Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 15 percent with a 20 percent lower value than on Wednesday resulting from 41 trading of securities versus 43 on Wednesday and ended with 21 rising, 16 declining and four closing unchanged.
A total of 17,734,945 shares were traded for $68,426,190 compared to 20,778,103 units at $85,799,358 on Wednesday.
The day’s trading averaged 432,560 shares at $1,668,931 compared to 483,212 stocks at $1,995,334 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 471,994 units at $1,571,412 in line with the 473,842 stock units at $1,566,843 on the previous day. August closed with an average of 407,186 units at $1,330,946.
Future Energy Source led trading with 5.34 million shares for 30.1 percent of total volume, followed by Jamaican Teas with 4.83 million units for 27.2 percent of the day’s trade, Dolla Financial closed with 1.40 million units for 7.9 percent market share, Fosrich accounted for 1.26 million units or 7.1 percent of traded shares and ONE on ONE Educational with 1.07 million units for 6 percent if the market.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 10.66 points to settle at 4,193.43. Consolidated Bakeries traded at a 52 weeks’ high in closing at $2.91.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging rose 33 cents to $3.89 with a transfer of 6,579 shares, Blue Power gained 10 cents to close at $3.23 in switching owners of 545 units, Cargo Handlers dipped $2.89 to $11.11 after finishing trading of 2,500 stock units. Dolphin Cove advanced $1.39 to end at $14.49 with investors transferring 9,991 stocks, EduFocal popped 28 cents in closing at $2.65 after an exchange of 133,064 units, Elite Diagnostic climbed 17 cents in closing at $3.50 after 13,732 stock units changed hands. Express Catering increased 19 cents to $5.60 in exchanging 119,573 stocks, General Accident lost 75 cents in ending at $5 and trading 5,000 shares, Honey Bun dropped 36 cents to close at $7.90, with 143,821 shares crossing the market. iCreate declined 20 cents to end at $2.80 with an exchange of 440,985 stock units, Jamaican Teas rallied 24 cents to close at $2.95 after a transfer of 4,827,665 stocks, Knutsford Express advanced 15 cents to end at $7.40 in trading 4,508 units. Spur Tree Spices rose 16 cents to $3.46, with 797,951 units clearing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies popped 45 cents in closing at $16.10 while exchanging 8,000 stock units and tTech gained 39 cents to $2.99 after an exchange of a mere one share.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE US dollar market gains
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks exchanged by investors rising 19 percent, with a 36 percent lesser value than on Tuesday, resulting in the trading of eight securities, compared to seven on Tuesday with one rising, two declining and five ending unchanged.
Overall, 174,023 shares were traded for US$17,600 compared to 145,974 units at US$27,536 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 21,753 units at US$2,200 compared with 20,853 shares at US$3,934 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 50,007 shares at US$4,485 down from 51,566 units at US$4,611 on the previous day. August ended with an average of 53,206 units for US$7,288.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index gained 0.98 points to end at 209.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.4. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share slipped 0.07 of a cent to 5.93 US cents after trading 140,971 shares, Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.3225 with one stock unit changing hands, Proven Investments remained at 19 US cents, with an exchange of 27,877 units. Sterling Investments dipped 0.01 of a cent to 2.09 US cents, with 70 stocks clearing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments USD share remained at 10.98 US cents with investors transferring 1,650 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 6% preference share ended at US$1.13 with an exchange of one stock unit, Equityline Mortgage Investment preference share ended at US$1.85 as investors exchanged one share and JMMB Group 6% rallied 4.99 cents to close at US$1.0899, with 3,452 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Knutsford Express looking good
Jamaica cross-country luxury bus operator, Knutsford Express is all smiles again having turned a loss of $96 million in 2021 into a profit of $78 million before other comprehensive income in the year to May 2022, but the position is even better when the loss of $33 million in the discontinued Florida business is considered.
Revenues for the year ending May 2022, jumped 77 percent to $1.11 billion from a covid19 battered 2021, with $629 million. Other income brought in $21.5 million for the year, with just about all, generated in the last quarter and appears to be from real estate rental. The audited statement says nothing about its source, but there was virtually no other income in the prior year.
The fourth quarter generated revenues of $339 million up 96 percent from $173 million in the May 2021 quarter, with profit surging to $82 million for the quarter, from a minuscule $10 million in 2021 before losses from the discontinued business.
Unfortunately, the company fails to compute direct operating costs, as such gross profit is not reported in their full year or quarterly reports. A clear backward step in an expanding financial space. Based on the audited financial statements, ICInsider.com computes gross profit before staff cost at 60 percent for 2022, up from 52 percent in 2021, with fuel accounting for the largest part, coming in at $150 million in 2022 from $73 million in the previous year. Parts and supplies accounted for $59 million, up from $29 million. Insurance costs rose to $37 million from $28 million last year, while Toll fees consumed $35 million against $20 million m 2021.
Operating expenses rose 40 percent to $979 million, from $698 million in 2021, with Salaries, wages and related expenses accounting for $306 million, up from $219 million in 2021, with the number of staff increasing from 178 to 221. Finance costs more than doubled from $15 million to $36.6 million.
Earnings per share for the year amounts to 16 cents, including losses from the discontinued business and 22 cents excluding it, while the fourth quarter delivered earnings of approximately 15 cents per share or 60 cents annualized. ICInsider.com projects full year 2023 earnings at 90 cents per share, with the PE ratio at 8.3 times 2023 earnings compared to a market average of just under 13, an indication that the stock is undervalued.
The company generated $267 million in gross cash inflows and expended $223 million on the purchase of fixed assets and was left with $54 million that helped in pushing total funds to $106 million at the end of the year, in addition, investments amounted to $92 million.
Borrowings moved from $487 million to $512 million, while payables rose from $98 million to $151 million. Shareholders’ equity rose from $666 million at the end of May last year to $751 million.
Knutsford Express is a buy, with the price more than doubling by the end of 2023.
Gains for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended Tuesday, with the volume of stocks exchanged declining 48 percent with the value up 63 percent on Monday, resulting in seven securities traded, compared to eight on Monday, with three rising, one declining and three ending unchanged.
Overall, 145,974 shares were traded for US$27,536 compared to 278,103 units at US$16,872 on Monday.
Trading averaged 20,853 shares at US$3,934 versus 34,763 units at US$2,109 on Monday, with the month to date averaging 51,566 shares at US$4,611 versus 53,123 units at US$4,645 on the previous day. August ended with an average of 53,206 units at US$7,288.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index rose 4.81 points to end at 208.69.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share rose 1 cent in closing at 6 US cents after trading 30,925 shares, Margaritaville remained at 14.99 US cents with 12 stocks crossing the exchange, Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.3225 after just 1 stock unit was traded. Proven Investments dipped 2 cents to end at 19 US cents in switching ownership of 110,453 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments USD share climbed 0.01 of a cent in ending at 10.98 US cents, with 1,895 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$1.50, with one unit clearing the market and JMMB Group 5.75% increased 5 cents to US$1.80 after investors finished exchanging 2,687 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.