Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 133 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, and a 137 percent rise in value over Wednesday with trading in 44 securities compared with 42 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 11 declining and 17 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 8,355,224 shares for $15,074,942 up from just 3,592,810 units at $6,363,318 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 189,891 shares at $342,612, compared with 85,543 units at $151,508 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 231,540 units at $517,914 compared with 235,064 stock units at $532,747 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 4.32 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.13 million stocks for 13.5 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 733,394 units for 8.8 percent market share as the stock traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of 85 cents and a closing low of 90 cents.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 1.44 points to 3,758.39.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 13 cents to close at $21 after an exchange of 1,100 stock units, AMG Packaging lost 16 cents to end at $3.41, with 35,184 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.04 to finish at $12.85 with investors swapping 1,000 units. Caribbean Flavours sank 9 cents and ended at $1.59 after 2,145 stocks crossed the market, Express Catering rose 19 cents to end at $4.09 with investors transferring 250 units, Fontana climbed 30 cents in closing at $8.90 in an exchange of 5,101 shares. Honey Bun popped 65 cents to $8.10 with investors trading 48,537 stocks, Jetcon Corporation declined 10 cents to end at 85 cents in switching ownership of 150,026 stock units, Knutsford Express advanced 10 cents in closing at $11.50 after 11,920 shares passed through the exchange and MFS Capital Partners rallied 13 cents to close at $1.75 in trading 193,271 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Profit bolts 79% at AMG
Profit continued to surge at AMG Packaging in the February quarter, up 79 percent to $32 million from $18 million in 2023, the performance is better than the 72 percent rise in the first quarter. For the six months to February, profit was also up 79 percent to $84 million from $47 million in 2023.
Sale revenues rose by just one percent for the quarter, to $250 million from $247 million and popped 4 percent for the year to date, to $522 million from $501 million in 2023.
Two main features are at play resulting in improved performance. The company installed new multi-coloured machinery in early 2023 that measures and determine the cut for boxes which has helped in cutting operating costs as it is far more efficient than the original ones. Secondly, the price of paper declined in 2023 from 2022 and has carried over into the current year, the result is that raw material costs declined to 41 percent of revenues in the second quarter from 53 percent in 2023.
Historically, profit was stuck for years between $37 million and $62 million from 2017 to 2021 . In 2022 profit jumped to $105 million following a revenues surge of 41 percent over 2021 but fell back to $89 million in 2023 with some one-off cost, helping in pushing the profit down, otherwise it would have exceeded that of 2022. ICInsider.com projects profit to come in around $225 million for this fiscal year ending in August.
Manufacturing costs declined by 12 percent in the February quarter to $154 million from $175 million and by 9 percent year to date, to $325 million from $356 million. Gross profit margin rose a significant 36 percent in the quarter to $96 million from $72 million and climbed even more for the half year to 39 percent to $197 million from $145 million in 2024.
Administrative expenses rose 18 percent to $33 million in the quarter and increased 19 percent in the six months to $66 million. Depreciation charges increased by 26 percent to $13.5 million in the quarter, and the half year to $26 million. Finance cost declined in the quarter, to $1.8 million from $2 million in 2024 and from $4.2 million to $3.6 million for the six months.
The operations generated $130 million in Gross cash flow, after paying dividends of $51 million and increased working capital needs, net flows were negative and pulled down the cash on hand from of $297 million in 2023 to $252 million.
Current assets ended the period at $651 million and include trade and other receivables of $143 million, up from $123 million in 2023, and cash and bank balances of $252 million, representing an increase over $144 million in 2023. Inventories rose a bit from $240 million to $255 million. Current liabilities at the half way marker amount to $152 million. Net current assets ended the period at $500 million.
At the end of February, shareholders’ equity amounts to $1.29 billion with long term borrowings of just at $66 million and short term at $19 million.
Earnings per share for the quarter amounts to 6 cents and 14 cents for the half year. IC Insider.com computation projects earnings around 45 cents per share for the current fiscal year, with a PE of 8 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $3.59 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market. Net asset value ended the period at $2.53 with the stock selling at a premium of 41 percent to book value.
Big jump in trading for the USD Market
Trading surged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with a 1,060 percent jump in the volume of stocks exchanged following a 244 percent pop in value compared with market activity on Tuesday and resulting in trading in 10 securities, compared to 12 on Tuesday with prices of three rising, three declining and four ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,005,394 shares for US$50,711 compared to 86,667 units at US$14,748 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 100,539 units at US$5,071 versus 7,222 shares at US$1,229 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 36,785 shares at US$2,318 compared with 29,371 units at US$1,998 on the previous day and March that ended with an average of 49,394 units for US$3,593.
The US Denominated Equities Index declined 3.55 points to end at 239.06.
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 five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, First Rock Real Estate USD share dipped 0.58 of one cent to end at 4.02 US cents closing, with 4,258 units being traded, Margaritaville ended at 10 US cents with 600 stocks crossing the market, Productive Business Solutions remained at US$1.59 after investors ended trading 36 shares. Proven Investments fell 1.68 cents to finish at 13.02 US cents with investors transferring 186,935 stock units, Sterling Investments remained at 1.7 US cents after 117 shares crossed the exchange, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 0.01 of a cent to close at 7.95 US cents with traders dealing in 5,475 stocks and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.08 of a cent to 2.19 US cents in switching ownership of 806,663 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share ended at US$1.19, with 700 stock units crossing the market, Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share declined 50 cents to close at US$11 in trading 250 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% advanced 10 cents in closing at US$10.70, with 360 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More funds enters JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with a 43 percent decline in the volume of stocks changing hands after a 166 percent jump in value compared with Monday, and resulting from trading in 12 securities, compared to 10 on Monday with prices of five rising, four declining and three ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 86,667 shares for US$14,748 compared to 152,339 units at US$5,545 on Monday.
Trading averaged 7,222 units at US$1,229 versus 15,234 shares at US$554 on Monday, with a month to date average of 29,371 shares at US$1,998 compared with 32,963 units at US$2,123 on the previous day and March that ended with an average of 49,394 units for US$3,593.
The US Denominated Equities Index gained 1.19 points to end the day at 242.61.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.5. 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 four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AS Bryden climbed 0.51 of one cent in closing at 23 US cents after an exchange of 200 units, First Rock Real Estate USD share rose 0.58 of one cent to 4.6 US cents with investors transferring 1,080 stocks, Margaritaville remained at 10 US cents in an exchange of 80 shares. Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.59, with 27 stock units changing hands, Proven Investments advanced 0.97 of one cent to close at 14.7 US cents in an exchange of 7,992 shares, Sterling Investments popped 0.19 of a cent to end at 1.7 US cents after trading 36 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 0.34 of a cent in closing at 7.94 US cents with a transfer of 11,059 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 9 US cents and closed after 65 units were traded and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.09 of a cent to finish at 2.11 US cents with an exchange of 59,749 stocks.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share shed 0.85 of one cent and ended at US$1.19, with 6,000 units crossing the market, Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share dropped 85 cents to close at US$11.50 with investors dealing in 259 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% lost 10 cents to end at US$10.60, with 120 stock units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.