Everything Fresh is one of a hand full of initial public stock offers to be selling below the IPO price months after the issue. The stock that was over priced has only been partially helped by a big jump in 2018 half year profit.
The fall in the price was due to over pricing the initial offer and failure to provide more up to date information on the 2018 performance to the time of the IPO and to address developments with the margins. Even with improved results, the stock remains one of the higher priced units on the Junior Market, at a PE of 14 times this year’s pretax earnings and is in line with the market’s average.
Boosted by a big jump in profit margins, earnings after tax jumped 180 percent in the June quarter, to $26.5 million from $9.5 million in 2017. For the six months to June, profit climbed 99 percent to $38.6 million from $19.4 million in 2017. For the next five years, profit will be free of corporate taxes and in the second five years will pay taxes at half the regular rate.
Sales revenue rose 9.7 percent for the quarter, to $494 million from $451 million and increased 6 percent for the half year, to $969 million from $915 million in 2017.
Improvement in profit margin in the first half of the year that grew from 8 percent to 11 percent, increased further to 13 percent in the June quarter and was the major contributor for the sharp increase in profit. The Chairman, Gregory Pullen informed IC Insider.com, that the company took a deliberate decision in 2017 to go after certain clients with an introduction of low margins, with the expectation that they would be able to enjoy higher margins in 2018 onwards.
Everything Fresh two major owners and directors, Mr. & Mrs. Pullen.
The effect of the changes, operating profit rose 84 percent in the quarter, to $66 million from $36 million and increased 49 percent for the year to date, to $108 million from $72 million in 2017.
Sharp increase in administrative expenses by 38 percent to $28 million in the quarter and by 30 percent in the six months period to $54 million, kept the growth in the top line from filtering fully into profit. Marketing expenses associated the public of share issue added to cost in the period. Finance cost rose in the quarter, to $5 million from $4.3 million in 2017 and from $8.7 million to $9.3 million for the six months.
Earnings per share before tax came out at 5 cents for the quarter and 8 cents for the six months and should end the year at 15 cents for PE of 14 times 2018 earnings and 10 times 2019 projected earnings of 20 cents per share. The stock traded at $2.10 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday.
Gross cash flow brought in $48 million but changes in working capital and inflows from the issue of shares, resulted in $213 million of cash funds as of June. A large portion of the share issue proceeds was received after the end of the quarter, the chairman’s report to shareholders stated.
At the end of June, shareholders’ equity climbed to $651 million from $225 million in 2017. Borrowings stood at just $107 million. Net current assets ended the period at $614 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $503 million and cash and bank balances of $213 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $207 million.
The company is looking at three meat processing facility locally with a view to acquiring one and expects that discussions will conclude by the end of this year or early in 2019. The plan is to enable the manufacturing of products by them to sell directly to its clients at more competitive prices.
The Junior Market dropped by an unusually large 136.58 points to close at 3,299.73 on Friday as 
General Accident finished trading 2,000 shares with a loss of 45 cents at $3.90, Indies Pharma gained 14 cents and closed trading with 622,765 shares changing hands at $3.89, 
The Junior Market ended traded on Thursday record high closing high as more stocks gained than fell leaving The Junior Market Index advanced by 22.73 points to close at 3,436.31 
Trading for the month to date averages 531,728 units for an average of $3,009,661 and on the prior trading day, an average of 539,551 units for an average of $3,204,213. Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
Eppley settled at $10, with 1,695 units changing hands, Express Catering ended trading 12 cents higher at $8.02, exchanging 186,942 shares, FosRich Group traded 1 cent higher at $3.21, with 80,689 shares. GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 5 cents at $2.15, as 25,528 stock units were traded, Honey Bun ended with a loss of 15 cents at $4, with 39,698 units, Indies Pharma closed trading with 252,318 shares changing hands at $3.75, ISP Finance finished trading of 2,000 shares at $20, Jamaican Teas settled 35 cents higher at $5, with 232,117 shares changing hands. Jetcon Corporation ended trading 322,842 stock units, 10 cents higher at $4.10, Knutsford Express closed at $11.50, swapping 1,960 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 5 cents higher at $4, trading 327,700 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 625,607 stock units 4 cents higher at $5.50. Lasco Manufacturing finished at $4, with 15,100 units, Main Event settled $1.20 higher at $6.50, with 15,000 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables ended trading 40 cents higher at $6.50, with 52,230 shares and Paramount Trading traded 100,300 shares at $3.
The Junior Market traded mostly at record territory for most of the trading session on Wednesday. A late pull back in the prices of 
Trading for the month to date averages 539,551 units for an average of $$3,204,213 and on the prior trading day, an average of 572,535 units for an average of $3,421,793. Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
Indies Pharma lost 17 cents and closed with 1,534,316 shares changing hands at $3.75, Jamaican Teas settled 25 cents higher at $4.65, with 13,767 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended at $4, trading 37,117 stock units. Key Insurance traded 446,525 units with a loss of 25 cents at $3.50, KLE Group finished trading 50,000 shares at $3, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of $1.20 at $11.50, with an exchange of 48,384 shares, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 5 cents at $3.95, with 2,000 shares changing hands. Lasco Financial concluded trading at $5.46, with 19,000 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing finished at $4, with an exchange of 13,000 units, Medical Disposables ended trading 3,740 shares with a loss of 70 cents at $6.10, Paramount Trading gained 40 cents to close at $3, with 91,400 shares traded. Stationery and Office finished trading 24 cents higher at $9.25, after 157,954 stock units were exchanged and tTech ended 10 cents higher at $6.10, with the trading of 3,857 shares. In the Junior Market US dollar market Eppley 5% us preference share traded 117 units with at $1.
The Junior Market rose 20.24 points at the close of trading on Tuesday, to end at record close of 3,422.72 for a gain of more than 25 percent for the year to date. 
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging gained 5 cents to end at $1.95, with an exchange of 461,972 stock units, Blue Power concluded trading of 2,300 units 50 cents higher at $7, CAC 2000 finished $2 higher at record high of $11, with 11,761 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream ended trading of 16,348 shares with a loss of 74 cents to end at $7.26, Caribbean Flavours lost 50 cents to close at $18.50, trading 7,423 stock units. Caribbean Producers finished trading 28,273 units at $6.10, Derrimon Trading ended 2 cents higher at $3.20, with 191,800 shares trading, Elite Diagnostic finished at $3.40, with 10,000 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh shed 30 cents in trading 45,000 shares to end at $2, Express Catering ended trading 29,858 shares, 39 cents higher at $8.39. FosRich Group gained 20 cents to end at $3.21, exchanging 20,991 shares, General Accident finished trading 25,000 shares, to close 35 cents higher at $4.35, 
GWest Corporation closed 5 cents higher at $2.20, with 265,662 stock units changing hands, Honey Bun rose 20 cents higher to $4.25, with the trading of 6,519 units. Indies Pharma lost 2 cents and closed with 537,134 shares changing hands at $3.95, Iron Rock concluded trading of 10,000 shares at $4, Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 20 cents at $4.40, with 44,845 shares changing hands, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 31,000 stock units after rising 4 cents to $4, Lasco Distributors ended at $4, exchanging 44,863 shares. Lasco Financial concluded trading 618,240 stock units with a loss of 14 cents to end at $5.46, Lasco Manufacturing finished 10 cents higher at $4, with 51,934 units changing hands, Main Event gained 10 cents to close at $5.30, with 8,000 shares trading and Stationery and Office finished trading of 36,984 stock units 1 cent higher at $9.01. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.75% concluded trading of 25,000 units with a loss of 20 cents at $6.
The Junior Market recorded gains of 5.39 points at the close of trading on Monday, to end at record close of 3,402.48, within 3 minutes of opening, to take out the old record of 3,392.58 on Monday. 
613,186 units for an average of $3,682,880 and on the prior trading day, an average of 670,895 units for an average of $4,049,556. Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
Honey Bun ended at $4.05, with 25,386 units, Indies Pharma lost 5 cents and closed with 1,098,497 shares changing hands at $3.95. Iron Rock concluded trading of 81,500 shares for 50 cents higher at $4, Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 5 cents at $4.60, exchanging 38,064 shares, Jetcon Corporation gained 6 cents to close at $3.96, with 250 stock units changing hands. KLE Group finished trading 91,858 shares at $3, Knutsford Express closed $1.20 higher at $12.70, exchanging 1,800 shares, Lasco Distributors ended at $4, with 32,479 shares, Lasco Financial gained 10 cents to $5.60, trading 110,888 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished at $3.90, with 6,289 units, Main Event settled with a loss of 1.80 cents at $5.20, in the exchange of 14,000 shares, Stationery and Office finished trading 15,900 stock units at $9 and tTech ended at $6, changing 309,410 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Derrimon Trading ended with a loss of 26 cents at $2.25, with 5,100 stock units changing hands.
The Junior Market recorded gains of 31.89 points at the close of trading on Friday, to end at record close of 3,397.09 after it traded briefly at an intraday record high of 3,408.31 points, within 3 minutes of opening, to take out the old record of 3,392.58 on Monday. 
Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
GWest Corporation closed at $2.15, with 31,044 stock units trading, Indies Pharma closed with 1,012,184 shares changing hands to close of $4, Jamaican Teas settled at $4.65, trading 37,374 shares. Jetcon Corporation ended trading 20,677 stock units with a loss of 10 cents at $3.90, Knutsford Express closed at $11.50, with 500 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended 23 cents higher at $4, after 15,470 shares traded, Lasco Financial concluded trading 133,305 stock units with a gain of 5 cents to $5.50. Lasco Manufacturing finished at $3.90, with 19,158 units changing hands, Main Event settled $1 higher at $7, with 68,715 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables ended trading 18,135 shares with a loss of $1.15 at $6.80, Paramount Trading traded 106,383 shares at $2.60 and Stationery and Office finished trading at $9, with 15,339 stock units being exchanged.
Newly listed Junior Market stock, Indies Pharma jumped to a record $4 on Thursday, in recording gains of 167 percent since the IPO issue in July, at $1.50 per share. 
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 5 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 4 closed with lower offers.
The Junior Market retreated from the record close when trading resumed on Tuesday, with the market index declining by 12.75 points to close at 3,356.37, back below the previous high of 2017. 
Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
Trading for the month to date averages 898,015 units for an average of $5,501,550 and on the prior trading day, an average of 1,021,454 units for an average of $6,293,646. Trading in August, averaged 244,613 units at $1,348,298 for each security traded.
Iron Rock concluded trading of 299,025 shares with a fall of 30 cents at $3.20, Jamaican Teas settled at $4.20, exchanging just 1,059 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 69,700 stock units and rose 8 cents higher to $3.95. KLE Group finished trading of 15,000 shares at $3, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of $1.20 at $11.50, with 28,316 shares trading, Lasco Distributors ended 5 cents higher at $4.05, while exchanging 67,800 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 83,248 stock units after falling 13 cents to $5.77. Lasco Manufacturing closed 1 cent higher at $4.01, with 15,416 units being swapped, Main Event settled 4 cents higher at $6.02, trading 6,600 shares, Medical Disposables ended trading of 5,000 shares and gained 3 cents to $6.70, Paramount Trading ended 3 cents higher at $2.75, exchanging 464 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading with a loss of 15 cents at $8.70, with 13,982 stock units trading.
