The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday at a record high of 140,194.65 points after adding 2,684.37 points with 22 stocks rising, 7 declining as 37 securities, totalling 9,954,429 units valued at $35,061,223 changed hands, in all market segments. A total of 6 stocks ended at 52 weeks’ closing highs.
Today’s gain pushed the market well over the old record of 138,917.59 set on 24th of January 2005 and ends the longest period in the market’s history, that it failed to exceed a previous high. The all Jamaica Composite Index is the last of the JSE indices to hit new highs in October.
The JSE Market Index shot up 2,402.00 points to 126,381.42, a new closing high. JSE combined index climbed 2,317.79, points to end at a new closing high of 131,076.47.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with offers that were lower.
In trading, Berger Paints traded 295,658 shares and gained 25 cents to close at $3, Cable and Wireless closed with a gain of 20 cents as with 307,231 shares changed hands to end at 52 weeks’ high of $1.02. Trading in the stock was suspended for an hour as the as the trade was executed at 97 cents, a price in excess of 15 per cent from the closing price on Friday as investors continue to respond to the news that Liberty Global planned on making a bid to acquire Cable and Wireless’ parent company. The stock closed with over 4.33 million shares on the bid at $1.02 with 2.8 million units at $1 and five offers amounting to only 47,649 shares between $1.13 and $1.70 and at 3.3 million units at $30. Caribbean Cement gained $2.70 to end at $17.50 for a new 52 weeks’ closing high, with 170,368 shares changing hands. Investors were responding to the company’s reported earnings of 72 cents for the September quarter and $1.75 for the nine months. Cement closed with only two lots being offered, amounting to 13,000 shares at $19 and $24. Ciboney Group traded 5,358,999 shares to end at 8 cents after shedding 1 cent. Desnoes & Geddes had 413,169 units changing hands to close at $30, Grace Kennedy exchanged 1,621 shares at $65.10 and gained 35 cents, Jamaica Broilers lost 49 cents in trading 55,596 shares to close at $8.01. JMMB Group gained 30 cents in trading 101,850 shares to close at $10.20, Mayberry Investments traded 8,050 shares and gained 50 cents to end at $3.50, National Commercial Bank fell 62 cents to end with 7,356 shares trading to end at $31.38.Pan Jamaican price jumped $5 in trading 5,720 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $80, Pulse Investments traded 200,000 and close at 61 by gaining 6 cents, Sagicor Group with 21,192 shares closed at $14.50. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 1,104 units but the price gained $1.05 to close at $9.20 and closed with a bid to buy 99,296 units at $9.20 and with only three offers posted with two at $10 to sell 25,000 units and 19,000 at $11, Scotia Group ended with 11,554 shares trading closed at $26 after rising $1.24. Seprod traded 20,700 shares at $14.96, Supreme Ventures ended at $4 with 308,224 units changing hands and gained 10 cents and Proven Investments ordinary traded 6,875 shares and fell 1.5 cents to end at 23 US cents.
All Jamaica Composite Index movements
The all Jamaica Composite index is the only one of the indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange that is yet to record a new high, but it is not very far off, and now seems set to brake the old record, on its way to 150,000 points before long. The Surge in the price of Desnoes and Geddes, from $7 to $30 in October in response to the news that Heineken will be making an offer of25.9 US cents for each of the shares it does not hold, has been a major reason for the sharp up turn in the market index.
The JSE up strongly on Friday morning
The Jamaica stock market for the second consecutive morning, is enjoying slow trading with only 15 securities being active at 10.45 ,but the indices have so far climbed quite a bit with all main market indices up by more than 1,000 points. Jamaica Broilers trades at new 52 weeks’ high of $8. Trading accounted for a volume of 1,206,561 units with 6 stocks gaining and 5 declined.
In trading, Carreras exchanged 109,500 shares at $51.99 to gain 19 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange had 10,000 shares trading at $8.60 for a rise of 65 cents as the company stands to see increased income if trading continues to be bullish. JMMB Group exchanged 35,096 shares at $8.55 for a small gain, Scotia Investments had 420,000 units changing hands at $27.50, Caribbean Producers traded at $3 with 65,000 shares. Lasco Distributors 109500 shares traded at $2.79, Lasco Financial Services 105,000 shares traded at $2.25, Lasco Manufacturing 198,172 shares traded at $3.50.
The All Jamaican Composite index jumped 1,124.16 points to 132,131.96 JSE Market Index rose 1,005.91 points to 123,570.27, the JSE combined index rose 1,281.46 points to be at 123,840.64 and the junior market index rose 37.15 points to 1,269.32.
JSE price changes fluid on Monday
Two junior market and 3 main market stocks ended at new 52 weeks’ closing high and 1 junior stock trading at 52 weeks’ intraday high. The main market indices enjoyed another day of decent gains. The JSE Market Index fell 6.27 points to 106,653.25, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 7 points to 118,147.30 and the JSE combined index jumped 594.88 to end at 111,679.90 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable and Wireless added 2 cents, with 792,712 shares changing hands to close at 60 cents, Caribbean Cement shot up to $9.90 with 66,761 shares changing hands for a 90 cents increase, Desnoes and Geddes jumped $1.96 to trade at $15.03 with 19,100 shares trading at a new 52 weeks high. Desnoes and Geddes closed with a bid to buy 10,000 units at $17.28, at $2.25 above the last traded price. Grace Kennedy ended with 1,000 shares trading at $64.50, with a gain of 50 cents. Jamaica Broilers closed at $7.10 with 283,284 shares changing ownership, for a gain of 60 cents, Jamaica Producers lost 15 cents in trading 77,628 shares at $18.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 30 cents in closing at $7.50 with 143,900 shares changing hands. Mayberry Investments traded 15,006 shares at $2.60 at the close with a gain of 25 cents, National Commercial Bank closed with a loss of $2.94 with only 4,025 shares trading to close at $30.05. 138 Students Living lost 20 cents in closing at $4.20 with 15,000 shares, Pan Jamaican Investments traded 8,000 shares at $61 with a loss of 99 cents. Radio Jamaica traded 3,056 shares to close at $4, for an 18 cents decline, Sagicor Group with 20,500 shares closed 9 cents lower at $13.01, Scotia Group ended with 13,099 shares trading at $24 after losing $1.64 and Sterling Investments gained 10 cents in ending at $13 while 8,200 shares traded.
Radio Jamaica increased profit
Radio Jamaica increased profits for the quarter to June this year over that of 2014 by 44 percent after taxation, to reach $22 million from a 6 percent increase in sales revenues that hit $516 million. Other revenues contributed $25 million versus $20.7 million in 2014 to income.
RJR said that the provision of news services such as “Over the Top” (OTT) which relates to video, television and other services provided over the internet generated added revenues for them as well as added cost.
Administrative expenses jumped 15.4 percent to $126 million and selling expenses rose to $84.5 or 16.4 percent over the same period in 2014, the cost increase was partially due to the introduction of the OTT service, but wage increase and commission payments also contributed to the increase RJR said. Other operating expenses declined by $20 million to $79 million helped by lower energy and fuel cost.
The company reported earnings of 6 cents per share for the quarter and 32 cents for 2015 fiscal year and seems headed to earn 40 cents for the fiscal year ending March 2016. There is talk of general elections being held soon although that is just talk, with no concrete evidence to support it and with several developments in the country suggesting it may be later in 2016, that is will be held. Whenever it is held, RJR will benefit from added revenues as well as increased cost covering the event.
RJR entered into an agreement with the Gleaner to merge the two media operations which will involve RJR splitting the number of existing issued shares into approximately three and for the Gleaner shareholders to get 1 of the new RJR shares for each Gleaner share. If successful the expanded RJR should see reduction in cost as certain areas are combined thus reducing cost and should result in an improved profit per share going forward. It probably won’t be until the 2017 fiscal year that full effect of the merger will be seen.
RJR last traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $3.08 but had a bid at $3.50.
Price changes aplenty & no direction for JSE
The Jamaica Stock Exchange saw low trading activity on Tuesday and at the close, there were 10 stocks rising, 11 declining with 30 securities totalling 986,801 units, valued at $11,478,835 changing hands, in all market segments. Trading in the main market was very light with only 745,029 shares trading.
The main market indices enjoyed a second day of increases with the JSE Market Index added 77.06 points to 96,433.55, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index gained 86.11 points to 106,726.20 and the JSE combined index rose 180.75 to end at 99,807.18 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable and Wireless rose 2 cents with 85,687 shares changing hands, to close at 51 cents, Caribbean Cement had 150,477 shares trading with a 29 cents rise, to $8, Carreras lost 20 cents in trading 9,195 shares and ended at $48.90, Desnoes & Geddes traded 28,656 shares to end at $6.60 for a fall of 40 cents. Grace Kennedy had 50,670 shares changing hands at $64, Jamaica Broilers traded at $6 with 55,760 shares changing ownership and gained 30 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 56,000 shares at $7.50, JMMB Group traded 51,620 units to end at $7.65, National Commercial Bank had 28,578 units changing hands and ended at $27.52 after losing 23 cents. Pan Jamaican traded 11,090 shares to close at $61.71. Radio Jamaica traded at $3.08 with 13,820 shares changing hands. Sagicor X Fund with 12,000 shares closed with a gain of 39 cents to end at $7.40, Scotia Group lost 95 cents in ending at $24 while 25,457 shares traded and Scotia Investments gained 1 cent to land at $25.01 with 55,000 units.
Montego Freeport to pay $1.42 per share
Montego Freeport will be paying $1.42 per share dividend as a capital distribution on October 28, the company announced recently. The dividend payment is expected to be ratified at the upcoming annual general meeting of the company to be held in Montego Bay, on October 8.
The payment will consume $826 million of the $1.1 billion in cash held at the end of March this year. After making that payment there will still be assets amounting to $600 million or just over $1 per share to be distributed which includes assets for sale amounting to $328 million.
Montego Freeport reported profit of $67 million for the 2015 year and $12 million for 2014 from operating and other income of $97 million and $61 million respectively. The company was previously listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange but a set of short sighted directors recommended liquidating the assets and closing the company which the shareholders bought into and approved.