Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 133 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, and a 137 percent rise in value over Wednesday with trading in 44 securities compared with 42 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 11 declining and 17 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 8,355,224 shares for $15,074,942 up from just 3,592,810 units at $6,363,318 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 189,891 shares at $342,612, compared with 85,543 units at $151,508 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 231,540 units at $517,914 compared with 235,064 stock units at $532,747 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 4.32 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.13 million stocks for 13.5 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 733,394 units for 8.8 percent market share as the stock traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of 85 cents and a closing low of 90 cents.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 1.44 points to 3,758.39.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 13 cents to close at $21 after an exchange of 1,100 stock units, AMG Packaging lost 16 cents to end at $3.41, with 35,184 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.04 to finish at $12.85 with investors swapping 1,000 units. Caribbean Flavours sank 9 cents and ended at $1.59 after 2,145 stocks crossed the market, 
Express Catering rose 19 cents to end at $4.09 with investors transferring 250 units, Fontana climbed 30 cents in closing at $8.90 in an exchange of 5,101 shares. Honey Bun popped 65 cents to $8.10 with investors trading 48,537 stocks, Jetcon Corporation declined 10 cents to end at 85 cents in switching ownership of 150,026 stock units, Knutsford Express advanced 10 cents in closing at $11.50 after 11,920 shares passed through the exchange and MFS Capital Partners rallied 13 cents to close at $1.75 in trading 193,271 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior stocks drift lower
Stocks drifted lower in trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, following a 16 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with an 8 percent higher value than Tuesday with trading in 42 securities the same as on Tuesday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 17 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Trading netted 3,592,810 shares for $6,363,318 compared with 3,102,805 units at $5,901,970 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 85,543 shares at $151,508 compared with 73,876 units at $140,523 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date averages 235,064 units at $532,747 compared to 248,202 stock units at $566,245 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
On a day of low trading volume, EduFocal led with 866,123 shares for 24.1 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 661,048 units for 18.4 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 459,774 units for 12.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 24.08 points to close at 3,756.95.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging popped 13 cents to finish at $3.57 as 65,002 stock units passed through the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 8 cents in closing at $2.20 with investors exchanging 4,900 shares, Caribbean Cream increased 38 cents to end at $4.25 with 21,863 stocks clearing the market. Derrimon Trading lost 5 cents in closing at $1.95 in an exchange of 2,300 units, EduFocal dropped 5 cents to close at 90 cents with investors swapping 866,123 stocks, Elite Diagnostic sank 8 cents and ended at $1.51 with an exchange of 50,824 units. Everything Fresh climbed 7 cents to $1.75 with 7,955 shares crossing the market, Fontana skidded 30 cents to end at $8.60 as investors exchanged 55,829 stock units, Honey Bun fell 88 cents in closing at $7.45 with a transfer of 8,318 shares. 
Iron Rock Insurance rose 10 cents to close at $2.52 with 214 units passing through the exchange, Jamaican Teas slipped 22 cents to finish at $2.44 in trading 3,618 stocks, Jetcon Corporation rallied 5 cents and ended at 95 cents, with 27,645 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express declined 10 cents to $11.40 with investors transferring 11,430 shares, Limners and Bards advanced 7 cents to close at $1.54 after 6,805 units were traded, MFS Capital Partners gained 12 cents and ended at $1.62 in switching ownership of 300 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies popped 12 cents in closing at $1.68 with trading in 4,131 stock units, Tropical Battery advanced 6 cents to finish at $2.12 with investors dealing in 327 shares and tTech rose 23 cents to end at $2.27 with 1,899 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading slips on the Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with a 35 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with 44 percent lower value than on Monday and ended with trading in 42 securities down from 45 on Monday and closing with prices of 16 rising, 16 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading in 3,102,805 shares for $5,901,970 down from 4,798,812 units at $10,594,590 on Monday.
Trading averaged 73,876 shares at $140,523 compared to 106,640 units at $235,435 on Monday with a month to date, average of 248,202 units at $566,245 compared to 264,995 stock units at $607,255 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
One Great Studio led trading with 1.06 million shares for 34 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.05 million units for 33.8 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 199,059 units for 6.4 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index slipped 2.92 points to finish at 3,781.03.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 7 cents to $3.44 in switching ownership of 106,018 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 8 cents to finish at $2.28 with investors swapping just one share, Consolidated Bakeries increased 19 cents and ended at $2.19, with 2,273 shares crossing the market. EduFocal declined 5 cents to close at 95 cents with traders dealing in 22,734 stock units, Everything Fresh shed 6 cents to end at $1.68 with 3,905 shares clearing the market, Honey Bun fell 7 cents in closing at $8.33 with a transfer of 15,162 stock units. 
JFP Ltd popped 5 cents to $1.27 with investors dealing in 3,587 units, Lumber Depot rose 6 cents to end at $2.56 in an exchange of 5,000 stocks, Mailpac Group rallied 11 cents in closing at $2.01 as 14,091 units passed through the market. Main Event gained 39 cents and ended at $13.99 with an exchange of 49 shares, MFS Capital Partners slipped 30 cents to finish at $1.50, with 41,551 stocks crossing the market, Spur Tree Spices lost 5 cents to close at $2.45 after a transfer of 1,049,690 stock units. Stationery and Office Supplies skidded 13 cents to $1.56 as investors exchanged 18,169 shares, Tropical Battery sank 5 cents in closing at $2.06, with 17,019 stocks changing hands and tTech dipped 23 cents to finish at $2.04 in an exchange of 5 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More decline for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 52 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 82 percent more value than Friday, with trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Friday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 20 declining and 11 closing unchanged as Honey Bun closed at a new 52 weeks’ high and EduFocal traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of 90 cents.
The market closed trading of 4,798,812 shares for $10,594,590 compared with 3,153,277 units at $5,829,829 on Friday.
Trading averaged 106,640 shares at $235,435, compared with 71,665 units at $132,496 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 264,995 units at $607,255 compared to 283,220 stock units at $650,048 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.47 million shares for 30.6 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 536,957 units for 11.2 percent of the day’s trade and Stationery and Office Supplies with 517,761 units for 10.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 20.07 points to lock up trading at 3,783.95, with indications that it could fall further on Tuesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.12 and ended at $21.13 with investors trading just one share, AMG Packaging climbed 17 cents to $3.37, with 126,389 units crossing the exchange, following the release of b six months results with profit up 79 percent, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 12 cents to end at $2.20, in switching ownership of 9,954 shares. Caribbean Flavours popped 12 cents in closing at $1.70 with an exchange of 7 stock units, EduFocal rallied 7 cents to finish at $1 with traders dealing in 536,957 shares, but only after hitting an intraday 52 weeks’ low of 90 cents, Express Catering fell 55 cents to close at $3.90 after a transfer of 29,969 units, following release of increased earnings for the nine months. But with a slightly lower profit in the third quarter, Fontana shed 10 cents to $8.90 as investors exchanged 18,527 stocks, Honey Bun rose 48 cents to finish at a new 52 weeks’ high of $8.40 after 65,847 stock units passed through the market, Iron Rock Insurance gained 22 cents and ended at $2.42, with 3 shares changing hands. 
ISP Finance dropped 49 cents to close at $30.51 with investors swapping 4 stocks, Jamaican Teas advanced 24 cents to end at $2.67 with a transfer of 16,616 units, Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents in closing at 88 cents, with 54 stock units crossing the market. KLE Group skidded 50 cents to $1.90 with investors transferring 10 shares, Limners and Bards sank 26 cents to close at $1.45 with 44,863 units clearing the market, Mailpac Group declined 19 cents in closing at $1.90 after trading 327,193 stocks. Main Event slipped 40 cents and ended at $13.60, with 8,274 stock units crossing the market, MFS Capital Partners sank 7 cents to finish at $1.80 with an exchange of 38,315 shares and tTech rose 7 cents to end at $2.27 in trading 2 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market bounce
Stocks posted gains as trading closed sharply lower on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, following heavy trading in Spur Tree spices on Thursday and ended on Friday with a 95 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, worth 96 percent less than Thursday’s trades, with trading in 44 securities compared with 45 on Thursday and ending with prices of 17 rising, 14 falling and 13 closing firm.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 28.47 points to wrap-up trading at 3,804.02.
The market closed with trading of only 3,153,277 shares for just $5,829,829 well down from 67,112,668 units at $155,529,698 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 71,665 shares at $132,496, compared with 1,491,393 units at $3,456,216 on Thursday with a month to date average 283,220 units at $650,048 compared to 310,046 stock units at $715,674 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 864,573 shares for 27.4 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 851,715 units for 27 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 497,347 units for 15.8 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial declined $1.18 in closing at $20.01 in switching ownership of 1,009 stock units, AMG Packaging slipped 10 cents to $3.20 as investors exchanged 33,381 shares, Cargo Handlers popped $1.08 to end at $13.88, with 152 stocks being traded. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 11 cents and ended at $2.32 with traders dealing in 864,573 units, Caribbean Flavours dipped 12 cents to close at $1.58 in an exchange of 1,002 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 18 cents to finish at $2.01 after trading 1,221 stock units. EduFocal slipped 9 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 93 cents with 851,715 units clearing the market, Everything Fresh increased 17 cents to $1.74 with investors transferring 26,955 stocks, Future Energy climbed 7 cents in closing at $3.49 after exchanging 42,409 shares. 
Honey Bun rose 5 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $7.92 after 21,824 shares were traded, Iron Rock Insurance lost 32 cents to finish at $2.20, with 1,770 units crossing the market, ISP Finance rose $4.65 to end at $31 after a transfer of a mere 3 stock units, Jetcon Corporation advanced 7 cents to close at 95 cents, with 6,731 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express gained 30 cents to $11.50 in an exchange of 38 shares, Lumber Depot shed 12 cents to end at $2.55, after 14,656 stocks passed through the market and MFS Capital Partners popped 11 cents in closing at $1.87 after an exchange of 497,347 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big Junior Market trade led to sold gains
Trading surged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, after investors traded 60 million shares in Spur Trees Spices with a value of $135 million and driving the volume of stocks traded up a solid 3,095 percent, 
following a 2,785 percent jump in value over Wednesday after trading in 45 securities similar to Wednesday and ending with prices of 21 rising, 14 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 67,112,668 shares for $155,529,698 compared with 2,100,844 units at $5,391,292 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 1,491,393 shares at $3,456,216, compared with 46,685 units at $119,806 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 310,046 units at $715,674 compared to 134,017 stock units at $307,315 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 60.03 million shares for 89.4 percent of total volume followed by Future 
Energy with 4.04 million units for 6 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 832,703 units for 1.2 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 41.06 points to end trading at 3,775.55.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $1.34 to close at $21.19 after an exchange of just one share, AMG Packaging declined 10 cents to $3.30 after exchanging 111 units, Cargo Handlers shed $1.10 and ended at $12.80 in switching ownership of 152 shares. 
Caribbean Flavours rallied 12 cents to end at $1.70 with 85,913 stock units crossing the market, Dolla Financial popped 10 cents in closing at $2.79 with an exchange of 508,972 shares, Express Catering gained 53 cents to finish at $4.47 after investors ended trading 111,110 stock units. Fontana increased 31 cents and ended at $9 with the transferring of 125,869 stocks, GWest Corporation sank 9 cents to 90 cents in an exchange of 71,581 units, Honey Bun climbed 58 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.87 with investors dealing in 41,013 stocks. ISP Finance slipped 36 cents to finish at $26.35, with 16 units crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards advanced 21 cents in closing at $1.71 in trading a mere 4 shares, Mailpac Group rose 10 cents to end at $2.10, with 16,443 stock units changing hands. MFS Capital Partners gained 21 cents to close at $1.76 with investors trading 717,173 shares and Paramount Trading popped 20 cents to finish at $1.46 in an exchange of 75,645 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market falters on Wednesday
The Junior Market Index fell 25.49 points to close at 3,734.49 after it traded in positive territory in the morning session with the market opening at 3,810.31 points. Trading ended, with a 43 percent 
decline in the volume of stocks traded, with a 38 percent drop in value compared to Tuesday following trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 18 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
The market closed trading of 2,100,844 shares for $5,391,292 down from 3,694,150 units at $8,717,041 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 46,685 shares at $119,806, compared with 83,958 units at $198,115 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 134,017 units at $307,315 compared to 149,309 stock units at $340,147 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
On a day of mediocre trading, Stationery and Office Supplies led with just 251,673 shares for 12 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 228,475 units for 10.9 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 224,947 stock units for 10.7 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 15 cents to $2.20 as investors exchanged 4,237 shares, Everything Fresh shed 20 cents to end at $1.54 in switching ownership of 52,476 stocks, GWest Corporation advanced 9 cents in closing at 99 cents with an exchange of 25 shares. 
Honey Bun popped 21 cents to finish at $7.29 in an exchange of 27,774 stock units, ISP Finance dropped $4.29 and ended at $26.71 with investors dealing in just 288 shares, Jamaican Teas sank 10 cents to close at $2.44 in an exchange of 22,768 stocks. Knutsford Express skidded 68 cents to $11.20 with traders dealing in 3,237 units, Mailpac Group lost 10 cents in closing at $2, 101,306 stock units crossing the market, Main Event increased 43 cents and ended at $14 in trading 19,931 shares and Paramount Trading dipped 20 cents to close at $1.26 after 46,980 units passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market recovers some recent losses
Rising stocks outnumbered falling ones at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with activity in 44 securities compared to 45 on Monday and ending with prices of 18 rising, 13 declining and 13 closed unchanged following a with 60 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with 63 percent lower value than on Monday
Trading ended with an exchange of 3,694,150 shares for $8,717,041 down from 9,154,038 units at $23,562,473 on Monday.
Trading averaged 83,958 shares at $198,115, compared with 203,423 units at $523,611 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 149,309 units at $340,147 compared to 162,808 stock units at $369,487 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 887,601 shares for 24 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 450,473 units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 311,439 units for 8.4 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rallied 14.99 points to close at 3,759.98.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.06 and ended at $19.80 crossing the exchange 50,337 shares, Cargo Handlers increased $1.40 to $13.90 with traders dealing in 23 units, Caribbean Cream popped 32 cents to end at $3.90 in an exchange of 139 shares. 
Caribbean Flavours fell 14 cents in closing at $1.56 with 32,003 stock units crossing the market, Dolphin Cove gained 29 cents to close at $19.70 with an exchange of 3,178 shares, Express Catering rose 24 cents to finish at $3.94 after 12,001 units passed through the market. Fontana skidded 33 cents to $8.66 as investors exchanged 71,814 stocks, Future Energy climbed 8 cents to end at $3.48 with a transfer of 92,469 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 8 cents in closing at $7.08 after an exchange of 17,379 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 7 cents and ended at $1.28 with investors transferring 63,260 stock units, Main Event sank 23 cents to close at $13.57, with 4,176 stocks changing hands and tTech increased 21 cents to finish at $2.22 with investors trading 9,035 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Third day of decline for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 145 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, valued 233 percent more than Friday with trading in 45 
securities compared with 40 on Friday and ending with prices of 19 rising, 18 declining and eight stocks closing unchanged and Medical Disposables ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.28 with the market Index falling for a third consecutive day.
The market closed with trading of 9,154,038 shares for $23,562,473 up from 3,732,698 units at $7,075,691 on Friday.
Trading averaged 203,423 shares at $523,611 compared with 93,317 units at $176,892 on Friday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 162,808 units at $369,487 compared to 151,929 stock units at $328,204 on the previous trading day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Express Catering led trading with 3.61 million shares for 39.5 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 1.63 million units for 17.8 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 1.02 million units for 11.2 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index fell 21.57 points to close at 3,744.99.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $2 to finish at $21.86 with traders dealing in 46 shares, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents to $3.42, with 13,950 stocks crossing the market, CAC 2000 gained 63 cents to close at $4.45 with a transfer of just one share.
Cargo Handlers dropped $1.45 to end at $12.50 as investors exchanged 4,230 units, Fontana popped 16 cents in closing at $8.99 after investors ended trading 34,403 shares, Future Energy sank 9 cents and ended at $3.40 with investors trading 177,701 units. Honey Bun dipped 8 cents to $7 in an exchange of 3,406 stock units, Jamaican Teas climbed 13 cents to end at $2.53 after 5,000 stock units passed through the market, Knutsford Express increased 88 cents in closing at $11.88 with an exchange of 6,176 shares. Lumber Depot advanced 36 cents to close at $2.70, with 990 units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 10 cents to finish at $2.10 after a transfer of 482,420 stocks, Main Event advanced 19 cents and ended at $13.80 with investors dealing in 18,295 stock units and tTech lost 29 cents to $2.01 in an exchange of 83 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Lasco companies out of ICTOP10
Shake up took place in the ICTOP10 with Lasco Manufacturing that closed up by 10 percent to $6.08 at the end of last week and Lasco Distributors that fell 7 percent to $4.25 and dropping out of the TOP10 following migration from the Junior to the Main Market last week Wednesday.
With the 2024 financial year ending in March, the two companies will see a bump in earnings for 2025 and likely put them in the ICTOP10 again. Since the switch in listing, the number of stocks offered for sale has declined sharply and so have the bids to buy.
Coming into the Junior Market listing are Consolidated Bakeries, while AMG Packaging returns after a weeks’ absence, with the price falling to $3.12 from $3.27, EPS for the Consolidated Bakeries is projected at 30 cents for 2024, pushing it into position 2. The company promised much with a good brand but has delivered inadequate returns since being listed in 2013, but the operations have been undergoing changes with more focus on higher margin products and less on the regular breads, that faces greater competition in the market. A review of the 2023 audited statements shows that cost jumped but this was mostly for big wage increases which should moderate in 2025. Investing in the company is not without risk but it should benefit from continued growth and improved employment in the local economy going forward that should result in revenues growing faster than cost.
There were no new listing in the Main Market, but 138 Student Living rose 10 percent to $4.19 and JMMB Group gained 6 percent to close trading last week at $26.50, while Palace Amusements shed 9 percent to $1.04 and General Accident fell 6 percent to $5.30.
The Junior Market closed last week in positive territory as Stationery & Office Supplies climbed 13 percent to $1.70 while, Jamaican Teas, ISP Finance and Lasco Manufacturing all gained 10 percent, Iron Rock Insurance dropped 15 percent to $2.14 and Lasco Distributors fell 7 percent to $4.25.
There were no changes to the list of companies in the Main Market TOP10 this past week.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.6, well below the market average of 13.4 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.2 over half of the market, with an average of 13.3.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 270 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 178 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 16 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 106, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 24 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 9 stocks, or 20 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 50, averaging 23, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.