The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange gave back more of the gains enjoyed last week as investors cut, the All Jamaican Composite Index down by 2,574.66 points to 406,734.43 and slashed 2,330.72 points off the Main Index to close at 370,965.06.
The JSE Financial Index declined 0.87 points to end at 96.48 and reflects stability in this sector as trading ended with 38 securities changing hands with the prices of 13 stocks rising, the prices of 13 declining and 12 remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio of the Main market ended at 14.9 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,909,660 shares for $39,906,681 compared to 5,825,935 units at $58,494,661 on Wednesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.52 million shares for 30.9 percent of total volume, followed by Carreras with 810,362 units for 16.5 percent of the day’s trade and Mayberry Investments with 707,749 units for 14.4 percent market share.
An average of 129,202 units traded for the day at $1,050,176, in comparison to an average of 153,314 at $1,539,333 on Wednesday. An average of 396,123 units traded for the month to date at $2,741,845 for each security that traded, in contrast to 411,515 units at $2,83,3929. In contrast, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the Main market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments carved out a loss $1 to end at $55 in trading 1,018 shares, Caribbean Cement gained 50 cents to settle at $45.50 to finish with 13,650 stock units changing hands, Eppley dropped 39 cents to close at $17 trading 50,142 units. Jamaica Broilers Group fell $1 to settle at $26.50 in exchanging 2,082 shares, Kingston Wharves gained $1.50 to settle at $51.50 with 1,290 stock units passing through the market, Proven Investments lost 50 cents to settle at $34, with 990 shares crossing the exchange. Sagicor Group fell $3 to settle at $43 while exchanging 61,960 units and Scotia Group carved out a gain of $1.25 and ending at $46.25, with 3,859 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
TTSE indices suffer more losses
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago market ended with 17 securities changing hands with the prices of five stocks rising, three declining and nine remaining unchanged, the primary market index dropped at the close, as declining stocks outnumbered rising ones.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index declined by 7.29 points to 1,311.84, the All T&T Index dropped 11.17 points to close at 1,771.78 and the Cross Listed Index shed 0.45 points to finish at 115.11.
The market closed with an exchange of 215,160 shares, accounting for $3,195,341 compared to 242,783 units at $2,867,044 on Wednesday.
An average of 12,656 units traded for the day at $187,973 in contrast to an average of 13,488 at $159,280 on Wednesday. An average of 13,332 units valued at $157,616 traded for the month to date, in contrast to 13,380 units at $155,439.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the Trinidad and Tobago market shows one stock ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Stocks Gaining| Clico Investment Fund rose 1 cent to settle at $25.01, with 80 stock units crossing the exchange, Grace Kennedy gained 5 cents ending at $3.45 after trading 3,000 stock units, Guardian Holdings carved out a gain of 4 cents to close at $19.70 after 109,701 units changed hands. Massy Holdings rose 10 cents in closing at $58 and exchanging 2,280 shares and Prestige Holdings added 4 cents to end at $8.25, with 309 units clearing the market.
Stocks declining| First Citizens Bank fell $2.90 to end at $46.10 with an exchange of 653 stock units, JMMB Group shed 3 cents to settle at $1.95, with 18,318 units crossing the market and NCB Financial Group lost 5 cents to end at $7.80 in an exchange of 846 units.
Firm trades| Angostura Holdings ended at $15.30 in an exchange of 2,313 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund ended at $14.50 trading 155 shares, National Flour Mills remained at $1.80, with 32,000 shares passing through the market. Republic Financial Holdings ended at $139.47 in exchanging 25 units. Scotiabank stayed at $54.75, with 50 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $17 with investors swapping 40,903 shares, Trinidad Cement traded 3,788 stock units and closed at $2.10. Unilever Caribbean closed at $16.90 with an exchange of 33 shares and West Indian Tobacco closed at $35 while exchanging 706 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ends mixed on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago market ended down on Wednesday, with 18 securities changing hands, up from 14 on Tuesday and closing with the prices of two stocks rising, seven declining and nine remaining unchanged as two stocks closed at 52 weeks’ lows. The market closed with, the Composite Index declined by 4.27 points to close at 1,319.13, the All T&T Index declined by 6.06 points to close at 1,782.95 and the Cross Listed Index declined by 0.33 points to close at 115.56. Trading ended with an exchange of 242,783 shares for $2,867,044 compared to 164,986 units at $4,264,493 on Tuesday.
An average of 13,488 shares traded at $159,278 for each security, in contrast with an average of 11,785 shares at $304,629 on Tuesday. An average of 13,380 units traded at $155,439 for the month to date, in comparison to 13,371 units at $155,123.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the Trinidad and Tobago market shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Stocks Gaining| Guardian Holdings gained 1 cent to close at $19.66 after exchanging 1,100 units and JMMB Group rising 3 cents to settle at $1.98 after exchanging 5,000 units.
Stocks Falling| FirstCaribbean International Bank dropped 10 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $7.10, after trading 150,299 stock units, Guardian Media shed 75 cents after ending at a 52 weeks’ low of $5.25 and exchanging 5,000 stock units. National Enterprises fell 25 cents to $4.50, with investors swapping 23 stock units. NCB Financial Group declined 1 cent to settle at $7.85 in exchanging 20,349 shares, Scotiabank shed 15 cents to settle at $54.75 after 10,682 stock units passed through the market and Trinidad Cement fell 25 cents to settle at $2.10 in trading 27,000 units.
Firm Traders| Agostini’s ended at $24.50 after exchanging 63 stock units, Calypso Macro Investment Fund ended at $14.50, finishing with 1,247 units changing hands. Clico Investment Fund ended at $25 with investors switching ownership of 40 stock units, First Citizens Bank ended at $49 with 2,641 units crossing the market. Grace Kennedy closed at $3.40 with of 5,000 shares changing hands, Massy Holdings closed at $57.90 in trading 671 stock units, National Flour Mills remained at $1.80 after exchanging 3,400 shares. Republic Financial Holdings stayed at $139.47 with an exchange of 3,692 shares, Unilever Caribbean ended at $16.90, with investors swapping 793 stock units and West Indian Tobacco settled at $35 after exchanging 5,783 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Another IC Top 10 stock with big jump
A few weeks ago General Accident jumped the IC Insider.com Junior Market TOP 10, gaining 75 percent since late May. This past week, yet another IC top 10 listed stock made big gains, after the company posted a strong increase in its first-quarter profit.
Elsewhere, poor full-year profit results of $58 million versus $113 million in 2019, from Medical Disposables, hit with a big inventory write-off, resulted in a revised downward projection for the 2021 fiscal year results. Lumber Depot earnings for fiscal 2021, was revised to 12 cents per share, following released audited accounts, showing a profit of just 3 cents per share or $22 million for the nine months to April.
This week’s focus: Caribbean Cream posted a 31 percent rise in profit to $27 million, for earnings per share of 7 cents, saw investors responding strongly to them in driving the stock 28.5 percent higher at its recent peak on Friday, closed the week at $3.25, for an increase of 16 percent. The stock traded down to $2.47 at the beginning of July, those who bought at that price are laughing all the way to the bank with a nice 31 percent gain so far and the month is yet to end.
The company reported a 4 percent rise in sales, with cost kept to 2019 levels, even with a big hike in depreciation charges, while sales and market expenses declined. IC Insider.com is projecting 60 cents per share earnings for the current year as the company enjoys increase sales and lower raw material input cost with the price of milk solids falling on the world market, recently. There are just about six offers on the stock exchange board at the close on Friday with the lowest offer at $4.30 and the only large visible offer for 500,000 shares at $6.
The top three stocks in each market saw little change in the rankings, leaving the top three Junior Market stocks, with the potential to gain between 268 to 679 percent by March 2021 are Caribbean Producers, followed by Lasco Financial and Caribbean Cream in the third position. Lasco Financial came out with lousy audited profit to March but the results included a big $650 million loss provision for impaired loans. Excluding this provision, the profit would have spiked nicely for the year. Investors should watch the current year for early signs of profit recovery. Caribbean Cream’s latest results demonstrate how powerful recovery situations can be for investors.
The top three stocks in the Main Market, with expected gains of 189 to 210 percent are Radio Jamaica followed by Berger Paints and JMMB Group that reported decent full-year March results.
During the early summer months, the local market tends to move sideways as trading recedes from more robust levels. Investors should keep their eyes on the market less they miss good opportunities, as is the case in the near 75 percent rise in the price of General Accident since May 7 and Caribbean Cream. No doubt, there will be others before summer ends.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15 and the Junior Market at just 11, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising and narrowing the gap on the Main Market as investors seem to see better profit opportunities in this sector. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a mere 5.9 at just 54 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at 8.5 or 56 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the IC TOP 10 stocks is 272 percent, for the Junior Market and 144 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication that there is the potential to make greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver some of the best returns up to March 2021. The projected gain for each company’s stock is computed, by using the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
MPC Energy dominates TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago market was boosted on Thursday with MPC Caribbean Clean Energy settled at $1 with an exchange of 173,803 shares at the equivalent of TT$1.16 million out of total trade at 292,009 units at $2,048,445, compared to 55,143 shares for $958,614 on Wednesday. The market closed with 11 securities changing hands, down from 15 on Wednesday and ended with the price of one stock rising, two declining and eight remaining unchanged. The T&T Composite Index rose 0.69 points to 1,318.86. The All T&T Index gained 2.17 points to 1,782.39, while the Cross Listed Index lost 0.11 points to close at 115.56.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with the bids of six stocks higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Gainer│ Clico Investments closed 2 cents higher at $24.97, with an exchange of 11,405 stock units.
Losers│ JMMB Group lost 2 cents in transferring 42,100 shares and closed at $1.93 and Trinidad Cement ended at $2.10, with a loss of 25 cents after exchanging 9,000 stock units.
Firm Trades│ First Citizens traded 1,992 units at $48.50, Grace Kennedy remained at $3.40, in exchanging 35,884 shares, Massy Holdings held firm at $58, with a transfer of 1,135 units. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy ended at US$1, with 173,803 shares crossing the market, NCB Financial exchanged 15,708 stock units at $7.87, Republic Financial Holdings was unchanged at $139.47, trading 450 units. Scotiabank investors transferred 520 units at $54.75 and West Indian Tobacco closed at $34.60, with 12 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.