The latest IPO, Portland JSX was listed at the start of trading after a successful public offering that saw the offer being oversubscribed. The stock opened with a bid to buy 30,000 shares for $1 more than the IPO price of $11 at $12 and later traded 8,500 units to end at $12.55 after it started trading at $12.05. The gain hardly did much to the market overall as the day closed with all major indices down.
Trading on the Jamaica stock market on Wednesday remained modest, with just 2,706,984 units valued at $46,242,560 changing hands in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 777,300 shares valued at $4,030,252, of all trades. All market indices lost ground as stocks declining were slightly ahead the ones rising.
A total of 33 securities traded 6 less than on Tuesday, with the prices of 10 stocks rising, 13 declining, including 4 stocks rising and 5 declining from the junior market. Notwithstanding the decline over the past few days, the market continues in a consolidating mode, with the indices rising and falling from day to day, with no new information to cause a break out.
The JSE Market Index dropped 912.73 points to end at 159,796.98. The all Jamaica Composite Index plunged 1,020.75 points to close at 177,543.22 and the JSE combined index dived 1,430.24 points, to end at 170,113.89.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 36,539 shares unchanged at $4.50, Cable & Wireless recovered 7 cents while trading 32,000 shares to close at $1.17, Caribbean Cement dropped $3 to close at $22 with 33,722 shares trading, Carreras traded 167,915 shares but fell 40 cents to $65, Ciboney traded 28,000 shares at 21 cents. Grace Kennedy gained $2.50 and closed at $123 with 20,869 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers ended with 7,567 units changing hands to close at $15, Jamaica Producers traded 4,431 units to end at $49, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 22,596 shares but fell $3 to close at $21, 
JMMB Group traded 39,505 units and rose 1 cent to end at $9.73. Kingston Wharves traded 4,160 units and gained 99 cents to close at $16 as supply dries up on the stock, National Commercial Bank ended with 46,492 units changing hands at $42. Pan Jamaican Investment Trust lost $1.48 in trading 23,152 shares to close at $24, Sagicor Group ended with 6,055 shares changing hands at $23.05. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 906,595 shares to close at $10.12, Scotia Group fell 50 cents with 360,016 shares trading to close at $30.50, Sterling Investments ended with 14,000 shares trading to close with a fall of $1.49 at $11.50. Supreme Ventures lost 49 cents and ended at $4.51 while trading 7,200 units and Proven Investments traded 156,000 units to close at 16.49 US cents, up from 16 US cents.
JSE takes another hit- Wednesday
Portland JSX list gains $1.51
The Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered another morning of slippage on Wednesday. The latest IPO, Portland JSX was listed at the start of the session after a successful public offering that saw the offer being oversubscribed. The stock opened with a bid to buy 30,000 shares at $12, compared to the IPO price of $11 and later traded 666 units up to $12.51.
Caribbean Producers continues to see investors react negatively to news from the company of write down of inventories and restructuring cost, that will hit profits for the company’s fourth quarter, by cutting the price from the $3.90 it fell to on Tuesday, down to $3. Elsewhere Scotia Group traded 107,887 units at $30.51, AMG Packaging fell from $13.10 to $12.41 with 5,854 shares trading while Carib Cement crashed to $22.28 from $25 with 6,750 shares.
The session had low volumes trading overall, after 75 minutes of the market’s opening, resulting in 18 securities changing hands and accounting for a volume of 309,785 shares as 6 stocks gained and 6 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 17,210 units, compared to an average of 24,178 units on Tuesday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 607.16 points to 177,956.81, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 542.91 points to 160,166.80, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 657.15 to close at 170,886.98 points andthe junior market index slipped 14.97 points to 2,175.48.
More 1834 Investments delays
Having not published the December 2015 quarterly report as required by the Jamaica Stock Exchange rules, 1834 Investments (formerly The Gleaner Company Limited) who previously advised of a delay in reporting the March 2016 before the end of June, now promises the release of the audited accounts of the company by July 31, 2016.
The companies release comes against the background of an IC Insider report on the further delay in a posting on Tuesday.
According to the release which was issued and posted July 5, 2016 at 3:57 pm, the company stated, “as previously advised, the restructuring activities of the company during 2015, coupled with the change in financial year-end, and close of the merger transaction with Radio Jamaica Limited in March 2016, have necessitated an extensive revision to how the company’s accounts are compiled, reviewed and presented in order to distinguish between the continuing operations of 1834 and the discontinued media operations.”
“1834 Board is aware that shareholders are anxious to see the company’s financial results; however, 1834 is taking time to ensure the total accuracy of the accounts.1834 also advises that the audit review exercise is substantially complete and every effort is being made to finalize the accounts for release in advance of July 31, 2016.”
Radio Jamaica last week also indicated that their 12 months results are further delayed resulting from the merger.
Whether, the companies make the revised deadlines, the Jamaica Stock Exchange is not looking pretty in the messy situation of the failure for the Gleaner to release the 2015 numbers. The question now to be asked, should these companies shares still be trading with an unclear financial picture, occasioned by the long delays and the uncertainty resulting therefrom.
14 up 13 down on JSE – Tuesday
Trading on the Jamaica stock market on Tuesday remains modest, with just 2,299,731 units valued at $26,990,419 in all market segments changing hands. The junior market accounted for 626,581 shares valued at $2,868,043 of all trades. All market indices lost ground as stocks declining were almost equal to the ones rising.
A total of 39 securities traded 3 more than on Monday, with the prices of 14 stocks rising, 13 declining, including 3 stocks rising and 8 declining from the junior market. The market is in a consolidating mode with the indices rising and falling from day to day, with no new information to cause a break out.
The JSE Market Index dropped 400.51 points to end at 160,709.71.The all Jamaica Composite Index declined 447.93 points to close at 178,563.97 and the JSE combined index fell 538.83 points, to end at 171,544.13.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with lower offers. At the end of market activities, Cable & Wireless lost 10 cents trading 202,701 shares to close at $1.10, Caribbean Cement gained $1 to close at $25 but with just 290 shares trading, Carreras traded a mere 650 shares but gained 60 cents to $65.40, Ciboney traded 35,000 shares at 21 cents, 1834 Investments traded 31,000 shares to close at $1. Grace Kennedy gained 50 cents and closed at $120.50 with 7,280 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers ended with 92,592 units changing hands and gained 20 cents to close at $15 as the company released audited accounts showing earnings per share of $1.44, up from 86 cents as the Jamaican operations saw a surge in segment profits of nearly $1 billion. Jamaica Producers traded 6,950 units after rising 90 cents to end at $49, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 28,804 shares but fell $1.10 to close at $24, Kingston Wharves traded 2,907 units and gained 45 cents to close at $15.01, Margaritaville Turks traded 164,600 shares at 20.5 US cents up from 19 US cents on Monday. Mayberry Investments closed with 15,000 shares changing hands at $3.56, for a gain of 1 cent, National Commercial Bank ended with just 2,936 units changing hands with a rise of 10 cents to $42. 
Pan Jamaican Investment Trust rose 47 cents in trading 7,185 shares to close at $25.48, Radio Jamaica fell 20 cents to close with 38,074 shares changing hands at $1.45, Sagicor Group ended with 212,900 shares changing hands at $23.05, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 903,896 shares but lost 3 cents to close at $10.12. Scotia Group fell $1 with 2,792 shares trading to close at $31, Scotia Investments ended with 49,334 shares trading to close at $26, Seprod held firm at $16.60 while trading 5,000 units. Proven Investments traded 17,950 units to close at 16 US cents, down from 16.99 US cents and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share traded 15,000 units to close with a fall of 30 cents at $2.15.
JSE down in moderate trading
Trading on the Jamaica stock market on Monday continues to be modest, with 3,391,899 units valued at $45,816,950 in all market segments changing hands. All market indices lost ground as more stocks declined than rose. A total of 36 securities traded with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 15 fell, including 3 stocks rising and 8 declining from the junior market.
The junior market accounted for 626,581 shares valued at $2,868,043 of all trades.
The JSE Market Index dropped 392.24 points to end at 161,110.22. The all Jamaica Composite Index declined 438.67 points to close at 179,011.90 and the JSE combined index fell 455.71 points, to end at 172,082.96.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints gained 15 cents and ended at $4.50 while trading 104,073 units, Cable & Wireless traded 62,432 shares traded to close at $1.20, after gaining 2 cents, Caribbean Cement dropped $1 to close at $24 after trading 3,000 units. Carreras traded 128,030 shares but slipped 20 cents to $64.60, while 1834 Investments traded 363,105 shares to close at $1, Grace Kennedy lost $3 and closed at $120 with 8,491 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers ended with 372,057 units changing hands and gained 20 cents to close at $15 as the company released audited accounts showing earnings per share of $1.44, up from 86 cents as the Jamaican operations saw a surge in segment profits of nearly $1 billion. Jamaica Producers traded 3,630 units after rising 10 cents to end at $48.10, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 8,160 shares at $25.10, JMMB Group traded 27,985 units to close at $9.72. Kingston Wharves traded 3,222 units and gained 46 cents to close at $14.56, Mayberry Investments closed with 7,500 shares changing hands at $3.55, to record a gain of 3 cents, National Commercial Bank ended with 183,554 units changing hands with a fall of 10 cents to $41.90. 
Pan Jamaican Investment Trust dipped 49 cents in trading 216,417 shares to close at $25.01, Radio Jamaica fell 5 cents to close with 104,000 shares changing hands at $1.65, Sagicor Group ended with 187,634 shares changing hands at $23.05, Scotia Group rose 70 cents with 264,308 shares trading to close at $32, the stock traded as high as $32.60. Seprod lost 50 cents while trading 90,850 units, to end at $16.60, Supreme Ventures traded 14,840 units and gained 15 cents to close at $4.69, Proven Investments traded 260,600 units to close at 17 US cents but after hitting a 52 weeks’ low of 15 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 126,340 shares to close at $1.04.
Caribbean Producers profit gets hit
CPJ set to be hit by asset write down
(CPJ) says it “has taken the decision to issue a preliminary disclosure of likely impairment to their net profit in the financial year ended June 30, 2016”
“CPJ advises that the presence of unregulated players in the market continue to create an unequitable environment for the company to compete against products of questionable origin and repute. This has resulted in a review of the implications for CPJ’s business model and hence the following prudent management decisions will be made: A write-down of inventory that has become aged or obsolete that cannot be competitive against unregulated players. An increase in tax provision in anticipation of realignment changes to CPJ’s business model.”
“CPJ views these issues as material primarily for the Fiscal year ended June 2016 and anticipates the authorities will aggressively target the unregulated players. CPJ states however, that the new fiscal year will concentrate on rationalizing non-core businesses and a realignment to address the year-on-year increase in costs associated with their rapid growth and new investments while focusing on protecting their profitable lines of businesses.”
CPJ reported lower profits in the March 2016 quarter of US$643,000 versus US$1.286 million in the similar period in 2015 with the nine months results being just ahead of that for 2015 at US$2.4 million.
While revenues were moderately up, by US$1.3 million in the quarter, to US$24.38 million and nearly US$5 million for the nine months to March,to US$69.8 million, selling and administrative expenses jumped by $1.3 million to US$5.47 million in the quarter and US$2 million for the nine months.
At the end of March, inventories totalled US$25.4 million, even a small write of say 5 percent, could do major damage to the 2016 profit.
The company’s shares that are listed on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, traded a small volume today at $4.68.
Proven hits 52 weeks’ low
Lasco Manufacturing with 368,596 shares trading at $5.05, is the leading volume trade in the early Monday morning session, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, followed by Proven Investments
with 257,000 units with the price dropping to a 52 weeks’ low of 15.02 US cents, down from 17 cents at the close on Friday. 1834 Investments chipped in with 96,000 shares at $1.01.
The session had low volumes trading overall with less securities trading after 75 minutes of the market’s opening compared to Friday morning as the various indices declined across the board.
Market activity resulted in 23 securities changing hands, accounting for a volume of 921,863 shares 9 stocks gained and 7 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 40,081 units compared to an average of 77,695 units on Thursday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 482.38 points to 178,968.19, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 431.32 points to 161,071.14, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 415.83 to close at 172,122.84 points andthe junior market index slipped 1.56 points to 2,214.08.
Big JSE jump to start July
Scotia Group contributed a large portion of the nearly 2,000 points gain in the AJ Index on Friday.
Two stocks closed at new highs. The junior market accounted for 1,681,148 shares valued at $7,205,861 of all trades.
The JSE Market Index climbed 1,731.65 points to end at 161,502.46. The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 1,996.34 points to close at 179,450.57 and the JSE combined index gained 1,785.02 points, to end at 172,538.67.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints gained 5 cents and ended at $4.35 while 6,800 units were traded, Cable & Wireless traded 150,647 shares traded to close at $1.18, Caribbean Cement jumped $1 to close at $25 after trading 4,160 units. Carreras traded 1,425 shares but slipped 40 cents to $65. Ciboney gained 1 cent while trading at 21 cents with 140,000 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments traded 221,434 shares to close at $1, Grace Kennedy lost $3 and closed at $120 with 8,491 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers ended with 119,956 units changing hands and gained 5 cents to close at $14.80. Jamaica Producers traded 10,000 units after rising 1 cent to end at $48, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 10 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $25.10 while trading 1,931 shares, JMMB Group traded 36,304 units to close at $9.72. Kingston Wharves traded 1,400 units and gained 20 cents to close at $14.10, Margaritaville Turks closed with 159,040 shares changing hands at 19 US cents, National Commercial Bank ended with 100,328 units changing hands with a fall of $1 to $42, Pan Jamaican Investment Trust dipped 50 cents and traded 8,000 shares to close at $25.50.
Radio Jamaica rose 7 cents to close with 6,000 shares changing hands at $1.70, Sagicor Group gained 2 cents in ending with 135,000 shares changing hands at $23.05, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 47,905 shares and rose 3 cents to close at $10.15. Scotia Group rose 52 cents with 572,909 shares trading to close at $31.30, the stock traded as high as $32.89 and ended with an average trading price of $32.65. Supreme Ventures ended trading, with 304,000 units trading with a gain of 1 cent at $4.54. Proven Investments traded 18,500 units at 17 US cents and JMMB Group US 6% preference share, traded 15,610 units and gained 10 cents, to close at US$1.10.
Portland JSX over
VM Wealth were the brokers for the IPO.
VM Wealth Management advised that the Portland JSX IPO closed on June 22, with the offer oversubscribed and raising $1.52 billion, said lead broker VM Wealth Management.
The terms of the prospectus allowed the directors the right to accept subscriptions in excess of the stated raise and will issue and allot additional Shares to satisfy as much of the applications in excess of the stated raise as they, in their sole discretion, shall determine appropriate.
It is the intention of the Company to apply to the Jamaica Stock Exchange for admission of the ordinary shares to the main market.
The invitation to investors stated, “Many investment opportunities remain in essential services throughout the Caribbean, and Fund II is well positioned to pursue them.” DOUGLAS HEWSON, Chairman of Portland JSX stated in the prospectus.
Hewson further stated “With Fund II, Portland is seeking to replicate the success of Fund I – in simple terms, it is the same team executing the same strategy but with the benefits of lessons learned. Our view is that the Caribbean remains overlooked and underserved by equity capital providers. With Fund II, we continue our strategy of investing in scalable businesses in defensive industries while exploiting this capital gap for the benefit of our investors.
The Team believes we are off to a good start. We have closed on USD136 million with leading global emerging market investors, have completed three investments in sectors we find very attractive on a risk adjusted basis (wind energy, telecommunications and financial services), have a strong pipeline of investment opportunities, and have an investment team that is passionate about making a difference. As an investor increasing its capital commitment to Fund II, PJX and, by extension PJX shareholders, will benefit from a look-back into current fund portfolio.”The Company is incorporated in St Lucia in September 2015 and the business of the Company is to invest as a Limited Partner in Portland Caribbean Fund II which in turn invests in other businesses over a period of several years.
The performance of the Company is highly dependent on the timing of these investments. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the IPO to invest primarily as a limited partner in Portland Caribbean Fund II, which holds a portfolio of equity or debt securities of companies, located in the Caribbean and Latin America the majority of which, over the life of PCF II, are expected to be private. According to the prospectus, PCF II’s objective is to provide above average returns over the long term primarily by investing in undervalued companies with good potential. The industry focus is telecommunications, financial services and energy.
At the time of the IPO the company issued 170,926,161 ordinary shares and the issue brings the total to 309 million units. The company intends to distribute one hundred percent of distributable net profits as dividends.
IC Insider views investment in the company as one for long-term returns, with the hope that the businesses the funds are invested in deliver a good rate of return. The full allocation for all applicants will mean that there will be reduced demand after listing as it appears most demand for the stock has been filled.
Where are the 1834 Investments results?
Gleaner & RJR execs signing merger agreement earlier in 2015
1834 Investments Limited (formerly The Gleaner Company Limited) did not release the usual December quarter report as such investors have been deprived of important information on the company. The stock exchange has fallen down badly on this one in not requesting it. No good reason has been given why it was not released.
Apparently the exchange regulatory arm expected that the 15 months report to March this would have been released to let the matter go away but it has not. First out of the block towards the end of May, 1834 Investments advised the Jamaica Stock Exchange that the Audited Annual Financial Accounts for March, 2016 will be late and unavailable for publication by May 30, 2016. 1834 anticipates that it should be available for publication on or before June 30, 2016. Bad news for investors and bad news for the capital market. The matter gets worse, the end of June has now gone and with July well advanced but there are no results released and no advisory on the JSE website or in the newspapers as to the new deadline. Nearly seven months have elapsed since the last report was released.
In the past several companies have changed their year end, as recently as late last year Desnoes & Geddes and Access changed their but provided investor with results for all relevant quarters, but the Gleaner Company who changed theirs to March from December did not do so.
It is well past the time for the Jamaica Stock Exchange act to protect the investing public.