Trading jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, but the market suffered more declines with falling stocks overwhelming those rising following a 69 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with 136 percent more value than Wednesday following trading in 43 securities up from 41 on Wednesday and resulting in prices of 10 rising, 28 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 15,501,984 shares for $52,166,724, up from 9,199,758 units at $22,141,233 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 360,511 shares at $1,213,180 compared to 224,384 units at $540,030 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 572,754 units at $1,132,714 versus 585,792 stock units at $1,127,771 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Future Energy Source led trading with 7.96 million shares for 51.3 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 3.14 million units for 20.3 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 586,143 units for 3.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 48.88 points to settle at 3,594.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.6. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s 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 one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 38 cents to end at $3 after trading 5,025 shares, Caribbean Cream fell 15 cents in closing at $3.30 while exchanging 20,000 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 75 cents to close at $15 in switching ownership of 7,635 stocks. EduFocal declined 12 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $1.79, with 12,319 stock units crossing the market, Everything Fresh dropped 9 cents to $1.54 after 15,311 stocks changed hands, Express Catering dipped 44 cents after ending at $4.75 with investors transferring 15,134 units. Fontana shed 11 cents to end at $7.40 with 54,775 shares clearing the market, Fosrich dipped 15 cents to $2.72 in an exchange of 259,589 stock units, 
Honey Bun increased 16 cents in closing at $6.26 after an exchange of 11,446 stocks. Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents to close at $2.80 after a transfer of 160,593 stock units, ISP Finance gained $1.01 to close at $21.01, with investors exchanging 80 units, Jamaican Teas fell 18 cents to $2.12 in an exchange of 192,340 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 8 cents to $1.68 in an exchange of 586,143 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 15 cents to end at $8.85 following 9,150 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to $4.15 with the swapping of 6,685 shares. Main Event shed 29 cents to close at $11.57 with a transfer of 12,086 units, Medical Disposables dropped 15 cents to close at $4.85, with 5,000 shares crossing the exchange. MFS Capital Partners shed 11 cents to end at $3.41, with 564,431 stocks crossing the market, 
Paramount Trading declined 15 cents in closing at $2.24 with an exchange of 100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 50 cents after ending at $14.50, with 31,821 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market at 14 months low
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday at the lowest point since January last year, with the market Index falling 31.75 points to 3,704.30, with the volume of stocks traded declining 55 percent with the value 61 percent lower than on Friday following trading in 39 securities compared with 40 on Friday and ended with 10 rising, 20 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 4,128,803 shares were exchanged for $10,755,628 down from 9,097,236 units at $27,766,092 on Friday.
Trading averaged 105,867 shares at $275,785, compared with 227,431 units at $694,152 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 614,793 units at $1,154,341 compared with 649,010 stock at $1,213,416 on the previous trading day. February ended with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 855,959 shares for 20.7 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 478,505 units for 11.6 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 402,878 units for 9.8 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. 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 seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers. At the close, Caribbean Flavours lost 12 cents to close at $1.27 after an exchange of 100 shares, Elite Diagnostic rallied 19 cents in closing at $2.89 with 75,902 stocks clearing the market, Everything Fresh climbed 22 cents to $1.64 in an exchange of 3,200 stock units. Fontana declined 22 cents in ending at $8.18 after 22,925 units crossed the market, Honey Bun dropped 25 cents to end at $6.50 as 12,807 shares passed through the market, iCreate fell 11 cents to close at $1.57 with the swapping of 6,189 stock units. Indies Pharma shed 9 cents to $2.81 with a transfer of 17,869 stocks, 
Jetcon Corporation advanced 12 cents to $1.07, with 2,705 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express gained $1.13 to end at $10.15 as investors exchanged 93 stocks. Lasco Distributors dipped 21 cents in closing at $2.53 after investors exchanged 53,482 shares, Limners and Bards declined 14 cents in closing at $2.36 trading 94,523 units, Main Event fell 10 cents to close at $12.15 with an exchange of 89,562 stock units. MFS Capital Partners popped 9 cents in ending at $3.49, with 242,453 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 24 cents to end at $2.44 and closed with an exchange of 2,500 units, 
Spur Tree Spices traded 75,047 shares with a gain of 1 cent to close at $2.59 after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $2.51 and Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 10 cents to $14.90 while exchanging 39,934 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
KLE Group is Main Event in ICTOP10
Stocks continued to be battered in the past week sending the Junior Market back to January 2022 levels and the Main Market declined for a second week and as far back as September 2018 levels, but some stocks bucked the trend and posted gains.
Main Event
Earnings season delivered a few new results during the past week, with Main Event posting positive profit gains for the January first quarter and seeming poised to earn $1.80 for the year. Fosrich released full year results to December, with profit jumping to $325 million from $199 million in 2021 as revenues climbed a solid 43.4 percent, Dolla Financial posted increased profit of 18 cents per share and should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023, but it is not in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting solid results that augur well for full year’s profit. Limners and Bards delivered disappointing first quarter results of a mere $7 million, down from $66 million in 2022, as revenues dropped sharply from $443 million to $248 million. Lumber Depot suffered a decline in revenues for the January quarter, with a decline in profit and Blue Power reported an increase in revenues year over year, with a profit rising for their third quarter to January, with profit slipping for the nine months.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw four stocks rising and three falling. AMG Packaging gained 16 percent to $2.90, followed by Everything Fresh with a 5 percent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 4 percent to $2.74. Tropical Battery lost 10 percent of its value to close at $2.02 and Image Plus lost 4 percent to end at $1.85.
Stationery and Office Supplies is said to continue to enjoy buoyant business into 2023, rose 3 percent to $15 and dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 along with AMG Packaging as Main Event and KLE Group replaced those that fell out, with the former posting strong first quarter results that point to earnings of $1.80 for the year. KLE is now in, based on the fall in the stock price, but investment in the stock is not without above average risk. They are yet to release 2022 earnings, but they should benefit from pick up in business in their associated restaurant business in which they hold a 49 percent interest, with exposure in Montego Bay that will see added inflows from the considerable pick up in tourist patronage and should have income generated from managing the Bessa apartments in Oracabessa on the north coast of Jamaica.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 3 percent while Jamaica Broilers dropped 12 percent to $33.50’ following some large trades in the week, Guardian Holdings followed with a fall of 6 percent to close at $480 and 138 Student Living being down by 4 percent to $5.01.
There have been no changes in the listing in the Main Market ICTOP10 this past week.
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 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. 
The Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 282 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 12 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 18.3, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15.
The Main Market 18 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 18 to 115, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding stocks with the highest valuations and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 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 drops on JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended Wednesday, with a 26 percent fall in the volume of stocks changing hands following a 90 percent lower value than on Tuesday, resulting in seven securities traded, compared to eight on Tuesday with two rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 33,994 shares were exchanged for US$8,059 compared with 45,731 units at US$80,158 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 4,856 shares at US$1,151 versus 5,716 shares at US$10,021 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 8,281 stock units at US$3,190 compared with 8,596 units at US$3,377 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index lost 1.23 points to end at 220.54.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share shed 0.04 of a cent to end at 6.95 US cents after a transfer of 400 shares, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced 1.4 cents to 68 US cents after just two stocks passed through the market, Proven Investments dipped 0.47 of a cent after ending at 18.52 US cents in an exchange of 10,157 stock units. Sterling Investments fell 0.25 of a cent to close at 1.75 US cents with the swapping of 4,980 units and Sygnus Credit Investments USD share gained 0.49 of one cent in closing at 10 US cents while exchanging 14,905 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2 with 915 units crossing the market and JMMB Group 6% ended at US$1.05 with a transfer of 2,635 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Everything & Guardian head ICTOP10
Everything Fresh and Guardian Holdings continue to head the ICInsider.com TOP10 in a week when the Main Market fell 2.7 percent and the Junior Market dropped a hefty 7.8 percent and reversed all the gains of the previous week, but the Investors Choice bid-offer Indicator is flashing positive signals for both markets on Monday.
Guardian Holdings has a commanding lead over its next rival by almost 100 points, but Everything Fresh likely gain of 344 percent is just above Caribbean Assurance at 333 percent, but the latter is currently far more appealing, with the stock selling at a PE of a mere 7 times 2022 earnings and 4.6 times 2023. Everything Fresh PE based on 2022 earnings is at a much higher 17 and 4.5 based on projected 2023 earnings.
Earnings season had two companies in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting very strong results that augur well for a full year’s profit.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers is selling at a PE of just 7 based on historical earnings.
Scotia Group reported a net income of $3.4 billion for the quarter that ended January 2023, an increase of $2.2 billion or 173 percent over the prior year period as loans the primary driver of profits increased a solid 18.8 percent to $237 billion while deposits grew only 7.7 percent to $4.05 billion and resulted in net interest income surging $2.6 billion as interest expenses actually declined. These results suggest ICInsider.com forecast for $5 per share may be a bit light with solid prospects that earnings of $5.50 seem possible. It noted that overall comprehensive profit shows a loss of $1 billion after accounting for pension obligations of $9.5 billion and other items of gains.
Jamaica Broilers continues to churn out strong growth in profits with their nine months results more than double that of the prior year while the January quarter is up 27 percent to $1.5 billion as revenues climbed a solid 20 percent after finance cost nearly doubled. With the tourism industry back to normal the company should get a further boost for the rest of 2023. ICInsider.com forecast for $6 per share for the current fiscal year from continuing operations seem well within reach and could be exceeded making it a solid buy for the long haul.
Scotia Group had a significant increase in profits for the January 2023 quarter.
Performance in the past week was mixed for the Junior Market TOP10 but was far better than the near 8 percent fall by that market, with only three stocks rising of which two rose by 2 percent or less. Iron Rock Insurance gained 15 percent this past week to $2.30 after falling 13 percent the previous week. Lasco Distributors fell 6 percent to $2.64, followed by AMG Packaging and Stationery and Office Supplies which fell by 3 percent to $2.51 and $14.50, respectively.
The Main Market TOP10 performed worse than the overall market with only two stocks gaining and six declining. Jamaica Broilers rose 6 percent to $38 as investors warmed to the stock following release of outstanding results, with the price having a far way to run, while JMMB Group a clear winner for the long term, put on just 2 percent to close at $31.01. Key Insurance fell 7 percent to $2.61 followed by a 5 percent for NCB Financial and 138 Student Living to $72 and $5.20 respectively.
There are no new additions in either market to the ICTOP10 this past week.
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 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.1 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains of ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 238 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 274 percent to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 25, averaging 19.7, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16.
The Main Market 16 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 98, with an average of 30 and 22 excluding the highest valued stocks and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 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 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.
Junior Market drops
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.