Caribbean Producers profit fell in the March quarter but rose year to date.
Profit attributable to Caribbean Producers’ shareholders, suffered a decline after tax in the March quarter, to end at U$847,119 from $929,172 in 2017 even with much lower taxes booked in the 2018 quarter.
Profit rose nearly 5.5 percent for the quarter over the 2017 period and 13 percent for the nine months to March, to US$81.65 million from US$72.3 million in 2017.
The results led to earnings per share of 0.08 US cents for the quarter and 0.21 US cents for the six months period.
Gross profit rose faster than revenues, with an increase of 6.5 percent for the quarter to US$7.9 million but it grew below the growth in revenues for the nine months period with an increase of 10.5 percent to $22.3 million.
While depreciation and finance costs declined for the quarter and for the year to date, selling and administrative costs rose from $5.1 million to US$5.88 million and for the nine months from US$14.5 million to US$16.3 million.
At the end of March, shareholders’ equity stood at $23.7 million and borrowed funds were close behind at US$22.44 million. Current assets stood at US$47.9 million versus current liabilities of $21.5 million which includes borrowings of US$10 million. Net asset value per share stands at 2.3 US cents.
The stock last traded at J$5.40 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Wednesday.
The Junior Market Index rose just 4.89 points to close at 2,933.14, trading just 19 securities but the closing bids and offers suggest that the market could enjoy a bigger bounce on Thursday. 
Market activity ended with an average of 57,727 units for an average of $206,040 in contrast to 51,834 units for an average of $233,524 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 90,161 units with an average value of $338,109 and previously 94,470 units with an average value of $355,656. April closed with an average of 121,622 units at $506,803, for each security traded.
GWest Corporation ended at $2.30, with 30,671 units, ISP Finance settled at $18, with 1,400 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 50 cents at $4.50, as 4,112 stock units changed hands, Jetcon Corporation closed at $4, with 9,814 units. Key Insurance finished trading with a loss of 50 cents at $3.40, exchanging 286,042 shares, KLE Group closed 25 cents higher at $2.50, with 201,200 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading at $4.311 after declining 1 cent, with 140,266 stock units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 2 cents at $5.50, trading 38,789 units and Lasco Manufacturing settled 5 cents higher at $4, with 1,180 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.75% settled at $6, with 30,000 shares changing hands.
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading with 27 securities changing hands resulting in an exchange of 1,399,513 units valued at $6,305,138. 
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
GWest Corporation ended with a loss of 5 cents at an all-time closing low of $2.30, with 62,876 units. Honey Bun concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents at $4.60, with 33,064 shares, Iron Rock finished with a loss of 50 cents at $3, with 5,000 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading 55 cents higher at $5, with 154,883 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded at $4, with 15,158 units. KLE Group closed with a loss of 25 cents at $2.25, with 90,509 shares, Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 90 cents at $13, with 4,000 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading 2 cents higher at $4.30, with 5,249 stock units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 3 cents at $5.52, with 211,952 units. Lasco Manufacturing settled 21 cents higher at $3.95, with 5,324 shares, Main Event ended trading with a loss of 19 cents at $6.81, with 12,217 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading 1 cent higher at $2.71, with 100 stock units, Stationery and Office closed 10 cents higher at a all-time high of $6.30, with 95,993 units and tTech concluded trading 28 cents higher at $6, with 14,981 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.75% settled at $6, with 1,452 shares, changing hands.
Blue Power concluded trading at $30, with 100 units, Cargo Handlers settled with a loss of 15 cents at $9.85, with 6,247 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading with a loss of 21 cents at $5.29, with 1,600 units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries closed with a loss of 20 cents at $1.85, with 123,000 shares. Elite Diagnostic settled at $3.25, with 76,190 units, Eppley ended trading 2 cents higher at $9.22, with 55,000 shares, Express Catering traded 1 cent higher at $5.51, with 3,523 shares, FosRich Group finished trading with a loss of 1 cent at $2.49, with 3,349 shares. General Accident closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.15, trading 5,637 stock units, GWest Corporation ended with a loss of 5 cents at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.35, while exchanging 22,537 units, Honey Bun concluded trading at $4.80, with 1,006 shares,
Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 55 cents at $4.45, with 100,409 stock units. Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 9 cents at $4, with 173,947 units, after trading at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.50, KLE Group closed 5 cents higher at $2.50, with 6,204 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a loss of 2 cents at $4.28, with 98,131 stock units, Lasco Financial finished at $5.55, with 78,200 units. Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 11 cents at $3.74, with 29,470 shares, Main Event ended trading 21 cents higher at $7, with 11,500 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading with a loss of 30 cents at $2.70, with 2,000 stock units, Stationery and Office closed 15 cents higher at $6.20, with 6,091 units and tTech concluded trading with a loss of 3 cents at $5.72, with 970 shares changing hands.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 3 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Key Insurance finished trading at $3.90, with 10,000 shares, Knutsford Express ended 43 cents higher at $13.90, with 5,290 shares. Lasco Distributors concluded trading 10 cents higher at $4.30, with 87,570 stock units, Lasco Financial finished at $5.55, with 24,986 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled 10 cents higher at $3.85, with 9,140 shares, Main Event ended trading with a loss of 46 cents at $6.79, with 8,560 shares. Paramount Trading finished trading with a loss of 10 cents at $3, with 70,851 stock units, Stationery and Office closed with a loss of 15 cents at $6.05, with 10,346 units and tTech concluded trading at $5.75, with 29,327 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Derrimon Trading 9% ended at $2, with 2,390 stock units, Eppley 8.75% concluded trading at $6, with 48,550 units changing hands.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
General Accident closed with a loss of 1 cent at $3, with 18,500 stock units. GWest Corporation ended at $2.40, with 79,075 units, Honey Bun concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents at $4.60, with 7,326 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading 40 cents higher at $5, with 14,572 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 2 cents at $4.13, with 30,765 units. Key Insurance finished trading 30 cents higher at $3.90, with 150 shares, Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 48 cents at $13.47, with 120 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents at $4.20, with 198,867 stock units, Lasco Financial finished 5 cents higher at $5.55, with 28,040 units. Lasco Manufacturing settled 2 cents higher at $3.75, with 67,278 shares, Main Event ended trading at $7.25, with 9,348 shares, Stationery and Office closed 20 cents higher at $6.20, with 32,246 units and tTech concluded trading at $5.75, with 2,280 shares changing hands.
Trading on the Junior Market Index declined sharply from Tuesday, with an exchange of 1,022,183 units valued at $3,868,338.79, down from 5,405,843 shares valued at $23,297,183. 
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 3 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
Honey Bun concluded trading at $4.80, with 3,000 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 40 cents at $4.60, with 11,892 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 10 cents at $4.15, with 6,133 units, Key Insurance finished trading 10 cents higher at $3.60, with 13,837 shares. Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 5 cents at $13.95, with 1,157 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents at $4.25, with 14,352 stock units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 12 cents at $5.50, with 24,698 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 36 cents at $3.73, with 566,919 shares. Main Event ended trading 25 cents higher at $7.25, with 5,000 shares, Medical Disposables traded at $5, with 12,130 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading at $3.10, with 11,281 stock units and tTech concluded trading with a loss of 25 cents at $5.75, with 34,495 shares changing hands.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange that closed at record high on Monday and went on to close higher on Tuesday, at yet another record, is again trading in record territory at the start of trading on Wednesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 3 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Jetcon Corporation traded 10 cents higher at $4.25, with 100,300 units, Lasco Distributors concluded trading 25 cents higher at $4.30, with 4,423,848 stock units, Lasco Financial finished at $5.62, with 34,210 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled 1 cent higher at $4.09, with 42,844 shares. Main Event ended trading at $7, with 16,018 shares, Medical Disposables traded at $5, with 35,681 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading at $3.10, with 100,000 stock units, Stationery and Office closed 4 cents higher at $6, with 470,750 units and tTech concluded trading at $6, with 4,500 shares changing hands.