The main market of Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at a record close on Friday and the Junior Market closed at a 9 months’ high as the markets keep moving higher resulting changes to the IC TOP 10.
At the close on Friday, Proven Investments ended at 19 US cents and fell out of the top list and is replaced by Victoria Mutual Investments. Jetcon Corporation and Paramount Trading dropped out of the top flight, to be replaced by Fosrich Group and Medical Disposables. IC insider.com lowered profit forecast for Paramount with the company showing only a small profit of less than a million dollars in the fourth quarter compared to nearly $11 million in 2017 after gross profit rose 29 percent or $28 million. Jetcon squeezed out by price changes, elsewhere Medical Disposables rose to $5.80 but made it back in the list with strong profit out turn for the first quarter to June and an upgrade of earnings for the full year, of 65 cents per share from 60 cents.
The PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks averages 7.4 compared to an average PE for the overall market of 12, based on 2018 estimated earnings and the main market PE stands at 8 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13, a good indicator of the level of undervaluation of these stocks.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 38 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 40 percent to the market.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Stocks are selected based on projected earnings for each company’s current fiscal year. Based on an assumed PE for each, the likely gains are determined and then ranked, with the stocks with the highest potential gains ranked first followed by the rest, in descending order. Potential values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis based on new information received that can result in changes in and out of the list as well.
Ansa & Witco push TTSE up – Friday
Ansa McAl jumped $2 to $57 while trading 286 shares and West Indian Tobacco gained 99 cents to end at $88 trading 4,768 units, helping in pushing the market indices higher at the close, in moderate trading on Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange, on Friday
Trading closed with 271,085 shares valued at $2,133,526 changing hands, compared to 572,318 shares at a value $2,427,732, on Thursday.
Market activity ended with 10 securities trading against 15 on Thursday, with 2 advancing, 3 declining and 5 remaining unchanged. At the close the Composite Index gained 2.82 points on Friday to 1,234.50, the All T&T Index jumped 8.20 points to 1,718.84 and the Cross Listed Index slipped 0.37 points to close at 100.82.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the close of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows market sentiment with 3 stocks ending with higher bids than the last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Losses| Grace Kennedy concluded trading with a loss of 10 cents at $2.80, with 120,000 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Financial traded with a loss of 10 cents at $7.50, with 78,768 stock units changing hands and Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 15 cents and completed trading at $29.60, after exchanging 8,544 shares.
Firm Trades| Clico Investments concluded trading at $19.97, with 15,531 stock units changing hands, First Citizens completed trading at $35.01, after exchanging 1,500 shares, Massy Holdings settled at $46.90, after exchanging 436 shares, One Caribbean Media settled at $12.35, after trading 1,252 shares and Trinidad Cement settled at $2.95, after 40,000 shares changed hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Profit jumps 77% at Lasco Manufacturing
Profit jumped a strong 77 percent at Lasco Manufacturing, in the June quarter to, $238 million from $134 million in 2017, from sales revenue that rose just 14.8 percent to $1.73 billion, up from $1.5 billion in 2017.
The results follow the 2018 fiscal year, when profit fell from $707 million to $560 million, after rising 73 percent in the December quarter, to $195 million from $113 million in 2016. For the nine months to December, profit fell 24 percent to $533 million from $700 million in 2016.
Profit margin climbed to 35 percent from 31.7 percent in the 2017, as input cost climbed much slower than revenues, with an increase of 9 percent, to $1.1 billion. The effect, operating profit rose an impressive 27 percent to $607 million, from $478 million.
Depreciation cost rose 5 percent to $55 million but administrative, marketing and sales expenses declined by 1 percent to $252 million from $256 million. Finance cost rose to $31 million from $30 million in 2017.
“The positive out turn reflects growth in volumes, improved operational efficiencies and streamlining and cost control”, Managing Director, James Rawle, stated in his report accompanying the quarterly.
Gross cash flow brought in $293 million but growth in receivables, inventories, addition to fixed assets offset by loan inflows and increased payables resulted in a decline in cash of $110 million, leaving cash on hand and bank at $261 million.
At the end of June,shareholders’ equity stands at $5.16 billion with borrowings at just $1.6 billion. Net current assets ended the period $1.7 billion well over payables of $937 million. The company has so far incurred $731 million on work in progress that includes 65,000 feet warehouse expansion, scheduled for completion in September. According to managing director, James Rawle, “the facility will help to simplify logistics and result in important cost savings.”
Earnings per share came out at 6 cents for the quarter and is projected to end the fiscal year ending to March 30 cents. The stock traded at $4 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 12 times 2019 earnings and is in line with the market average.
The company will pay a dividend of 3.8 cents per share on August 31, resulting a total payment of $155 million.
Record close for JSE – Thursday
The All Jamaican Composite Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to more than 345,000 points in the early morning session on Thursday but failed to hold on at that level but still managed to end at a new record close.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index held on to just 119.17 points of the early gains to end at a record closing high of 344,070.11 and the JSE Index clung to 108.58 points to end at record closing high of 313,486.71.
Trading in the main market ended with 4,999,824 units valued at over $34,788,166 compared to 34,917,482 units valued at $108,176,982 on Tuesday.
Market activities resulted in 31 securities trading including 4 in the US dollar market compared to 29 securities trading on Tuesday. At the end of trading, the prices of 14 stocks rose, 8 declined and 9 traded unchanged.
The day’s volume was led by, Mayberry Investments trading 1,003,340 shares to close at $7, after it traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $7.60 JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closing at $1, in trading 952,000 shares and Mayberry Equities closed trading at $8.50 with 522,731 shares trading.
Major price changes| Grace Kennedy traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $56.70 but ended trading at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $56.01. Jamaica Producers rose 30 cents to $17, trading 5,988 stock units, Mayberry Equities lost 55 cents trading 522,731 shares to end at $8.60, PanJam Investment concluded trading 51,973 shares at $51, after falling $1.54, Sagicor Group shed 40 cents and settled at $38.10, with 21,574 shares trading, Scotia Group traded 13,284 units and rose $1.10 to end at $52.20 and Sterling jumped $1.50 and finished trading at $13.50, with 2,952 shares changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 98,429 units valued at US$87,029 as JMMB Group 6 percent preference share completed trading 80,000 stock units at $1.05, Margaritaville ended trading 10,524 shares to close at 16.9 US cents and Proven Investments rose 1 cent to 19 US cents trading 5,105 shares. The JSE USD Equities Index rose 1.62 points to 155.14.
Trading resulted in an average of 185,179 units valued at an average of $1,288,451 for each security traded. In contrast to 1,342,980 units for an average of $4,160,653 on Tuesday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
Trading picks up on TTSE – Thursday
Trading on Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday climbed with 572,318 shares at a value $2,427,732 trading, compared to 82,986 units valued $1,124,484 changing hands, on Tuesday.
Market activity ended with 15 securities trading against 16 on Tuesday, with 5 advancing, 2 declining and 8 remaining unchanged. At the close the Composite Index gained 3.11 points on Thursday to 1,231.68, the All T&T Index rose 0.35 points to 1,710.64 and the Cross Listed Index added 0.81 points to close at 101.19.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the close of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows market sentiment with 3 stocks ending with higher bids than the last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Gains| First Caribbean International Bank finished 25 cents higher and settled at $8.50, trading 3,000 units, First Citizens concluded trading of 2,332 shares and rose 1 cent to $35.01, One Caribbean Media added 25 cents and ended at $12.35, after exchanging 1,323 shares, Republic Financial Holdings rose 1 cent and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $102.83, after exchanging 79 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 1 cent and concluded trading at $29.75, after exchanging 4,672 shares.
Losses| JMMB Group lost 4 cents and ended at $1.80, after exchanging 1,890 shares and Sagicor Financial ended trading 9 cents lower at $7.60, with 25,100 stock units changing hands.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings completed trading 1,008 stock units at $15.75, Calypso Macro Index Fund traded 100 shares at $16, Clico Investments completed trading at $19.97, with 20,902 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial Group concluded at $5.65, after exchanging 3,560 shares, Point Lisas completed trading at $3.70, with 4,000 stock units changing hands, Scotiabank settled at $65.02, trading just 15 units, Trinidad Cement ended at $2.95, after exchanging 504,137 shares and Unilever Caribbean completed trading at $29.20, after 200 stock units changed hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
AJI crosses 345,000 mark
The main market of the Jamaica Stock exchange jumped to a new record high in early morning trading on Thursday with All Jamaican Composite Index crossing the 345,000 points mark for the first time.
Having traded at a number of record intraday highs on Friday and closing at a new end of day record, with more than 3,000 points rally, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 1,257.21 points to a record high of 345,208.15 and the JSE Index gained 1,145.46 points to close at 314,523.59, a new record high as well. The Junior Market was down by 7.16 points to 3,094.98.
On Friday, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,071.05 points to close at a record of 343,950.94 and the JSE Index climbed 2,798.07 points to close at 313,378.13.