The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Traded mixed on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 34 percent, with a 51 percent higher value than Wednesday after all of the 49 listed securities attracted investors’ interest and action, up from 45 on Wednesday and closed with 13 rising, 22 declining and 14 were unchanged.
At the close, 4,690,775 shares were traded for $17,476,868, compared to 3,501,650 units at $11,545,037 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 95,730 shares for $356,671 compared to 77,814 units at $256,556 on Wednesday, with the month to date averaging 153,156 stock units at $417,685 compared to 163,578 stocks for $428,758 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Fontana led trading with 830,242 shares for 17.7 percent of total volume, followed by Spur Tree Spices with 604,131 units for 12.9 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 585,074 units for 12.5 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 38.92 points to 3,825.48.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are calculated using the last traded stock price with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rallied 95 cents to $23 with investors transferring 1,010 shares, AMG Packaging shed 57 cents to end at $2.38 after a transfer of 10 units, CAC 2000 gained 10 cents ending at $7.10 with 3,507 stock units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove advanced 42 cents to $15.90 as investors exchanged 1,920 stocks, Fontana lost 15 cents to finish at $8.40 after a transfer of 830,242 stock units, Fosrich gained 9 cents to close at $2.99 with the swapping of 346,011 shares. 
General Accident dipped 16 cents in closing at $4.69 with 10 units changing hands, Indies Pharma fell 25 cents to end at $2.75 with investors trading 10 stocks, Jamaican Teas lost 8 cents to close at $2.25 in an exchange of 585,074 stocks.KLE Group shed 30 cents ending at a 53 weeks’ low of $1.44 in switching ownership of 61 shares, Knutsford Express fell $1.77 to end at $10.06 after 911 stock units passed through the market, Lasco Distributors dipped 20 cents to $2.60 as investors exchanged 25,828 units. Lumber Depot lost 19 cents ending at $2.20 with a transfer of 16,515 shares, Main Event popped 13 cents to settle at $11.85 after exchanging 447 stock units, Medical Disposables fell 34 cents in closing at $4.80, trading 22,010 units. MFS Capital Partners lost 8 cents to close at $3.62 with 15,055 stocks crossing the exchange, Paramount Trading shed 23 cents to end at $2.15 after a transfer of 1,540 units, 
Regency Petroleum gained 14 cents in closing at $2.19 in switching ownership of 350,435 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 73 cents ending to $14.25 with an exchange of 1,952 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share shed 15 cents to end at 90 cents with a transfer of 180 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading dips on Junior Market
Trading fell on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday for the second consecutive day with the volume declining 28 percent and the value moderately lower than on Tuesday after 45 securities changed hands compared with 46 on Tuesday to close with 13 rising, 21 declining and 11 unchanged.
A total of 3,501,650 shares were exchanged at $11,545,037 compared with 4,841,834 units at $12,339,863 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 77,814 shares at $256,556 compared to 105,257 units at $268,258 on Tuesday with a month to date average of 163,578 units at $428,758 compared to 180,722 stock units at $463,199 on the previous day. Trading in February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Dolla Financial led trading with 486,763 shares for 13.9 percent of total volume followed by Regency Petroleum with 453,988 units for 13 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 380,924 units for 10.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index slipped 3.33 points to end at 3,864.40.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 35 cents to end at $2.95 after trading 118,199 shares, CAC 2000 dropped $1.30 to $7 with the swapping of 5,837 stocks, Caribbean Flavours fell 19 cents to $1.30 after 123,575 stock units were transferred. Dolphin Cove shed $1.01 to end at $15.48 in switching ownership of 21,379 units, Everything Fresh gained 7 cents in ending at $1.39 after an exchange of 65,621 units, Fontana dipped 15 cents to $8.55 in trading 327,476 stock units. Future Energy Source shed 18 cents to finish at $4.42 with the swapping of 181,004 stocks, General Accident dipped 15 cents to end at $4.85 with an exchange of 3,000 shares, Honey Bun lost 10 cents in closing at $7 after a transfer of 4,166 units. 
Indies Pharma gained 25 cents while ending at $3 with 200 stock units changing hands, ISP Finance dropped $6.35 to settle at $20 as investors exchanged 720 stocks, Jamaican Teas lost 11 cents to close at $2.33 in switching ownership of 27,915 shares. Lasco Manufacturing rose 35 cents to $4.39 after 2,185 shares cleared the market, Lumber Depot gained 7 cents ending at $2.39 with a transfer of 44,771 stock units, Mailpac Group lost 13 cents in closing at $1.78 in an exchange of 102,098 units. Main Event advanced 72 cents to $11.72 with 8,041 stocks changing hands, 
Tropical Battery rallied 12 cents to close at $2.27 after trading 192,965 units and tTech gained 18 cents ending at $2.59 with investors transferring 717 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops but Junior Market gains
Trading activities closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday with the volume of stocks traded declining 29 percent and the value 33 per cent lower than on Monday resulting from 46 securities trading compared with 44 on Monday and ended with 18 rising, 18 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
A total of 4,841,834 shares were traded for $12,339,863 versus 6,861,401 units at $18,364,945 on Monday.
Trading averaged 105,257 shares at $268,258 compared with 155,941 units at $417,385 on Monday with the month to date averaging 180,731 units at $463,199 compared to 200,126 stock units at $513,295 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 1.40 million shares for 29 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery with 414,819 units for 8.6 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 394,202 units for 8.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 10.03 points to close at 3,867.73.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.7. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rallied 29 cents to close at $22.05 trading 111 shares, Caribbean Cream gained 20 cents to end at $3.50 after an exchange of 13 stocks, Caribbean Flavours popped 24 cents to $1.49 with the swapping of 253,425 units. Consolidated Bakeries dipped 18 cents in closing at $2.25 after a transfer of 15,359 stock units, Dolphin Cove shed 37 cents in ending at $16.49 with 16,062 units changing hands, EduFocal lost 12 cents to settle at $2 in switching ownership of 394,202 stocks.
Fontana popped 10 cents to close at $8.70 as investors exchanged 50,897 stock units, Future Energy Source gained 10 cents in closing at $4.60 after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $4.31 after 326,091 shares were traded, Honey Bun rose 60 cents to $7.10 after 7,672 units passed through the market. Iron Rock Insurance gained 30 cents in ending at $2.30 with investors transferring 4,742 stocks, Knutsford Express rose 83 cents to finish at $11.83 with the swapping of 8,727 shares, Lasco Distributors gained 27 cents to settle at $2.80 in exchanging 13,979 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing fell 43 cents to $4.04 with a transfer of 7,893 stocks, Paramount Trading popped 32 cents ending at $2.39 in transferring 400 units, Regency Petroleum dipped 19 cents in closing at $2.01 after clearing the market with 1,403,304 shares. 
Tropical Battery shed 12 cents ending at $2.15 with an exchange of 414,819 stock units and tTech fell 19 cents to $2.41 in trading 30,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on Junior Market
Trading declined on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday with a 45 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded following a 40 percent fall in value compared to Friday, with 44 securities trading compared with 45 on Friday to close with 11 rising, 19 declining and 14 unchanged.
A total of 6,861,401 shares were exchanged for $18,364,945 versus 12,468,915 units at $30,380,321 on Friday.
Trading averaged 155,941 shares at $417,385 compared to 277,087 units at $675,118 on Friday, with the month to date averaging 200,126 stock units at $513,295 down from 214,527 shares at $544,555 on the previous trading day. Trading in February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 1.86 million shares for 27 percent of total volume followed by Image Plus Consultants with 597,091 units for 8.7 percent of the day’s trade and Caribbean Flavours with 488,856 units for 7.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 34.86 points to settle at 3,857.70.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.7. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power declined 9 cents to end at $2.35 with a transfer of 856 shares, Caribbean Flavours shed 22 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.25 with an exchange of 488,856 stocks, Derrimon Trading lost 9 cents closing at $2.11 with the swapping of 411,920 stock units. Dolla Financial dipped 16 cents ending at $2.70 with an exchange of 478,414 units, Dolphin Cove popped $1.71 to close at $16.86 in switching ownership of 49,237 shares, Express Catering gained 54 cents in closing at $5.54 with 9,276 stocks changing hands, Future Energy ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $4.50 after 251,909 shares were traded with a fall of 3 cents. 
Honey Bun fell 70 cents after ending at $6.50 in an exchange of 288,610 stock units, JFP Ltd lost 10 cents to close at $1.60 after 120,180 units passed through the market, Knutsford Express fell 80 cents to $11 after investors traded 10,000 units. Lasco Distributors dipped 28 cents to $2.53 as investors transferred 31,822 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing rallied 17 cents in closing at $4.47 in trading 73,884 stock units, Lumber Depot lost 9 cents to close at $2.31 in switching ownership of 55,047 shares. Main Event declined $1.39 to end at $11 after a transfer of 44,915 units, Medical Disposables rallied 29 cents to $5.14 after an exchange of 568 shares, MFS Capital Partners rose 20 cents to $3.80 with the swapping of 68,831 stocks. 
Paramount Trading shed 28 cents to finish at $2.07 after an exchange of 30,600 stock units and Regency Petroleum advanced 24 cents to $2.20 with a transfer of 1,860,754 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
3 new ICTOP10 stocks after week’s gains
The Main Market gained 1.3 percent and the Junior Market 2.4 percent over the previous week, the first sign that stocks may be coming back to life, following the end of earning season with a mixed bag of results and the sounding of prospects for a better period ahead, with cost pressures that existed last year in stockpiling supplies to meet demand that squeezed margins have started to recede, with the promise of higher profit margins ahead.
Everything Fresh tops ICTOP10
The period saw many companies reporting solid gains in profit that investors are yet to award with better prices than the results demand, which is not expected to last for long as supplies of many stocks have been declining in recent weeks.
ICTOP10 has three new additions to the Junior Market TOP10 while the Main Market remains steady.
The week closed with rising stocks dominating the Junior Market TOP10. Paramount Trading fell 9 percent in the prior week, led rising stocks this past week, with a gain of 18 percent to $2.35, followed by Main Event, put on 15 percent to land at a new high of $12.39, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing rose 8 percent to $2.81 and $4.30, respectively. Iron Rock Insurance fell 13 percent to $2.08 and Tropical Battery dipped 4 percent to $2.20.
Six stocks rose in the Main Market TOP10, with 138 Student Living rising 10 percent to $5.50, the price of Jamaica Broilers rose 9 percent to $36 as investors warmed to the stock following release of outstanding second quarter numbers and the price having a long way to run. Caribbean Producers, that is undervalued, rose 6 percent to $10 as selling pressure eased somewhat.
Price changes resulted in Paramount Trading, Main Event and Lasco Manufacturing exiting the Junior Market TOP10 and replaced by AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh and Stationery and Office Supplies.
AMG Packaging enjoyed improved profit margin in the November quarter compared with that in 2021, even as sales fell slightly in the latest quarter to November, which augurs well for increased profit in the current year, with revenues projected to rise in the year with more business opportunities as the economy continues to grow at a healthy pace. Everything Fresh and Stationery and Office Supplies (SOS) earnings reflect that for the current year. Everything Fresh now heads the Junior market TOP10, having reported profit for an entire year in 2022 for the first time since they released a depressed $16 million profit in 2018. Profit came in at $48 million before tax for 2022, a modest change from $47 million reported for the nine months to September after finance costs rose 43.5 percent in the December quarter over the nine months to September. With 2023 setting up to be the strongest tourist season since 2019, the company is set to see a big jump in business from that sector and profit in 2023, that should see the company earned 30 cents per share, that is why it is in ICTOP10. SOS posted record profits for 2022 with a 169 percent increase before tax from a 55 percent jump in revenues. Of note are a 35 percent increase in fourth quarter revenues and a deal struck with a company in Trinidad to cross sell products that should add to revenues in 2023 and push earnings to $2 per share for the year. With improving profits and shrinking supplies outside of the TOP 10 shareholders, who control 91 percent of the issued shares, the stock is setting up for a stock split that cannot be far off and, when given, will catapult the stock price upwards.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.9, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.1 compared with the market at 11.8. The differences are important indicators of the level of the undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 240 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 284 percent to May 2024, now that TOP10 stocks earnings are based on 2023 profits.
The Junior Market has 13 stocks representing 27 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 26, averaging 19.5, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 12 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 115, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest valued stocks and 21 for the top half excluding the highest valued stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. 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 up to the end of May 2023 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, resulting 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.
Trading gains for Junior Market
Trading picked up on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday with a 35 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded valued 17 percent more than on Thursday after 45 securities changed hands compared with 43 on Thursday, ending with 17 rising, 22 declining and 6 closing unchanged.
A total of 12,468,915 shares were exchanged for $30,380,321 compared with 9,243,451 units at $25,870,454 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 277,087 shares at $675,118 compared to 214,964 units at $601,638 on Thursday with the month to date averaging 214,527 shares at $544,555 compared to 183,247 stock units at $479,277 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Derrimon Trading led market activity with 7.9 million shares for 63.4 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 1.15 million units for 9.2 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 842,292 units for 6.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index gained 15.76 points to end at 3,892.56.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Cargo Handlers advanced $1.98 to $14.98 with the swapping of 500 shares, Caribbean Flavours shed 23 cents in closing at $1.47 after trading 11,631 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries popped 24 cents to end at $2.42 with investors transferring 40 units. Dolphin Cove gained 17 cents in ending at $15.15 with 18,515 stocks changing hands, Elite Diagnostic gained 31 cents to settle at $3.03 after a transfer of 3 shares, Express Catering fell 50 cents to $5 as investors traded 108,251 stocks. 
Honey Bun lost 9 cents in ending at $7.20 with a transfer of 1,649 units, Indies Pharma shed 29 cents in closing at $2.75 with the swapping of 295,573 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance dipped 30 cents to $2 after 10,340 shares passed through the market. ISP Finance climbed $5.35 to $26.35 in switching ownership of 2 stocks, JFP Ltd rallied 10 cents in closing at $1.70 after 20,001 units were traded, Main Event rose 39 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $12.39 in exchanging 66,710 stock units. MFS Capital Partners popped 10 cents to close at $3.60 with a transfer of 19,024 units, Paramount Trading rallied 16 cents to $2.35 after an exchange of 6,451 stocks, Spur Tree Spices lost 10 cents to end at $2.65 with 40,398 stock units changing hands. Stationery and Office Supplies rose 97 cents to $14.95 in switching ownership of 1,904 shares and 
Tropical Battery dipped 16 cents to end at $2.20 trading 126,960 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market flight clipped
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday with the volume of stocks traded rising 28 percent and the value 50 percent more than on Wednesday from trading in 43 securities compared with 47 on Wednesday and ended with 20 rising, 15 declining and 8 closing unchanged.
A total of 9,243,451 shares were exchanged for $25,870,454 compared with 7,248,801 units at $17,264,479 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 214,964 shares at $601,638 compared to 154,230 units at $367,329 on Wednesday with the month to date averaging 183,247 units at $479,277. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 2.94 million shares for 31.8 percent of total volume followed by Regency Petroleum with 873,522 units for 9.5 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 848,566 units for 9.2 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 13.80 points to settle at 3,876.80.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.8. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined $3.83 to close at $21.76 in an exchange of 28 shares, Cargo Handlers fell $2 to end at $13 after trading 248,397 stock units, Caribbean Cream dipped 19 cents to $3.30 with a transfer of 2,000 stocks. Dolphin Cove gained 47 cents in closing at $14.98 with the swapping of 1,480 units, Express Catering rallied 17 cents to $5.50 as investors exchanged 23,487 stocks, 
Future Energy Source fell 15 cents to end at $4.60 in switching ownership of 553,438 shares. Honey Bun lost 11 cents to end at $7.29 with the swapping of 4,888 units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 30 cents to $2.30 with 5 stock units changing hands, JFP Ltd lost 10 cents to close at $1.60 trading 645,983 stock units. Lasco Distributors gained 9 cents in closing at $2.79 with a transfer of 1,200 shares, Lumber Depot popped 18 cents to end at $2.43 after 79,209 units passed through the market, MFS Capital Partners dipped 31 cents to $3.50 in switching ownership of 544,484 stocks. Paramount Trading advanced 14 cents to $2.19 in transferring 2,009 units, 
Stationery and Office Supplies gained 20 cents to close at $13.98 with an exchange of 13,011 stocks and tTech rose 10 cents to $2.65 after 5 shares cleared the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
New month bounce for Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday starting the new month positively with the Market Index climbing 53.30 points to 3,890.60 even as the volume of stocks traded declined 54 percent and the value 62 percent lower than on Tuesday after 47 securities changed hands compared to 46 on Tuesday and closed with 25 rising, 18 declining and 4 unchanged.
A total of 7,248,801 shares were traded for $17,264,479 compared to 15,831,268 units at $44,907,966 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 154,230 shares at $367,329 down from 344,158 units at $976,260 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 2.97 million shares for 41 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 882,264 units for 12.2 percent of the stocks trading and Image Plus Consultants with 562,434 units for 7.8 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.8, The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 36 cents to close at $25.59 with 5,228 shares being traded, Cargo Handlers popped 49 cents in closing at $15 after 2,048 stock units cleared the market, Caribbean Cream gained 18 cents to finish at $3.49 following investors trading 76 units. Caribbean Flavours rallied 25 cents to $1.70 with 78 stocks changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries lost 24 cents to end at $2.18 in switching ownership of 5,065 stock units, Dolla Financial shed 11 cents to end at $2.85 in an exchange of 105,206 stocks. Fosrich lost 11 cents ending at $2.99 with the swapping of 882,264 units, General Accident rose 39 cents in closing at $4.99 with 8,097 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance fell 30 cents to $2 after a transfer of 50 shares. ISP Finance gained 51 cents to settle at $21 after switching ownership of 1,500 stocks, JFP Ltd dipped 25 cents to $1.70 in trading 487,595 units, Knutsford Express declined $1.13 to $11.87 after exchanging 7,445 stock units. 
Lasco Distributors lost 9 cents to finish at $2.70 with investors transferring 31,250 stock units, Lasco Financial advanced 28 cents to end at $2.74 in exchanging 750 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing gained 25 cents in closing at $4.22, with investors transferring 16,549 shares. Limners and Bards popped 10 cents to end at $2.75 with the swapping of 5,417 units, Lumber Depot dipped 15 cents to $2.25 after 54,162 stock units were traded, Main Event rose 75 cents to close at $11.95 with an exchange of 51,844 units. Medical Disposables shed 29 cents in closing at $4.85, with 5,300 shares changing hands, Regency Petroleum fell 52 cents to end at $1.91 after investors traded 2,970,829 stocks, following release of full year results, showing higher administrative costs that wiped out increased gross profit and Spur Tree Spices shed 23 cents in closing at $2.75 exchanging 348,494 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 8 cents to end at $1.08 with a transfer of 294 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on Junior Market
Stocks traded on Monday with rising stocks edging out declining ones on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the volume falling 72 percent and the value dropping 73 percent compared with Friday that included the block of 26 million Fosrich shares that were traded as the market closed with trading in 42 securities, down from 48 on Friday and ended with 17 rising, 16 declining and 9 closing unchanged.
A total of 9,033,630 shares were traded for $24,644,140, down from 32,804,091 units at $91,381,630 on Friday.
Trading averaged 215,086 shares at $586,765 compared to 683,419 units at $1,903,784 on Friday, with the month to date averaging 316,508 units at $771,164 versus 322,180 stock units at $781,477 on the previous trading day. January closed with an average of 239,755 units at $646,375.
Fosrich led trading with 3.40 million shares for 37.6 percent of total volume followed by Regency Petroleum with 1.12 million units for 12.4 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 767,223 units for 8.5 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 8.41 points to settle at 3,809.87.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $1 to $23 as investors exchanged 2,637 shares, Blue Power dipped 15 cents to $2.28 with a transfer of 442 units, Caribbean Cream popped 20 cents to close at $3.50 with an exchange of 5,800 stocks. Dolphin Cove dipped 10 cents to $15.20 with 740 stock units changing hands, 
Elite Diagnostic gained 26 cents to settle at $2.71 after 27,851 units passed through the market, Fosrich rose 10 cents to $3.09 as investors traded 3,395,464 stocks. General Accident shed 38 cents to end at $4.61 with a transfer of 6,100 shares, Honey Bun gained 27 cents to finish at $7.37 in exchanging 878 stock units, iCreate lost 8 cents to close at $1.71 in switching ownership of 66,005 stocks. Indies Pharma rallied 11 cents in closing at $2.90 with the swapping of 20,635 units, JFP Ltd gained 12 cents to close at $1.72 in an exchange of 554,074 stock units, Knutsford Express declined $1 to $10.10 in trading just 505 shares. Lasco Distributors popped 10 cents in ending at $2.70 with an exchange of 216,724 stock units, Lasco Financial lost 29 cents in closing at $2.46 with investors transferring 95,902 stocks, Main Event advanced $1.04 to $11.84 with 1,558 shares changing hands. 
Regency Petroleum gained 24 cents in ending at a record $2.19 after 1,116,676 units passed through the market, Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 30 cents to end at $13.70 in switching ownership of 1,093 stocks and Tropical Battery lost 8 cents in closing at $2.22 while trading 132,449 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Elite out Tropical back in ICTOP10
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed the past week with gains in the indices. Still, the Junior Market suffered a significant loss on Friday to close the week with a loss following a sizable fall in the price of Fosrich. This most heavily weighted Junior Market stock fell from an average price of $3.20 at the previous week’s close down to $2.63.
ICTOP10 has only one new addition this week, in the Junior Market TOP10 and none in the Main Market, following major volatility in price movements in the listings.
In closing out the week, Iron Rock Insurance led stocks rising, with a gain of 13 percent to $2.30, followed by General Accident, that rose 6 percent to $4.99, while Main Event put on 4 percent to land at $10.80. Elite Diagnostic fell 21 percent to $2.45 as demand vanished for the stock following release of poor second quarter results. Paramount Trading fell 9 per cent to $2, Image Plus and Lasco Distributors dipped 5 percent to $1.90 and $2.60, respectively.
Five stocks rose in the Main MarketTOP10, with the price of Key Insurance rising 7 percent to $3.20, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 5 percent to $12.57, while 138 Student Living and Scotia Group popped 4 percent higher to $5.01 and $34.20, respectively. Berger Paints dropped 8 percent to $9.25, Caribbean Producers, Guardian Holdings and Jamaica Broilers lost 3 percent.
Earnings per share for Elite Diagnostic was revised down to 28 cents per share for the current year, following a small loss of $7 million in the December quarter, even as revenues rose a solid 20 percent or $30 million over the same quarter in 2021, resulting in the stock dropping out of the ICTOP10, to be replaced by Tropical Battery that is returning after a short absence.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.7, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.5 compared with the market at 11.6. The differences are important indicators of the level of the undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 213 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 288 percent to May this year, assuming the market gets back to last year’s valuation. The primary concern for the Main Market achieving such gains by May is that the list is dominated by financial companies that are out of favour and may need to get to the summer months before the full interest of investors is visible.
The Junior Market has 13 stocks representing 27 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 27 averaging 19 compared with the above average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 17 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 109, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest valued stocks and 21 for the top half excluding the highest valued stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 up to the end of May 2023 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, resulting 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.
