Investors responded strongly to Caribbean Cream more than doubling profit in the half year to August and a tripling of second quarter profit by pushing the stock up 9 percent on Friday, accounting for the second highest volume for the day. The rise in the stock price resulted in it moving out of IC TOP 10 Junior Market listing and replaced by Lumber Depot.
Lumber Depot returns to the top flight of stocks with earnings per share projected at 20 cents for the current fiscal year and the price just over $1. The Main Market is as you were last week, with no new change.
The Main Market closed the past week higher than the highest level since the beginning of July, except for September 30, another reminder that the market traditionally commences rallying in July each year and slowly builds towards the end of the year. The Junior Market closed the week just above the close of the previous week. That disguises the critical signal that is the market is currently sending. The jump in Caribbean Cream’s price this past week speaks eloquently to the underlying interest that is still in the market and displayed by the demand for Barita Investment stock, with investors’ demand pushing the price within a few dollars of the record high. The broader signal is the big surge that the Junior Market will experience in a few weeks as short term moving averages cross over longer-term ones to confirm a strong rally to come.
The top three stocks in each market saw no change in ranking, leaving the top three Junior Market stocks with the potential to gain between 293 to 705 percent by March 2021. Caribbean Producers heads the list, followed by Lasco Financial and Elite Diagnostic. The focus on all three is on the 2021 fiscal year profit, projected to recover from reduced profit for the 2020 financial year. With expected gains of 151 to 245 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are Berger Paints, followed by JMMB Group and Grace Kennedy.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on companies’ profits reporting full year’s results from now to the second quarter in 2021. 
The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, indicating the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.8 and the Junior Market 11.6, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.7 at just 49 percent to the Junior Market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.5 or 54 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 298 percent and 144 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, indicating potentially greater gains in the Junior Market than the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in the selection process in and out of the lists for most weeks. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Similar to Thursday, trading ended with 30 securities changing hands and concluded with the prices of 12 stocks rising, the prices of 12 declining and six with prices remaining unchanged.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers after one stock ended at a 52 weeks’ low.
Indies Pharma fell 23 cents to end at $2.66 with 16,033 shares changing hands, ISP Finance jumped $5.95 to finish at $25.95 with investors switching ownership of 8,022 shares, Jamaican Teas lost 13 cents to settle at $4.86 with 123,392 stock units traded. Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents to close at 80 cents with 92,849 shares passing through the market, Knutsford Express fell 10 cents to end at $6.75 with an exchange of 1,780 stocks, following the release of results showing a loss in the first quarter, Lasco Distributors slipped 2 cents to $3.15 with 632 units changing hands. Lasco Financial increased 3 cents to $2.08 with investors transferring 258 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing declined by 13 cents to settle at $3.45 with 2,000 stocks passing through the market, Limners and Bards advanced 7 cents to close at $2.67 with an exchange of 35,992 units. Mailpac Group advanced 3 cents, trading 351,137 units to end at $1.98, Main Event dropped 15 cents to finish at $3.25 with 710 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables shed $1.23 to settle at $3.51 with investors switching ownership of 13,330 units. Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 68 cents to close at $5.55 with 14,100 stock units traded and Tropical Battery rose 1 cent to finish at $1.17 with 379,495 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 30 securities changing hands versus 32 on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 18 stocks rising, the prices of seven declining and five with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging lost 14 cents to settle at $1.86 after exchanging 11,664 shares, Blue Power climbed 40 cents to end at $3.46 with investors transferring 100 units, Caribbean Cream rose 1 cent to finish at $4.71 with 32,500 stocks passing through the market Caribbean Flavours shed 53 cents to close at $1.76 with the trading 879,378 stocks, Caribbean Producers gained 4 cents to settle at $2.20 with 100,000 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading advanced 9 cents to end at $2.65 with an exchange of,5,000 stock units. Elite Diagnostic fell 9 cents to finish at $3.05 with investors switching ownership of 2,050 shares, Express Catering jumped 35 cents to $3.90 with 120 units passing through the market, Fontana dropped 30 cents to settle at $4.65 with 164,450 stock units traded. Fosrich advanced 19 cents to end at $3.39 with 300 stock units changing hands, Honey Bun rose 8 cents to finish at $4.89 with investors transferring 7,907 units, iCreate gained 6 cents to close at 72 cents with 42,657 shares passing through the market. 
Jamaican Teas rose 8 cents, with an exchange of 318,487 shares to settle at $4.99 Jetcon Corporation ended 2 cents higher at 87 cents with 20,005 stock units changing hands, KLE Group advanced 6 cents to finish at $1.42 with 1,250 stocks traded. Knutsford Express jumped $1.05 to close at $6.85 with investors switching ownership of 11,579 units, Lasco Financial lost 4 cents to settle at $2.05 with 7,944 shares passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing increased 22 cents to end at $3.58 with an exchange of 32,849 shares. Limners and Bards fell 9 cents to finish at $2.60 with 85,853 units changing hands, Lumber Depot rose 1 cent, trading 108,529 stocks to close at $1.05, Mailpac Group finished 1 cent higher at $1.95 with investors transferring 58,758 stock units. Main Event advanced 14 cents to settle at $3.40 with an exchange of 17,963 units, Medical Disposables climbed 44 cents to end at $4.74 with 23,588 stock units passing through the market and tTech jumped 50 cents to $5.50 with 1,000 stock units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands compared to 31 on Tuesday, with the prices of nine stocks rising, 15 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 11 based on the IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Honey Bun lost 8 cents in ending at $4.81, with a transfer of 1,977 units, Indies Pharma gained 19 cents to close at $2.89, crossing the market with 155,294 shares, Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to settle at $4.91 trading 262,197 stocks. Knutsford Express shed 69 cents to finish at $5.80 after the transfer of 500 units, Lasco Distributors gained 4 cents to end at $3.17 and clearing the market with 2,450 units, Lasco Financial added 4 cents to close at $2.09, with an exchange of 2,210 units. Limners and Bards ended 9 cents higher at $2.69, after trading 33,000 shares, Lumber Depot closed at $1.04, with gains of 4 cents and 517,587 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group lost 1 cent in closing at $1.94, with investors swapping 86,270 shares. Main Event picked up 1 cent in closing at $3.26, in transferring 2,446 units, Medical Disposables shed 25 cents to close at $4.30 trading 6,129 units and Tropical Battery gained 6 cents in closing at $1.16, with trades of 1,549,487 shares.
For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 373,067 units at $800,609, in comparison to 396,297 units at $835,223 on Monday. Trading in September resulted in an average of 119,171 units at $249,355.
Fosrich fell 24 cents to settle at $3.20 with investors switching ownership of 3,054 stock units, General Accident dropped 29 cents to finish at $6.40 with 5,490 shares traded, GWest Corporation shed 3 cents to close at 71 cents with 12,297 stock units passing through the market. Honey Bun slipped 1 cent to $4.89 with 5,370 stocks changing hands, Indies Pharma lost 5 cents to end at $2.70 with 68,155 units traded, ISP Finance jumped $4.90 to $20 with an exchange of 1,000 units. Jetcon Corporation gained 6 cents to settle at 85 cents with investors switching ownership of 20,000 shares, Knutsford Express shed 39 cents to close at $6.49 with 430 stocks passing through the market, Lasco Distributors advanced 5 cents to end at $3.13 with 267,231 units changing hands. Lasco Financial fell 5 cents to settle at $2.05, with an exchange of 72,340 shares, Limners and Bards declined by 5 cents to finish at $2.60 with investors transferring 200,615 shares, Lumber Depot lost 8 cents to close at $1 with 92,152 stock units passing through the market. Mailpac Group rose 1 cent and traded 1,305,104 stock units to end at $1.95, Main Event dropped 49 cents to settle at $3.25 with 5,044 stock units changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 2 cents to finish at $4.87 with 8,911 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging added 6 cents to finish at $1.86, with a transfer of 100 units, Blue Power rose 35 cents to $3.55 in trading 17,596 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 4 cents to settle at $1.95, with 750 units passing through the market. Caribbean Flavours gained 42 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.38, with investors transferring 90,527 stocks, after the ten to one stock split took effect, Elite Diagnostic lost 5 cents to finish at $3.10, in exchanging 500,110 shares, Express Catering gained 38 cents to close at $3.98 with 6,500 units passing through the market. Fontana ended 5 cents lower at $4.95 in trading 98,829 shares, Fosrich lost 10 cents to finish at $3.44, with a transfer of 1,001 units, GWest Corporation lost 6 cents to settle at 74 cents, with an exchange of 10,052 stock units. Honey Bun gained 1 cent to close at $4.90 with 16,065 stock units changing hands, iCreate slipped 6 cents to 66 cents with 3,000 units passing through the market, Indies Pharma ended at $2.75, after losing 14 cents trading 7,350 units. 
Jamaican Teas gained 1 cent, with an exchange of 194,095 shares to finish at $5, Lasco Distributors closed 5 cents lower at $3.08, with 325 units changing hands, Lasco Financial gained 5 cents to close at $2.10, after a transfer of 16,712 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing slid 14 cents to end at $3.36, in trading 84,408 shares, Limners and Bards lost 2 cents to end at $2.65 after exchanging 204,682 shares, Mailpac lost 1 cent to close at $1.94 with 267,482 stock units changing hands, Main Event rose 49 cents to $3.74, with 2,266 units passing through the market. Medical Disposables gained 5 cents to close at $4.55, in exchanging 5,000 units, SSL Venture Capital lost 10 cents trading 2,382 units to close at 50 cents, Stationery and Office Supplies slid 75 cents to $4.85, with investors switching ownership of 2,000 units. Tropical Battery added 1 cent in trading 793,822 shares to settle at $1.10 and tTech dropped $1.40 to end at $5, with 1,600 units crossing the exchange.
The markets moved moderately higher to close at their highest levels since mid-August for the. The Main Market closed the past week higher than the previous one, but the Junior Market closed the week lower than the prior one.
With expected gains of 152 to 240 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are Berger Paints, followed by JMMB Group and Carreras. Radio Jamaica is now down to the fifth spot with slightly lower earnings per share of 15 cents from 20 cents previously.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 279 percent and 145 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication of potentially greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Thursday and ended with 13 stocks rising, the prices of 10 declining and 12 with prices remaining unchanged.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
iCreate slipped 1 cent to 72 cents with 38,675 units passing through the market, Indies Pharma gained 14 cents to end at $2.89 with 762,551 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas fell by 26 cents, with an exchange of 2,445,271 shares to finish at $4.99. Knutsford Express increased 38 cents to $6.88 with investors switching ownership of 488,661 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 11 cents to settle at $3.13 with 132,100 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing added 1 cent to end at $3.50 after trading 3,137 shares. Mailpac Group slipped 2 cents to $1.95 with 192,409 units passing through the market, Main Event shed 50 cents to finish at $3.25 with 4,035 units changing hands, Medical Disposables dropped 5 cents to close at $4.50 with an exchange 2,000 units. Tropical Battery gained 1 cent in trading 876,254 shares to settle at $1.09 and tTech jumped 65 cents to end at $6.40 with 865 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Wednesday and concluded with the prices of 13 stocks rising, the prices of 13 stocks declining and seven with prices remaining unchanged.
Trading in September resulted in an average of 119,171 units at $249,355.
Honey Bun fell 9 cents to settle at $4.80, trading 11,919 stocks, Indies Pharma advanced 11 cents to finish at $2.75 with 47,373 shares passing through the market, Jamaican Teas gained 5 cents to close at $5.25 with an exchange of 62,682 shares. Jetcon Corporation lost 12 cents to end at 79 cents in trading 144,350 units, KLE Group finished 6 cents higher at $1.42 after trading 698 stocks, Knutsford Express jumped $1 to $6.50 in the transfer of 625 shares. Lasco Distributors declined 10 cents to $3.02 with 45,412 stocks passing through the market, Lasco Financial slipped 5 cents to $2.05 with an exchange of 2,300 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing rose 9 cents to $3.49 with 62,452 shares changing hands. Limners and Bards increased 2 cents to finish at $2.67, in switching the ownership of 46,717, Lumber Depot dipped 1 cent, trading 1,170,743 shares to close at $1.08, Mailpac Group lost 1 cent to settle at $1.97 with 270,145 stocks passing through the market. Main Event jumped 50 cents to end at $3.75 with an exchange of 5,125 stock units, Medical Disposables dropped 5 cents to finish at $4.55 with 7,000 stocks changing hands, SSL Venture gained 4 cents to settle at 60 cents with 82,319 stocks traded. Tropical Battery rose 3 cents after trading 2,656,928 stock units to close at $1.08 and tTech lost 25 cents to end at $5.75 with 14,081 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close of the market, Cargo Handlers lost 1 cent to settle at $7.89 and 2,110 shares passing through the market, Caribbean Cream gained 24 cents to settle at $4.72, with a transfer of 10,600 stock units, Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances picked up 3 cents to finish at $18.45 after clearing the market with 235,129 shares. Caribbean Producers shed 20 cents to close at $2.20, after trading 55,820 shares, Consolidated Bakeries slipped 30 cents to $1.19, with 47,620 shares passing through the market, Derrimon Trading lost 4 cents to settle at $2.70, in transferring 13,605 stock units. Dolphin Cove ended 10 cents lower at $6.90, with investors switching ownership of 1,650 units, Elite Diagnostic gained 8 cents in closing at $3.10, after the trading of 2,668 units, Everything Fresh gained 1 cent in closing at 71 cents, with 54,000 shares crossing the market. Fosrich closed at $3.69, after gaining 34 cents with 186,750 shares changing hands, GWest Corporation ended 8 cents higher at 98 cents, in trading 12,011 stock units, Honey Bun lost 1 cent to settle at $4.89, after clearing the market with 8,747 stock units. Indies Pharma shed 21 cents to end at $2.64, exchanging 64,660 shares, Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents in finishing at $5.20, in trading 125,489 shares, Jetcon Corporation gained 12 cents to finish at 91 cents and clearing the market with 101,738 shares. 
Knutsford Express fell by $1 to $5.50 trading 8 units, Lasco Distributors gained 10 cents to close at $3.12, with investors swapping 112,106 shares, Lasco Financial gained 5 cents to end at $2.10, with 923 units crossing the market. Lasco Manufacturing lost 9 cents to close at $3.40, with an exchange of 70,951 shares, Mailpac Group fell 2 cents to $1.98 trading 456,329 shares, Main Event lost 5 cents in closing at $3.25, clearing the market with 19,865 stock units. Medical Disposables closed at $4.60, after losing 10 cents in the transfer of 18,282 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies rose to $5.60, with gains of 78 cents as investors switched ownership of just 77 units and tTech shed 70 cents to settle at $6 with an exchange of 5,100 stock units.