $271,563 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 192,852 units at $464,162 compared with 200,192 stock units at $479,266 on the previous day and January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Stationery and Office Supplies was the traded stock with 1.46 million shares followed by Regency Petroleum with 685,156 units and Image Plus with 493,784 units for 8.7 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dipped 19.99 points to end at 3,792.90.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging climbed 9 cents to end at $3.09 in switching ownership of 15,563 shares, Blue Power declined 50 cents in closing at $2.85 after an exchange of 434 units, CAC 2000 rose 30 cents to $4.51, after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $3.02 with investors dealing in just 4 shares. Cargo Handlers shed 59 cents and ended at $14 after 713 stocks passed through the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 27 cents in closing at $2.13 with investors swapping 64,750 shares, Caribbean Cream skidded 55 cents to $3.35 in an exchange of 100,615 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries advanced 22 cents to close at $2.20 after trading 61 units, Dolphin Cove fell 47 cents to $18.50 while exchanging 862 stock units, Express Catering sank 19 cents to $3.80 with a transfer of 148,713 shares. Fontana dipped 25 cents and ended at $10 as investors exchanged 297,440 stock units, Honey Bun dropped 24 cents to $6.45, with 2,369 stocks crossing the market, ISP Finance popped $5.98 to end at $31 after exchanging 1,978 units. 
Lasco Distributors fell 13 cents in closing at $3.87 after 18,025 stocks crossed the market, Lasco Financial increased 14 cents to close at $1.99 in an exchange of 1,296 units, Limners and Bards sank 12 cents and ended at $1.50 with investors transferring 5,295 shares. Lumber Depot rallied 15 cents to $2.45 and closed after investors traded 1,165 stock units, Main Event dipped 66 cents to end at $14.10 with investors trading 4,053 shares, Medical Disposables lost 10 cents in closing at $2.60 with an exchange of 10 units. Paramount Trading gained 13 cents to close at $1.40 with 5,607 stocks clearing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies skidded 19 cents and ended at $1.61 with traders dealing in 1,463,420 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
ISP Finance & Guardian join ICTOP10
The performance of the Jamaica Stock Exchange in the near term is expected to be influenced by the pile of results dumped on the market in the past week, with varying degrees of success. Based on results for the December quarter, Caribbean Producers’ earnings were adjusted down to $1.15 per share, resulting in the stock falling out of the TOP10, with Guardian Holdings replacing it and ISP Finance entering the Junior Market listing in replacing Elite Diagnostic following the release of full year earnings, with ICInsider.com projected earnings per share of $4 for ISP for 2024.
For a second consecutive week, the Junior Market ended with minimal price changes, ranging from 4 percent and less and none with a negative price movement, while the Main Market had only two stocks with negative price changes, with Pulse Investments, the highest with a fall of 7 percent to $1.85 and 138 Student Living slipping 3 percent, while Margaritaville popped 18 percent to close at the week at $17.48, Caribbean Producers rose 6 percent to $9.64 following the release of nine months results that saw profit for the second quarter rising 17.6 percent to US$2 million but with the six months results, down marginally to US$3.28 million versus $3.35 million in 2022. Key Insurance rose 5 percent to $2.31 and Palace Amusement gained 4 percent to close at $1.25 following news of a sold-out opening night for the Marley movie that nearly doubled that of the highly successful Black Panther.
For the full list of weekly percentage changes for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts that now carry a column of the weekly percentage price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.4, well below the market average of 13.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.3 just over half of the market, with an average of 13.4.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 279 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 177 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 30 and 24 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 45, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Junior Market rallied on Friday
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, with a 29 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded at a 15 percent lower value than Thursday, following trading in 42 securities compared with 41 on Thursday and ending with prices of 21 rising, 14 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 4,262,868 shares for $11,405,667 compared with 6,026,066 units at $13,427,737 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 101,497 shares at $271,563, compared to 146,977 units at $327,506 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 200,192 units at $479,266 down from 209,968 stocks at $499,840 on the previous day and January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 904,399 shares followed by Image Plus with 904,064 units and Mailpac Group with 458,730 stocks for 10.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index gained 4.31 points to culminate at 3,812.89.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined by 8 cents to end trading at $22.60 after a transfer of 4,253 stocks, AMG Packaging popped 28 cents to close at $3 with investors trading 26,000 units, Consolidated Bakeries fell 23 cents and ended at $1.98, with 120,000 shares passing through the exchange. Fontana skidded 23 cents in closing at $10.25 with a transfer of 166,963 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 39 cents to close at $6.69 after investors ended up trading 16,191 shares, 
KLE Group rose 14 cents to $2.39 after exchanging 92 stocks. Knutsford Express gained 8 cents in closing at $12.38, with two units crossing the market, Lasco Distributors rallied 13 cents and ended at $4 in trading 22,865 stock units, Limners and Bards increased 15 cents to end at $1.62 after 853 shares passed through the market. Lumber Depot popped 10 cents to close at $2.30 while exchanging 196,403 units, Paramount Trading sank 21 cents to $1.27 with traders dealing in 2,814 stocks and tTech rose 49 cents to close at $2.49 in an exchange of just one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
