Jamaica’s sole cement producer, Caribbean Cement Company, delivered another quarter of bumper profit, with a 396 percent surge after tax to $2.7 billion from just $544 million in 2025 for the quarter ending in June. Profit rose significantly by 126 percent to $5.7 billion after tax for the half year, from just $$2.54 billion for the same period in 2025.
The outstanding profit results emanated from a 14.5 percent rise in revenues to $9.31 billion in the 2026 second quarter, from $8.13 billion in 2025 and increased 13.7 percent or the half year, to $18.57 billion from $16.33 billion in 2025.
Gross profit performance resulted in a “gross profit margin of 50.2 percent, compared with 32.7 percent in the prior year period. The improvement reflects stronger operating efficiency and more favourable production environment compared with 2025, when the Company incurred substantial costs associated with its planned maintenance shutdown, including approximately $920 million in additional related expenditure and imported cement to maintain market supply,” the company stated in its quarterly report commentary to shareholders.
The solid profit performance resulted in operating cash flow of $7.25 billion, compared with $4.25 billion in the prior year. Cash and cash equivalents stood at $18.55 billion as at June 2026.
Net Asset value came in at $45, with earnings per share ending at $3.17 for the June quarter and $6.75 for the six months to June. ICInsider.com maintains full year forecast at $14 per share, with the PE based on it of 8.2, which is well below the average of 12 for most main market stocks, an indication of potential gains ahead.
The market closed after trading of 22,808,177 shares with a value of $403,415,861, down from trading of 41,753,131 stock units valued at $323,847,100 on Friday.
At the close of trading, AS Bryden dropped $2 to end at $25 with 941 units passing through the market, Barita Investments fell 40 cents to $66.90 following trading in 26,755 stocks, Berger Paints skidded 50 cents and ended at $5 as investors traded 94,609 shares. Carreras rallied $1.01 in closing at $36.50 after trading of 193,497 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $1.05 to finish at $43.99 in the trading of 83 shares, General Accident fell 75 cents to close at $8.25 with investors trading 2,987 stock units. GraceKennedy gained 55 cents to end at $76.25 after an exchange of 24,458 units, Guardian Holdings dipped $5 to end at $365 with investors swapping 8,125 stocks, Jamaica Producers rose 98 cents in closing at $21.98 in switching ownership of 452 units. Kingston Properties slipped 55 cents to $10.45 with investors dealing in 591 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing declined 52 cents and ended at $7.18 with 15,425 shares crossing the market, Pan Jamaica shed 95 cents to finish at $45 with an exchange of 11,935 stock units. Quantas Advantage declined 50 cents and ended at $15.50 with 39,274 shares clearing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 50 cents to close at $8.50 after an exchange of 3,436 stock units,
Scotia Group fell 49 cents to end at $57.01 with 21,179 stock units changing hands. Seprod dropped by $1 in closing at $74 after an exchange of 38,676 stocks, Transjamaican Highway advanced 56 cents to close at $10.95 with 6,535,147 shares crossing the market and the West Indies Petroleum climbed 76 cents to finish at $9.90 after a transfer of 11,594 stocks.
The market closed with trading of 14,700,213 shares for $20,457,438, after falling from 23,106,280 units at $37,269,312 on Friday.
Caribbean Flavours rose 8 cents to end at $1.18 following trading of 3,069 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries dipped 25 cents to end at $1.20 in an exchange of 36 shares, Derrimon Trading lost 19 cents in closing at a 52 weeks low of $1.01 in trading of 766,266 units. Dolphin Cove climbed $1.96 to $12.17 with 2,965 stocks clearing the market, Express Catering rallied by 5 cents to $2 after an exchange of 73,804 stock units, Fosrich slipped 16 cents to end at $1.40 with 195,974 shares crossing the market. GWest Corporation rallied 9 cents to close at 68 cents with a transfer of 4,281 stocks, Image Plus popped 8 cents to finish at $1.20 after an exchange of 414,373 units, Indies Pharma fell 5 cents and ended at $2.70 with 30,043 stock units crossing the market. Jamaican Teas skidded 18 cents to $2.05 after a transfer of 179,270 shares, Jetcon Corporation gained 61 cents to end at a 52 weeks high of $4.04 with 292,552 units passing through the market, Knutsford Express dropped 37 cents to close at $7.10 following an exchange of 2,778 stocks. Lasco Financial shed 13 cents and ended at $1.52 after investorrs dealt in 129,950 stock units, Limners and Bards declined 19 cents to finish at $1 in switching ownership of 91,720 shares,
Lumber Depot fell 6 cents to close at $2.69 as investors exchanged 6,958 stocks. Mailpac Group declined 8 cents to $2.55 with trading of 323,818 stock units, Omni Industries rose 8 cents in closing at 96 cents with 54,835 stock units crossing the exchange, ONE on ONE Educational climbed 6 cents and ended at 81 cents after an exchange of 50,593 shares. Regency Petroleum shed 5 cents to finish at $4.44 with an exchange of 12,724 units and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 10 cents to end at $1.52 with 39,309 stocks passing through the market.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 974.90 points to finish at 377,998.89, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 866.39 points to 444,683.49, the JSE Main Index shed 727.69 points to finish at 373,284.61, the Junior Market Index slipped 38.89 points to 2,937.81 and the JSE USD Market Index shed 12.51 points to end at 286.07.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share shed $3.04 in closing at $17, Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $1.05 to $38, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% fell $40 to end at $2,200, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% dived $51 to end at $1,187 and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% dropped by $13.50 to finish at $100.
Trading ended with an average of 525,661 shares at US$34,833, up from 128,233 stocks at US$8,586 on Friday, compared with July, with an average of 132,012 units for US$49,788.
The US Denominated Equities Index shed 12.51 points to settle at 286.07. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
The PE Ratio, one of the most used measures to determine appropriate stock values, averages 15.4. ICInsider.com compiles the earnings per share and the PE used in this report. The PE ratio is derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share for the financial year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, AS Bryden remained at 16.9 US cents with investors dealing in 1,337 units, Productive Business Solutions dropped 12.75 cents and ended at 72.25 US cents with 14 stocks changing hands, Proven Investments lost 0.47 of a cent to 5.51 US cents with a transfer of 408,402 shares.
Jetcon Corporation surged to the top of the market with gains of 129 percent, next is Future Energy, up by a solid 26 percent, following 2026 full year results to March. Jetcon’s profit surged 567 percent in the first quarter to 10 cents per share and seems on track for 45 cents for the full year.
The year to date performance should not be taken as a foregone conclusion that the year will end as badly as it started. First quarter results of the Junior Market companies show more than half of them recording increased profits, a sign that prices of these stocks should rise in the months ahead if the positive profit trend continues for the majority of listed Junior Market stocks.
The market closed with trading of 23,106,280 shares at $37,269,312 up from 21,955,175 stock units at $33,321,331 on Thursday.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 5.81 points to conclude trading at 2,976.70. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending wth bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Image Plus shed 7 cents in closing at $1.12 in switching ownership of 200,630 stocks, ISP Finance climbed 25 cents to end at $7.75 with 290 units changing hands, Jamaican Teas dropped 6 cents to close at $2.23 with investors swapping 2,769,440 stock units. Jetcon Corporation gained 11 cents to close at $3.43 after a transfer of 261,648 shares, Knutsford Express popped 99 cents to close at $7.47 with investors trading 1,276 stock units, Lumber Depot increased 28 cents to finish at $2.75 with an exchange of 825,205 stocks. Mailpac Group climbed 8 cents and ended at $2.63 with 1,124,130 units clearing the market, Medical Disposables dipped 5 cents to end at $1.10 with investors trading 16,238 stocks, Omni Industries skidded 8 cents to close at 88 cents in an exchange of 200,000 units. ONE on ONE Educational rose 5 cents to 75 cents with investors dealing in 1,472,316 shares, Regency Petroleum advanced 16 cents to end at $4.49 after an exchange of 169,031 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 5 cents in closing at $1.62 after trading of 1,804,900 shares.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,282,333 shares value at US$85,862, from 1,055,001 stock units at US$121,704 on Thursday.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index jumped by 3,676.91 points to end at 378,973.79, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 3,370.96 points to finish at 445,549.88, the highest in more than four and a half years, the JSE Main Index climbed 3,889.14 points to close trading at 374,012.30, the highest in more than 4 years, the Junior Market Index dipped 5.81 points to 2,976.70 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 3.35 points to settle at 298.58.
Among the top losers, Eppley dipped $2.80 to end at $30.60, Margaritaville fell by $2.51 to $9.49, Barita Investments fell $1.14 to end trading at $67.30, Jamaica Producers slipped $1 to end at $21.00 and Quantas Advantage declined 69 cents and ended at $16.00.
The market closed following an exchange of 1,055,001 shares for US$121,704, soaring from 76,990 stock units at US$5,098 on Wednesday.