The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose on Monday as the Junior Market JSE USD market closed moderately lower as trading ended, with the value and volume of stocks traded dropping sharply compared to the previous trading day and resulting in prices of 31 shares rising and 37 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,282.72 points to 343,170.91, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 1,665.47 points to end trading at 369,462.42, the JSE Main Index increased 1,460.26 points to conclude trading at 330,255.57. The Junior Market Index lost 9.91 points to cease trading at 3,818.66 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 0.78 points to wrap up trading at 248.41.
At the close of trading, 23,367,913 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down marginally from 23,484,571 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $49.61 million, down from $77.55, million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 172,660 shares for US$45,981 compared to 262,328 units at US$19,513 on Friday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 10.78 million shares being traded followed by QWI Investments with 4.83 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 1.99 million stock units.
In the Junior Market, Spur Tree Spices led trading with 976,508 shares followed by Fosrich with 370,030 stock units and Image Plus with 156,521 units.
In the preference segment, Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% lost $4.20 to end at $102.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.5 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.1 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide for investors to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Fosrich heading back to market
Junior Market listed FosRich is considering another Public Offer of shares to the market, a release from the company to the Jamaica Stock Exchange indicates and if approved would represent the second public offering of shares in less than a year.
The company offered 55,729,647 shares to the public in July 2023 at $2.50 each which was fully taken up.
According to the Stock Exchange release, the directors will meet on February 6 to consider a recommendation to shareholders at an extraordinary meeting, the issue of the additional ordinary shares, at a time to be determined.
The company’s nine-month results, show revenues of $2.86 billion, up 11 percent from $2.58 billion in 2022 resulting in a profit plunging to just $135 million from $388 million in the prior year with earnings per share of 3 cents compared to 8 cents in 2022 in the prior period. The company reported a loss of $27 million in the third quarter compared to a profit of $90 million in the similar 2022 quarter
Fisrich shares traded 3.2 million shares with a gain of 17 cents yesterday to close at $2.47.
Junior Market stocks dominate half year
At the midway point in the year, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market is down 7 percent, with the Financial Index down a much larger 15 percent, but the Junior Market is flat, as the JSE delivered 35 price gains for the ordinary shares and 59 losses as Junior Market stocks dominated the top positions for the first half of 2023.
Expectations are that the Junior Market will continue its upward movement in the second half of the year with technical indicators pointing to a big upward push in the market. The market gained 75 percent the last time these indicators flashed a buy signal.
The Main Market remains under some selling pressure and is not signalling a sustained rally in the short term. But June is never the month of recovery for that market following sell in May and go away. July is the month that is historically the period in the past the Main Market usually starts to rally and sometimes as late as August fueled by mid year results that will mostly be in by the middle of August.
There are only two Main Market stocks in the TOP10 with Transjamaican heads Stocks to Watch coming on top for that market with a 77 percent gain, year to date, with it being the second highest performer for the overall market for the year so far. Ciboney is up 59 percent and the fifth highest performer, and the second best Main market stock, thanks partially to a change in the majority ownership to IEC Energy Company Ltd, with the new directors being Nigel Davy, Jennifer Davy, Klyle Davy, Wycliffe Cameron Conley Salmon Donald Patterson and Wayne Wray.
The top performing stock is Main Event with a rise of 89 percent, with more gains expected with the PE ratio of just 10 times this year’s earnings, while Stationery and Office Supplies doubled after an announcement to consider a stock split at a directors meeting on June 21 ended with a gain of 37 percent for the half year as the price pulled back after the directors announced a recommendation for a 9 for 1 split to be voted on at the company’s AGM on July 25.
The Junior Market has the majority of stocks, six, in the worst performer grouping, with Fosrich being the worst with a loss of 45 percent as the price corrected sharply from an overbought position last year, followed by iCreate down 34 percent from excessive speculation from a number of announcements the company made last year.
Fosrich pushes trading higher on Wednesday
The Junior Market listed Fosrich stock traded at a new high of $5.42 on Wednesday following the 10 to one split but it closed at $5 after investors swapped 4 million units of the shares as the price hike helped push the Junior Market up 46.92 points to close at 4,388.89 and helping to cushion the fall of main market stocks with the JSE Combined Index a measure of the overall market, slipping 138.28 points to 391,562.81.
FosRich now trading post stock split
A total of 22,617,580 shares changed hands in the overall market, with a value of $201.9 million, while the value of stocks traded in the JSE USD market ended at US$37,897.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 816.34 points to 430,308.55, the JSE Main Index fell 599.23 points to 376,569.23 and the JSE USD market Index rose 1.93 points to 208.11.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 24 based on 2021-22 earnings and 12.8 times those for 2022-23 at the close of trading.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many investment choices, in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational investment decisions by investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and put in on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The ICInsider.com PE Ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped on an industry basis, allowing easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2021 and 2022 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items. The PE Ratio is the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks.
Fosrich pushes Junior Market up 145 points.
The Junior Market listed Fosrich stock traded at its 10 to one split price and ended at a record high of $4.38 for a rise of 73 cents on Tuesday helping to push the Junior Market up 145.29 points to close at 4,341.97 and helping to push the JSE Combined Index a measure of the overall market, to jump 3,589.47 points to 391,701.09.
Fosrich traded at 10 to 1 stock split price on Tuesday.
The Main Market rose but the JSEUSD Markets slipped at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading ended, with 19,335,897 shares changing hands in the overall market, with a value of $170.8 million, while the JSE USD market ended with the value of stocks traded at US$42,336.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 3,348.28 points to close at 431,124.89, the JSE Main Index rose 2,441.47 points to close at 377,168.46 and the JSE USD market Index dipped 2.55 points to 206.18.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 24.1 based on 2021-22 earnings and 12.8 times those for 2022-23 at the close of trading.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many investment choices, in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational investment decisions by investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and put in on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The ICInsider.com PE Ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped on an industry basis, allowing easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2021 and 2022 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items. The PE Ratio is the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks.
8 Junior Market stocks that should split
Stock splits and bonuses are two tools companies have in their tool kit to deliver value to their shareholders if used appropriately. Interestingly while the Scotia Group has used these tools repeatedly for the past several decades, Directors at NCB Group have frowned on the practice seeing no value to the group.
The critical point is that directors run a company for the benefit of shareholders not solely for the benefit of the company. Shareholders are kings and queens of the companies they own shares in and directors should not lose sight of that factor.
Some companies have split their stocks and investors love the results of these splits as they see where the values have mostly gone up, before and after the split. Some companies like the Lasco group have handled the split badly by overdoing it and creating too much liquidity that kills the value of the stock for years. The split is also an indication that a company’s profit is likely to grow short term which would cause the stock to struggle as the price gets more expensive without the split.
A look at the Junior Market shows 27 of the 45 companies listed trading below four dollars, with seven priced at more than twice $4. The price differential between the two groups suggests that a stock split is warranted if management is serious about the minority shareholders as well as creating the liquidity in the stock to maximize publicity from listing.
The seven companies are Access Financial, with only 270 million issued shares, with a stock split well overdue that will result in improved liquidity and build interest in it. Cargo Handlers at $11.50 has limited liquidity and needs a split to build back excitement into trading it. Dolphin Cove is the third one with the price at $15.25 and recently much higher, but the majority owner may not be so inclined to go the route of a split, but one never knows as local shareholders could well prevail on them to do so. Fosrich now trading around $27, is proposing a 10 to 1 stock split at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) this month. Honey Bun trading at $8.50 has the potential to move up to the $20 region later this year or early in 2023 and warrants a second split, having done one a few years ago.
Fosrich to vote on a 10 to 1 stock split at the coming AGM this month.
Back in 2020, management of ISP Finance had indicated that a split was on the cards, but even with the stock at more than $22 and highly illiquid with less than 3 percent of shares freely available for regular trading action to split the stock is nowhere in sight. Main Event is just at the borderline at $8.20 so a split may be in the future when it has fully recovered from the loss in business, with the advent of the covid-19 pandemic. There are 300 million shares issued with the top 10 holdings accounting for 93.5 percent. Stationery and Offer Supplies hinted at a past AGM that they had looked at it but felt the time was not right. The time may well be very close with the price trading recently around the $12 region with record profits expected this year a split could well happen with the AGM coming up later this year. The company has only 250 million shares issued of which 90 percent are held by the Top10 shareholders. Medical Disposables trades at $7-8 region, with the price not yelling for a split just yet but if management is smart they would split the stock with only 263 million shares issued, a two for one basis as rising profit this fiscal year will probably put the price to around $5 after such a split when all is said and done.
Construction boom boost Fosrich profits
After a few years of mediocre performance since it was listed in late 2017 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Fosrich is enjoying a most robust year in 2021, with a surge in revenues and a major blast in profits as the construction sector is enjoying the best performance in history and lifting sales of entities involved in the sector.
Revenues for the June quarter blasted 33 percent to $544 million, from $408 million in the similar 2020 period, helping to contribute to a 28 percent increase in six months revenues of $1,093 million, up from $857 million in 2020. Net Profit leaped 336 percent in the second quarter to $76 million, up from just $17 million in 2020 and for the half year, profit bolted 414 percent to $115 million from a mere $22 million in 2020.
Gross Profit blew 44 percent past $169 million for the June quarter last year to $244 million this year and rose 29 percent from $339 million in last year to $435 million for the six months this year, resulting in improvement in profit margins.
“These increases were attributed primarily to the greater availability of the products required by the market. While the overall increase in revenues was 28 percent, the product lines that had significant increases were PVC which saw increases of 105 percent, hardware 93 percent, wiring devices 52 percent and control devices 48 percent,” the Managing Director, Cecil Foster advised shareholders about the increase in sales, in his commentary of the results.
FosRich traded at $7.99 on Tuesday.
Administration expenses, year-to-date, were $310 million, an increase of 14 percent over 2020, with $271 million. For the quarter, these expenses grew much faster than in the first quarter at 32 percent to $166 million from $126 million in 2020. “The changes were driven primarily by increased staff related costs for salary adjustments, increased sales commission due to improved sales performance and improvements in staff benefits, increased staff training cost with the launch of the new FosRich Corporate University, increased motor vehicle expenses, increased occupancy cost due to the commencement of obligations in January for the second Hayes factory building and increased depreciation charges,” Foster advised shareholders. Finance cost for the year-to-date was $51 million compared to $57 million for the prior reporting period.
The operations delivered gross cash flow of $152 million, but growth in receivables, reduction of inventories, addition to fixed assets and payments on loans and lease funding of $58 million left the net position, with a cash flow deficit of just $1 million. Current assets ended the period at $1.99 billion, including inventories of $1.37 billion, trade and other receivables of $424 million, and cash and bank balances of $33 million. At the end of June, current liabilities stood at $496 million and resulted in net current assets of $1.5 billion. A related party owes $288 million, being funds loaned to complete an apartment complex, with sales expected to be completed this year, with proceeds slated to pay off the amount during 2021.
Shareholders’ equity stands at $983 million, up from the $869 million at the end of December 2020. Borrowings amount to $1.8 billion.
Earnings per share for the second quarter surged to 15 cents from 3 cents in the prior year and climbed to 23 cents compared to 4 cents in 2020. ICInsider.com forecasts 60 cents per share for 2021 and $1 for 2022. The current year’s PE is now 13.3, with the last traded stock price at $7.99 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The average Junior Market trades at a PE of 12.7 and net asset value is $1.96, with the stock selling at 4 times net book value.
FosRich closes the year with strong 4th quarter
FosRich, a Junior Market listed company that is a distributor of lighting, electrical and solar energy products, recently added the manufacturing of PVC pipes and repairing of transformers to its list of goods and services it provides.
The company reported strong fourth quarter results, with profit before tax rising 46 percent to $50 million from $34 million in the December quarter of 2019. Profit rose just 15 percent over 2019 to $126 million for the 2020 fiscal year, up from $110 million in 2019.
They incurred $2.7 million in taxes for 2019 due to under accrual of the 2016 taxation and no interest income was booked on advances to a related company. There was no tax charge in 2020, under tax savings enjoyed from listing on the Junior Market.
Revenue climbed 18 percent in both the final quarter and for the year, coming in at $504 million and $1.9 billion, respectively, up from $1.6 billion for 2019. “The product lines that had significant increases over the prior year were PVC Products, which grew by 252 percent, Industrial Electrical Products, which grew by 194 percent, Hardware, which grew by 153 percent and Control Devices which grew by 144 percent,” management reported in the analysis of the company’s financial performance for the year.
Other income dropped 38 percent for the year to $32 million, from $52 million in 2019 and fell from $30 million in the final 2019 quarter to negative $366,000 in the 2020 fourth quarter.
Cost of sales increased by a mere one percent for the quarter but grew by 19 percent for the year, from $902 million to $1.1 billion. Gross profit climbed 39 percent for the December quarter to $270 million and 16 percent to $825 million for the 2020 fiscal year, up from $709 million in 2019. Gross profit margin for the year remained at a healthy 44 percent and 54 percent for the final quarter. Cost of sales is based solely on cost of goods sold and not the full direct cost entailed in selling. It is troubling that with such a high mark up on goods sold, net profit is just contributing a mere 6.6 percent, due partially to the high level of inventory carried and high distribution cost currently, in addition, finance cost accounted for 8.4 percent of sales in 2020 and 6.79 percent in 2019.
Mark Croskery speaking to Cecil Foster, Managing director of FosRich before the company went public.
Administration, marketing and selling expenses fell 13 percent for the quarter but grew by four percent for the year from $487 million to $506 million. Finance cost rose 46 percent for the year to $160 million, from $109 million with $38 million of the increase due to provision for expected credit losses.
Current assets for the 2020 financial year stood at $2 billion inclusive of cash and bank balances of $34 million and trade receivables of $245 million, while current liabilities increased by 5 percent to $580 million. Shareholders’ equity stood at $869 million and borrowings totalled $1.6 billion, resulting in a high degree of leveraging that is extremely risky.
A total of $365 million is due from a related party, with the funds used to complete the construction of an apartment complex in Kingston that is yet to be completed. According to Cecil Foster, Managing Director, the units are virtually complete and should be disposed of within two months. “All 80 units are sold at prices between $16 and $35 million and that will allow for full repayment this year of the amounts advanced,” Foster informed ICInsider.com. No interest was booked on the debt during the year, even as Fosrich has to pay interest on amounts borrowed to help fund the amounts due from the related party. The cost to the company is around $30 million per year, Foster confirmed that interest is payable and will be fully paid when the debt is paid this year.
FosRich paid dividends of 9.5 cents per share in November 2020, amounting to $48 million. Earnings per share came out at 25 cents for the fiscal year.
ICInsider.com projects 45 cents per share for 2021.The company is not focusing solely on its traditional business of distribution. In 2019, the company commenced the manufacturing of PVC pipes, with the plant producing 16 different types of PVC pipes, on a 24-hour basis and currently has the capacity to supply the entire local market. According to the company’s management, PVC Products delivered revenues of $66 million for the period in 2019 that they operated and in 2020 up to September. “We have been profitable in this area since November last year, Foster told ICInsider.com.” There is more to come from the manufacturing of PVC pipes. “We will be manufacturing four to sixteen inch PVC pipes at Hayes in Clarendon as well as fittings for the pipe,” Foster informed this publication. From all indications, the company should have a full year of profit for the pipe division in 2021.
After 20 months of discussions with JPS in taking over their pole-mount transformer repair activity, the company has an agreement to do so and the activity is now in operation. Phase one of the reconstruction of our new distribution centre at 76 Molynes Road is completed, management told shareholders in their September interim report.
The application for Blue Emerald Limited, a new company for registration under the Special Economic Zone Authority, in order to take advantage of the significant long-term tax concessions is at an advanced stage. Activities being undertaken at the new Hayes facility in Clarendon will be done through this company, acting exclusively for FosRich under a contract manufacturing arrangement.
The stock last traded at $5.25 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE of just 11.7. Going forward, Foster says that 2021 has started out well in fact, he said “very good.” As such, shareholders can look forward to more gains in 2021. This is clearly a stock to have on ones’ watch list if not already owned.
Fosrich APO coming
FosRich, a distributor of lighting, electrical and solar energy products and a Junior Market listed company, seems set to go back to the capital market to raise funds for expansion and reduce loan funding.
“We are currently examining a possible additional Public Offer (APO) in 2021,” managing director Cecil Foster stated in response to ICInsider.com enquiry as to why would they not take advantage of favourable market conditions currently to reduce the high debt load.
Fosrich borrowed debt totalling $1.6 billion is more than twice the Shareholders’ equity of $869 million at the end of December last year. The company has lent nearly $400 million to a related party that should be repaid this year, with the proceeds expected to reduce the debt load. Even after that, the company will still be overleveraged and will need approximately $500 million in new equity to bring its financing to accepted levels. Any new issue seems unlikely until the last quarter of 2021, with the company annual general meeting that will likely be held in August, as was the case in 2020 that would most likely approve such an issue. Additionally, with the stock now price over $5, a stock split would likely be considered to be approved at the 2021 AGM.
The company had a successful 2020 financial year with increased profits from rising sales and the stock price rising 31 percent so far in 2021.
TOP 10 stocks – Watch FosRich on Tuesday
With the Initial Public offerings (IPOS) out of the way, more life returned to the secondary market this past week resulting in some changes to the TOP 10 lists.
Initial Public offerings for 2017 now seem to be over until they reappear in January, with Sygnus Capital Investments planning to be out of the block early. Others that were prepared to go in December could come to market in January, the start of what now appears to be another interesting year for local stocks. Coming Tuesday in the wider market, FosRich Group, the recent IPO will list and start trading on the Junior Market.
Prior to the past week, the focus on IPOs negatively affected trading in the secondary market with the Junior Market giving up almost all the gains make in the first half of the year and is still trading close to the low for the year.
The past week ended with Main Event as the only new entrant into the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks, with Blue Power leaving, as the price rose back to the $44. Sagicor Group returns to the Main Market list pushing out Pulse Investments. Interestingly, General Accident jumped to $3 by week end with limited supplies and slipped to number 2 on the list.
Investors should bear in mind that as the year closes, there will be changes to the TOP list for 2018, with a number on the current list, expected to repeat, but there will be new ones.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 8.1 and a PE of 8.2 for the main market TOP 10. 
The average PE for the overall main market is 14.2 and 12.8 for the Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 36 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and 44 percent for the main market.
Market Watch| The two markets seem to have found support this past week after retreating sharply over the prior two weeks. Investors should still keep a keen eye on Caribbean Cement for which supply seems to be declining fast and a focus on refinancing leased assets is expected to result in major savings in cost for 2018 onwards. FosRich, the recent IPO that starts trading on the Junior Market on Tuesday, General Accident, Cable & Wireless that appears scarce under $1, NCB Financial, Berger Paints, JMMB Group, Main Event, Lasco Financial, Paramount Trading and Stationery and Office.
