The Main Market and the USD markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined at the close of trading on Friday while the Junior Market rose, with the volume and value of stocks changing hands declining from trading on Thursday.
At the close of trading, Eppley climbed $4, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund recovered the $3.80 it lost on Thursday, Guardian Holdings gained $2, Scotia Group up $1.50 and GraceKennedy with a rise of $1. Declining stocks were led by Pan Jamaica,, down $6.73 and NCB Financial fell $1.47.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 66.62 points to close at 324,332.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 451.88 points to 346,035.74, the JSE Main Index lost 392.04 points to close at 311,317.38. The Junior Market Index gained 34.37 points to end the day at 3,695.69 and the JSE USD Market Index dropped 4.56 points to wrap up trading at 219.33.
Investors traded 10,332,299 shares, in all three markets, down from 22,170,439 units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amount to a mere $38 million up from $63.54 million on Thursday. The JSE USD market closed after 49,892 shares were traded, for US$8,545 compared to 10,110 units at US$968 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share skidded 54 cents in closing at $6.24 and Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $4.50 to $40.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.2 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.7 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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 quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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.
Junior Market drops again
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 306 percent and the value 241 percent more than on Wednesday even as fewer securities traded with 36 securities compared down from 40 on Wednesday and ended with prices rising and declining stocks sharing 14 stocks each, with eight closing unchanged.
Investors traded 19,362,577 shares for $34,892,741 compared with 4,766,135 units at $10,223,648 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 537,849 shares at $969,243, compared with 119,153 units at $255,591 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 169,444 units at $350,806, up from 132,501 stock units at $288,790 on the previous day, but lower than November, with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Caribbean Flavours led trading with 12.03 million shares for 62.1 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy with 3.01 million units for 15.5 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 1.05 million units for 5.4 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 21.06 points to close at 3,661.32.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market on Thursday, AMG Packaging declined 36 cents to $2.30, after just 292 shares passed through the market, Cargo Handlers plunged $3.64 to $11.31 with a transfer of 1,100 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 25 cents to end at $2.25 with an exchange of 6,000 shares. Caribbean Flavours lost 25 cents to close at $1.25 after 12,028,579 stock units were traded, Derrimon Trading rose 14 cents to $2 with 14,246 shares clearing the market, Fontana popped 30 cents to $10.30 in switching ownership of 1,791 units. GWest Corporation skidded 8 cents and ended at 87 cents with traders dealing in 11,782 stocks, 
iCreate rallied 8 cents in closing at 87 cents with 369,471 stock units changing hands, Jamaican Teas dropped 16 cents to end at $2.30 with investors transferring 1,050,000 shares. Lasco Distributors increased 41 cents to close at $3.93 after an exchange of 2,487 units, Lasco Financial shed 18 cents to close at $1.62 with investors dealing in 5,250 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 43 cents to close at $4.63 after an exchange of 2,586 stock units. Regency Petroleum lost 32 cents and ended at $2.06, with 969,355 shares crossing the market, Tropical Battery rose 11 cents to end at $1.91 with investors exchanging 24,496 units and tTech shed 33 cents in closing at $1.88 after 19 stocks were traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Markets marking time
The Main market and the USD markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange eked out gains on Thursday while the Junior Market declined, with the volume of stocks changing hands exceeding those on Wednesday fueled by a rise in the traded value.
At the close of trading, Guardian Holdings led stocks rising with a gain of $8 followed by Seprod up $4.17, Eppley rose $2 $2.49, NCB Financial a $1.87 and Massy Holdings off $1.45 and Jamaica Broilers up by $1,10. Declining stocks saw Eppley Caribbean Property Fund falling $3.80 followed by MPC Caribbean Energy Fund with a fall of $3.64 and GraceKennedy down $1.50.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 524.07 points to close at 324,399.50, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 5.10 points to wrap up trading at 346,487.62, the JSE Main Index advanced 755.51 points to end at 311,709.42. The Junior Market Index shed 21.06 points to close at 3,661.32 and the JSE USD Market Index inched 0.13 points higher to finish at 223.89.
Investors traded 22,170,439 shares, in all three markets, up from 11,954,522 units on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to a mere $63.54 million up from $48.78 million on Wednesday. The JSE USD market closed after 10,110 shares were traded, for US$968 compared to 730,855 units at US$13,102 on Wednesday.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share fell $24 and ended at $90.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.6 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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 quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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.
Trading jumps on the Junior Market
Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 43 percent and the value 58 percent more than Tuesday following trading in 40 securities similar to the outcome on Tuesday and ended with 18 rising, 13 declining and nine unchanged but that failed to save the market index from dropping at the close following a jump in the index in the morning session.
Investors traded 4,766,135 shares for $10,223,648 compared with 3,334,500 units at $6,456,830 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 119,153 shares at $255,591 compared to 83,363 units at $161,421 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 132,501 stock units at $288,790 compared to 134,174 shares at $292,953 on the previous day and markedly lower than November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545, after the market opened in the 3,750 range.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.02 million shares for 21.3 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 626,665 units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 626,493 units for 13.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 41.33 points to close at 3,682.38 after the market traded in the 3,750 range in early market activity.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rallied 35 cents and ended at $3 as 69,678 stocks passed through the market, following the release of half year results with profit up 330 percent to $70.5 million, Cargo Handlers rose 95 cents to close at $14.95 with an exchange of 110 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 26 cents to $2.50, with 1,232 shares clearing the market. Caribbean Flavours popped 20 cents in closing at $1.50 with a transfer of 135,000 stock units, Derrimon Trading dipped 17 cents to end at $1.86, with 75,221 shares crossing the market, Dolla Financial increased 10 cents in closing at $2.50 with investors trading 626,493 stock units. Dolphin Cove fell 17 cents to $17 and closed with an exchange of 614 stocks, Elite Diagnostic advanced 8 cents and ended at $1.74 with investors trading 29,491 units, Express Catering gained 12 cents to end at $3.95, with an exchange of 415 shares. Fontana skidded 49 cents to close at $10 after a transfer of 53,519 stocks, GWest Corporation popped 12 cents to 95 cents with shareholders swapping 300,000 units, Indies Pharma lost 16 cents to end at $2.83 after an exchange of 130 stock units. 
Jamaican Teas climbed 16 cents in closing at $2.46, with the trading of 14,560 shares, Lasco Distributors declined 46 cents to $3.52 with stakeholders exchanging 4,272 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 43 cents to end at $4.20 in switching ownership of 40,621 stocks. Mailpac Group dropped 8 cents to $2.02 as investors exchanged 18,030 stock units, Main Event popped 30 cents to $13.40 after 11,050 shares were traded, Paramount Trading advanced 15 cents in closing at $1.67 with traders dealing in 23 units. Regency Petroleum rose 18 cents and ended at $2.38 in an exchange of 216,183 stocks and Tropical Battery shed 15 cents to close at $1.80 with investors dealing in 85,794 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Market closed with mixed fortunes
Trading levels rose on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands exceeding the near 10 million shares on Tuesday fueled by a rise in value and resulting in the Main Market and Junior Market declining and the USD market closing marginally higher as Main Market stocks dominated.
Both GraceKennedy and Guardian Holdings led rising stocks with a gain of $2, followed by Kingston Wharves up $1.141 but declining stocks held the upper hand with Eppley dropping $2.49, Sagicor Group with a loss of $1.98, followed by NCB Financial down $1.85 and Massy Holdings off $1.44.
The JSE Combined Market Index popped 524.68 points to close trading at 323,875.43, while the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 384.80 points to end at 346,482.52, the JSE Main Index dipped 173.48 points to wrap up trading at 310,953.91. The Junior Market Index gave most of the 54.04 points gained on Tuesday with a drop of 41.33 points to settle at 3,682.38to settle at 3,723.71 and the JSE USD Market Index gained 1.76 points to close at
Investors traded 11,954,522 shares, in all three markets, down from 9,863,787 units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to a mere $48.78 million up from $36 million on Tuesday. The JSE USD market closed after 730,855 shares were traded, for US$13,102 compared to 102,487 units at US$9,725 on Tuesday.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share increased $1.26 and ended at $6.76 Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $1.50 to $44.5 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share skidded $11.15 to $105.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.2 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.8 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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 navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market successfully. 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.
Junior Market surge
Trading activity sent the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surging on Tuesday by 54.04 points to 3,723.71, following a sharp reduction in the volume and value of stocks traded, as volume dropped 57 percent from that on Monday, with a 46 percent lower value following trading in 40 securities compared with 38 on Monday and ended with the prices of 18 rising, 17 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 3,334,500 shares for $6,456,830 compared with 7,705,493 units at $11,922,249 on Monday.
Trading averaged 83,363 shares at $161,421, compared with 202,776 units at $313,743 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 134,174 units at $292,953 compared with 141,459 stock units at $311,810 on the previous day. November closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
EduFocal led trading with 761,518 shares for 22.8 percent of total volume, Tropical Battery followed with 497,599 units for 14.9 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 361,282 units for 10.8 percent market share.
he Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending 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, AMG Packaging rose 36 cents to end at $2.66 with just two stocks crossing the exchange, Blue Power shed 42 cents to $2.65 with a transfer of 400 units, ahead of the company reporting profit for the second quarter surging 221 per cent to $33 million, Cargo Handlers declined 95 cents and ended at $14 with investors dealing in 711 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 11 cents to close at $2.24 in an exchange of 1,000 stock units, Caribbean Cream dropped 69 cents in closing at $3 with 706 shares clearing the market, Caribbean Flavours fell 20 cents to $1.30 after a transfer of 2,067 units. Consolidated Bakeries rallied 10 cents to end at $1.90, with 5,000 stocks crossing the market, Derrimon Trading popped 8 cents in closing at $2.03 with an exchange of 467 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained 60 cents to close at $17.17 after 508 shares changed hands. 
EduFocal increased 16 cents and ended at $1.87 with traders dealing in 761,518 units, Elite Diagnostic dipped 18 cents to $1.66 after an exchange of 1,476 stocks, Fontana climbed 29 cents and ended at $10.49 with investors transferring 1,984 stock units. GWest Corporation skidded 17 cents in closing at 83 cents after 15,094 shares passed through the market, Honey Bun fell 10 cents to end at $6.30 with stakeholders exchanging 7,308 stock units, Indies Pharma advanced 17 cents to close at $2.99 in trading 37,465 units. Lasco Distributors popped 37 cents to $3.98 with 17,682 stock units crossing the market, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents in closing at $1.80 as investors exchanged 850 shares, Mailpac Group declined 9 cents to end at $2.10 with investors trading 4,515 stocks. Paramount Trading shed 22 cents and ended at $1.52 with shareholders swapping 1,000 units and Tropical Battery climbed 17 cents to close at $1.95 in an exchange of 497,599 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big gains for Main Market stocks as Junior Market surges
Trading dropped sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with trading in less than 10 million shares compared to just over 14 million on Monday at a value that was a fraction of that on Monday’s and leading to a modest rise in the Main Market while the junior Market surged sharply from Monday’s close and the USD market closed marginally lower, but Main Market stocks 
dominated gainers with Eppley Caribbean Properties Fund jumping $3.50, Sagicor Group up $1.98, followed by NCB Financial $1.95, Jamaica Producers added $1, followed by Wisynco Group up $0.96 and Jamaica Stock Exchange $0.94. Stocks ending with notable declines are Guardian Holdings down $12.95, GraceKennedy down $3, followed by Seprod with a fall of $2.90.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 921.00 points to close at 324,400.11, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 63.64 points to end at 346,097.72, the JSE Main Index gained 477.68 points to close at 311,127.39. The Junior Market Index surged 54.04 points to settle at 3,723.71 and the JSE USD Market Index fell 1.83 points to 222.00.
Investors traded 9,863,787 shares, in all three markets, down from 14,395,216 units on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to a mere $36 million up from $104.42 million on Monday. 
The JSE USD market closed after 102,487 shares were traded for US$9,725 up sharply from 3,759 units at US$430 on Monday.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share dipped $1.40 and ended at $5.50 with investors transferring 920 stocks and Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $6 to end at $46.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.8 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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 quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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.
Falling stocks pelted Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped for a third consecutive day, on Monday, after the volume of stocks traded climbed 53 percent and the value slipped a tad lower than Friday following trading in 38 securities compared with 36 on Friday and ended with prices of 14 rising, 18 declining and six closing unchanged.
Investors traded 7,705,493 shares for $11,922,249 compared with 5,022,943 units at $11,992,912 on Friday.
Trading averaged 202,776 shares at $313,743, compared with 139,526 units at $333,136 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 141,459 units at $311,810 compared with 131,791 stock units at $311,505 on the previous trading day down from November with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
iCreate led trading with 3.46 million shares for 44.8 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 1.19 million units for 15.4 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 907,966 units for 11.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index skidded 31.09 points to end the day at 3,669.67.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers
At the close, AMG Packaging shed 59 cents to close at $2.30 with investors transferring just 403 stock units, CAC 2000 climbed 60 cents and ended at $4.60, with 11 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 15 cents in closing at $2.35 while exchanging 300,000 units. Consolidated Bakeries fell 10 cents to end at $1.80 in trading 53,000 stocks, Derrimon Trading increased 8 cents to close at $1.95 after an exchange of 2,190 units, Dolla Financial dipped 10 cents to $2.39, after 1,185,788 stocks passed through the market.
Dolphin Cove lost 82 cents to close at $16.57 in trading 1,569 shares, EduFocal skidded 21 cents to end at $1.71 in an exchange of 829,284 stock units, Express Catering dropped 17 cents in closing at $3.83, with 2,588 shares changing hands. Fontana popped 63 cents and ended at $10.20 in an exchange of 29,895 stocks, iCreate advanced 10 cents to 87 cents with 3,455,685 units clearing the market, Image Plus fell 11 cents and ended at $1.92 in switching ownership of 6,149 stock units. Indies Pharma dipped 18 cents in closing at $2.82 with stakeholders exchanging 10,350 shares, ISP Finance lost 10 cents to end at $29.90 after a transfer of 708 stock units, Jamaican Teas skidded 25 cents to close at $2.30 with shareholders swapping 44,424 units. Lasco Manufacturing rose 35 cents to $4.65 with an exchange of 42,628 stocks, Limners and Bards gained 13 cents in closing at $1.74 with investors dealing in 133,000 shares, 
Mailpac Group rallied 14 cents to close at $2.19 with a transfer of 75 stock units and Main Event increased 10 cents to end at $13.10 after closing with 3,744 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks fall in all JSE Markets on Monday
Trading picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, but all three markets slipped with the overall trading volume and value rose above Friday’s depressed levels, with Pan Jamaica gaining $4.74, Scotia Group rising $1.70 following release of full year results of $5.54 per share after profit jumped 67 percent for the year and Seprod popped $1.40, but falling Main Market stocks 
overpowered winners, with NCB Financial falling by $2, Supreme Ventures with a drop of $1.60, Caribbean Cement down $1.50, Kingston Wharves fell by $1.49, Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of $1.38, Sagicor Group closed with a $1.00 fall and Jamaica Producers down $1.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 1,725.71 points to 323,479.11, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 711.18 points to close at 346,161.36, the JSE Main Index dropped 1,549.88 points to close at 10,649.71. The Junior Market Index dipped 31.09 points to finish at 3,669.67 and the JSE USD Market Index shed 6.78 points to end at 223.83.
Investors traded 14,395,216 shares, in all three markets, up from 10,953,060 units on Friday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $104.42 million up from $31.8 million on Friday. The JSE USD market closed after a mere 3,759 shares were traded, for just US$430 compared to 57,458 units at US$3,210 on Friday.
In the preference segment, no stocks traded with notable price movements.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.9 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.6 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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 quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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.
Shakeup of ICTOP10
The Main and Junior Markets closed the week lower, resulting in three new entrants into the top 10 listings and some notable price movements, with the two markets without a clear direction, but the Main Market is showing signs of bottoming out with a big breakout not seeming far away.
Some emerging signs of potential moves higher are emerging for some stocks, with a sharp decline in the volume of some select stocks being offered for sale, setting the stage for sharp upward push in prices of some stocks in the coming weeks. Scotia Group is one such, as it approaches the release of full year results and an announcement on dividend, but buying interest is currently low keyed. The stock trades at an extremely low PE of 5.7 times projected 2023 earnings. AMG Packaging trades at 6.5 times 2024 earnings with only 58,816 shares on offer at the close on Friday and so is Jamaica Teas, with offers now generally above $2.53, with buyers mostly at $2.30, Access Financial is yet another, but buying is weak, Caribbean Cement also has limited stocks on offer.
Four Junior Market stocks gained 6 percent and over and two ended with big losses, while the Main Market had two stocks with worthwhile gains and two with moderate losses of 4 and 6 percent.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with Palace Amusement rising 15 percent to $1.29, Key Insurance popped 10 percent to $2.20, while Margaritaville declined 6 percent to $16 and Caribbean Producers lost 4 percent to close at $9.08.
The Junior Market ended with Caribbean Cream jumping 19 percent to $3.69, AMG Packaging climbed 12 percent to $2.89 while Jamaica Teas rose 7 percent to $2.55, Iron Rock Insurance jumping 20 percent to $2.65 and Honey Bun rose 6 percent to $6.44. The losers were Iron Rock Insurance down 22 percent to $2.06 and Lasco Distributors with a fall of 12 percent to 3.61.
Honey Bun and Elite Diagnostic dropped out of Junior Market ICTOP10 and are replaced by Tropical Battery and Stationery and Office Supplies. Sygnus Credit Investments drop out of the Main Market TOP10 with Pulse Investments coming in to replace it.
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 12.8. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 287 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings and now provides better values than the Junior Market.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 20 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.9, over half of the market, with an average of 13.2. There are 16 stocks, or 33 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 49, averaging 20 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 200 percent on or around May 2024.
Of great significance is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around 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 and result 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.