Trading activity plunged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday, with a 97 percent drop in the volume of stocks exchanged with a 97 percent dive in value compared with Thursday, resulting in trading in five securities, similar to trading on Thursday with the price of one rising, one declining and three ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 24,785 shares for a mere US$735 down sharply from 727,558 units at US$21,301 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 4,957 units at US$147 versus 145,512 shares at US$4,260 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 35,922 shares at US$3,373 compared with 39,147 units at US$3,709 on the previous day and April that ended with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index advanced 3.12 points to 236.49.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.3. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a higher bid than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended trading at 4.7 US cents after investors exchanged 1,992 shares, Proven Investments closed at 13.09 US cents with an exchange of 9 stocks and Transjamaican Highway advanced 0.01 of a cent to 2.16 US cents with an exchange of 22,756 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share ended at US$1.27 after 15 stock units passed through the market and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% shed 14 cents to end at US$10.01 as investors exchanged 13 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading plunges on JSE USD Market
Trading jumps on the JSE USD market
Interest picked up in the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Thursday, with a 277 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded accompanied by a 58 percent rise in value compared with Wednesday that resulted in trading in five securities, down from seven on Wednesday with prices of two rising, one declining and two ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 727,558 shares for US$21,301 compared to 193,096 units at US$13,524 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 145,512 units at US$4,260 versus 27,585 shares at US$1,932 on Wednesday, with a month to date average of 39,147 shares at US$3,709 compared with 26,779 units at US$3,645 on the previous day and April that ended with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index declined 3.12 points to end the day at 233.38.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.3. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Proven Investments ended at 13.09 US cents with investors swapping 13,480 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 0.6 of one cent to 8.5 US cents with 200 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.05 of a cent to finish at 2.15 US cents in trading of 709,993 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share remained at US$1.27 as investors exchanged 3,882 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share declined 59.56 cents in closing at US$11.05 with a mere 3 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Berger surges into healthy Q1 profit
There is a huge about-turn in profit at Berger Paints with $48 million generated in the first quarter of March 2024 compared with a loss of $35 million in the first quarter of 2023, following a 7.6 percent climb in sales to $772 million from $718 million in 2023.
Cost control and reduction in some cases played a major role in the turnaround in the operations, with the company reporting a small loss for the fiscal year 2022 and a much bigger $218 million loss in 2023 after a tax credit of $37 million.
The most major development is a sharp fall in the cost of material used in the production to facilitate sales with a drop to 43 percent from 57 percent with costs of $330 million in the latest quarter down from $407 million in 2023, a fall of 19 percent while other manufacturing costs coming in 12 percent lower to $14 million.
Staff cost rose 12 percent to $154 million from $138 million in 2023 while Other operating expenses jumped 17 percent to $212 million from $180 million in 2023. Depreciation rose 16 percent to $22 million from $19 million in 2023, with fixed assets net of depreciation jumping to $480 million from $289 million at the end of March 2023.
The operations generated Gross cash flow brought in $80 million, netting out at $69 million after working capital and capital spending.
Current assets ended the period at $1.7 billion inclusive of trade and other receivables of $595 million, cash and bank balances of $224 million. Inventories were reduced by $200 million to $800 over the twelve months to March this year and receivables by $170 million over the same period to $600 million.
Current liabilities ended the period at $1.17 billion. Net current assets ended at $500 million.
At the end of March, shareholders’ equity amounts to $1.1 billion with little borrowings.
Earnings per share for the quarter was 23 cents. IC Insider.com computation projects earnings of $1.60 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2023, with a PE of 3.4 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $5.50 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market. Net asset value ended the period at $5.12 with the stock selling at a mere 7 percent over book value.
Gains for JSE USD Market
The Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended trading on Wednesday, with a 73 percent jump in the volume of stocks changing hands following a 48 percent drop in value from trading on Tuesday, resulting in trading in seven securities, compared to six on Tuesday with prices of two rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 193,096 shares for US$13,524 compared to 111,519 units at US$25,798 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 27,585 units at US$1,932 versus 18,587 shares at US$4,300 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 26,779 shares at US$3,645 compared with 26,623 units at US$3,978 on the previous day and April that ended with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index gained 0.71 points to close at 236.50.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.2. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share popped 0.19 of a cent in closing at 4.7 US cents after an exchange of 58 stock units, Margaritaville dipped 1.5 cents to 8.53 US cents in trading 365 shares, Proven Investments remained at 13.09 US cents with 13,966 stocks changing hands. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share fell 0.2 of a cent and ended at 8.8 US cents after an exchange of 82,281 units and Transjamaican Highway shed 0.04 of a cent to close at 2.1 US cents with investors trading 96,201 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share rallied 7 cents to finish at US$1.27 in switching ownership of 5 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments US 8% ended at US$10.60, with 220 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.