Stocks continued to be battered in the past week sending the Junior Market back to January 2022 levels and the Main Market declined for a second week and as far back as September 2018 levels, but some stocks bucked the trend and posted gains.
Main Event
Earnings season delivered a few new results during the past week, with Main Event posting positive profit gains for the January first quarter and seeming poised to earn $1.80 for the year. Fosrich released full year results to December, with profit jumping to $325 million from $199 million in 2021 as revenues climbed a solid 43.4 percent, Dolla Financial posted increased profit of 18 cents per share and should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023, but it is not in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting solid results that augur well for full year’s profit. Limners and Bards delivered disappointing first quarter results of a mere $7 million, down from $66 million in 2022, as revenues dropped sharply from $443 million to $248 million. Lumber Depot suffered a decline in revenues for the January quarter, with a decline in profit and Blue Power reported an increase in revenues year over year, with a profit rising for their third quarter to January, with profit slipping for the nine months.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw four stocks rising and three falling. AMG Packaging gained 16 percent to $2.90, followed by Everything Fresh with a 5 percent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 4 percent to $2.74. Tropical Battery lost 10 percent of its value to close at $2.02 and Image Plus lost 4 percent to end at $1.85.
Stationery and Office Supplies is said to continue to enjoy buoyant business into 2023, rose 3 percent to $15 and dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 along with AMG Packaging as Main Event and KLE Group replaced those that fell out, with the former posting strong first quarter results that point to earnings of $1.80 for the year. KLE is now in, based on the fall in the stock price, but investment in the stock is not without above average risk. They are yet to release 2022 earnings, but they should benefit from pick up in business in their associated restaurant business in which they hold a 49 percent interest, with exposure in Montego Bay that will see added inflows from the considerable pick up in tourist patronage and should have income generated from managing the Bessa apartments in Oracabessa on the north coast of Jamaica.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 3 percent while Jamaica Broilers dropped 12 percent to $33.50’ following some large trades in the week, Guardian Holdings followed with a fall of 6 percent to close at $480 and 138 Student Living being down by 4 percent to $5.01.
There have been no changes in the listing in the Main Market ICTOP10 this past week.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. 
The Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 282 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 12 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 18.3, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15.
The Main Market 18 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 18 to 115, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding stocks with the highest valuations and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate, resulting in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
A total of 12,642,427 shares were exchanged for $81,389,720 versus 6,908,564 units at $81,081,310 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Mayberry Investments dropped $1 to $7.80 after an exchange of 430,294 stocks, NCB Financial dipped $2.31 to a 52 weeks’ low of $69.69 in an exchange of 49,530 units, PanJam Investment rose $2.50 to close at $56.50 in trading 57,273 stock units. Proven Investments advanced 51 cents to $26.51, with 2,510 stock units clearing the market, Scotia Group declined $1 to $34 in an exchange of 62,062 stocks, Seprod shed $1.39 in ending at $62.01, with 11,256 shares crossing the market. Sterling Investments lost 41 cents to end at $2.55 with a transfer of 65,854 units, Supreme Ventures dipped 88 cents in closing at $25 while exchanging 156,110 stocks and Wisynco Group fell 40 cents to close at $17 with an exchange of 28,984 stock units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% lost $21.51, ending at $200 after a transfer of just three units and 138 Student Living s preference share dropped $7.43 to $70, trading three shares.
Overall, 47,009 shares were traded, for US$5,749 compared with 430,568 units at US$30,840 on Thursday.
Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 10 US cents, with 25,179 stocks changing hands. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 7.18 US cents with investors transferring 20 stock units and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.01 of a cent to close at 0.94 of one US cent while 3,249 shares passed through the market.
after trading in 55 securities up from 50 on Thursday and ended with prices of 14 rising, 21 declining and 20 unchanged.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 2,977.64 points to close at 368,132.77, the JSE Main Index declined 2,484.15 points to close at 325,461.60 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.61 points to end at 76.31.
Jamaica Broilers rose 49 cents to end at $33.50 in switching ownership of 446,715 stock units, Jamaica Producers shed $2.24 to close at $20.25 in an exchange of 64,697 stocks, JMMB Group dropped $1 to close at $30 in trading 187,664 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 97 cents to $12.97 as 22,000 stock units passed through the market, NCB Financial gained 50 cents to end at $72 after an exchange of 215,558 units, 138 Student Living increased 49 cents in closing at $5.50 with a transfer of 888 stocks. PanJam Investment fell $2.79 to $54 in an exchange of 2,774 stock units, Sagicor Group lost $2.90 to close at $47, with 261,239 units crossing the market, Seprod fell $4.57 to $63.40, with 7,759 shares changing hands and Wisynco Group rallied 40 cents to end at $17.40 after exchanging 30,667 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% surged $46.28 in closing 26 percent higher to record high of $221.51 with investors exchanging 7,599 stock units.
securities trading down from 46 on Thursday and ended with 14 rising, 15 declining and 11 closing unchanged leading to a moderate movement in the market index.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 15.12 points to 3,736.05.
Caribbean Flavours rose 9 cents in closing at $1.39 with a transfer of 340 stock units, Elite Diagnostic dipped 10 cents to end at $2.70 in switching ownership of 100,582 shares, Express Catering lost 28 cents to $5.20 after exchanging 10,159 stock units. Future Energy Source fell 28 cents to close at $4.12 after a transfer of 89,600 units, Jamaican Teas increased 25 cents in closing at $2.45 as investors exchanged 800 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 9 cents in ending at $2.74, with 3,874 units changing hands. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents to end at $2.72 with the swapping of 13,610 shares, Main Event shed 75 cents to close at $12.25 after trading 35,032 stock units, Medical Disposables popped 14 cents after ending at $5.14, with an exchange of 47,630 stocks. 
Paramount Trading declined 20 cents to $2.20 while exchanging 8,145 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 10 cents in closing at $15 with an exchange of 8,908 shares and Tropical Battery fell 13 cents to end at $2.02 and closed with 466,649 stocks changing hands.
At the close of trading, 16,002,409 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 9,338,374 units, with a value of $108.4 million, in contrast to $58.6 million on the previous trading day.
The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that also show the closing volume pertaining to the bids and offers for each company.
A total of 3,815,209 shares were exchanged for $42,492,694 versus 34,822,128 units at $269,703,535 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
PanJam Investment rallied $1.79 to end at $56.79 after investors exchanged 41,158 units, Portland JSX advanced $1 in closing at $11.50 after a transfer of 5 shares, Proven Investments lost 59 cents to close at $26 in trading 30,700 shares. Sagicor Group increased $1.15 to $49.90 with 1,931 units changing hands, Seprod climbed $2.97 to close at $67.97 as investors exchanged 3,420 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 89 cents to end at $25.88 in switching ownership of 168,670 stocks and Wisynco Group declined 45 cents ending at $17 with a transfer of 25,835 stock units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $34.50 in closing at yet another record high of $175.23 with just 46 units clearing the market.
Investors traded 430,568 shares for US$30,840 compared to 33,994 units at US$8,059 on Wednesday.
Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.75 in trading 227 stock units, Proven Investments declined 0.02 of a cent to 18.5 US cents as 18,719 stocks passed through the market, Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 10 US cents with investors transferring 24,164 stock units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 7.18 US cents with a transfer of 139 shares and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.05 of a cent to end at 0.95 US cents after an exchange of 338,464 units.
A total of 5,242,797 shares were traded for $17,417,126 compared to 272,054,087 units at $419,217,066 on Wednesday.
ICInsider.com upgrading earnings for Main Event to $1.80 from $1.45 and Dolla Financial being switched from 2022 earnings of 15 cents for last year to 40 cents for this year, following the release of 2022 full year results, with earnings of 18 cents per share. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed based on the last traded stock price and ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Fontana popped 15 cents to close at $8.40 after a transfer of 68,140 stock units, Future Energy Source rose 23 cents to $4.40 with an exchange of 399,936 shares, after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $4.05, GWest Corporation climbed 12 cents in closing at $1.08 with a transfer of 1,564 stock units. Honey Bun lost 29 cents to $6.75, with 51,922 shares clearing the market, iCreate rallied 18 cents to end at $1.68 after trading 87,063 units, Indies Pharma rose 10 cents to close at $2.90, with 21,002 stocks crossing the market. Jamaican Teas shed 27 cents in closing at $2.20 with 151,736 units passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 10 cents to 95 cents with 3,984 stocks crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express declined 13 cents to $9.02 after exchanging 7,287 stock units. Mailpac Group dipped 10 cents to close at $1.70 in switching ownership of 113,259 shares, Main Event popped $1.20 after ending at a record closing high of $13 while exchanging 264,941 stocks, following the release of solid first quarter results of 39 cents per share before trading opened, 
MFS Capital Partners dropped 18 cents in closing at $3.33 in an exchange of 734,917 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies increased 89 cents to end at $15.10 in trading 9,521 units.
At the close of the market, 9,338,374 shares were exchanged in all three markets, sharply down from 306,780,140 units, with a value of a mere $58.6 million, in contrast to $687.8 million on the previous trading day. The JSE USD market resulted in investors trading 430,568 shares for US$30,840 compared to 33,994 units at US$8,060 on Wednesday.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
