Iron Rock experienced strong growth in the first quarter this year with gross written premium increasing 150 percent to $155 up from $62 million in 2017.
The company generated a loss for the period of $4.6 million well below the loss of $27.3 million recorded in the previous year’s March quarter. Net earned premium also rose sharply to $38.4 million from $9.7 million in the first quarter of 2017 for an increase of 296 percent. Other income consisted primarily of investment income for the period totalled $10.5 million 2017 of $6.2 million.
Claims Incurred for the quarter increased 36 percent to $17.3 million from $12.7 million in 2017. Operating Expenses 21 percent to $37.6 million from $31 million in 2017. The company incurred a reduced Underwriting Loss of $15 million versus a loss of $33.5 million in 2017.
The stock ended at $3 on Junior Market fell at the close of trading on Thursday.
Iron Rock post vast improved results
Iron Rock & 2 others in TOP 10
The Junior Market continues to fight for the 2018 rally to take root and grow even as interest rates are at their lowest in decades. Technical reading of this market shows the short term 45 day moving average (DMA) has crossed over the 120 DMA, a bullish sign as the market is coming from an oversold position.
With many Junior Market stocks having risen sharply in the last twelve months, it would require gains in profit above most of the recent postings to have pushed prices much higher in the short term. In a number of instances, some junior listed companies are focusing on expansion that will not bear fruit immediately and with some of the stocks pricing in these development into prices already, there are no new information to move prices in the short term. Results for the 2018 first quarter will therefore be critical in determining the performance of the market for the first half of the year.
Stationery and Office Supplies got a shot in the arm from audited financial statements to December 2018, showing strong gains in revenues and profit, compared to 2016 and saw the price moving back up to $5.50 and its position in the TOP list down to 8 from number 2 in February. It won’t be long before it drops out of the list as demand push the price higher. General insurance underwriters Iron Rock is now in the list, following improved 2017 results that benefited from strong revenues growth that augurs well for earnings in 2018. The company should also benefit from rising premium rates. Paramount Trading is back in the list and so too is AMG Packaging having disposed of its machinery in the tissue operations and cut cost it in it as well from the closure of that business line. 
Going into the 2019 fiscal year it should be rid of most of the cost of that operations and therefore focus on the container boxes to meet the existing increased demand. Out goes Dolphin Cove with lower than projected earnings being reported for 2017, followed by Blue Power and tTech with lower results for 2017 than previously projected, that will likely negatively affect 2018 earnings for these companies.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.3 compared to an average PE for the overall main market is 10 based on 2018 estimated earnings.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 37 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be, of 20 times earnings.
Trading picks up in Junior stocks
Trading picked up on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday with 22 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 1,766,060 units valued at $7,828,514 compared to 726,097 units valued at $5,040,854, from 18 securities on Wednesday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 6 securities advanced, 10 declined and 6 remained unchanged. The Junior Market Index declined by 22.03 points to close at 3,044.50. The prices of two securities hit 52 weeks’ high with one ending at a record close.
Trading ended with an average of 80,275 units for an average of $355,842 in contrast to 40,339 units for an average of $280,047 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 115,661 units valued at $565,207 and previously 118,172 units valued at $580,065.
In contrast, October closed with average of 74,690 units valued at $362,548 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, CAC 2000 finished with a loss of 7 cents at $6.50, with 38,000 shares, Caribbean Cream finished with a loss of 5 cents at $5.55, with just 500 shares trading, Caribbean Producers traded 45 cents higher at $4.50, with 770,491 units, after trading at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.99, Consolidated Bakeries finished at $2.05, with 1,470 shares as the stock seems to be finally responding to the poor results released this year. C2W Music ended with a loss of 9 cents at $0.40, with 1,000 stock units, Express Catering ended at $4.40, with 14,476 stock units, Eppley concluded trading $1.49 higher at $11.50, with 806 units, 
General Accident finished with a loss of 2 cents at $2.70, with 68,981 shares. Honey Bun settled at $4.80, with 11,554 shares, Iron Rock closed with a loss of 1 cent at $2.80, with 22,038 shares, Jamaican Teas traded 40 cents higher at $4.20, with 867 units, Jetcon Corporation finished trading with a loss of 10 cents at $4.50, with 184,554 shares, Knutsford Express closed at $13.50, with 2,000 shares. Key Insurance ended 76 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.75, with 19,362 stock units changing hands, KLE Group concluded trading at $2.51, with 50,022 units, Lasco Distributors settled 8 cents higher at $5.98, with 27,534 shares. Lasco Financial ended trading at $6.50, with 60,317 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing traded with a loss of 12 cents at $4.05, with 8,138 units, Medical Disposables finished trading with a loss of 20 cents at $5.10, with 2,000 shares, Main Event closed 38 cents higher at $5.89, with 54,026 shares, Paramount Trading concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents at $3.50, with 256,698 units and Stationery and Office ended trading with a loss of 7 cents at $5.13, with 171,226 stock units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Juniors slip but Knutsford at new high
Knutsford Express traded at a new high of $15 on Wednesday after the 5 for 11 stock split took effect.
The Junior Market index declined moderately on Wednesday but after Knutsford Express hit a new all-time high of $15 after the stock started trading ex split with investors now having 5 units where they had 1 before.
The market index slipped 12.77 points to close at 3,331.90 to be up 28.5 percent for 2017 to date. A total of 20 securities traded of which 7 advanced and only 4 declined as 1,267,600 units valued $7,528,786 traded compared to 22 securities trading on Tuesday with 2,377,774 units valued $14,077,973 changing hands.
At the close of trading, 8 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 3 with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 63,380 units for an average value of $376,439 compared to 108,081 units for an average value of $639,908, on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 89,339 units and $596,722 while at the close of the prior trading day it was 90,467 units and $607,211, well below the levels for April with averages of 502,597 units and $2,768,003.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging fell 44 cents and ended at $4.55 with 2,111 units changing hands, Blue Power closed at $53.50 with 1,330 units changing hands, after climbing $1.50, CAC 2000 lost 80 cents and closed at $7.20 with 3,000 shares trading, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 413,469 units to end at $7.50, after dropping 90 cents, Caribbean Flavours ended trading 1,355 units to end at $12, Caribbean Producers rose 29 cents with 100,407 units changing hands at $3.79, Consolidated Bakeries rose 30 cents trading 6,000 shares to close at $2.75, Eppley had 69,369 units changing hands to close of $12, General Accident closed trading with 19,600 shares to end at $2.90, Honey Bun had just 260 shares changing hands and closed at $6.93 after falling 57 cents,
Iron Rock Insurance gained 5 cents in trading 61,538 shares to end at $3.20, Jamaican Teas dropped 69 cents and closed trading with 50,567 shares, at $4. Jetcon Corporation climbed $1.30 to end at $14.80 with 44,161 shares trading, Knutsford Express started trading for the first time after the 5 for 1 stock split and closed with 5,262 shares trading at $15 with a gain of $1.40. Lasco Distributors rose 24 cents and ended with 1,150 units trading at $7.20, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5.20 in trading 81,983 shares. Main Event fell 70 cents and ended trading of 42,690 shares at $6.50, Medical Disposables dropped 65 cents after posting earnings of 38 cents per share compared to 37 cents in 2016 and ended at $5.15 with 24,215 units trading, Paramount Trading ended with a fall of 20 cents as 344,936 shares changed hands at $3.10 and tTech had 3,665 units changing hands at $7.50.
Modest rise in junior market
Trading on the junior market fell off sharply on Thursday from Wednesday’s levels, as demand declined below the previous day leaving the market index inching up by just 1.16 points to end at 2,991.64.
Market activity ended with only 15 securities trading, similar to the total on Wednesday with advancing and declining stocks ending at a 5 each. A total of 243,100 units valued at $4,441,436 passed through the market, compared to 699,545 units valued at $3,810,910 on Wednesday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 16,207 units for an average value of $296,096 traded, compared to 46,636 units for an average value of $254,061 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 138,835 units and $1,338,271.
On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 144,675 units and $1,385,643. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 10 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 4 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Thursday, AMG Packaging climbed $1 and closed at $6 with 27,916 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 5 cents and closed at $7.80 with 31,239 shares trading, Caribbean Cream dropped 8 cents in trading 1,733 units to end at $7.90, Derrimon Trading ended at $8.50 with 3,994 shares changing hands, Honey Bun had 3,952 shares changing hands, rose 70 cents and closed at $7.30. Iron Rock Insurance traded 7,256 shares to end at $3.84, Jamaican Teas traded just 320 shares to close at $7.99, 
Jetcon Corporation dropped $1 and closed trading with 21,970 shares being exchanged, to end at $11, Knutsford Express lost 11 cents to end at $42 with 80,146 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended with 22,522 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial fell 40 cents, with 20,000 shares changing hands, to end at $3.60, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 2,420 units changing hands at $5, after falling 5 cents, Main Event closed at $5 with 11,724 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables climbed 75 cents to $6 with 4,808 units trading and Paramount Trading had 3,100 shares changing hands, to close with a rise of 20 cents at $3.80.
Iron Rock underperforms in year 1
Iron Rock came to the general insurance market just about when premium rates for catastrophe coverage is under pressure with consumers enjoying some of the lowest rates in years and with one element of good revenue losing it sting.
Iron Rock ended 2016, their first full year of operations, with a loss of $50 million, before fair value gains on investments of $5.5 million, taking the net position to a loss of $45 million, up from the forecast in the prospectus of $30 million as the company underperformed on most fronts, compared to forecast. Gross premiums written projected at $170 million ended well down, with $127 million generated in the year. Profit before operating expenses came in at $9 million versus $20 million forecasted. Investment income ended at $17 million versus $39 million while foreign exchange gains ended at $15 million with forecast being $7 million. Operating expenses ended at $91 million, lower than the $96 million projected. Underwriting loss before other income ended at $82 million versus $76 million after a lower loss claim of $6 million than the $12 million projected.
William Mc Connel one of teh directors of Iron Rock
On the plus side, the big expansion on the way in the hotel and BPO sectors and other areas will provide an expanded market going forward and thus provide a base that they can expand their income from.
In spite of the loss, the company ended with a capital base of $560 million and holds investments of $366 million with $85 million in quoted equities. There is also an additional $70 million in short term investments. With growth in local equities the company should enjoy above average returns from this area that will boost the overall investment performance that could push them into an overall profit in 2017, but they are unlikely to see the same levels of foreign exchange gains enjoyed in 2016. Overall investment income realized or accrued could end up around $50 million in 2017 and would be well ahead of forecast.
Junior market index jumps – Tuesday
I$P Finance hits a new high on Tuesday.
Market activity ended with 25 securities trading, up from 23 on Monday as 9 stocks rose and 11 declined. A total of 4,031,077 units valued at $23,768,156 passed through the market, compared to 1,062,024 units valued at $5,541,349 on Monday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 161,243 units for an average value of $950,726 traded, compared to 46,175 units for an average value of $240,928 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date, ended at 149,577 units and $1,439,528. On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 148,963 units and $1,463,968. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 5 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.At the close of the market on Tuesday, AMG Packaging rose by 40 cents and closed at $5.80 with 56,426 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 1,885 units to close at $36.50, CAC 2000 rose 25 cents and closed at $7.85 with 3,000 shares trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with 1,600 shares at $21, Caribbean Flavours traded 30,000 units to end at $14, Caribbean Producers lost 28 cents in trading 10,000 units at $3.67, Consolidated Bakeries ended with 385,100 shares changing hands, to close at $3. Derrimon Trading lost 38 cents and ended at $8.22 with 138,796 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove gained $1 and closed trading with 61,739 shares, at $19, General Accident price closed trading with 96,697 shares at $2.80, Honey Bun gained closed with 19,383 shares changing hands at $6.60, after rising by 10 cents, Iron Rock had 31,714 units changing hands to close at $3.84 with a rise of 54 cents, ISP Finance traded 8,000 shares and rose 25 cents to a new high at $12.50, Jamaican Teas fell 75 cents in trading 135,911 shares to close at $7.25,
Jetcon Corporation lost 15 cents and closed trading with 62,090 shares being exchanged, to end at $11.85, Key Insurance lost 51 cents to end at $2.99 with 1,000 shares changing hands, KLE Group ended at $3.05 with 145,856 shares changing hands after rising by 25 cents, Lasco Distributors lost 40 cents and ended with 1,014,970 units trading at $6.60, Lasco Financial lost 50 cents with 209,152 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 1,403,493 units changing hands at $4.79, after losing 21 cents, Main Event gained 1 cents and closed at $5 with 31,565 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables lost 75 cents in trading 27,800 shares to close at $5.25, Paramount Trading had 17,000 shares changing hands, to close with a loss of 15 cents at $3.65 and tTech fell 48 cents and ended with 118,000 units changing hands at $6.27.
Junior market index chopped – Monday
Main Event climbed 48 cents to $4.99.
In other matters, the Jamaica Stock Exchange corrected the report for Friday that originally showed gains of just 7.21 points, to reflect the correct change of 29.39 points, after this publication reported the error.
Market activity ended with 23 securities trading, up from 19 on Friday as 7 stocks rose and 8 declined. A total of 1,062,024 units valued at $5,541,349 passed through the market, compared to 554,250 units valued at $3,004,928 on Friday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 46,175 units for an average value of $240,928 traded, compared to 29,171 units for an average value of $158,154 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 148,963 units and $1,463,968.
On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 163,591 units and $1,582,454. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 5 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Monday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.40 with 72,300 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 20 cents and closed at $7.60 with 23,000 shares trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with 1,150 shares at $21, Caribbean Flavours lost 31 cents in trading 900 units to end at $14, Caribbean Producers rose 15 cents in trading 5,243 units at $3.95, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with 105,000 shares changing hands, to close at $3. Derrimon Trading ended at $8.60 with 5,599 shares changing hands, General Accident price declined by 20 cents to close trading with 91,700 shares at $3, Honey Bun closed with 105,677 shares changing hands at $6.50, Iron Rock had 14,000 units changing hands to close at $3.30 with a rise of 20 cents, Jamaican Teas rose 15 cents in trading 14,460 shares to close at $8, Jetcon Corporation rose $1 and closed trading with 19,797 shares being exchanged, to end at $12, Key Insurance lost 20 cents to end at $2.80 with 71,750 shares changing hands,
Lasco Distributors lost 30 cents and ended with 216,050 units trading at $7, Lasco Financial rose 30 cents with 16,016 shares changing hands, to end at $4, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 227,140 units changing hands at $5, after losing 8 cents, Main Event gained 48 cents and closed at $4.99 with 27,861 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded 4,229, shares to close at $6, Paramount Trading had 13,132 shares changing hands, to close with a rise of 10 cents at $3.80, tTech fell 26 cents and ended with 15,000 units changing hands at $6.75. Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 3,970 units changing hands at $2, Eppley 10% preference share closed trading with 150 units at $6 and Eppley 8.25% preference share closed trading with 7,900 units at $6.
2 Big Lasco trades again – Thursday
Lasco’s ICool drinks.
At the close of trading the junior market index lost only 3.94 points to end at 3,032.15 following activities in 23 securities traded up from 21 on Wednesday and ended with 4 rising and 6 falling. A total of 12,255,673 units valued at $75,283,381 passed through the market, compared to 113,332,019 units valued at $70,867,178 on Wednesday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 532,855 units for an average value of $3,273,190 traded, compared to 634,858 units for an average value of $3,374,628 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 171,993 units and $1,004,397. On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 147,935 units and $853,144.
The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.Trading ended with only 4 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 6 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Thursday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.69 with 8,921 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 500 units changing hands at $36.50 after falling $1.50, CAC 2000 closed at $7.80 with 13,421 shares traded. Cargo Handlers ended trading with 24,141 shares at $21, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 10,000 units to end at $7.70, Caribbean Producers lost 7 cents in trading 2,792 units at $3.78, Derrimon Trading rose by 40 cents and ended at a new high of $9 with 1,406 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove lost $1 to close trading with 57,240 shares, at $18, General Accident price rose 1 cent to close trading with 1,000 shares at $3.01, Honey Bun lost 80 cents and closed with 10,000 shares changing hands at $6.20, Iron Rock Insurance traded 15,581 shares to end at $3.10 after falling 15 cents,
ISP Finance had 6,490 units changing hands to close at $12.25, Jamaican Teas traded 125,563 shares to close at $8.50, Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 18,629 shares being exchanged to end at $12, KLE Group ended at $3 with 6,000 shares changing hands after rising by 20 cents, Knutsford Express traded 598 units to close at $42, Lasco Distributors ended with 6,209,536 units trading at $7, Lasco Financial fell 69 cents with 9,462 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 5,697,203 units changing hands at $5.08, Medical Disposables closed at $6 with 15,925 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading had 4,600 shares changing hands, to close with a rise of 20 cents at $3.75, tTech ended with 2,000 units changing hands at $7 and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 14,665 units changing hands to close at $2.10.
More losses for juniors on Tuesday
Dolphin Cove fell 99 cents and closed at $18.01 on Tuesday .
At the close 25 securities traded up from 17 on Monday and ended with 9 rising and 7 falling. A total of 1,269,002 units valued at $8,895,061 passed through the market, compared to 227,531 units valued at $1,357,774 on Monday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 50,760 units for an average value of $355,802 traded, compared to 13,384 units for an average value of $79,869 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 113,155 units and $673,038. On the immediate preceding trading day the average volume and value for the month to date, were 117,955 units with an average value of $697,441. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 3 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 3 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.At the close of the market on Tuesday, Access Financial ended trading at $34 with 5,300 units changing hands, AMG Packaging closed at $5.70 with 20,257 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 150 units changing hands at $36.60 after falling 40 cents, CAC 2000 closed with a loss of 5 cents to end at $7.80 with 16,108 shares traded. Caribbean Cream closed trading with 1,800 units and lost 30 cents to end at $7.70, Caribbean Producers climbed 45 cents in trading 141,143 units at $4.10, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with a gain of 20 cents with 22,000 shares changing hands, to close at $3.20. Derrimon Trading rose by 10 cents and ended at a new high of $8.60 with 9,866 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove lost 99 cents and closed trading with 122,148 shares, at $18.01, General Accident closed trading with 67,000 shares at $3.25, Honey Bun closed with 16,849 shares changing hands to end at $7, ISP Finance had 13,189 units changing hands to close with a gain of 25 cents at a 52 weeks’ high $12.25,
Jetcon Corporation closed trading a rise of 90 cents with 1,700 shares being exchanged to end at $11, Knutsford Express traded 5,990 units but lost 50 cents to close at $42, Lasco Distributors ended with 6,399 units trading at $7 after gaining 20 cents, Lasco Financial gained 1 cent with 25,000 shares changing hands, to end at $4.24, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 110,927 units changing hands at $4.70, Main Event had 15,004 shares changing hands, to close with a fall of 10 cents at $4.50, Medical Disposables closed at $6 with 1,000 shares changing hands and Paramount Trading lost 15 cents and ended with 61,750 units changing hands at $3.55. Tech ended with 17,912 units changing hands at $7 after rising by 95 cents, Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 2,665 units changing hands to close at $2.10 and Eppley 9.5% preference share, traded 500,000 units at $6.04.