The Junior Market Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchanged dropped points to 3,884.06 on Thursday with a 13 percent rise in the volume of stocks trading, following a 23 percent increase in the value passing through the market compared to Wednesday following trading in 46 securities, similar to Wednesday and ended with 15 rising, 22 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 12,623,385 shares were traded for $31,723,485 compared to 11,166,116 units at $25,766,396 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 274,421 shares at $689,641 compared with 242,742 units at $560,139 on Wednesday with the month to date averaging 226,721 units at $573,627 versus 223,871 stock units at $566,697 on Wednesday, the previous day. December closed with an average of 333,420 units at $925,533.
Fosrich led trading with 3.11 million shares for 24.7 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 1.72 million units for 13.6 percent of the day’s trade, Image Plus Consultants with 1.41 million units for 11.2 percent market share, Dolla Financial with 1.38 million units for 10.9 percent market share and Limners and Bards with 1.03 million units for 8.1 percent market share. The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks uses ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial year ending that fall 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 two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 49 cents to $24.99 after exchanging six shares, Cargo Handlers fell $1.74 in closing at $11.65 after investors traded 382 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 27 cents to finish at $2.18 in an exchange of 1,520 stock units. Dolphin Cove rallied $1.10 to $14.92 with an exchange of 802 units, Express Catering lost 36 cents to close at $4.72 trading 114,019 units, Fontana gained 30 cents to close at $9.20 with 39,581 shares changing hands. Fosrich shed 26 cents to close at $3.01 in exchanging 3,113,891 stocks, General Accident declined $1.20 to $4.10 in switching 34,018 stock units, Image Plus Consultants gained 9 cents in ending at $1.95 after 1,408,841 stocks were traded. Indies Pharma lost 16 cents to close at $2.60 with investors transferring 209,616 units, KLE Group gained 19 cents to end at $1.90 with one stock unit crossing the market, Limners and Bards dipped 20 cents to $2.20 with the swapping of 1,025,029 shares. Main Event fell 89 cents to $9.11 after investors transferred 3,202 units, Medical Disposables popped 9 cents to end at $4.60 trading 59,036 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 25 cents to $14.50 after a transfer of 49,516 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 15 cents in closing at $1.17 in exchanging 852 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
ICTOP10 buy rated Knutsford gains 44%
Shares of Image Plus Consultants were listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday to become the 48 listed company on the exchange and the 52nd company to be listed since the market commenced operations in 2010.
The stock failed to sparkle on listing, rising just 10 percent at the close and could come under selling pressure as investors exit for what they see as greener pastures. Regardless, the stock climbed into the ICTOP10 list for this week and replaces Caribbean Cream got an earnings downgrade.
Knutsford Express dropped out of the ICTOP10 at the end of the prior week and closed this past week at $12.49 to be up a solid 44 percent since it entered the TOP10 on the end of December. It still has much more room to rise with a current PE of just 12.5 and less, based on next fiscal years’ earnings. The move shows, the power that increased earnings have on price movement, with the company posting a profit of $143 million for the six months to November up from $13 million in 2021.
The Junior Market rose this past week t into poo record a rise for the first time this year, the move resulted in three solid gains and three sizable losses for the ICTOP10. Iron Rock Insurance jumped 19 percent to $2.40, Lasco Manufacturing gained 13 percent to $4.55 and Paramount Trading climbed 11 percent to $2.20, after release of strong second quarter results that showed continued improvement in profit, jumping 212 percent for the half year to $149 million. Caribbean Cream reported improving results but the overall profit was light and the stock fell 20 percent to $3.20, Lasco Financial shed 8 percent to $2.60 and General Accident slipped 7 percent to $4.71. All other movements in the Junior Market TOP10 were 3 percent or less. The Main Market only major mover was Berger Paints with an 11 percent loss to $9.50.
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 15.9, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.5 versus the market at 13, important indicators of the level of the undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks currently. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 212 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average now of 285 percent, to May this year.
The Junior Market has 17 stocks representing 35 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 30, averaging 20.7 compared with the above average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 19 and shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks. The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 18 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 104, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest valued stocks and 27 for the top half excluding the highest valued stock.
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 are likely to 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 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.
Knutsford Express leaves ICTOP10
Knutsford Express posted half year results that show revenues up 72 percent to $813 million and up 65 percent for the second quarter to $398 million and delivered profit of $59 million for the November quarter, up from just $2 million in 2021 and $143 million for the six months from $13 million in 2021, sending investors to pounce on the stock on Friday and pushing it to an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $11.60. The stock closed at $9.60 to exit the ICTOP 10 with an increase of 7 percent for the week.
With the latest results, Knutsford’s 2023 fiscal year earnings have been adjusted to $1 per share and putting the stock on target for at least $20 this year, at the close there were only a few stocks on offer for sale.
Knutsford is replaced by baking company Honey Bun coming in with a $7.20 price, with the potential for the price to move to $20 this year.
Junior Market action resulted in Paramount Trading climbing 30 percent to $1.99, ahead of second quarter results that showed continued improvement in profit as revenues climbed 50 percent in the November quarter, to $601 million and 55 percent for the half year to $1.2 billion ahead the 2021 period. Profit surged 126 percent to November quarter to $65 million and 212 percent for the half year to $149 million. Knutsford rose 7 percent to $9.60, but Iron Rock Insurance dropped 14 percent to $2.01. All other movements in the Junior Market TOP10 were 3 percent or less and similarly for the JSE Main Market TOP10.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 14.4. At the same time, the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.2 versus the market at 12.8, important indicators of the level of the undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks currently. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 226 percent and the Main Market TOP10, an average now of 280 percent, to May this year.
The Junior Market has 16 stocks for 34 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 31, averaging 19.6 compared with the above average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18 and shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks. The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 19 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest valued ones and 26 for the top half excluding the highest valued stock.
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.