AMG Packaging recently released full year results, with profits of $62.6 million, up 11.6 percent above the $56 million earned in 2020, and profit rose 12.7 percent to $20 after tax in the August quarter from $18.4 million after a tax credit in 2020.
AMG Packaging warehouse
Revenues rose a mere 5.3 percent, from $187 million in the August 2020 quarter to $197 million and slipped 2 percent from $720 to $706 million for the entire year. Other income contributed $4 million in the 2021 final quarter versus $1.9 million in 2020 and $6.6 million for the year, from $4 million in 2020.
The company realized an improvement in its gross profit margin that increased in the August quarter to 28 percent from 25.7 percent in 2020 and rose to 29 percent for the year versus 25.3 percent in 2020. Input cost rose 2 percent for the 2021 fourth quarter to $141 million and declined 7 percent for the year to $501 million from $538 million. Operating profit rose 14.5 percent in the quarter to $55 million from $48 million and popped 12.6 percent for the year, to $205 million from $182 million in 2020.
Michael Chin
Administrative expenses rose 28 percent to $27.8 million in the quarter and increased 6 percent to $92 million for the year. Depreciation charge slipped from $6.2 million to $5.9 million for the quarter and rose marginally from $23.4 million to $24.3 for the year and will increase in the new year with the addition of new equipment. Finance cost slipped 7 percent in the February quarter, to $2 million from $2.2 million in 2020 and declined 9 percent from $9 million to $8 million for the year.
The business generated gross cash flows of $94 million but growth in working capital, acquisition of fixed assets. It ended with a cash deficit of $129 million that resulted in a reduction in the $259 million on hand at the end of August 2020. The fiscal year ended with shareholders’ equity of $610 million long, term borrowings at $99 million and short term at $18 million.
AMG paper binding machine
Current assets ended the period at $480 million, including $221 million in inventories, receivables of $96 million, equipment in transit of $33 million and cash and bank balances of $131 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $167 million. Net current assets ended the period at $313 million. Questioned why the amounts in inventories more than doubled, from $107 million in 2020, Michael Chin, General Manager, indicated that three orders placed months ago all came recently, as disruptions obtaining raw material makes continues. Additionally, paper shortage on the world market has seen prices jumping 17 percent for November orders, with the cost, he says, “climbing 46 percent since March.”
Earnings per share came out at 4 cents for the quarter and 12 cents for the year to date. IC Insider.com forecasts 35 cents per share for the fiscal year ending August 2021, with a PE of 5 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $1.70, the stock traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Friday. Net asset value is $1.19, with the stock selling at 1.4 times book value.
Chin sees a significant benefit to flow from the $150 million factory expansion and upgrading project. Construction of the new facility is complete and now stores raw and some finished goods. Chin states that machinery and equipment in transit are expected on the island this month and will be installed by February next year.
Addition to the factory to house new machine, now used for storage.
“The new machine will lead to a reduction in operating costs and provide capacity to increase production, using either virgin or recycled paper,” Chin informed this publication. One existing machine will be retired with the new one in place. Accordingly, “the new machine will do the work of two machines currently, that will involve, cutting, folding boxes and printing in multi-colour, in one seamless operation,” Chin advised. Another benefit of the new operations is the ability to store finished goods, which will allow for more continuous operation processing. It will also provide adequate space to store recycled paper in large quantities that were not possible, before the completion of the expansion, as it requires in house storage, unlike the virgin paper that can and is stored outside.
Looking forward, Chin indicates that production is back to pre Covid19 levels in the past two months; he explained that the company now employs a sales representative who will seek new business after the installation of new machinery and operational. Directors will be meeting on November 16 to consider the payment of a dividend; the last dividend was 2 cents paid in December 2019 when the profit was $59 million with earnings per share of 12 cents.
During the past week, Caribbean Brokers jumped 30 percent to close at $2.32 after hitting $2.96 on Thursday, following the company’s surprise to the market with outstanding results for the nine months to September. Elite Diagnostic rose 15 percent ahead of the release of the first quarter results that show increased sales over the June quarter and ended with a loss of $500,000 in the quarter versus a $10million loss in 2020, but the company generated cash inflows of $27 million for the quarter, slightly more than the dividend they recently paid. General Accident rose 8 percent ahead of quarterly results, Stationery & Office Supplies gained 7 percent, following improved nine months results. In the Main Market, Caribbean Producers jumped 24 percent following a big spike in September quarterly profit, but the stock has much more to do with earnings upgraded to J$1.65 per share for the year. Proven rose 6 percent, the rest were mostly downhill with a 10 percent fall for Guardian Holdings, VM Investments fell 7 percent and Radio Jamaica slipped 8 percent as investors reacted hurriedly to half year results that show the company is on track to reach ICInsider.com forecast of 45 cents per share.
The top three Main Market stocks are Guardian Holdings, Berger Paints and Caribbean Producers. These stocks are projected to gain between 227 to 261 percent expected versus last weeks’ 220 to 230 percent.
The latest results show that there are many undervalued stocks, but investors should focus on these stocks that could deliver good earnings growth in 2022.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 15.5, which is 23 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 29 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8, representing a 51 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 12 stocks or 25 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average PE of 25.5, suggesting that the accepted multiple maybe around 25 times the current year’s earnings.
Market activity led to 38 stocks trading up from 37 on Thursday and ended, with 15 rising, 14 declining and nine, closing unchanged.
In trading, Blue Power climbed 10 cents to close at $3.20 in trading 6,902 shares, CAC 2000 dropped $1.57 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $6.55 while exchanging 31,000 stock units, Cargo Handlers shed 79 cents to end at $7.05 with 16,108 units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 17 cents in closing at $2.32 after exchanging 601,737 stocks, Caribbean Cream lost 36 cents in ending at $5.73 with 500 stocks trading, Derrimon Trading declined 13 cents to $2.30, with 106,351 shares crossing the market. Elite Diagnostic rallied 21 cents to $3.46 after trading 101,427 units, Fontana fell 22 cents to end at $7.28, with 213,003 stock units changing hands after hitting an all-time high of $7.99, Fosrich popped 10 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $9, with 500 stocks clearing the market. Future Energy Source rose 14 cents ending at $3.25 in switching ownership of 4,775,741 stock units after hitting an intraday record high of $3.50, GWest Corporation popped 8 cents to 93 cents in an exchange of 38,160 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 30 cents in closing at $3.79 with an exchange of 3,681 shares. KLE Group lost 10 cents to end at $2.40 in exchanging 63,000 stocks, Knutsford Express shed 69 cents after finishing at $7.26 in an exchange of 18,512 units, Lasco Distributors fell 24 cents to close at $3.25, with 2,184 shares crossing the exchange. 
Limners and Bards increased 14 cents to $3.58 in trading 78,108 stock units, Lumber Depot dropped 11 cents to $2.85 after 341,461 stock units crossed the market. Mailpac Group advanced 7 cents to $3.78, with 856,569 shares changing hands. Medical Disposables spiked $1.18 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.78 in trading 70,846 stocks and Paramount Trading shed 19 cents to $1.04 in exchanging 135,050 units.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 13.08 points to close at 3,444.33.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 10 cents to $1.75 in trading 141,730 shares, Blue Power shed 20 cents to close at $3.10 with 1,100 units changed hands, CAC 2000 rallied $1.10 in closing at $8.12, as 96 stocks crossed the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 20 cents ending at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.49 after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $2.96 in an exchange of 1,262,538 stock units, Caribbean Cream gained 9 cents to end at $6.09 in exchanging 8,501 stock units, Dolphin Cove rallied 25 cents to $10.25 in switching ownership of 111,395 units. Elite Diagnostic declined 23 cents to $3.25, trading 15,390 shares, Everything Fresh climbed 12 cents in closing at $1.04 with the swapping of 361,431 stocks, Fontana lost 10 cents in ending at $7.50, with 202,617 stocks changing hands after trading at an intraday high of $7.81. Fosrich shed 10 cents to end at $8.90 after an exchange of 14,295 shares, Future Energy Source rose 21 cents to close at $3.11, trading 3,212,089 stock units, General Accident fell 20 cents to end at $6.60 with an exchange of 20,722 units. Honey Bun popped 35 cents to end at $9.50, trading 116,429 stock units, Indies Pharma popped 8 cents in ending at $3.13 after 3,700 shares crossed the exchange, Iron Rock Insurance declined 29 cents to $3.49 with one stock trading.
Lasco Distributors fell 21 cents to close at $3.49, with 105,296 units clearing the market, Lumber Depot rose 14 cents to $2.96 while exchanging 445,823 stock units, Medical Disposables rallied 30 cents to $5.60 in trading 1,832 shares. SSL Venture popped 10 cents to 76 cents with the swapping of 45,300 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies rose 22 cents to close at $6.75, with 6,299 units crossing the market and tTech gained 11 cents to end at $4 with an exchange of 452 shares.
At the close, Access Financial dropped 25 cents and finished unchanged at $20.25 after exchanging 1,424 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 59 cents in ending at $2.29 trading 1,822,207 stocks, as investors responded positively to the release of results that shoed 31 cents per share for the nine months to September after reporting 41 cents for the September quarter. Caribbean Cream climbed 28 cents to $6 after exchanging 8,978s tock units. Dolphin Cove rose 9 cents to $10, with 29,850 units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic rallied 33 cents to end at $3.48 after 314,805 units crossed the market, Fontana increased 30 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.60 in an exchange of 115,216 stocks. General Accident popped 79 cents to end at $6.80 while exchanging 20,775 stock units, Honey Bun shed 35 cents in closing at $9.15 and trading 47,495 shares, Indies Pharma fell 15 cents to $3.05 in exchanging 288,370 stocks. Iron Rock Insurance spiked 71 cents to finish unchanged at $3.78, with one stock unit crossing the market, Jamaican Teas lost 25 cents to close at $4.25, with 163,617 units clearing the market, KLE Group declined 64 cents in ending at $2.50 after 11,500 shares changed hands. 
Knutsford Express shed 9 cents in closing at $8 closed after trading 11,870 units, Lasco Distributors gained 17 cents to $3.70 with the swapping of 13,538 stock units, Lasco Financial popped 14 cents and finished unchanged at $3.24 with an exchange of 154,500 stocks. Limners and Bards advanced 16 cents to close at $3.47 in trading 114,808 shares, Lumber Depot declined 15 cents to end at $2.82 in switching ownership of 898,450 stocks, Paramount Trading increased 11 cents in ending at $1.21 while exchanging 108,466 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 23 cents to close at $6.53 after trading 54,900 units.
At the close, Access Financial popped 61 cents to close at $20.50 after trading 204 shares, Blue Power increased 24 cents to $3.30 in trading 1,000 units, CAC 2000 shed $2.28 to end at $7.02 while exchanging 14,000 stocks. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 8 cents to $1.70 with an exchange of 46,900 stock units, ahead of the release of the company’s third quarter earnings of 41 cents for the quarter and 31 cents for the nine months. Derrimon Trading rose 10 cents to $2.40, with 84,581 units crossing the exchange, Dolphin Cove fell 9 cents to close at $9.91 with 41,671 stocks clearing the market. Elite Diagnostic gained 13 cents to close at $3.15, with 21,284 stock units changing hands, Express Catering advanced 27 cents to $5.27 after trading 21,600 shares, Fontana popped 10 cents to $7.30 after an exchange of 264,511 stock units. Future Energy Source rose 7 cents to end at $2.88 in exchanging 1,310,536 shares, General Accident dropped 84 cents to $6.01 in switching ownership of 3,017 units, Honey Bun rallied 10 cents to $9.50 after trading 32,417 stocks. Jamaican Teas rose 25 cents to $4.50 with the swapping of 836,255 stocks, Jetcon Corporation rallied 11 cents in closing at $1.11 in an exchange of 70,737 shares, 
KLE Group popped 64 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.14, after 4,725 units crossed the market. Knutsford Express popped 9 cents to close at $8.09, trading five stock units, Lasco Distributor slipped 17 cents to $3.53 trading 1,208 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 25 cents to end at $4 75, after 698,413 stocks crossed the market. Limners and Bards dropped 24 cents in closing at $3.31 with the swapping of 229,331 units and Medical Disposables fell 20 cents to $5.30 in switching ownership of 700 shares.
Overall, 39 securities traded versus 37 on Friday and ended with 12 rising, 15 declining and 12, closing unchanged.
Trading averaged 79,486 shares at $291,838 versusu 132,022 shares at $551,545 on Friday and month to date an average of 107,521 units at $385,339 down from compared to 113,246 units at $404,431 on Friday. October closed with an average of 162,777 units at $557,275.
Jamaican Teas fell 15 cents to end at $4.25, with 269,338 stock units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express shed 9 cents to $8 after 611 stocks crossed the market, Lasco Distributors lost 15 cents at $3.70 after trading 1,604 shares. Mailpac Group dropped 9 cents to end at $3.74 after exchanging 495,561 stocks and Main Event advanced 40 cents to close at $4.40, with 2,107 shares clearing the market.
This week’s focus: QWI investments, one of ICInsdier.com TOP15 stocks for 2021, now boast a Net Asset Value of $1.43 at the end of the past week, the highest value since it was listed in 2019, but the stock is selling at 92 cents on the Main Market at a huge 36 percent discount to NAV, even as the composition of the portfolio suggests further increase in value is likely before the end of 2021. The NAV is up 23 percent from $1.16 at the end of December last year, just below the Junior Market gains for the year to date and well ahead of the Composite index rise. The stock price has increased by 19.4 percent from 77 cents at the end of 2020 to Friday. It seems that investors don’t buy into the concept of buying stocks when blood is in the streets.
Investors’ focus should now be on 2022 for the local stocks and the current year’s values to determine the appropriate values of each stock for a hold or fold decision.
The Junior Market can gain 52 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 25 percent based on an average PE of 17. Seven stocks representing 15 percent of all Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level, down from nine last week, indicating that many others will rise above the 17 mark in the weeks ahead.
ICTOP10 focuses on potential yearly winners; accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
A total of 37 securities traded down from 41 on Thursday and ended with 16 rising, 13 declining and eight closed unchanged.
Trading averaged 132,022 shares at $551,545 in contrast to 100,813 shares at $341,784 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 113,246 units at $404,431, compared to 108,735 units at $369,086 on Thursday. Trading in October averaged 162,777 units at $557,275.
Knutsford Express rose 9 cents in closing at $8.09, trading 6,374 stock units, Lasco Distributors advanced 33 cents to end at $3.85, with 58,015 units crossing the market Lasco Manufacturing lost 30 cents, closing at $4.50 after trading 250,158 shares. Main Event shed 40 cents to close at $4 in switching ownership of 354,112 stocks, Paramount Trading popped 9 cents in closing at $1.14, with 470 shares crossing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 39 cents to end at $6.30 with an exchange of 200 units.
