Iron Rock Insurance ended the past week up 14 percent to $2.25 and Lasco Distributors climbed 11 percent to $2.77 after both jumped 34 percent and 21 percent, respectively, earlier in the week, with two new stocks entering the Junior Market ICTOP10. At the same time, the Main Market TOP10 delivered moderate up and down movements.
The Lasco Distributors price movement follows release of full year results with earnings of 38.5 cents per share, with ICInsider.com projecting earnings of 55 cents for the fiscal year ending March 2024, leaving much room for solid upside price movement in the months ahead.
Lasco Manufacturing (LasM) and Caribbean Cream (Kremi) released improved full year results over those for 2022. Importantly, ICInsider.com forecast for the 2024 fiscal year is 70 cents per share for LasM and 90 cents for Kremi, with both entering the TOP10 this week, with one at the top and one at the bottom. Iron Rock Insurance and Edufocal fell from the Junior Market TOP10 to make way for the two stocks.
The stock rising in the ICTOP10 Junior Market, apart from those mentioned in the opening paragraph, is Consolidated Bakeries, with an increase of 4 percent to $2.27. At the same time, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, iCreate and One on One dipped 4 percent to $2.40, $1.26 and $1.10 respectively.
The price of Main Market listed Caribbean Producers, popped 5 percent in closing at $10.06, Key Insurance fell 11 percent to $2.80 and 138 Student Living lost 8 percent in value to close at $5.15.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP10 is 5.9, well below the market average of 13.5. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 259 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 15 most highly valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 28 and 19 excluding the highest PE stocks and 18 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.3 compared with the market at 10.5. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 19 are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently. Junior Market is projected to rise by 295 percent to May 2024.
Lasco’s ICool drinks.
The differences between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
In the market generally, Investors continue to nibble away at a number of stocks and, in the process, gradually reduce the supply of several stocks that are attractively priced as the market moves toward the summer months, the start of the stock market year.
A look behind the supply chain shows an ever decreasing number of stocks on offer. The list includes Caribbean Assurance Brokers with strong buying interest between $1.88 and $2.40, but limited selling above $2.50, Caribbean Cement, Caribbean Producers (CPJ), Fontana, Dolphin Cove, Honey Bun, Main Event, 
Massey Holdings, Seprod, Transjamaican and Wisynco have started to look positive. Supplies of some stocks are being quietly sucked out of the market, setting the stage for a sustained rally sometime down the road. 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, 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.
Investors traded 5,098,602 shares for $13,005,135 versus 12,402,210 units at $34,083,670 on Thursday.
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Elite Diagnostic declined 27 cents to $2.13 and closed after investors traded 19,300 stocks, Honey Bun rose 22 cents to $6.89, with 35,292 units crossing the market, Indies Pharma popped 16 cents to end at $3.40 in an exchange of 30,139 shares. Iron Rock Insurance dipped 38 cents in closing at $2.10, with 31,913 units crossing the exchange, Jamaican Teas rallied 15 cents to close at $2.34 with an exchange of 78,210 stock units, KLE Group advanced 43 cents to close at $1.95 in exchange of one share, Knutsford Express fell 55 cents and ended at $11 after an exchange of 1,572 stocks. Lasco Distributors shed 13 cents to $2.77 in trading 25,745 units, Medical Disposables declined 60 cents in closing at $4.18, with 4,101 shares changing hands, Regency Petroleum popped 13 cents to end at $2.98, with 121,078 stocks clearing the market. 
Spur Tree Spices increased 9 cents to $2.42 in switching ownership of 119,299 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 27 cents to close at $15.50 after a transfer of 97 shares and tTech shed 26 cents and ended at $2.20 with investors transferring 2,750 stock units.
A total of 12,402,210 shares were traded for $34,083,670, down from 17,037,616 units at $59,386,219 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Honey Bun dropped 13 cents to close at $6.67 with 5,014 units changing hands, iCreate dipped 11 cents to $1.20 after 260,961 stocks were traded, Image Plus Consultants shed 8 cents in closing at $2 as investors exchanged 904,162 stocks, Indies Pharma dropped 21 cents in closing at $3.24 with invetors swapping 53,927 shares, ISP Finance rose $1.10 to $26.50 with investors transferring 23,087 units, JFP Ltd declined 14 cents to end at $1.64 in an exchange of 876,924 shares, Knutsford Express dipped 23 cents to close at $11.55 with 34 stocks clearing the market, Lasco Financial advanced 11 cents and ended at $2.46 after an exchange of 1,660 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 25 cents to end at $2.23 with a transfer of 12,976 units, Lumber Depot lost 9 cents to close at $2.21 in switching ownership of 22,980 stock units, Mailpac Group fell 12 cents to $1.85 after a transfer of 586,278 units, Medical Disposables increased 64 cents in closing at $4.78 with 1,642 shares crossing the market,
Paramount Trading declined 9 cents to $2.09 after investors traded 428 stocks, Regency Petroleum dipped 10 cents to end at $2.85 as 136,537 stock units passed through the market and Spur Tree Spices dropped 27 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.33 after an exchange of 1,642,325 shares.
Investors traded 17,037,616 shares for $59,386,219 up from 9,615,167 units at $25,289,603 on Tuesday.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are based on last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Express Catering dropped 16 cents to close at $4.88 with an exchange of 12,665 stocks. Fontana advanced 12 cents to $9.52 with investors exchanging 386,065 stock units, Fosrich lost 11 cents to close at $2.29, with 2,892,733 stocks crossing the market, Future Energy Source climbed 23 cents to $4.15 with an exchange of 5,021,509 shares, Honey Bun rose 17 cents to $6.80 with 13,402 units clearing the market. Indies Pharma popped 15 cents to close at $3.45 in trading 1,851,361 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 32 cents to end at $2.48 with 200 stocks changing hands, ISP Finance climbed $1.42 to $25.40 as investors exchanged 45,182 stock units, KLE Group dipped 11 cents in closing at $1.51 in switching ownership of 31 shares. Knutsford Express popped 26 cents to close at $11.78 in an exchange of 293,186 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 14 cents at $2.95 in an exchange of 60,245 units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 10 cents to $4.25 after 390 stock units passed through the market, Limners and Bards increased 18 cents to $2.48 with a transfer of 122,433 stocks.
Main Event dropped 40 cents in closing at $14.25 with investors transferring 4,584 stocks, Paramount Trading rallied 9 cents to $2.18, with 22,936 stock units clearing the market, Regency Petroleum rose 8 cents to end at $2.95 after 501,313 units passed through the market. Stationery and Office Supplies increased 63 cents and ended at $15.79, with 60,146 shares crossing the market and Tropical Battery gained 10 cents to close at $2 after 75,936 shares changed hands.
Investors traded 9,615,167 shares for $25,289,603 versus 10,918,480 units at $26,373,173 on Monday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Fontana lost 8 cents in ending at $9.40 with investors transferring 109,966 shares, Fosrich declined 29 cents to $2.40 after 2,255,770 stock units changed hands. Future Energy Source fell 19 cents to $3.92 in an exchange of 325,599 stock units, Indies Pharma popped 15 cents in closing at $3.30 after trading 131,851 units, Iron Rock Insurance advanced 28 cents to $2.16 after 5 shares passed through the market, ISP Finance climbed $3.83 to $23.98 after 2,092 stocks passed through the market. Knutsford Express rose 23 cents and ended at $11.52 after investors traded 20,220 stocks, Lasco Distributors rallied 34 cents to end at $3.09 with 885,161 stock units crossing the market, following full year’s results showing earnings of 38.5 cents per share, up from 29 cents in 2022. Lasco Financial declined 10 cents in closing at $2.35 in trading 454,503 units, following the release of full year results showing a fall from 24 cents per share to 16.7 cents. Main Event increased 40 cents to close at $14.65 with a transfer of 6,950 shares,
Medical Disposables dipped 66 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $4.14 after 750 stock units crossed the market, Paramount Trading shed 10 cents to close at $2.09 in trading 25 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 42 cents in closing at $15.16 in switching ownership of 417 units.
Investors traded 10,918,480 shares at $26,373,173, up from 9,582,877 units at $24,717,734 on Friday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Express Catering popped 17 cents and ended at $5.11 after an exchange of 2,556 stock units, GWest Corporation rose 12 cents to $1.01 in an exchange of 8,564 units, Honey Bun increased 8 cents to close at $6.67 after investors traded 12,478 shares, Indies Pharma rose 12 cents to $3.15 with an exchange of 6,162 stocks. ISP Finance dropped $5.85 to $20.15 with investors trading 600 stock units, Jamaican Teas shed 8 cents to end at $2.10 with shareholders swapping 75,747 units, Lasco Distributors gained 25 cents and ended at $2.75, with 77,002 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing popped 10 cents in closing at $4.10 in switching ownership of 163,401 shares, Main Event lost 25 cents to end at $14.25 in an exchange of 2,411 units. Paramount Trading climbed 11 cents to $2.19 in trading 429 stocks, 
Regency Petroleum shed 8 cents and ended at $2.85 with a transfer of 198,751 shares, Spur Tree Spices advanced 11 cents to close at $2.64, with 5,012,865 stock units crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 60 cents to close at $15.58 after exchanging 5,327 stock units.
Elsewhere the only other news of note was the passing of the Chairman and majority owner of the Lasco companies, the addition of two new directors at ISP Finance and the Bank of Jamaica issue of $35 billion in 28 days CDS with investors offering to buy just $35.24 billion, BOJ took up less than the amount offered with $34.45 billion being sterilized the amount offered and moved the total amount of CDs outstanding to a record $111.45 billion up from $109 billion the week before. The average interest rate climbed back above 8 to 8.24 percent.
Action in the markets this past week resulted in four ICTOP10 Junior Market stocks recording significant losses of 6 to 26 percent, with only 2 with 4 percent gains. Everything Fresh dropped out of the TOP10 and iCreate returns after a brief absence. Main Market stocks were mixed, with one noted loss and two gains of note.
Market is projected to rise by 265 percent to May 2024.
Investors traded 9,582,877 shares for $24,717,734 compared to 11,121,210 units at $47,797,567 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Fontana rallied 42 cents to $9.50 in switching ownership of 126,205 stocks. Fosrich shed 25 cents and ended at $2.71 after investors traded 1,747,851 shares, Indies Pharma advanced 12 cents to $3.03 with investors transferring 71,226 units, Jamaican Teas gained 10 cents to end at $2.18 after a transfer of 414,952 stocks. JFP Ltd climbed 9 cents to $1.72 with shareholders swapping 529,202 stock units, KLE Group gained 12 cents to end at $1.62, with 100 shares crossing the market, Knutsford Express popped 94 cents in closing at $11.29 after an exchange of 11,760 units. Lasco Distributors declined 10 cents and ended at $2.50, with 226,297 stocks changing hands, Main Event rose 27 cents to close at $14.50 in an exchange of 10,372 shares, MFS Capital Partners rallied 13 cents to $3.23 with a transfer of 235,207 units.
Paramount Trading dipped 11 cents in closing at $2.08 after 29,490 stock units crossed the exchange, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 48 cents to end at $14.98 and closed with an exchange of 677 units and Tropical Battery increased 11 cents to $1.97 with 40,994 stock units clearing the market.
Investors traded 11,121,210 shares for $47,797,567 compared to 25,198,464 units at $71,304,324 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Everything Fresh climbed 21 cents to end at $1.71, with 5,303 stock units crossing the exchange, Express Catering declined 20 cents to $4.90 after 5,551 shares were traded, Fontana shed 45 cents and ended at $9.08 in switching ownership of 167,960 units. Future Energy Source gained 13 cents in closing at $4.15 with a transfer of 403,467 shares, Honey Bun rallied 53 cents to close at $6.63 after 823 stock units passed through the market, Indies Pharma fell 24 cents to $2.91 with shareholders swapping 135,969 stocks. ISP Finance jumped $6.35 to $26 in trading 11,850 shares, JFP Ltd lost 11 cents in closing at $1.63 after 1,487,550 stock units passed through the market, Knutsford Express dipped 65 cents to end at $10.35 with investors transferring 35,412 stocks. Lasco Distributors rose 10 cents to end at $2.60, with 2,770 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 13 cents to $4 after an exchange of 50,963 shares,
Main Event increased $1.24 and ended at $14.23 in trading 146,404 units. Medical Disposables rallied 25 cents in closing at $4.85 as investors exchanged 4,364 stocks, MFS Capital Partners shed 8 cents to close at $3.10 with 153,350 stock units changing hands and Tropical Battery declined 10 cents and ended at $1.86 after 264,489 shares crossed the market.
A total of 25,198,464 shares were traded for $71,304,324, compared to 37,338,614 units at $85,131,000 on Monday.
ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Dolphin Cove dipped $1.40 and ended at $15.50, with 3,070 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh shed 16 cents to end at $1.50, with 495,000 stock units crossing the market. Fosrich gained 59 cents to end at $3 while shareholders exchanged 13,616,560 shares, Future Energy Source fell 9 cents to close at $4.02 with the swapping of 310,781 units, Honey Bun fell 90 cents to $6.10 in an exchange of 17,410 stocks, Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents in closing at $3.15, with 311 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express rallied 96 cents to $11 with a transfer of 15,755 stock units, Lasco Distributor shed 25 cents to end at $2.50 after a transfer of 20,195 stocks. Main Event advanced 44 cents to $12.99 and closed after 6,705 shares were traded, Medical Disposables dipped 90 cents to end at $4.60 with 300 stock units clearing the market, 
Stationery and Office Supplies lost $1.09 in closing at $14.50 with investors transferring 5,100 units and tTech climbed 36 cents to close at $2.51 in switching ownership of 119 stocks.