Juniors gain with 5 stocks rising

Cargo Handlers closed at an all time high of $21

Cargo Handlers closed at an all time high of $21

Trading activity picked up on the Junior market on Monday, with the market closing with 11 securities trading and ending in 1,776,893 units changing hands valued at $2,970,218. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 6 points to close at 817, with the price of 5 stocks advancing and 1 declining.
An indicator of the state of the market at the close, can be seen by the number of stocks with bids versus offers, as well as the numbers that close with bids being higher or lower than the last sale price. AT the close there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower. The junior market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 9 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Blue Power trading 6,000 units and gained $1.30 to end at $8.81. JM cht4-5-15Caribbean Cream had 11,000 units changing hands and ending 16 cents higher at 81 cents, Caribbean Producers had 80,935 shares trading at $2.99 with a loss of 11 cents. Cargo Handlers closing at an all-time high of $21, while trading 10,000 units, to gain 89 cents. Honey Bun gained 2 cents, in trading 1,500 shares to end at $1.90, up 8 cents, Jamaican Teas had 12,422 units changing hands at $2.55, Knutsford Express closed with 7,016 units changing hands at $6, Lasco Distributors had 523,076 shares trading to close at $1.45 with no stock on offer at the close. Lasco Financial Services had 3,500 units changing hands traded at the close at $1.30, Lasco Manufacturing traded 821,444 shares and closed at $1.35 and Medical Disposables ended with 300,000 trading at $1.70.

Supreme bumps up dividend again

SupremeVenturesSVLlogo_150x150Supreme Ventures approved the payment of an interim dividend of 14 cents to be made on 27th May 2015 to shareholders on record as at 14th May 2015 representing an increase of 55.6 percent over the amount paid in 2014.
The approved payment translates to 16 percent rate of return per annum. In addition the company will also be paying the final portion of the special dividend they declared on 2nd March 2015.
The company announced in March, a final ordinary dividend for the year ended December 2014 of 8 cents per share, payable on March 21 and a special dividend of 23 cents per share to be paid on March 21 and 4 cents per share payable on May 27.
SVL paid dividends of 3 cents per share on January 8, last SupremeVenturesSVL_150x150year as well as 3 cents in March, 9 cents in May, another 3 in September and 5 cents per stock on December 9, last year. The final regular dividend for 2014 brings the total relating to the 2014 profit to 19 cents per share or 54 percent of profits for the year. The total dividend payment just approved by the company totals 31 cents per share and is just short of the total profit for 2014, of 35.2 cents per share.
The company just reported a 20 percent increase in after tax to $405 million for the three-month period to March. The latest announcement of the results and dividends are likely to push the stocks much higher in the coming week.

Junior market trading picks up

JSE sign Activity on the Junior Market picked up on Thursday with a number on new highs recorded as investors increased their exposure to the segment of the market that has been late to the rally.
The market closed with 10 securities traded and ending with 2,839,792 units changing hands valued at $6,035,405. The JSE Junior Market Index rose 28.36 points to close at 785.93, with the price of 6 stocks advancing and 1 declining. At the close of the market, two stocks closed at new 52 weeks’ high and two hit 52 weeks’ high during trading but retreated. At the end of trading there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with the offer lower. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 10 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial traded 2,000 units and lost $1.89 to end at all-time high of $15.09. AMG Packaging price moved up in trading to $3 with 9,000 and closed with a gain of 74 cents, the stock was halted during trading for an hour and then was reopened at minutes before the close at which time it officially traded. Caribbean Producers traded 1,089,045 units between $2.75 and $3, where it closed with a gain of 25 cents. JM cht 30-4-15Dolphin Cove gained 30 cents with 1,000 shares trading, to close at a new 52 weeks’ high, of $9.50. General Accident Insurance had 1,152,419 shares trading, at a new 52 weeks’ high of $2, the stock traded as low as $1.75 but closed 10 cents higher than Wednesday’s closing price, at $1.80, Lasco Distributors had 177,909 shares trading to close with a loss of 3 cents at $1.40, but traded between $1.37 and $1.43. Lasco Financial Services closed with a gain of 7 cents as 175,000 shares traded, to end at $1.20. Lasco Manufacturing trading of 212,000 as high as $1.30, a new 52 weeks’ high but ended with a closing price of $1.20, Medical Disposables traded only 2,000 shares at $1.70 after losing 10 cents and Paramount Trading had 19,419 units trading at $3.60.

Carib Cement impressive profit

caribcementlogo280x150Caribbean Cement posted impressive first quarter results for 2015, with profit after tax rising sharply to $248 million versus just $35 million the year before, from revenues of $3.58 billion. Revenues were just slightly less than the $3.6 billion generated in 2014.
Domestic sales volumes fell 3 percent, while exports declined sharply from 61,000 tonnes to 40,000, however, an increase in clinker sales from 44,261 tonnes to 55,371 mitigated the decline in cement sales somewhat. Lower energy costs, improvements in operational efficiencies, effective control of fixed costs and lower financing costs, were the major factors helping in the improved profit out turn. These results suggest that full year earnings could rise to $1 per share for 2015 and may well exceed it, if energy cost remained contained at current levels.
During the quarter interest cost remained fairly static with $65.5 million incurred, compared with $66 million in 2014 but depreciation charge climbed from $84 million to $93 million.
At the end of the period, cash increased from $178 million to $543 million. As impressive as the results are, the company has an operating deficit of $7 billion that will take years to wipe out, even at the level of profits now being generated. There are capital gains on the books of $1.4 billion, that can be used to offset the operating deficit, thus reducing the overall amount, nevertheless, the resumption of paying dividends is years away.
The stock which was elevated to BUY RATED in 2013 continues to hold that status and traded at $3 on the Jamaica Stock exchanged on Tuesday in response to the results.

JSE breaks resistance & heading higher

Pan jam gained $3.95 in closing at $60 on Tuesday

Pan jam gained $3.95 in closing at $60 on Tuesday

The Jamaica Stock Exchange, closed on Tuesday with another strong gain with the prices of 16 stocks rising, 2 declining. A total of 25 securities changed hands, ending in 3,095,351 units trading, valued at only $10,647,639, with 5 new 52 weeks’ closing highs, in all market segments but the Investors’ Choice market indicators is pointing to another strong day on Wednesday.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 1,387.58 points to 89,858.07, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 1,551.38 points to close at 99,183.79 and the JSE combined index climbed by 1,275.93 points to close at 91,376.07. At the close the market had pierced the resistance just under 99,000 points on the all Jamaica composite Index and seems poised to test the next major level of 109,000 points.
JSE sum 28-4-15 IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 2 with offers that were lower.
Cable & Wireless traded 1,365,296 shares at 52 cents, Caribbean Cement traded 9,060 units at $3, up by 30 cents, there was an attempt to trade at $3.30 but that trade was cancelled as it exceeded the level permitted at that time of the trade. The stock was responding to a big jump in the company’s first quarter results for 2015 with profit after tax of $248 million versus just $35 million the year before, these results suggest that full year earnings could rise to $1 per share, as such the stock has much more room to run. Jamaica Broilers ended with 39,344shares at $4.80,JSE -7-4-15.docxfn qts 28-4-15 Jamaica Producers gained 50 cents with 12,000 units changing hands at $17.50, the Jamaica Stock Exchange had 150,000 units changing hands at $2.90. National Commercial Bank traded 13,860 shares to close at $28, for a gain of 99 cents. At the close there was a bid for 10,000 units at $28.10 and 600,000 units at $28. Pan Jamaican Investment climbed $3.97 to $60 with 6,550 shares, Sagicor Real Estate X Fund had a large trade of 873,309 units at $6.55,Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 246,146 units at $3.20 after gaining 13 cents. Scotia Group traded only 27,306 shares to close at $22.72 with a gain of 5 cents, Seprod traded only 353 units as the price jumped $2 to $18 and Supreme Ventures closed at a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.20 by gaining 10 cents with 49,476 shares trading.

14 stocks rise up on JSE Thursday

NCB closed at a new 52 weeks' high on Thursday at $26.

NCB closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on Thursday at $26.

Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 14 stocks rising, 6 declining as 29 securities changed hands, ending 7,222,423 in units trading, valued at $25,918,286, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 103.43 points to 84,734, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 115.64 points to close at 93,454.66 and the JSE combined index declined by 31 points to close at 86,597.73.JSE sum 16-4-15
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower, down from Wednesday’s stronger reading.
In trading, Cable & Wireless traded 3,172,266 shares to close at 52 with a 2 cents gain. Carreras traded 104,311 units to end at $42, Grace Kennedy had 51,721 shares changing hands and lost $1.15, to end at $62.05, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 1,100,000 units at $3.10. JSE qts 16-4-15Margaritaville (Turks) had 87,810 units trading at 10 US cents, after the company released nine months’ results to February. National Commercial Bank seemed to have reacted to the announcement of dividend consideration at the board meeting later this month, and traded 105,554 shares, first at $25.50 and then at $26 with a gain of 74 cents for a new 52 weeks’ high. Sagicor Group had 41,700 units changing hands and closed at $10.35 and Scotia Group traded 98,372 units at $22, and Supreme Ventures traded 1,435 units, lost 34 cents to end at $2.50.

Volume up for juniors Wednesday

Knutsford Express stock price, gained in trading as investors responded positively to 9 months' results.

Knutsford Express stock price, gained in trading as investors responded positively to 9 months’ results.

Activity on the Junior Market closed with 5 securities traded ending with 1,331,821 units changing hands valued at $ 3,202,068. Even as just 5 securities traded in the junior market, the volume trading was one of the highest for some time. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 1.39 points to close at 733.57, with the price of 3 stocks advancing and 1 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 11 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale. There has developed a widening gap between most bids and offers as investors have a standoff between where the stocks last traded and where those wanting to sell are prepared so to do. Improving profit out turn has made the situation worse.
JM 15-4-15Stocks trading in the junior market are, Knutsford Express fresh from reporting a 92 percent increase in pretax profits for the February quarter and 45 percent for the nine months, to $48.5 million, the stock gained 40 cents in closing at $5.60, having traded 87,603 shares. Caribbean Producers trading 993,178 as high as $2.35, closed at $2.30 for a 10 cents decline, General Accident Insurance had 224,010 units changing hands at $1.71 for 1 cent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 3 cents in trading 14,800 and closed at $1.43 and Lasco Manufacturing had only 12,230 shares trading to end at $1.06.

D&G at new high with $64m trade

D&G traded over 10m shares on Monday

D&G traded over 10m shares on Monday

Desnoes & Geddes traded 10,710,929 shares, with a value of $64,265,574. Mayberry Investments sold from within their in house portfolio at $6 per shares, with the price ending at a new 52 weeks’ high after gaining 45 cents for the day.
Sagicor Investments bought the block as brokers for the buyer. Carreras was the other major traded to take place in the market with 1.3 million shares in ten separate trades. NCB Capital Market sold from in house inventory with Scotia Investments being the broker doing the vast majority of the buying. With the exception of 370 shares which traded at $43, the rest traded at $42.
Activity elsewhere on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 7 stocks rising, 7 declining as 20 securities changed hands, ending in 13,368,989 units trading, valued at $131,890,39, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 327.75 points to 85,319.89, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 366.44 points to close at 94,109.89 and the JSE combined index dropped 351.94 points to close at 87,029.50
JSE sum 13-4-15 IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
Carreras traded 1,300,000 at $42 for a $1 fall, Grace Kennedy with 47,691 shares closed trading at $63 for a $2 fall, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share, closed with 250,000 units at $2.02, to record a 2 cents gain, Jamaica Producers Group lost $1.04 in trading only 200 shares and ended at $15.96. Sagicor Group traded 50,268 shares between $10.03 and $10.50 before closing at $10.50, Scotia Group ended up trading 354,932 shares for 45 cents higher at $22.50, Scotia Investments had 20,000 shares changing hands at $23 for a decline of 80 cents and Supreme Ventures closing with 36,120 units at $2.84, a decline of 11 cents.JSE qts 13-4-15 Stocks with good interest to buy are Berger Paints with 200,000 units on the bid at $1.60, Jamaica Broilers with the bid at $4.50 to buy 239,065 shares, JMMB Group with 807,884 shares on the bid at $7.02. Jamaica Producers has buyers for 496,855 units at $15.96, Radio Jamaica 200,000 shares at $1.50, Sagicor Group 341,717 shares on the bid at $10.06 and Scotia Investments with the bid at $23 to buy 133,940 shares.
There is strong interest to sell Sagicor Real Estate X Fund with 1,400,000 being offered at $6.95 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share at $3.20 for 400,000 units.

Cancelled SVL trade changes closing data

JSE Ghp 10-4-15The last trade of Supreme Ventures took place on Friday April 10 at 12:56:23, less than five minutes before trading closed. The official trading data showed the trade as valid but the 1,435 shares that were involved took place at $2.31 with a value of just $3,314.85, but the fall was outside of the price movement restriction of 15 percent from the opening price placed on stocks.
The trade was not valid and was cancelled sometime after trading closed, but not before the stock exchange reported the results for the public. The shares were sold by Sagicor Investments with the buying broker being Victoria Mutual Wealth Management traded on behalf of clients.
The stock exchange rules will permit daily price movements of 30 percent but there would be initial freeze of one hour if the attempted price exceeds 15 percent from the opening price. For further trading in the stock to be effected would have required an hour to elapse before the trade could take place.in the case of the above trade, there would be no time left in trading for the stock to resume trading. As a result of the cancellation of the trade, the closing price for Supreme Ventures officially ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.95.
The changes meant that JSE index ended at 85,647.64 instead of the 85,620.15 originally reported, The all Jamaica composite was reported at 94,445.60, is in fact 94,476.33 and the combined index reported as closing at 87,355.58 in fact ended at 87,381.44. The volume traded is marginally adjusted down to 9,744,758 units and the value $155,258,896 and resulted in the prices of 6 stocks rising 8 declining and 7 trading firm.
JSE sum upd 10-4-15The market was closing at the highest level for 2015 and the highest level since mid-May 2012, based on the all Jamaica Composite Index which is up 12 percent since the end of 2014. The local market seems heading towards the next major resistance level around 99,000 point which is less than 5,000 points away. Breaking the resistance level is important but it is the ability to take out the resistance level and move further up wards that more important if the rally is to be sustained.

Investors selling less junior stocks

Activity on the Junior market closed with only 3 securities trading and ending with 69,733 units changing hands valued at $96,919 due to a combination of less and less stocks being offered for sale and investors trying to hold out at prevailing buy prices.
JM cht 9-4-15The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 1.69 points to close at 732.67, with the price of 2 stocks advancing and none declining.
At the close of the market, there were 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer. The junior market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 11 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, General Accident Insurance gained 5 cents to $1.70 with 15,000 shares Lasco Financial traded 110,00 shares at $1.10 while putting on 1 cent and Jamaican Teas had 7,733 shares changing hands at $2.55.