Stocks continue to trade on a positive note with all major indices increasing in mid-morning trading to new record highs and a number stocks recording new 52 weeks’ highs up to 11 am. Interest in the stocks is wide spread with 34 securities traded
amounting to 1,456,993 units changing hands with 14 rising, while 7 declined.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 851.87 points to 169,083.72 the JSE Market Index gained 762.26 points to 152,231.62 the JSE combined index added 880.33 points to 160,095.23 and the junior market index is up 17.99 points to 1,832.77.
Trades of some interest include Hardware & Lumber with 300,000 units at $18.50, National Commercial Bank with 2,956 units at a new high of $40.65, 138 Student Living with 138,798 shares at $4.60, Radio Jamaica back at $5 with a small volume, General Accident with 63,115 units at $2.19, Jamaican Teas with 37,500 shares at a new 52 weeks’ of $5.25, Lasco Distributors with 220,487 shares at $5.52 but after trading at $5.60 and Lasco Manufacturing with 172,614 units at $3.55.
JSE continues in positive mode
Weak start to the week for JSE
The Jamaica Stock Exchange saw low trading activity on Monday, at the close there were 11 stocks rising and 11 declining with 30 securities totalling 1,250,833 units, valued at $8,226,223 changing hands, in all market segments. Trading in the main market was very light with only 446,610 shares trading.
The main market indices enjoyed a second day of increases with the JSE Market Index lost 150.92 points to 96,356.49, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declined 168.66 points to 106,640.09 and the JSE combined index fell 112.62 to end at 99, 626.43.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior 
markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower. This indicator has increased in strength over the past week as the period for company results for the third quarter approaches. There remain some pockets of weakness as shown by the number of stocks that are offered below their last selling prices.
In trading, Cable and Wireless fell 2 cents with 6,000 shares changing hands, to close at 49 cents, Caribbean Cement had 215,450 shares trading with a 1 cent rise to $7.71, Carreras lost 40 cent in trading 11,250 shares and ended at $49.10, Hardware & Lumber traded just 797 shares to end at $11 for a fall of $2. Mayberry Investments had 13,500 units trading at $2.80,
National Commercial Bank had 74,249 units changing hands and ended at $27.75, Pan Jamaican traded 2,337 shares to close with a loss of $1.29 at $61.71. Radio Jamaica traded at $3.08 with 18,847 shares changing hands. Sagicor Group with 14,503 shares closed 18 cents up, to $13. Scotia Group gained $1.18 in ending at $24.95 with 56,261 shares trading, Scotia Investments gained 47 cents to $25 with only 1,900 units, Sterling Investments ended with a loss of 40 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $13 while trading 3,000 shares and Supreme Ventures lost 15 cents with 10,300 shares trading to end at $3.60.
Big jump at JSE on Friday
Scotia Group pushes market sharply up on Friday
At the close, the JSE Market Index jumped 1,849.21 points to 100,992.53, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index climbed 2,066.95 points to close at 111,821.48 and the JSE combined index rose 1,994.84 points to end at 104,636.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower.In trading, Cable and Wireless ended with only 5,877 units changing hands and lost 4 cents to end at 40 cents, Caribbean Cement traded 47,000 shares to close at $7.10 after gaining 10 cents, Gleaner traded at $1.52, up 22 cents after 28,300 shares changed hands, in response the merger of the company’s media operations with that of Radio Jamaica. At the close, Gleaner closed with ten bids above the last traded price with the highest at $1.72, during the day the bid was as high as $2.22. Grace Kennedy traded 13,372 shares at $64, Hardware & Lumber lost $2.25 to close at $12.75 with just 2,006 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers had 11,888 shares changing hands, in closing at $6.37, to record a loss of 63 cents.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange stock traded 67,824 units at $6.80, for a loss of 20 cents, Mayberry Investments had 292,002 shares trading at $3.10 to gain 10 cents. National Commercial Bank had 35,410 shares trading to close with a 49 cents loss at $30, Radio Jamaica traded just 1,200 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.90 as the price gained 45 cents. Sagicor Group ended trading with 1,017,852 units at $12.96, down 4 cents, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $8.50 while trading 34,000 units, Scotia Group ended with 794,735 units trading as high as $26 but ended at $24, Scotia Investments traded 10,000 shares at $27.08 for an 8 cents rise and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference traded 166,500 units at $2.01..
Some big Buy Rated gains more ahead
Hardware & Lumber with its Rapid True Value retail arm gained 265% since place on BUY RATED list
Blue Power is now removed based on flat sales for the year to April and no immediate signs of a pickup. Dolphin Cove that was added in May last year and gained 48 percent is being moved to hold as revenues in the other half of the year to December is unlikely to grow to justify market out performance. The company had only a 6 percent increase in first quarter revenues down from 13 percent in 2014 and profit fell 10 percent to $133 million. Hardware and Lumber with buy out talks to acquire majority ownership with a maximum price of $18.50 and Scotia Investments are shifted to hold while JMM Group is moved from Buy Rated to Watch or accumulate based on the current price of $7.50.
As much as stocks with high gains may be view as already providing rich returns, there are much more gains left to be made. Carib Cement should report earnings in the $1 region this year with reduced cost, increased sales and the future should be even brighter as the local economy moves slowly into growth and lower interest rates will help boost building construction. Caribbean Cream has more than doubled this year in price but with lower input cost and increased sales should earn around 60 cents per share this year, at the present price of $1.60, there is room for growth.
Jamaica Stock Exchange has had a phenomenal run this year with increased revenues and profit. Profit this year could reach $1.20 which should lift the stock some more and 2016 could be an even bigger year for it. Paramount Trading at $6 is still about 50 percent undervalued based on 2015 earnings and even more based on 2016 projected earnings. Lasco Manufacturing is yet to deliver in price movement but the 78 percent jump in the March quarter profits is a development that investors should be paying attention to.Over in Trinidad, investors keep on ignoring Trinidad Cement but they should not, even with the 190 percent gain in the stock price. IC Insider sees higher profits flowing from increased sales, cost reduction including interest cost on loans. National Flour which we added in May is now up 21 percent still has more room to grow. The Trinidad market is likely to experience slow growth this year as such, many of the listings may not deliver much in the short term but investors should keep their eyes on Scotiabank that produced a nice lift in second quarter profits.
Falling prices dominate with 15 down
Carreras dominated with $64.8M in value
TheJSE Market Index lost just 3.39 points to 96,596.51, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 3.79 points to close at 108,907.87 and the JSE combined index gained 28.63 points to end at 99,293.77.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 19 stocks with bids higher than
their last selling prices and 7 with offers that were lower, an indication that the number of stocks likely to gain on Wednesday should outnumber the ones declining.In trading, Cable & Wireless put on 2 cents with 431,297 units changing hands to close at 46 cents. Caribbean Cement rose 1 cent while trading 121,350 shares at $5, Carreras gained 28 cents in trading 1,341,078 to end at $48.35, with NCB Capital Market s being the main broker selling and Sagicor Investments the main broker buying. Grace Kennedy suffered a decline by 40 cents with 8,919 shares changing hands at $63.50, Hardware & Lumber traded 50,000 shares at $18, with just one trade. Jamaica Broilers slipped 30 cents with 23,654 shares trading to close at $5.20, followed by Kingston Wharves that fell 15 cents to $6.40 with only 725 units trading,
National Commercial Bank traded 528,170 units to close at $29.46 down from the last traded on Monday of $30, as the price slipped 54 cents. Sagicor Group fell 30 cents to $12.30 with 94,210 shares changing hands. The price of Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 10 cents, with 42,375 shares changing hands, to end at $7.70. Scotia Investments fell 72 cents as 25,291 shares traded to close at $26.28 and Proven Investments traded 595,502 shares at 21 US cents, down from 21.05 US cents on Monday, after 467,745 units were traded in the morning session, at 22 US cents.
JSE main market slips
The Jamaica Stock Exchange, ended with 13 stocks advancing, 10 declining as 30 securities changed hands, ending in 3,850,561 units trading, valued at $23,389,820. Trading closed with 7 stocks ending at new 52 weeks’ highs and 1 ending a new low, in all market segments.
The JSE Market Index lost 556.70 points to 97,333.36, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 622.25 points to close at and the 107,731.47 JSE combined index dropped 542.27 points to end at 100,220.42.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows only 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, an indication of the markets softening in the short term. 
The junior market that recorded 3 gains to 2 declines showed weakness at the end with 3 stocks closing with lower offers than the last sale and only 1 with the bid that was higher.
Stocks trading include, Barita Investments trading 24,000 shares at $2.65 for an increase of 14 cents, Cable & Wireless with 290,187 shares changing hands closing at 44 cents, Gleaner trading 500,000 shares gained 7 cents to close at $1.07, Hardware & Lumber closed with 5,950 shares trading to end at $19. Investors pushed Jamaica Stock Exchange 50 cents to close at $6.50 with 78,000 units changing hands, in continued favourable response to the company’s increased first quarter profit and the payment of a 53 cents dividend. Jamaica Producers had 7,450 units trading 10 cents lower at $18.55, JMMB Group saw 13,200 shares trading, to close 4 cents down at $7.22, down 24 cents, Mayberry Investments traded 623,497 stock units and lost 19 cents to end at $2.88, at the close there was a bid by Mayberry to buy 1,198,980 units at $2.88.
National Commercial Bank had 315,733 shares trading with a gain of 10 cents to close at $29.50, Radio Jamaica traded 12,265 units at a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.01 by adding 1 cent, Sagicor Group trading at the close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $12.40 after putting on 10 cents with 113,740 shares changing hands. Scotia Group dropped 90 cents with only 5824 shares trading, to close at $23.50, Scotia Investments traded 7,000 stock units, to end at $26.28. Proven Investments traded 236,105 ordinary stock units at 21.05US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share trading 500,850 units at $2 while losing 3 cents.
Kingston Properties up 88% in December
The year-end rally, continued on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, as Kingston Properties hits a new high having gained 87.5 percent for the December. Trading in the overall market resulted in the prices of 10 stocks rising and only 3 declining as 25 securities changed hands, ending in 3,028,876 units trading, valued at $10,239,236, in all market segments.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator showed 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 stock with the offer lower a clear sign of rising prices ahead.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 196.62 points to 75,757.06, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 219.83 points to close at 83,418.22 and the JSE combined index climbed 261.34 points to close at 77,656.27.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless with 1,710,367 shares changing hands, to close 3 cents higher, at 50 cents. Carreras ended with 3,452 shares and gained 30 cents to $36.50, Grace Kennedy closed trading with 1,700 shares changing hands with a 50 cents rise, to $61. Hardware & Lumber traded 3,000 shares with the price rising 49 cents to $8. Kingston Properties closed at a new all-time high of$7.50, with a 60 cents rise with 403,000 units trading. National Commercial Bank finished with only 100 shares changing hands to close 1 cent up to $18.51, Salada Foods concluded trading with 268,045 shares, 19 cents higher at $8 and Seprod ended trading with 8,600 shares changing hands to close with a 25 cents gain at $12.50.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Gleaner trading just 879 units to close at 95 cents. Jamaica Broilers ended trading with 39,136 units at $4.10, Jamaica Money Market Brokers closed with 1,640 ordinary shares and finished trading at $7, Jamaica Producers ended with 6,100 shares trading, at $17.50, Mayberry Investments ended with 12,883 shares changing hands at $1.52 and Proven Investments closed with 12,385 shares at 19 US cents.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Sagicor Group with 80,500 shares trading lost 3 cents to end at $9.97 and 92,753 Scotia Group shares changed hands 1 cent lower at $20.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share finished with 903 shares trading at $2 and Proven Investments 8% preference share finished with 150 units to close trading at $5.50.
Big jump in H&L profits but small sum
Hardware & Lumber enjoyed moderate increase is sales for the March quarter of this year. Revenue amounted to $1,547.8 million, a mere 2.4% more than the $1,511.8 million reported in the same quarter in 2012. At the same time, net result for the quarter was a profit after tax of $9.9 million compared to a loss of $5.2 million in 2012. This translated to earnings per stock unit of $0.12.
Gross profit increased by 6.2% to $408.3 million, achieving an average margin of 26.4%, a full one percentage points higher than the comparative quarter. Management attributes the improved performance to increased sales, greater focus on margin management and the integration of the wholesale segment into the Rapid True Value operations. Effective January 1, 2013, the company re-organised its operations into two operating divisions, down from the previous three, which saw the wholesale segment subsumed into the retail segment.
While there was improvement in gross margin, operating expenses increased at a much faster pace than sales by increasing 8.5 percent to $394.3 million. Gains made from operational cost-saving initiatives and ongoing control of discretionary spending were not enough to offset the significant increase in the charges associated with the company’s pension scheme and other retirement benefits. In a release to shareholders, management stated that the revision of the accounting rules governing such benefits, which became effective January 2013 triggered a restatement of the expense recorded in 2012 and a significant increase in the carrying value of the liability in the Statement of Financial Position as at December 2012.
Working capital management continued to receive management’s focus. At March, inventory balances were $1,158.4 million or 13.9% lower than the balance at March 2012. Over the same period, improved credit management resulted in a 4.9% reduction in trade and other receivables balance to $459.9 million. At the end of the period, the amount owed to trade and other creditors was $913.2 million, being 3.1% lower than the balance at March 2012. Total cash generated from operating activities was $209 million with $57 million used to service loan commitments and pay dividends, leaving cash balance of $357.8 million at the end of the period.
Stock outlook | Earnings should pick up as the year progresses and IC Insider.com expects to see much higher earnings for the full year than in 2012.
