In today’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the prices of 8 stocks rose and 9 declined as 28 securities traded resulting in 8,384,697 shares trading valued at $39,568,098 but the two main market indices fell a bit to add to the losses on Wednesday. The advance decline ratio at the close was an improvement on Wednesday’s 5 to 9.
Main Market| 6 companies in the main market advanced and 7 declined as the indices moved down with the JSE Market Index shedding 555.97 points to 73,058.32 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell by 621.68 points to close at 80,400.65 just a shade from the low for 2014 of 80,359.75 reached on January 7th.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Carreras that gained 8 cents to close at $33.65 with only 1,000 units changing hands, Desnoes & Geddes trading 72,966 shares to close with a gain of 20 cents at $4.30, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 73,808 ordinary shares to close at $7.30 with 3 cents gain, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.50% preference share 72,000 units to close up a cent at $3.51, Sagicor Group with 415,594 shares to close at $9.10 up by 20 cents and Seprod with 968 units to close at $11 with a 20 cents gain.
Firm| There were 7 stocks in the main market to close without a change in price, with Gleaner trading 548,887 shares in closing at $1.10, Jamaica Broilers with 1,030,997 shares and closed at $4.85, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share with 1,104,250 units and closed at $3.03, Mayberry Investments 20,560 shares as the price closed at $1.71, Proven Investments 8% preference share, 13,100 units to end at $5.09, Radio Jamaica 10,000 shares and closed at $1.28 and Scotia Investments with 18,790 units and closed at $23.10.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Cable & Wireless with 2,869,910 shares in losing 5 cents to end at 35 cents, Caribbean Cement with 71,784 shares to end at $3.50 with a 50 cents fall, Grace Kennedy 51,906 shares while closing at $56, down by 50 cents, National Commercial Bank 33,961 units as the price ended at $18 with a loss of 50 cents, Pan Jamaican Investment 4,000 units, closing at $48.50 for a fall of a cent, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 3,464 units at $6 as it shed 50 cents and Scotia Group with 885,471 shares in closing at $20.06 for a 49 cents drop.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by only 4.74 points to close at 745.65 as 8 stocks traded with 2 advancing and 2 declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market are Caribbean Producers trading 456,206 units to close at $3.10, up 10 cents and Lasco Distributors with 424,000 shares to close at $1.35 with a gain of 5 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are Access Financial with 6,000 units and closed at $11.50, Blue Power 4,000 units and closed at $9.01, General Accident Insurance 53,068 units, closing at $1.50 and Lasco Manufacturing with 77,934 shares as the price closed at $1.20.
Declines| Stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading are Lasco Financial with 21,800 units at $1.25, down by 5 cents and Paramount Trading in trading 38,273 shares, landed at a 52 weeks low of $2.68 with a decline of 23 cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had only 3 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 9 stocks with offers that were lower, continuing to indicate a negative market sentiment.
More losses for the market
JSE Market gives up much ground
In Wednesday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the market slipped more than it gained on Tuesday as big capitalisation stocks, Desnoes & Geddes, Sagicor Group and Cable & Wireless slipped in value with the prices of 5 stocks rising and 9 declining as 24 securities traded resulting in 8,461,785 shares changing hands valued at $29,734,524. At the close market sentiment was reflecting continued negative movements for a while.
Main Market| Only 4 companies in the main market advanced and 8 declined as the indices plummeted with the JSE Market Index dropping by 2,428.50 points to 73,614.29 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index shedding 2,715.48 points to close at 81,022.33.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Hardware & Lumber trading 64,500 shares to close with a gain of $1.30 cents at $11.80, National Commercial Bank with 7,976 units changing hands to close at $18.50and gained 40 cents, Caribbean Cement with 84,939 shares to close at $4, with an increase of 10 cents and Scotia Group only 500 shares to close at $20.55 for a 5 cents gain.
Firm| There were only 6 stocks in the main market to close without a price change as Jamaica Broilers with 22,080 shares closed at $4.85, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.50% preference share traded 10,000 units and closed at $3.50, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share closed at $3.03 while exchanging 221,600 shares, Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 612,900 units at $5.09 followed by Seprod with 171,083 units at $10.80 and Supreme Ventures with 17,000 units to close at $2.10.
Declines| On a day when declining stocks overwhelmed advancing ones, the number of stocks that declined in the main market are Cable & Wireless with 1,903,766 shares as investors tried to get out of the stock as it the closed at 40 cents having slipped by 4 cents, Desnoes & Geddes with 697,860 shares while losing 40 cents to end at $4.10, Gleaner with 8,000 shares to close 5 cents lower at $1.10, Grace Kennedy 40,258 units in closing at $56.50 as the price slipped a cent, Pan Jamaican Investment with 97,716 shares in closing at $48.51 down by 54 cents, Radio Jamaica 24,000 units traded to close 4 cents lower at $1.28 and Sagicor Group with 576,077 shares closed at $8.90 with the fall of 13 cents.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by 2.99 points to close at 750.39 as 7 stocks traded with only one advancing and 2 declining.
Gains| Lasco Financial traded 41,000 units to close at $1.30, up 10 cents, was the only stock with a gain at the end of trading in the junior market.
Firm Trades| 4 stocks in the junior market traded to close at the same price as the day before with Caribbean Flavours trading 11,121 units at $2.70, Caribbean Producers 121,513 shares to end at $3, Consolidated Bakeries 40,000 units in ending at $1.10 and Lasco Manufacturing with 1,066,000 shares to end at $1.20.
Declines| Stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading are Dolphin Cove trading 222,681 units at $8.20 for a 3 cents fall and Lasco Distributors 2,399,215 shares at $1.30 down 5 cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator flashed negative sentiment showing 5 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 9 stocks with offers that were lower.
Advancing stocks top declines
In Monday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the prices of 6 stocks rose and 3 declined as 21 securities traded resulting in 5,426,535 shares changing hands valued at $14,802,328. The IC market sentiment indicator is pointing to continued fluidity in prices with almost an even number of stocks with bids and offers above or below their last traded prices.
Main Market| 5 companies in the main market advanced, only 3 declined as the indices moved down with the JSE Market Index falling by 603.54 points to 73,988.69 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declining by 674.86 points to close at 81,440.97.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Cable & Wireless trading 16,832 shares to close with a gain of one cent at 41 cents, Desnoes & Geddes gained 20 cents to close at $4.50 with 450 units changing hands, National Commercial Bank 1,690 shares to close at $18.30 with a gain of 20 cents, Pan Jamaican Investment with 101,574 shares to close at $49.28, up 23 cents. Radio Jamaica had 4,900,000 units changing hands to close with a 4 cents gain at $1.32.
Firm| There were only 6 stocks in the main market to close without a change in price as Gleaner with 22,980 shares closed at $1.10, Grace Kennedy 810 units helped the price to close at $56.51, Jamaica Broilers traded 113,552 shares to close at $4.85, Mayberry Investments with 1,020 shares closed at $1.70, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 11,930 units to close at $6.50 and Scotia Group with 18,575 units closed at $20.50.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 1,298 shares in losing 2 cents to end at $7.22, Sagicor Group 106,867 shares to close down by 30 cents at $9.50 and Seprod with 1,022 at $10.80 for a 4 cents fall.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index advanced by 2.92 points to close at 754.26 as only 6 stocks traded in that market.
Gains| Lasco Manufacturing was the only stock recording a gain at the end of trading in the junior market as 44,697 shares changed hands to close up by 9 cents at $1.19.
Firm Trades| Stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are AMG Packaging with 500 units at $3.50, Blue Power with 19,438 units at $9.01, Derrimon Trading 12,000 units at $2.28, Lasco Distributors 37,300 shares at $1.40 and Lasco Financial Services 14,000 units at $1.20. Access Financial 9% Unsecured Short Term Notes traded 9,000 units at $99.50.
Declines| No stock declined in the junior market at the end of trading on Monday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 8 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 9 stocks with offers that were lower.
Market directionless
In Thursday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the market was directionless with advancing stocks numbering just below declining ones and the IC market indicator showing investors in a tussle over the immediate future direction of the market. Prices of 6 stocks rose and 8 declined as 20 securities traded resulting in 3,602,192 shares changing hands valued at $19,621,158 in another lacklustre session.
Main Market| All advancing shares in the market was in the main market and all but one stock that declined was also in this market, but the indices moved up slightly, with the JSE Market Index inching up by just 1.23 points to 74,599.03 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index edging up by only 1.38 points to close at 82,123.43.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Berger Paints trading 89,657 unitss to close with a gain of a cent at $1.68, Caribbean Cement gained 21 cents to close at $3.91 with 20,500 units changing hands, Carreras traded 443 shares to close 6 cents higher at $33.56, Ciboney with 50,000 shares by increasing by a cent to close at 12 cents for a new 52 weeks high, Grace Kennedy 7,439 shares with a gain of $1 to close at $58 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 451,214 ordinary shares to close up by 4 cents at $7.24.
Firm| There were only 5 stocks in the main market to close without a change in price as Gleaner with 228,484 shares closed at $1.10, Hardware & Lumber traded 3,300 units and closed at $11.70, Mayberry Investments with 3,060 units closed at $1.70, Scotia Group had 59,888 units changing hands to close at $20.62 and Seprod traded 685 shares in closing at $10.84.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Cable & Wireless with 1,500,888 units while losing a cent to end at 40 cents, Desnoes & Geddes with 76,472 shares to end at $4.30 as the price lost 30 cents, Jamaica Broilers with 450,872 shares to close at $4.86, down 4 cents, Jamaica Producers that traded 6,600 units to close at $18.26 while losing 4 cents, National Commercial Bank 571,665 shares as the price closed with a 10 cents lost, at $18, Sagicor Group had 50,529 units changing hands to close with a fall of 71 cents to $9.50 and Salada Foods 2,400 shares to close 45 cents lower, to end at $7.50
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by 0.59 points to close at 743.20 as only 2 junior market stocks traded at the end of the trading session.
Gains| No stock gained at the end of trading in the junior market.
Firm Trades| Lasco Manufacturing was the only stock in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the previous trading day with 27,096 units to end at $1.20.
Declines| Caribbean Producers was the only stock declining in the junior market at the end of trading as the price fell 9 cents to close at $2.91 as it traded a mere 1,000 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gleaner profits face major challenges
The Gleaner Company was able to hold down administrative, distribution and other operating expenses the first quarter of 2012 and yet the operations still ended up with a loss of $16 million, after benefiting from a tax credit of $4 million. In 2012, the company that is involved primarily in the production of newspapers, made a small profit of $25 million. To be fair, the March quarter is not the company’s best period for making a profit as that usually happens in the last half of the year and particularly in the third quarter.
That said, the profit for the full 12 months of last year was made based on investment income as there was an operating loss before investment income. That is not a good signal going forward. The company raised rates for advertising by effectively modifying the discount levels granted to advertisers. How much more revenue that will generate is left to be seen. The reality is that they need to raise revenues without alienating customers in order to boost the bottom-line. That is not easily done in a tough and tight economy.
Revenues in the quarter were flat coming out at $774.7 million compared to $774.4 million in 2012. Gross profit fell $39 million, down to $360 million thus ensuring there would have been nothing left to cover other costs.
The reality is that the Gleaner is having a torrid time. First, with the exit of one telecom carrier from the local market which resulted in less competition, there was a reduction of advertising revenue for all media houses. Secondly, Internet access has reduced the desire and in many cases, the need to purchase newspapers. Not to be forgotten is the variety of media outlets that dilutes advertising revenues for each media house.
Financial status | The Gleaner is in a healthy financial position with a fair amount of cash and short term investments and little debt. A few years ago they sold off the subsidiary Sangster’s Book Store. That decision seems like a smart move as the sale gave them cash inflows to help through a difficult period including some recent years of losses.
Stock outlook | The company’s stock price has fallen to a low of $1.10 recently and has enjoyed a small bounce since to reach $1.20. It will be difficult to see wide spread interest, though the price could be considered cheap based on likely earnings. The only problem is these earnings are not likely to be sustainable. Sooner than later, the core business needs to start delivering profits.