The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index declined for the second day, with a fall of 14.96 points to close at 2,845.91 on Friday. At the close, the prices of 11 securities advanced, 8 declined and 6 remained unchanged from 25 securities changing hands, compared to 26 changing hands on Thursday.
Market activity resulted in an exchange of 1,770,268 units valued at $6,952,112 versus an exchange of 3,574,111 units valued at $13,735,257 on Thursday.
Trading ended with an average of 70,811 units for an average of $278,084 compared to an average of 137,466 units for an average of $528,279 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 104,792 units at $405,635. February closed with an average of 338,697 units at an average value of $1,495,774 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 2 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed at $50, with 1,188 shares trading, AMG Packaging ended 17 cents higher at $2.20, with 4,032 stock units, CAC 2000 finished at $9, with 2,000 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 28 cents higher at $6.28, with 2,267 shares, Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents to close at $4.10, with 2,450 units. Derrimon Trading concluded trading with a gain of 48 cents to $7.48, with 71,245 shares, Elite Diagnostic settled 12 cents higher at $2.85, with 633,886 units, Eppley ended trading at $10, with 2,000 shares, Express Catering traded at $4.34, with 22,012 shares. FosRich Group finished trading with a loss of 11 cents at $2.50, with 169,827 shares changing hands, after the company reported earnings per share of 14 cents from 81 percent rise in profits for 2018. General Accident closed 6 cents higher at $2.96, with 26,621 stock units, GWest Corporation ended with a loss of 10 cents at $2.90, with 2,260 units, Honey Bun concluded trading 20 cents higher at $4.20, with 26,000 shares. Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 9 cents at $4.90, with 68,758 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded 30 cents higher at $4.90, with 65,640 units, Key Insurance finished trading with a loss of 6 cents at $3.94, with 17,204 shares, Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 4 cents at $14.96, with 7,562 shares. Lasco Distributors concluded trading at $4, with 97,597 stock units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 22 cents at $4.50, with 382,367 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled at $3.75, with 52,070 shares, Main Event ended trading 10 cents higher at $6, with 7,545 shares. Medical Disposables traded with a loss of 5 cents at $4.80, with 26,480 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading with a loss of 25 cents at $3.10, with 6,515 stock units, Stationery and Office closed 18 cents higher at $5.48, with 71,200 units after the company posted a 78 percent rise in profits and tTech concluded trading $1 higher at $6, with 1,542 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Junior Market volume slides – Monday
The market closed on Monday with 23 securities changing hands, up from 21 on Friday, resulting in an exchange of 1,526,211 units valued at $4,615,508, compared to 5,241,602 units valued at $19,221,963, on Friday.
The Junior Market index fell 11.94 points to close at 2,916.34 as the prices of 8 securities advanced, 9 declined and 6 remained unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 66,357 units for an average of $200,674 compared to an average of 249,600 units for an average of $915,332 on Friday. An average of 274,310 units at an average value of $1,538,475 traded, and previously 288,936 units at an average value of $1,632,571. In contrast, January closed with an average of 122,386 shares, valued at $489,704 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 1 cent at $2.44, with 3,500 stock units, Caribbean Cream ended trading with a loss of $1.32to $6.20, with 7,900 shares, Caribbean Flavours traded 1 cent higher at $10.90, with 9,725 stock units, Caribbean Producers finished trading with a loss of 40 cents at $4, with 12,490 units, Consolidated Bakeries closed 12 cents higher at $1.90, with 8,059 shares. Derrimon Trading concluded trading with a loss of 15 cents at $7, with 1,707 shares, Elite Diagnostic settled with a loss of 23 cents at $2.67, with 1,231,455 units, Express Catering traded with a loss of 40 cents at $4.30, with 17,778 shares, FosRich Group finished trading at $2.70, with 103,300 shares. General Accident closed at $2.80, with 6,012 stock units, GWest Corporation ended 10 cents higher at $2.60, with 12,653 units, Honey Bun concluded trading 2 cents higher at $5.15, with 500 shares, Iron Rock finished at $3, with 10,000 shares. ISP Finance settled $1.05 higher at $11.05, with 2,500 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 3 cents at $4.75, with 12,045 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded at $4.60, with 11,050 units, Knutsford Express ended at $15, with 1,627 shares. Lasco Distributors concluded trading 3 cents higher at $4.40, with 19,647 stock units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 15 cents at $4.85, with 24,372 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled at $4.43, with 6,000 shares, Main Event ended trading 3 cents higher at $6.03, with 3,000 shares, Stationery and Office closed 2 cents higher at $5.02, with 18,059 units and tTech concluded trading with a loss of 40 cents at $5, with 2,832 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Jamaican Teas exports sales up 66%
Export sales at Jamaican Teas grew a very strong 66 percent for the December quarter while domestic manufacturing sales increased by 15 percent. Overall sales at increased 22 percent to $456 million the quarter.
Revenues from our manufacturing operations grew 40 percent in the period while supermarket sales increased by 9 percent. Profit after tax rose 9 percent to $51 million, reflecting better performance from core operations and resulted in earnings per share of 7.6 cents.
A release accompanying the results by the company, stated that, “importantly, the trend in sales continued into the second quarter and are meeting the Company’s expectations. Our investment portfolio continued to increase in value over the December levels.”
Gross profit margin increased from 23 percent to 24 percent in the quarter over 2016. Other income was down by 59 percent, falling from $17 million to $7 million. The 2016 results benefited from greater contributions from realized investment and foreign exchange gains than in the latest quarter. In this regard realized investment gains during the quarter was $6 million compared with $12 million in the same period a year ago.Marketing and sales cost rose 16 percent to $9.6 million, administrative cost rose 34 percent to $43 million, reflecting added associated with the KIW acquisition, but finance cost fell 51 percent to $4.6 million.
The company said that “with the acquisition of KIW International and the reinvestment of the proceeds of sale from the property formerly owned by the company, quoted investments at the end of the quarter totaled $319 million.” It could have a major impact on profits, if the local stock market continues to record gains for the year.
The financial position improved over 2016 with equity capital of $1.1 billion, net current assets of $549 million and long term loan of $193 million.
The stock last traded at $4.78 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
John Jackson is a directors of the company.
Junior Market rose modestly on Friday
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with the prices of 9 securities advancing, 4 declining and 5 remaining unchanged leading to the market Index advancing 5.72 points to 2,941.32.
The market closed with 18 securities changing hands, resulting in 3,826,595 shares valued at $11,225,879 trading, compared to 21 securities trading on Thursday with 4,506,090 shares valued at $11,225,879 securities changing hands.
Trading ended with an average of 212,589 units for an average of $582,881 in contrast to 214,576 units for an average of $434,566 on Thursday. An average of 200,424 units at an average value of $1,534,489 traded, and previously 199,377 units at an average value of $1,616,445. In contrast, January closed with an average of 122,386 shares, valued at $489,704 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 4 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed 1 cent higher at $45.02, with 18,500 shares, AMG Packaging ended at $2, with 3,056,419 stock units trading, Cargo Handlers settled at $10.90, with 974 shares, Derrimon Trading concluded trading 38 cents higher at $7.50, with 6,441 units, Express Catering ended trading 10 cents higher at $4.70, with 67,234 shares. FosRich Group traded 10 cents higher at $2.60, with 1,300 stock units, General Accident finished trading with a loss of 1 cent at $2.84, with 193,992 shares, GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 5 cents at $2.70, with 109,788 stock units, Honey Bun ended 15 cents higher at $5.25, with 28,443 units. Iron Rock concluded trading at $3, with 110,000 shares, Jamaican Teas settled at $4.50, with 14,330 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 39 cents higher at $4.60, with 10,502 stock units, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of 50 cents at $13, with 1,000 shares. Lasco Distributors ended 6 cents higher at $4.52, with 66,915 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading 4 cents higher at $5.25, with 4,590 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing finished at $4.50, with 36,296 units, Main Event settled with a loss of 34 cents at $5.76, with 4,667 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading 20 cents higher at $5.20, with 95,204 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.