Trading picked on the Junior Market that helped in driving the Index up 24.51 points to 3,919.03 at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, following a 59 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded and a 63 percent rise in value over Wednesday, with trading in 42 securities compared with 44 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 16 declining and eight closing unchanged.
Investors pushed 10,235,296 shares through the market for $26,387,309 compared with 6,437,192 units at $16,154,901 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 243,698 shares at $628,269, compared to 146,300 shares at $367,157 on the previous day, with trading for the month to date averaging 193,866 units at $494,677. July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
Dolla Financial led trading with 2.92 million shares for 28.5 percent of total volume, followed by Lasco Financial with 2.14 million units for 20.9 percent of the day’s trade and Stationery and Office Supplies fresh from a nine to one stock split, ended with 1.34 million units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 increased 37 cents to $5.98 while trading 236 shares, Caribbean Cream dipped 36 cents to $4.08 after 1,000 stock units passed through the market, Dolla Financial gained 38 cents in closing at $2.88, with investors exchanging 2,916,062 stocks. Dolphin Cove declined 96 cents and ended at $16.02, with 41,190 units crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic rose 45 cents to close at $2 in an exchange of 7,999 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 60 cents in closing at $6.30, with 18,520 units crossing the market. Image Plus Consultants dipped 11 cents to end at $2.20, with 485,893 shares changing hands, Indies Pharma shed 19 cents to close at $3.02 after an exchange of 138,267 stocks, ISP Finance rallied $4.49 and ended at $24.97 with a transfer of 5 units. Jamaican Teas fell 24 cents to $2.11 in switching ownership of 12,200 shares, 
Lasco Distributors climbed 40 cents to $4.20, with 142,173 stocks crossing the market, Lasco Financial lost 15 cents to close at $2.15 trading 2,136,543 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing popped 18 cents in closing at $4.99 after trading in 125,376 stock units, Limners and Bards dropped 10 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.90 with investors transferring 10,679 units, Main Event climbed $1.19 to end at $14.99 with 5,318 shares clearing the market. Medical Disposables dipped 9 cents in closing at $4.85 with an exchange of 924 stocks, MFS Capital Partners rallied 17 cents to close at $2.59 with shareholders swapping 337,399 stock units, Paramount Trading rose 28 cents to $1.90 after a transfer of 34,364 stocks. 
Spur Tree Spices popped 24 cents to end at $2.44 as investors exchanged 40,431 shares, Tropical Battery fell 9 cents to $2, with an exchange of 670,050 units and tTech shed 8 cents to close at $2.15, with investors exchanging 114 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Drop in JSE Main and USD markets
The Main and JSE US dollar markets declined at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday while the Junior Market made a moderate recovery from Wednesday’s loss as the volume and value of stocks traded jumped sharply compared to Wednesday following trading of 113 million shares valued at $167 million in Transjamaican preference share.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 2,140.83 points to end at 340,544.78, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 4,924.76 points to 361,073.80, the JSE Main Index fell 2,534.77 points to close at 326,525.24, while the Junior Market Index climbed 24.51 points to close at 3,919.03 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 5.29 points to finish at 247.99.
Preference shares with notable price changes include Eppley 7.50% preference share shedding 61 cents to end at $6, Jamaica Public Service 7% advancing $11.48 to $61.48, Productive Business 10.50% preference share declining $55 to $1,100 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popping $2.50 in closing at $101.50.
At the close, investors had dealings in 135,167,230 shares in all three markets, up sharply from 20,722,918 stocks on Wednesday. 
The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main Markets ended at $261.89 million, up from $80.9 million on Wednesday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 243,793 shares for US$38,581 compared with 174,417 units at US$27,278 on Wednesday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 18.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.6. times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous 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.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
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.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Main Market stocks climb for second day
Stocks mostly climbed for a second day, following the big sell off on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market with trading in 56 stocks similar to Monday and ending with prices of 27 rising, 19 declining and ten ending unchanged, with a 37 percent rise in the volume of stocks changing hands valued 24 percent less than on Monday.
A total of 14,111,309 shares were traded for $64,741,889 compared with 10,267,719 units at $85,148,440 on Monday.
Trading for the day averaged 251,988 shares at $1,156,105 compared to 183,352 shares at $1,520,508 on Monday compared with July that averaged 283,368 units at $2,135,482.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 6.06 million shares for 42.9 percent of total volume, Wigton Windfarm followed with 2.13 million units for 15.1 percent of trading, Transjamaican Highway chipped in with 1.67 million units for 11.8 percent of market share and Radio Jamaica with 1.13 million units for 8 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 809.52 points to conclude trading at 365,998.56, the JSE Main Index jumped 2,654.62 points to 329,060.01 and the JSE Financial Index climbed 1.51 points to close at 73.71.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 11 with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rallied $2.71 to $76.70 in an exchange of 89,905 shares, First Rock Real Estate popped $1.02 to close at $10.02 with a transfer of 3,849 units, Guardian Holdings climbed $42 in closing at $438, with 23 stocks crossing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 42 cents and ended at $11.87 after an exchange of 3,680 stock units. JMMB Group fell 80 cents to $28 in trading 16,961 shares, Kingston Properties shed 30 cents to end at $7.50 after a transfer of 11,714 stock units, Margaritaville advanced $2.46 and ended at $16.51 after exchanging 48,828 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities declined 33 cents to $11.51 as investors traded 6,500 stocks. 
NCB Financial dipped 89 cents to $73.10 as 275,809 stocks were exchanged, Palace Amusement lost 40 cents in closing at $2 with investors exchanging 45,050 units, Portland JSX increased $1.29 in closing at $10.79, with 19 shares clearing the market, Proven Investments rose $1.84 and ended at $23.25, with stakeholders trading 124 stock units. Pulse Investments gained 32 cents to close at $2.50, with 50,000 units crossing the market, Sagicor Group popped $1.95 to end at $48.95 with an exchange of 571 stock units, Seprod dropped $2.70 to close at $71.30 after the exchange of 4,621 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments rose 77 cents in closing at $11.98 with shareholders swapping 1,667 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% declined $2.02 to end at $50 in switching ownership of 988 stock units, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share fell 34 cents to $2.15 while exchanging 206,422 units, 
138 Student Living preference share advanced $1.98 to close at $99.98 in an exchange of 9 stocks, Productive Business 10.50% preference share increased $5 and ended at $1,155, with 100 shares changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $2.50 to end at $99 after the trading of 191 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market stocks dropped several points
The Junior Market stocks mostly declined at the start of trading in August with the market Index dropping a solid 45.48 points to conclude trading at 3,894.52 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with a 74 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded valued 70 percent less than on Monday, with 44 securities trading compared with 45 on Monday and ended with 13 rising, 22 declining and nine closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,437,192 shares for $16,154,901 versus 24,315,536 units at $54,444,749 on Monday.
Trading averaged 146,300 shares at $367,157 compared to 540,345 shares at $1,209,883 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 146,300 units at $367,157 compared with 326,541 stock units at $843,878 on the previous day. July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
Lasco Financial led trading with 1.14 million shares for 17.8 percent of total volume, followed by Fosrich with 1.03 million units for 16.1 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 990,443 units for 15.4 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are calculated using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased 20 cents in closing at $25.50 as investors traded 2,038 shares, Blue Power declined 38 cents to $2.52 with a transfer of 2,018 stocks, CAC 2000 rallied 51 cents in ending at $5.61 after a transfer of 35 units, Cargo Handlers advanced 50 cents to close at $17.50, with 2,001 stock units crossing the market. Consolidated Bakeries climbed 15 cents to close at $2.75, with 472 units changing hands, Dolphin Cove popped 8 cents in closing at $16.98 after investors traded 675 shares, EduFocal rose 17 cents to $1.80 in an exchange of 34,281 stock units, Elite Diagnostic dropped 45 cents to close at $1.55 in switching ownership of 58,006 stocks. Fontana lost 17 cents to close at $10.80 with investors transferring 37,139 stock units, Image Plus Consultants gained 9 cents to end at $2.31 while exchanging 100,537 units, ISP Finance dropped $4.51 in closing at $20.48 with an exchange of one stock, 
JFP Ltd shed 25 cents to close at $1.70 with 103,045 shares clearing the market. Lasco Distributors fell 31 cents to close at $3.80 with 114,053 stock units crossing the market, Lumber Depot shed 25 cents to end at $2.05 after an exchange of 39,882 units, Main Event fell 70 cents and ended at $13.80 with 4,612 stocks being traded, Medical Disposables popped 84 cents in closing at $4.94 with stakeholders dealing in 39 shares. MFS Capital Partners dipped 16 cents to end at $2.42 after an exchange of 105,558 stocks, Paramount Trading lost 28 cents and ended at $1.62 while 7,318 stock units passed through the market, Regency Petroleum dropped 22 cents to close at $2.47, with an exchange of 990,443 units. Spur Tree Spices declined 27 cents to $2.20 in an exchange of 102,718 shares, 
Stationery and Office Supplies lost 56 cents to end at $2.59 with shareholders swapping 620,885 shares and Tropical Battery gained 17 cents in closing at $2.09 in trading 66,285 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Main Market and JSE stocks start August with gains
The Main and JSE US dollar markets gained at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange to start the new month on a positive note on Tuesday, but the Junior Market suffered a tidy fall as the volume and value of stocks traded fell compared to that on Monday.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index jumped 2,060.70 points to 342,685.61, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 809.52 points to 365,998.56, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,654.62 points to 329,060.01, while the Junior Market Index declined 45.48 points to 3,894.52 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 8.29 points to finish at 253.28.
Trading of Preference shares ended with notable price changes for Productive Business 10.50% preference share increasing by $5 to $1,155, Jamaica Public Service 7% declining $2.02 to end at $50, 138 Student Living preference share advancing $1.98 to close at $99.98 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $2.50 to end at $99.
At the close, investors exchanged 20,722,918 shares in all three markets, down from 35,539,078 stocks on Monday. The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main Markets ended at $80.9 million, down from $139.59 million on Monday. 
Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors trading 174,417 shares for US$27,278, compared with 953,823 units at US$22,262 on Monday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 18.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.6.
times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous 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.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
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.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
JSE Market indices climb on Monday
Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded marginally higher than Friday, but with a 29 percent lower value and ended with trading in 56 securities compared with 54 on Friday, with 24 rising, 22 declining and ten ending unchanged.
A total of 10,267,719 shares were exchanged at $85,148,440 versus 10,233,836 units at $120,089,926 on Friday.
Trading averaged 183,352 shares at $1,520,508 compared to 189,515 units at $2,223,888 on Friday and month to date, an average of 283,368 units at $2,135,482, compared with 288,414 shares at $2,166,508 on the previous day. June closed with an average of 366,795 units at $6,952,581, including trading in bonds.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.11 million shares for 20.5 percent of total volume, Wigton Windfarm followed with 1.75 million units for 17.1 percent of the day’s trade, JMMB Group 7.35% due 2028 with 1.67 million units for 16.3 percent market share and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.50 million units for 14.6 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 5,102.37 points to close at 365,189.04, the JSE Main Index rose 1,135.31 points to end at 326,405.39 and the JSE Financial Index climbed 0.62 points to 72.20.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.1 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments declined 56 cents in closing at $73.99 after an exchange of 31,852 shares, Berger Paints rose 34 cents to $7.94, with 1,100 stock units crossing the market, First Rock Real Estate fell $1.04 to $9 in trading 68 units, GraceKennedy lost 50 cents to close at $77.50 in switching ownership of 46,418 stocks, Guardian Holdings shed $42 to end at $396 with shareholders swapping 249 stock units, Jamaica Producers advanced $1.09 to $20.19 with an exchange of 1,950 units, Jamaica Stock Exchang rallied $1.15 in closing at $11.45 after an exchange of 85,356 shares, JMMB Group popped $1.60 to end at $28.80, with 59,905 stocks crossing the exchange, 
Kingston Properties rose 33 cents to close at $7.80 as 158,341 stocks passed through the market, Massy Holdings dipped $3.49 to $97.51 with investors transferring 5,021 units, Mayberry Investments gained 63 cents to end at $8.69 in an exchange of 1,338 shares, NCB Financial climbed 54 cents in closing at $73.99 with 84,828 stock units crossing the market, Proven Investments dropped $1.84 to close at $21.41 after a transfer of 41,611 shares, Sagicor Group advanced $3 to $47 with stakeholders exchanging 756,240 stock units, Scotia Group popped 48 cents to $34.50 after exchanging 36,861 units, Seprod gained $3 to close at $74, with 63,006 stocks clearing the market, Stanley Motta rose 38 cents to end at $4.89 after an exchange of 34,276 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments shed 91 cents to end at $11.21 as investors exchanged 131,154 stock units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share dropped $100 to $1,150 in trading 5 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 7% lost $9.18 and ended at $52.02 while exchanging 2,119 units, JMMB Group 7% preference share dipped 34 cents to close at $1.94, with 20,756 units changing hands and 138 Student Living preference share dropped $2 to $98 with a transfer of 50 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading climbs for Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed out July on a positive note on Monday, driven by a 110 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded following a 72 percent jump in value over Friday, with trading in 45 securities compared with 42 on Friday and ended with prices of 24 rising, 12 declining and nine closing unchanged.
Investors traded 24,315,536 shares for $54,444,749 up from 11,568,133 units at $31,577,030 on Friday.
Trading averaged 540,345 shares at $1,209,883, compared with 275,432 shares at $751,834 on Friday, with the month to date averaging 326,541 units at $843,878 compared to 315,596 stock units at $825,141 on the previous trading day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 7.30 million shares for 30 percent of total volume, followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 4.36 million units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade, JFP Ltd chipped in with 4.06 million units for 16.7 percent market share, Lumber Depot closed with 2.63 million units for 10.8 percent market share and Dolla Financial ended with 2.02 million units for 8.3 percent of total volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 30.73 points to settle at 3,940.00.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are calculated using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped $2.50 to $25.30, with investors exchanging 89,609 shares, Blue Power increased 38 cents to end at $2.90 as investors traded 122 units, Cargo Handlers rallied 30 cents to $17 with a transfer of 1,000 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 9 cents to end at $2.90 after 24,617 stocks passed through the market. Caribbean Cream climbed 29 cents to close at $4.44 with shareholders swapping 2,737 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries declined 15 cents to $2.60 in an exchange of 10,055 units, Dolla Financial dropped 38 cents in closing at $2.50 after exchanging 2,016,744 stocks, EduFocal lost 17 cents to end at $1.63 in switching ownership of 63,909 shares. Everything Fresh 
rose 18 cents to close at $1.55 after investors traded 50,500 shares, Future Energy Source gained 9 cents and ended at $3.99 in trading 251,515 units, Honey Bun fell 80 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $5.70, with 32,983 stocks clearing the market, Image Plus Consultants shed 12 cents in closing at $2.22 with 70,821 stock units crossing the exchange. Jamaican Teas advanced 15 cents and ended at $2.35 with an exchange of 179,913 stock units, JFP Ltd climbed 21 cents to $1.95 with 4,059,134 units changing hands, Knutsford Express advanced 94 cents to close at $11.90, with 46,155 stocks crossing the market, Lasco Distributors rose 12 cents to $4.11 while exchanging 55,572 shares. Lasco Financial shed 9 cents to close at $2.30 in an exchange of 5,999 stocks, Lumber Depot rallied 21 cents to end at $2.30 with investors transferring 2,629,305 shares, Medical Disposables increased 10 cents in closing at $4.10, after 1,423 units passed through the exchange, 
ONE on ONE Educational popped 8 cents in ending at $1.13 after a transfer of 4,359,129 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies popped 36 cents in closing at $3.15 after an exchange of 526,540 stock units, following the nine of one stock split taking effect on the exchange for the first time and Tropical Battery declined 19 cents to $1.92 and closed with 171,673 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks closed out July with gains on JSE Markets
All three markets recorded gains at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange to close out July on a positive note on Monday, with an increase in the volume of stocks traded but with a lower value than Friday.
At the end of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,304.64 points to close at 340,624.91, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 5,102.37 points to end at 365,189.04, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,135.31 points to 326,405.39, while the Junior Market Index added 30.73 points to 3,940.00 and the JSE USD Market Index added 0.94 points to end at 244.99.
Trading of Preference shares with notable price changes are Productive Business 10.50% preference share with a fall of $100 in closing at $1150, Jamaica Public Service 7% losing $9.18 and ending at $52.02 and 138 Student Living preference share dropping $2 to $9.
At the close, investors exchanged 35,539,078 shares in all three markets, up sharply from 22,196,180 stocks on Friday. The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main Markets ended at $139.59 million, down from $151.67 million on Friday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 953,823 shares for US$22,262, up from 394,211 units at US$7,160 on Friday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 18.6 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.6.
times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous 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.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. 
Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
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.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Solid gains for ICTOP10 stocks
Junior Market stocks put in an outstanding performance ranging from 13 to 38 percent, with declines being far lower, with the top losers suffering a ten percent fall after five stocks slipped on the ICOP10 and three stocks recorded strong gains. The Main Market TOP10 was far less robust, with gainers hitting 13 percent at the top and losers 6 percent and less.
Margaritaville Turks could land big gains.
With the healthy price movements, three new additions to the TOP10 lists are added this week. Margaritaville is now topping the Main Market Top 10, with potential gains of 820 percent as the company made a major leap forward in fortunes, following the rebound in tourism traffic in the region and Caribbean Producers fell out of the TOP10 with a 4 percent price rise for the week. Image Plus Consultants and Iron Rock Insurance return to the Junior Market ICTOP10 as Dolla Financial and Elite Diagnostics enjoyed considerable price recoveries and dropped out.
For the week, five Junior Market TOP10 stocks rose and five declined, while the Main Market ended with four rising and only two falling.
In the Junior Market, Dolla Financial was the star performer as it recovered from a 9 percent drop last to $2.08 to post a stunning 38 percent jump to $2.88, following news that Supreme Ventures acquired 15 percent of the company, but before a report that the CEO Kadeen Mairs resigned. Elite Diagnostics jumped 29 percent to $2 after falling the previous week to $1.55 and Dolphin Cove rose 13 percent to $16.88, also rising are iCreate and OneonOne, with gains of 5 percent to $1.05, respectively. Falling stocks include Everything Fresh, down 10 percent to $1.37, Caribbean Cream, followed by shedding 8 percent to $4.15, General Accident, fell 6 percent to $4.70 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers, lost 4 percent to end at $2.99.
In the Main Market, Caribbean Cement climbed 13 percent to $57.60, but that was before the company released six months’ results, with profit ending at $2.87 following a blowout second quarter with earnings of $2.53 per share and now seems on target for $8 for the year. Sygnus Credit Investments rose nine percent to $12.12, but JMMB Group fell six percent to $27.20 and Guardian Holdings slipped 4 percent to $438.
Elsewhere in the market, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing released first quarter results, with a rise in profits for both. Pretax profit at Lasco Distributors jumped a robust 57 percent to $602 million and post-tax climbed a solid 38 percent to $448 million and resulted in ICInsider.com upgrading earnings for the full year to 65 cents from 55 cents previously. Lasco Manufacturing’s performance was more subdued, with pretax profit rising 28 percent and aftertax 27 percent to $721 million and $526 million, respectively and are in line with ICInsider.com’s full year’s forecast of 70 cents per share. Both companies are just outside the ICTOP10 but are ICBUYRATED with good upside potential.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.3, well below the market average of 13.1. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 326 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 14 most highly valued Main Market stocks representing 30 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 95, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 23 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.8 compared with the market at 11. There are 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 39, averaging 20, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, and projected to rise by 248 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
Investors continue to nibble away at a number of stocks and gradually reducing the supply of several of them that are attractively priced as the market moves through the summer months, the start of the stock market year when new results will be coming to the market for investors to assess and determine what to do.
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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2024 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.
JSE Main Market drops thousands of points
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered big losses in the market indices on Friday, following trading in 54securities compared with 57 on Thursday, with prices of 15 rising, 17 falling and 22 ending unchanged following a 37 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with the value dropping 13 percent below trading on Thursday.
Trading ended with 10,233,836 shares being exchanged for $120,089,926 compared with 16,120,424 units at $137,525,796 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 189,515 shares at $2,223,888 versus 282,814 units at $2,412,733 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date averages 288,414 units at $2,166,508, compared with 293,471 units at $2,163,573 on the previous day. Trading in June closed with an average of 366,795 units at $6,952,581, that includes trading in bonds.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.19 million shares for 31.2 percent of total volume, followed by Kingston Wharves with 2.81 million units for 27.5 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.45 million units for 14.2 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 5,604.07 points to end at 360,086.67, the JSE Main Index declined 3,607.52 points to 325,270.08, and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.56 points to finish at 71.58.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Producers added 78 cents in closing at $11.18 with investors swapping 28,762 shares, First Rock Real Estate climbed 54 cents to end at $10.04 with 3,205 stock units crossing the market, JMMB Group fell 80 cents to $27.20, with 167,745 units changing hands, Kingston Properties rallied 70 cents to close at $7.47 after 19,770 stocks were traded. Kingston Wharves declined $2.45 and ended at $27.55 with a transfer of 2,809,594 units, Margaritaville shed 90 cents to close at $13.90 with 2,802 stock units clearing the market, Mayberry Investments dipped 74 cents to end at $8.06 with stakeholders exchanging 7,661 shares,
NCB Financial dropped $1.54 to $73.45 in an exchange of 168,783 stocks. Palace Amusement gained 30 cents in closing at $2.35 in trading 28,924 stock units, Pulse Investments lost 50 cents and ended at $2.15 in switching ownership of 366,046 stocks, Supreme Ventures dipped $1.27 in closing at $27.83 after 42,691 shares passed through the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance lost $1.90 in ending at $10.10 while exchanging 10,825 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% jumped $9 to end at $61.20 with an exchange of 20 units, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% popped $200 to $3,100 and closed after an exchange of 13 stocks, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share shed 44 cents to close at $2.49 after investors exchanged 599 stock units, 
138 Student Living preference share rose $22 to $100 as investors traded one share and Transjamaican Highway 8% declined 40 cents in closing at $2 with a transfer of 78,265 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
