The Jamaica Stock Exchange got to a negative start with the indices all slipping after 75 minutes of trading with 13 stocks falling and only 6 rising as 35 securities have been active with only 933,812 units changing hands.
Big moves have been Carreras up 90 cents to $65, Grace Kennedy down $1 to $83 with limited volume, Jamaica Stock Exchange up $2.50 to $22.50 and Seprod with a rise of $2 to $22.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,469.33 points to 179,042.71, the JSE Market Index lost 1,314.77 points to 161,143.02, the JSE combined index fell 1,351.04 points to 172,732.49 and the junior market index dropped 12.32 points to 2,301.46.
JSE loses big in early trading
February 16, 2016 by
Lasco Manufacturing profit jumps
February 14, 2016 by
Bottle heating machine at Lasco Manufacturing.
Profit at Lacso Manufacturing before tax jumped 79 percent to $764 million for the nine months ended December 2015, this compares with $426.3 million for the same period in 2014, while profit for the quarter increased 69 percent over the same period in 2014 to $267 million before provision of $35 million of corporate taxation.
The strong improvement flowed from 45 percent jump in revenue for the nine months from $4.83 billion, for an increase of $1.5 billion or over prior year’s $3.33 billion. Revenue for the quarter rose by a slightly slower 39 percent from $1.25 billion in 2014 to $1.74 billion in 2015. Gross profit for the nine months rose from $892 million in 2014 to $1.60 billion in 2015, an increase of $703 million or 79 percent in line with the increased profit. For the quarter, gross profit rose by $257 million or 89 percent from $290 million in 2014 to $548 million in 2015 but increased interest and depreciation cost associated with the new factory ate up proportionately more of the revenues than other cost.
One of Lasco’s new products
Operating expenses for the nine months to December 2015 rose by 82 percent or $313 million over prior year’s $383 million to hit $696 million, due to increases in staff compliment, marketing expenses and new products development costs. For the quarter to date, operating expenses were $220 million compared to $89 million in prior year.
Earnings per share for the nine months ended December 2015 rose from 10 cents for the same period prior year to 18 cents and should hit 29 cents for the full year and close to $1 in 2017. The stock which trades at $5 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange junior market, is selling above the market average, at PE of 17 times current fiscal year’s earnings. With new products now being produced, revenues and profit should continue to increase in the next fiscal year which would ensure that the current PE is not all that high but the stock make bounce around for a while until the next set of results are known.
The company generated gross cash flow from operations of $994 million versus $509 million in 2014 even as receivables rose to $2 billion inclusive of prepayment and deposit on equipment of nearly $600 million, compared with $897 million at the end of 2014 and $1.1 billion at the March year-end. Fixed assets net of depreciation swelled to $3.1 billion from $1.1 billion at March 2014 as capital work in progress fell from $2.26 billion to only $400 million. Cash funds grew to $372 million from just $50 million in 2014 but borrowings jumped to $2.15 billion including overdraft of $641 million from $1.38 billion at March 2014.
C&W first profit in 7 years
February 14, 2016 by
Cable and Wireless reported a profit $144 million in the December quarter last year, the first time since they reported a profit of $32.6 million for the December quarter of 2008.
The 2015 quarterly profit was realised after accounting for an exceptional charge of $334 million for the quarter and is down sharply from a loss of $1.8 billion in 2014 that included an exceptional charge of $1.5 billion. For the nine months the loss was down to $644 million after an exceptional charge of $504 million compared with a huge $3 billion loss in 2014 after exceptional cost of $1.5 billion.
Revenues climbed in the quarter by 12 percent, to $6.1 billion on continued growth in mobile customers and data usage and for the nine months by 11 percent to $17.2 billion. Growth in revenues was helped by a 15 percent increase of 125,000 in new mobile customers, 22 per cent growth in mobile revenues and a more than doubling in mobile data income.
Operating expenses fell in the December quarter as wages declined by $420 million for the nine months period and fell by $122 million to $600 million in the quarter compared with the 2014 December quarter.
Advances from the parent company is up to $49 billion with interest cost being static at $1 billion but depreciation charge is down while amortization cost rose to $768 million from $489 million in 2014.
The results point to the company entering the 2017 fiscal year being the first full year in which the company should make a profit since 2007. The company’s stock last traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $1.69 on Friday February 12, rising 29 cents in response to the results.
C&W, Pan Jam dominant plays – Friday
February 12, 2016 by
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C&W gained 21% in trading on Friday following release of Q3 results
Trading resulted 38 securities trading, 16 of which gained and 14 declined. Six stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and 3 at intraday highs as 11,326,742 units valued at $259,795,288 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 2,619,072 units changed hands, valued at $10,651,233.
The JSE Market Index fell 412.90 points to 159,295.05 the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 461.44 points to end at 176,977.50 and the JSE combined index declined 553.68 points to close at 170,686.48.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with 12,000 units traded, to close at $4.75, Berger Paints fell 8 cents to end at $5, with 14,021 units traded, Caribbean Cement rose 1 cent to close at $28 with 48,626 shares changing hands. Carreras gained 75 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $63.50 with 15,180 units trading, Grace Kennedy closed at $84 with 10,283 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers traded 406,083 units and gained $1.45 to $14.95, JMMB Group jumped $1.95 in trading 8,350 units to end at 52 weeks’ high of $13.70. Kingston Wharves rose 26 cents with 10,545 units changing hands at $11.45, Margaritaville Turks had 30,900 shares trading at a 52 weeks’ high of 15 US cents,
Mayberry Investments gained 30 cents to close at $5 with 130,126 units traded, National Commercial Bank traded 347,478 shares to close at $41.50. Pulse Investments traded 5,000 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.65 after rising by 45 cents, Sagicor Group rose 5 cents and closed at $23.05 with 370,399 units changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 20 cents to close at $12 while trading 10,023 shares, Scotia Group had 231,306 shares changing hands with a loss of $2.50 to close at $31.50. Scotia Investments had 14,374 units changing hands at $29, Supreme Ventures lost 45 cents to close at $5.75, with 511,615 units changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary share traded at 22 US cents with 34,100 units and JMMB 7.50% preference share traded 89,573 units to close at $2.15.
Market fell on Thursday
February 11, 2016 by
Berger closed at a new high on Thursday
The JSE Market Index fell 608.92 points to 159,707.95 the all Jamaica Composite Index lost 680.50 points to end at 177,438.94 and the JSE combined index declined 667.38 points to close at 171,240.16.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 16 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with 5,478 units traded for 3 cents lower to close at $4.75, Berger Paints rose 58 cents to end at $5.08 at 52 weeks’ high, with 100,764 units traded. Cable and Wireless dropped 14 cents to close at $1.40 with 803,782 units trading. The company reported a profit of $144 million in the December quarter after accounting for an exceptional charge of $334 million and for the nine months losses were down sharply from $1.8 billion to $644 million after an exceptional charge of $504 million. Caribbean Cement fell 1 cent to close at $27.99 with 35,992 shares changing hands. Gleaner Company traded 1,998,200 shares to close at $2.40, Grace Kennedy closed at $84 with 1,500 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers Group traded 45,584 units but dropped $1 to $13.50, JMMB Group traded 6,875,563 units but fell 15 cents to end at $11.75. Kingston Wharves rose 19 cents with 13,848 units changing hands at $11.19,
Margaritaville Turks had 180,290 shares trading at 14 US cents, National Commercial Bank traded 114,437 shares and fell 50 cents to close at $41.50. Pulse Investments traded 230,500 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.20 after rising by 10 cents after it traded earlier in the day at $4.80, Sagicor Group closed at $23 with 164,051 units changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell 20 cents to close at $11.80 while trading 65,892 shares, after it traded at an intraday high of $12.05. Scotia Group had 157,488 shares changing hands to close at $34, Scotia Investments had 36,067 units changing hands at $29, Seprod added 100 units and jumped $1 in ending at $22. Supreme Ventures lost 10 cents to close at $6.20, with 85,982 units changing hands, but traded earlier, at an intraday high of $7 and JMMB 7.50% preference share traded 603,733 units with a gain of 3 cents to close at $2.15.
Spirited recovery for JSE on Tuesday
February 9, 2016 by
Margaritaville Turks traded at a new 52 weeks’ high on Tuesday.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered from two days of major losses in the main market indices on Tuesday with 47 securities changing hands in all market segments, 17 of which gained and 16 declined. Seven stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and 4 at intraday highs as 7,135,151 units valued at $62,892,474 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,181,038 units changed hands, valued at $6,522,458.
The JSE Market Index climbed 1,442.14 points to 160,316.87 the all Jamaica Composite Index recovered 1,611.67 points to end at 178,119.44 and the JSE combined index rose 1,323.61 points to close at 171,905.15.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 18 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with 35,224 units traded to close at $4.78, Berger Paints fell 30 cents to end at $4.50 after trading at 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5.05, with 191,462 units traded. Cable and Wireless gained 4 cents to close at $1.54 with 149,329 units trading, Caribbean Cement rose 90 cents to close at $28 with 22,982 shares changing hands. Carreras traded 18,990 shares at $62.75 with a gain of 24 cents, 
Ciboney traded 72,660 shares at 21 cents, Desnoes and Geddes had 14,567 changing hands at $22.88, Gleaner Company fell 2 cents in trading 47,576 shares to close at $2.40, Grace Kennedy gained $1 to close at $84 with 4,452 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers Group traded 178,900 units but gained 50 cents to $14.50, Jamaica Producers lost 50 cents to end at $29.50 with 30,882 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 12,480 shares at $20, JMMB Group traded 12,133 units and gained 90 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $11.90. Kingston Wharves rose 53 cents with 16,827 units changing hands at $11, Margaritaville Turks had 500 shares trading at a new high of 14 US cents up from 13.7 cents on Monday, National Commercial Bank traded 271,792 shares and rose $1 to close at $42. Pan Jamaican Investments closed at $94.50 after trading 192,708 shares with a loss of $1.50. Pulse Investments traded 263,268 shares at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.10 after rising by 9 cents after it traded earlier in the day at $4.50, Sagicor Group closed at $23 with 131,685 units changing hands.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 50 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $12 while trading 43,900 shares, Scotia Group had 91,317 shares changing hands to close with a loss of $3 at $34, Seprod added 38,921 units and dropped 99 cents in ending at $21. Supreme Ventures rose 5 cents to close at $6.30, with 900,005 units changing hands, but traded earlier, at an intraday high of $7. Proven Investments ordinary share traded 79,600 units to close at 22 US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 836,600 units with a gain of 3 cents to close at $2.15 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 19,100 units at $5.
D&G dropped majors sharply – Monday
February 8, 2016 by
Scotia Group traded at a new high on Monday
The JSE Market Index shed 2,948.76 points to 158,874.73 the all Jamaica Composite Index closed with a dive of 3,295.41 points to end at 176,507.77 and the JSE combined index dropped 2,447.98 points to close at 170,583.93.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 18 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with a gain of 50 cents as a mere 100 units traded to close at $4.78,
Berger Paints rose 5 cents to end at 52 weeks’ closing high of $4.80, with 1,610 units traded. Cable and Wireless lost 4 cents to close at $1.50 with 1,123,590 units trading, Caribbean Cement fell 90 cents to close at $27.10 with 23,691 shares changing hands. Ciboney traded 20,632 shares at 21 cents, Gleaner Company fell 35 cents in trading 498,936 to close at $2.42, Grace Kennedy gained $1 to close at $83 with 242,975 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers Group traded 24,546 units but fell 80 cents to $14, Jamaica Producers rose 85 cents to end at $30 with 10,800 units trading, JMMB Group traded 12,000 units to end at $11. Margaritaville Turks had 35,000 shares trading at a new high of 13.7 US cents, Mayberry Investments had 207,543 units changing hands with a loss of 25 cents to end at $4.75, National Commercial Bank traded 1,268,712 shares and dived $2.50 to close at $43. 
Pan Jamaican Investments closed at $96 after trading 400,000 shares with a loss of $1.50. Sagicor Group closed at $23 with 642,587 units changing hands. Scotia Group had 357,016 shares changing hands to close with a gain of $3.50 at a 52 weeks’ high of $37. Seprod added 3,564 units and gained $1.49 in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $21.99, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.25 with 312,500 units changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 22,700 units to close at 22 US cents, JMMB 7.50% preference share traded 13,400 units with a gain of 1 cent at $2.12 and Proven Investment 8% preference share traded 52,000 units at $5.
Stocks dropped sharply on Friday
February 5, 2016 by
Scotia fell on Friday & helped in the sharp fall of the main JSE indices.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange main market indices all closed sharply down on Friday, as declines in mainly Scotia Group and National Commercial Bank took back much of the gains of Thursday, as 41 securities changed hands in all market segments, 18 of which gained and 9 declined.
Seven stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs, as 7,135,151 units valued at $84,903,170 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,152,213 units valued at $5,608,634. The JSE Market Index shed 3,188.40 points to 161,823.49, the all Jamaica Composite Index closed with a dive of 3,563.21 points to end at 179,803.18 and the JSE combined index dropped 3,106.97 points to close at 173,031.91.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 19 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 2 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Barita Investments ended with a loss of 28 cents as 655,019 units traded to close at $4.28, Berger Paints rose 47 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.75, with 2,350 units traded. 
Cable and Wireless with 283,110 units trading, closed with a rise of 2 cents at $1.54, Caribbean Cement fell 90 cents to close at $28 with 23,393 shares changing hands. Carreras exchanged 527,435 shares at $62.51 with a rise of 1 cent, Ciboney traded 532,700 shares at 21 cents after losing 3 cents, Gleaner Company gained 12 cents in trading 1,012,500 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.77, Grace Kennedy gained 50 cents to close at $82 with 74,516 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers Group traded 337,119 units but fell 40 cents to $14.80, Jamaica Producers ended at $29.15 with 1,621 units trading, as the price dipped 85 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $20 with 14,000 units trading, JMMB Group traded 55,000 units but fell 20 cents to end at $11. Kingston Wharves traded 2,660 shares but lost 60 cents to end at $10.40, Margaritaville Turks had 102,000 trading at a new high of 13.5 US cents,
Mayberry Investments had 614,873 units changing hands at $5 after rising by 50 cents, National Commercial Bank traded 16,432 shares and dived $1.50 to close at $43.50. Pulse Investments traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $4.01 while gaining 11 cents with 819,301 shares. Sagicor Group closed at $23 with 573,960 units changing hands. Scotia Group had 137,276 shares changing hands to close with a fall of 40 cents at $33.50. Scotia Investments rose $1.88 with 3,000 units changing hands to end at $29.38. Supreme Ventures closed at $6.25 with 124,970 units changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 15,603 units to close at 22 US cents, JMMB 7.25% preference share traded 20,000 units at $2.40 and JMMB 7.5% preference share traded 34,100 units to gain 1 cent at $2.11.
Juniors lost ground on Friday
February 5, 2016 by
Honey Bun closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Friday.
The volume of 1,152,213 units changed hands, valued at $5,608,634. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid to buy and 9 securities had no stocks being offered for sale but 5 stocks closed with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer.
In trading, AMG Packaging gained $1.20 with a mere 1,963 units changing hands, to end at a new 52 weeks high of $20, C2W Music traded 12,118 shares at 49 cents, Caribbean Cream traded 30,281 shares to close at $4.75, Caribbean Flavours ended with 37,360 units changing hands but fell 40 cents to $8.10. Caribbean Producers rose 40 cents in trading 26,510 units to close at $5.50, Consolidated Bakeries traded 156,510 units and gained 5 cents to close at $1.60, General Accident fell 3 cents in trading 53,100 shares to close at $2.15. Honey Bun responded to the release of results after trading on Thursday, showing a huge increase in sales and profit, to hit a 52 weeks’ high of $10 with 20,000 shares changing hands. Jamaican Teas traded 64,051 units at a new high of $6 as the price rose 40 cents, KLE Group ended at $2.75 with 18,100 units trading.
Lasco Distributors closed with 177,571 units trading at $7.80, Lasco Distributors reported a 50 percent jump in profit after tax of $592 million for the nine months to December last year, up from $197 million. Lasco Financial closed with a gain of 9 cents at $4.25 with 72,150 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing ended trading with 444,466 shares to close at $5, earlier in the morning session the stock traded as low as $4.50. Medical Disposables closed at $3.55 with 8,700 shares trading, Paramount Trading fell by 29 cents to end with 2,333 shares changing hands at $11.20, tTech closed with a 10 cents gain at $4.75 with 15,000 shares trading and Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference share traded 12,000 units but gained 6 cents to $2.16.
JSE pockets $110m from D&G trade
February 4, 2016 by
D&G adds $110m to JSE coffers
The JSE had their best year ever, in terms of earnings last year, as they picked up close to $120 million in fees, when Scotiabank switched their direct share ownership from Canada, to a company set up in the Caribbean, to hold all the shares of the Caribbean based entities.
Trading levels increased in each of the last three quarters last year, ending with the December quarter reaching $11.35 billion or 31 percent higher than the levels in the September quarter. For the year to date, regular trading levels are at $2.689 billion, up 79.6 percent from $1.497 billion for the similar period in 2015. The stock exchange has also increased some of its fees to investors and the brokers for 2016. In addition to the increased trading activity, the exchange in August last year started handling repo transactions, which is expected to enhance income for the full 2016 year as opposed to a few months last year.
The JSE stock has been trading in relatively high volumes, around the $20 range and closing on Thursday at $20 with just over 57,000 units.
