Scotia & Stanley Motta now in IC Top 10

December 3, 2018 by

Two changes took place in the main market TOP 10 and one in the Junior Market as market activity pushed out some stocks from the list this past week.
Palace Amusement and Barita Investments had big price gains during the week and exited the main market top list while Honey Bun reported full year profit of 18 cents per share and dropped out of the top tier stocks but it still showed strong signs of better days ahead as it starts the new fiscal year with increased volume sales.

New Entrants this week are, Stanley Motta and Scotia Group for the main market and Jamaican Teas for the Junior Market. Barita Investments jumped to a record $28 on Friday as investors continue to bid up the stock with talk on the road of positive developments surrounding the company. This publication expects good gains from the company’s investment portfolio and the performance of the stock market should also result in growth in the equity-based unit trust and therefo re boost fee income. In addition, word out is that they have acquired an investment portfolio that will add to revenues. At the current price, a stock split also seems assured for 2019.
During the week news broke that Scotia Group had entered into an agreement to sell their insurance arm to Sagicor Financial, the news helped to drive prices of Scotia Group, Sagicor Group and PanJam Investment up and created excitement in the market.
The main market closed the week with the overall PE remains at 15.7, the PE of the Junior market is at 15.9. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks average 8.8 and the main market PE is now 9.5.

The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 45 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. The main market stocks trade at a discount of 39 percent to the overall 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.

Filed Under: Buy Rated Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

All Jamaica hits record 435,785 points

December 3, 2018 by

In early morning trading after just 7 minutes of the opening the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index (AJI) rose 5,319.88 to a record 435,784.80 points and the JSE index climbed 4,847.01 points to 397,049.24.
Later on, the market briefly moved higher into the 435,900 points level on the AJI, but fell back to 435,061.21.
he market hit a record high follows on Thursday last week Barita Investments traded at a new high of $24.01, NCB Financial hit a record $160, PanJam Investment traded at $72, Sagicor Group at $51.95 haven risen sharply to a record high, but the bid is at $55 to buy 49,301 shares, Scotia Group trades at $60 and Seprod at $33.65.
The junior market continues under some selling pressure is not sharing in the strong gains of the more matured companies and declined by 2.81 points to 3,179.52 with just one stock trading so far.
In today’s trading Scotia Group is back at $60, along with Grace Kennedy that traded at $57, NCB and Supreme Ventures are the major contributors to the rise.

Filed Under: JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wisynco expects better Q2

December 2, 2018 by

Wisynco held its AGM on Tuesday, November 26, at the Sam Mahfood Distribution Centre, Lakes Pen Road, St Catherine. The well attended meeting was updated on the financials for the 2018 fiscal year ending June and the 2018 first quarter by the managing director, Andrew Mahfood.
Mahfood spoke to the major developments during the year and the quarter including the successful IPO last year. Shareholders were informed on the full resumption of the storage facilities at the headquarters, with cold storage being the latest to come on stream. He stated that not much savings was expected in the switch. There will be cost savings in rental and from a more efficient operation with just one location than two.
The company reported sales revenue of $25.54 billion up 14.8 percent from $21.38 billion in 2017 and generated net profit of $3.29 billion compared to $2.45 billion in 2017. Attendees were informed by the managing director that the 2017 net profit included the one off income from the insurance claim amounting to $636 million before tax which relates to the fire that occurred in May 2016.
The installation of two new bottling lines and one new filler Mahfood told shareholders and guests, should result in 40 percent more efficiency, the lines allows for less packaging material being used to produce bottles and will also result in lower transportation costs. The new lines have created capacity to meet increased demand and facilitate increased exports sales. For the first quarter sales revenue grew

Shareholders at Wisynco 2018 AGM.

just over 12 percent to $6.8 billion but should rise faster in the second quarter with new products for distribution and increased production to meet market demand. Profit grew 15.7 percent to $779 million in the September quarter, from $698 million in 2017, with earnings per share for the quarter ending at 21 cents and is projected by IC Insider.com to reach $1.10 for the full year. Gross Profit also increased to $2.6 billion or 10.4 percent over the $2.3 billion achieved in the same quarter of the previous year. Gross Margin of 37.8 percent was slightly lower than the 38.4 percent for the 2017 first quarter due to the commissioning of the new beverage lines and the devaluation of the Jamaican Dollar, management indicated.
Selling, Distribution & Administrative Expenses for the quarter totaled $1.73 billion or 11.4 percent more than the $1.55 billion in 2017.
Both Andrew and William Mahfood seem very optimistic that the second quarter will show improved sales growth over the first quarter. The settling down of the new lines are major factors as well as continued economic growth in the Jamaican economy.
But the operations were not without problems. The operation of the new equipment took time to settle and this resulted in dislocation in supplying the marketplace with adequate supplies, which held back sales in the first quarter. That problem seems to have been resolved as sales have improved, the two Mahfood brothers told IC Insider and this will show up in increased sales in the second quarter and beyond. Distribution of the Rum Bar brand of spirits produced by Worthy Park Estates commenced in November. Sales from this is expected to reach $500 to $600 million per year, while the distribution of sugar will commence in 2019.

Filed Under: Company News, Company Results Tagged With: , , , , ,

NCB share grows 10 times since 2014

December 2, 2018 by

NCB stock closed at $159.05 on Friday.

NCB Financial stock sold at a record $160 last week for a gain of 60 percent for the year to date. Added to this return, are dividend payments totaling $2.80. While investors are now enthused about the stock pushing to new heights, not so long ago they were not with it selling at just $17.
In November 2014, NCB shares were being sold at $17 on several days but the banking group was about to release record profits of $11.6 billion or earnings per share of $4.73, this compares to EPS of $3.49 in 2013. As late as November 2016, the shares were trading at $46 each, less than 10 times the 2014 profit per share. In just two years since, the stock gained 248 percent plus dividends paid and since late 2014, the capital appreciation is a staggering 941 percent. The truth is that the group is not finished yet delivering for investors. When they take majority ownership in Guardian Holdings investors should see major cost savings from rationalization and increased business with the expanded resources.

NCB Financial hits up on resistance at $160 & may find it difficult to break through to the next level at $200, 25% away.

Long term investors should hold on to their stocks for the big ride ahead to flow from acquisition and the impact that growth in the Jamaican economy will have on the operation.
The stock that traded at $160 this past week is currently trading around resistance level, if it breaks through meaningfully, the next major resistance is at $200 or 25 percent away from current price.

Filed Under: Stock Market, Stocks to watch Tagged With: , , ,

PE ratios continue to rise

December 1, 2018 by

Treasury bills rates bottomed and have moved back closer in line with the Bank of Jamaica’s overnight rate of 2 percent.
IC Insider.com is forecasting a further increase in T-bill rates to move above 2 percent, this could happen with the December Treasury bill auction.
In the mean time the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange has moved on the new record highs, with NCB Financial being the primary mover with the stock closing at $159.05 on Friday. The Junior Market that peaked at an all-time high in October has pulled back with no new price sensitive news to encourage aggressive buying.
The above developments are happening as the PE ratio of the market continues to inch higher. The ratio climbed slowly until June but moved much sharper thereafter, to better reflect the sharp fall in interest rates. The recent inching up of Treasury bill rates appears to have slowed the upward movement in the average PE ratio of the over all market that sits just under 16 currently. The average PE is now ahead of the longer term trend that goes back to 2013, but well below the trend, from late 2015 that suggests that the average PE is headed for 18, that will require a 15 percent rise in stock prices to get there. December is usually a bullish month and so the PE of 18 may be reached by year end or early in 2019.

Filed Under: JSE Combined, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , ,

Most JSE stocks rise indices dip Friday

November 30, 2018 by

The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, took a break from record making runs with the All Jamaica Index closed a fall of 2,842.30 points to 430,464.92 and the JSE Index declined by 2,589.66 points to close at 392,202.23.
Market activity resulted in 3 securities trading at record highs but ended with 2 securities closing at record highs and one closing at 52 weeks’ low, as 31 securities in the main and US dollar markets changed hands, compared to a 35 on Thursday. At the end, prices of 16 stocks rose, 7 declined and 8 remained unchanged.
The main market ended with 12,946,386 units valued at $522,988,358 changing hands, compared with 9,092,070 units valued at $158,769,688 exchanged, on Thursday.
The main market ended with Jamaica Broilers leading with 8,048,990 units, accounting for 62 percent of the day’s trades, followed by Wisynco Group with 1,699,655 units or 13 percent of the day’s volume and NCB Financial with 1,409,918 units with 10 percent of the day’s trades.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
Trading resulted in an average of 446,427 units valued at over $18,034,081, in contrast to 284,127 shares valued at $4,961,553 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to 405,528 valued at $7,755,942, compared to 403,611 valued at $7,228,391 previously. October closed, with an average of 290,851 shares, valued $5,213,901, for each security traded.
In main market activity, Barita Investments rose $3.99 to a record close of $28, trading 2,000 shares, Grace Kennedy climbed $3 in trading of 36,609 shares at $58, Jamaica Broilers gained 55 cents, trading 8,048,990 stock units at $30.55, Jamaica Producers rose 41 cents and finished trading 27,898 units, at $24.51,  JMMB Group jumped $2.49 to end at $35, trading 96,088 shares, Mayberry Jamaica Equities jumped 98 cents trading 42,500 shares in closing at $10, NCB Financial Group lost 95 cents to end trading at $159.05 with 1,409,918 shares, PanJam Investment jumped $2.50 to a record $74, with an exchange of 113,647 stock units, Portland JSX lost 79 cents and ended at 52 weeks’ low of $7.01, exchanging 7,642 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 30 cents to settle at $11.80, exchanging 26,427 shares, Scotia Group traded 71,726 shares and shed $3 to close at $55, Seprod dropped $2.50  trading of 234,387 shares, to close at $30, Sterling Investments rose 30 cents and closed at $5, with 21,174 shares changing hands, Supreme Ventures fell $1.39 to end at $16.95, with an exchange of 60,986 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 44 cents in trading 67,625 units.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 44,122 units valued at $8,705 as Proven Investments rose 2 cents and ended trading of 38,222 shares at 22 US cents and Sygnus Credit Investments US dollar based ordinary share traded 5,900 units at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index closed with a rise of 1.47 to close at 167.68.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

12 Junior Market stocks fell 7 rose – Friday

November 30, 2018 by

Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded on Friday with 26 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 4,790,864 units valued at $10,989,252 compared to 4,094,002 units valued at $9,912,290 on Thursday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 7 securities advanced, 12 declined and 7 remained unchanged resulting in the Junior Market Index advancing 10.83 points to close at 3,182.33.
Trading ended with an average of 184,264 units for an average of $422,664 in contrast to 178,000 units for an average of $430,969 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 190,475 units valued at $653,358 and previously 190,807 units valued at $666,313. October, ended with an average of 69,421 units valued at $347,455 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
 At the close of the market, Access Financial closed trading with 3,564 shares changing hands and jumped $5 to end $50.50, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 15 cents at $1.80, with an exchange of 200,000 stock units, Blue Power concluded trading of 1,993 units at $5.45, Caribbean Cream traded 2,680 shares at $5.30, Caribbean Flavours traded 10,000 stock units with a loss of $1.01 to close at $19. Caribbean Producers ended trading of 10,642 units at $5.35, Derrimon Trading ended with a loss of 5 cents at $2.80, with 59,322 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove concluded trading of 5,000 shares, with a loss of 1 cent to close at $15, Eppley settled with a loss of 10 cents at $9, with trading in 6,005 units. Everything Fresh traded 44,200 shares after rising 4 cents to close at $1.55, Express Catering ended trading 26,201 shares, with a loss of 90 cents at $7.10, FosRich Group traded just 530 shares at $4.05, General Accident finished 25 cents higher at $3.50, trading 400 shares, Honey Bun ended with a loss of 65 cents at $3.50, with 478,285 units after hitting a 52 weeks’ low of $3.10. Indies Pharma rose 10 cents in trading 38,957 shares to close at $3.10, Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 60 cents at $3.80, in exchanging 246,589 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 11,890 stock units, with a loss of 1 cent at $3.99, KLE Group lost 50 cents to end at $3.50, exchanging 17,410 shares, Knutsford Express closed at $11.51, with 4,152 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors  ended at $3.80, with 25,750 shares traded, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 19,617 stock units, with a loss of 15 cents at $5. Lasco Manufacturing finished with a loss of 10 cents at $3.40, trading 13,600 units, Main Event settled 35 cents higher at $6.45, with 2,152 shares changing hands. Medical Disposables ended trading of 2,900 shares at $6.20, SSL Venture Capital rose 2 cents in trading 3,547,275 shares to end at $1.76 and Stationery and Office gained 32 cents to end at $8.52, with 11,750 stock units changing hands.

Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.

 

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SagicorFinancial & NCB at year’s high

November 30, 2018 by

NCB trades at record TT$8 or J$152 on the TTSE on Friday.

Sagicor Financial jumped 75 cents and NCB Financial Group 90 cents to close at a at 52 weeks’ highs and drove up the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange up the cross listed and combined indices relatively sharply on Friday.
NCB Financial in jumping on Friday, is now priced in line with the close price in Kingston, now around $159. At close of the market the Composite Index climbed 22.82 points to 1,278.09. The All T&T Index declined 0.52 points to 1,691.10, while the Cross Listed Index gained 6.40 points to close at 116.79.
Market activity on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange ended on Friday with trading in 12 securities against 20 on Thursday, with 5 advancing, 1 declining and 6 remaining unchanged.
Trading ended with 611,620 shares at a value of $5,060,996, compared to 971,081 shares at a value of $36,439,815 on Thursday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 1 stock with the bid lower than the last selling price and 2 with lower offers.
Stocks closing with gains| First Caribbean International Bank closed trading of 1,270 units with a gain of 5 cents to end at $8.05, JMMB Group gained 5 cents and completed trading at $1.75, after exchanging 141,281 shares, NCB Financial Group ended trading of 169,650 shares after jumping 90 cents and ended at a record $8, Republic Financial Holdings gained 26 cents to $107.26, after exchanging 251 shares and Sagicor Financial ended trading with a jump of 75 cents and settled at 52 weeks’ high of $10, with 283,131 stock units changing hands.
Stocks closing with losses| Prestige Holdings fell 15 cents and concluded at trading at $7.35, with 903 units exchanged.
Stocks closing firm| Clico Investments settled at $20.20, with 764 stock units changing hands, First Citizens ended at $32.76, after exchanging 5,577 shares, Grace Kennedy settled at $3, with 1,495 stock units changing hands, Scotiabank concluded trading of 500 units at $64.66, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $29.12, after exchanging 6,152 shares and West Indian Tobacco concluded market activity at $95, with 646 units changing hands.

Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, Stock Market, Stocks to watch Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JSE jumps 14,819 points to record close – Thursday

November 30, 2018 by

The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, surged 14,819.23 points on Thursday, the biggest single one day ever, bettering the increase of 12,549.67 points rise on Wednesday.
Thursday move led the All Jamaica Index to close at a record high of 433,307.22, beating the record close on Wednesday of 418,487.99 and the JSE Index rose 10,027.28 points to close at a record high 381,289.90.
Strong gains in NCB Financial Group up $10.01 to end at a record close of $160, PanJam Investment and Sagicor Group were the main contributor to the market’s record move, on a day when five stocks closed at record highs.
Market activity ended with 5 securities closing at record highs as 35 securities in the main and US dollar markets changed hands, compared to a 27 on Wednesday. At the end, prices of 13 stocks rose, 11 declined and 11 remained unchanged.
The main market ended with 9,092,070 units valued at over $158,769,688 changing hands, compared with 62,089,588 units valued at over $136,855,615 exchanged, on Wednesday.
The main market ended with Supreme Ventures leading with 3,003,893 units, accounting for 33 percent of the day’s trades, followed by Mayberry Jamaica Equities with 1,516,695 units or 16.7 percent of the day’s volume and JMMB Group with 1,064,094 units with 11.7 percent of the day’s trades.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
Trading resulted in an average of 284,127 units valued at over $4,961,553, in contrast to 2,299,614 shares valued at $5,068,726 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to 403,611 valued at $7,228,391, compared to 410,125 valued at $7,009,413. October closed, with an average of 290,851 shares, valued $5,213,901, for each security traded.
In main market activity, Barita Investments rose $1.01 to a record close of $24.01, trading 1,000 shares, Carreras gained 45 cents and concluded trading of 60,911 units at $9.50, Grace Kennedy declined $3 in trading of 37,477 shares at $55, Jamaica Broilers gained $1, trading 116,853 stock units at $30, Kingston Wharves dropped $2.21 in trading 799 shares to end at $75.79.  NCB Financial Group jumped $10.01 to end trading  at record close of $160 with 103,510 shares, Palace Amusement jumped $300 to finish trading 100 shares at $1,300.00, PanJam Investment jumped $1.50 to $71.50, with an exchange of 38,300 stock units, Sagicor Group rose $4.99 trading 398,452 shares at $50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell 40 cents to settle at $11.50, exchanging 11,315 shares. Salada Foods climbed $3.50 to end trading of 1,000 stock units at record high of $29.00, Scotia Group traded 41,371 shares and shed $1 to close at $58, Seprod added 50 cents trading of 27,408 shares, to close at $32.50, Sterling Investments rose 60 cents and closed at $4.70, with 200 shares changing hands and Supreme Ventures fell $1.39 to end at $15.60, with an exchange of 3,003,893 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 65,958 units valued at $15,630 as JMMB Group 6% preference share close trading with 1,000 units to close at US$1.05 and Proven Investments rose 1 cent and ended trading of 20,758 shares at 20 U$ cents and Sygnus Credit Investments US dollar based ordinary share dropped 2 cents in trading 44,200 units at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index closed with a rise of 6.77 to close  at 166.21.

 

Filed Under: Company News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

12 Junior Market stocks rise 7 fall – Thursday

November 29, 2018 by

Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended trading on Thursday with 23 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 4,094,002 units valued at over $9,912,290 compared to 2,866,572 units valued at $7,184,147 on Wednesday from 24 securities.
The day’s volume was swollen by 2.53 million units of SSL Venture Capital, the other development of note is that Key Insurance that traded 568,000 million units with a bid for 949,000 units on the bid at $4.15.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 12 securities advanced, 7 declined and 4 remained unchanged. The Junior Market Index declined by 6.94 points to close at 3,171.50.
Trading ended with an average of 178,000 units for an average of $430,969 in contrast to 119,441 units for an average of $299,339 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to units 190,807 units valued at $666,313 and previously 191,443 units valued at $657,797. October, ended with an average of 69,421 units valued at $347,455 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
 At the close of the market, Access Financial ended with a loss of $4 at $45.50, trading 1,274 shares, AMG Packaging ended 5 cents higher at $1.95, with 208,388 stock units trading, Cargo Handlers settled $1.10 higher at $14, with 1,000 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream ended trading 8,362 shares after rising 5 cents to end at $5.30, Caribbean Producers finished trading of 22,287 units with a loss of 9 cents at $5.35. Consolidated Bakeries closed at $2.14, with an exchange of 21,635 shares, Derrimon Trading ended 35 cents higher at $2.85, swapping 7,500 shares, Elite Diagnostic finished 6 cents higher at $3.11, with 17,449 stock units being exchanged, Everything Fresh traded 109,600 shares after falling 4 cents and closed at $1.51, Express Catering ended trading 6,340 shares at $8. GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 3 cents at $1.55, trading 12,000 stock units, Honey Bun ended 15 cents higher at $4.15, with 58,500 units changing hands, Indies Pharma traded 137,347 shares in closing at $3, Jamaican Teas settled 40 cents higher at $4.40, in exchanging 5,530 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 52,959 stock units and rose 50 cents to close at $4. Key Insurance traded 15 cents higher at $4.15, with 568,144 units changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 10 cents at $3.80, with 232,796 shares trading, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 18,200 stock units and rose 15 cents to $5.15, Lasco Manufacturing finished 2 cents higher at $3.50, with 51,893 units. Medical Disposables ended trading of 100 shares at $6.20, SSL Venture Capital fell 6 cents in trading 2,526,362 shares to end at $1.74, Stationery and Office finished trading 24,738 stock units and declined $1.20 to close at $8.20, and tTech ended 30 cents higher at $5.30, with 1,598 shares changing hands.

Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,