Trading surged over Friday’s levels on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 1,320 percent valued 1,375 percent more than Friday after trading ended with an exchange of 43 securities compared with 40 on Friday and ended with declining stocks overwhelming the nine with the price increases and ended with 27 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 24,523,793 shares for $60,261,332 compared with 1,727,434 units at $4,084,376 on Friday as Future Energy traded over 8 million valued just under $30 million and Tropical Battery with 12 million shares at near $23 million.
Tropical Battery led trading with 12.03 million shares for 49 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy with 8.25 million units for 33.6 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 856,430 units for 3.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 570,321 shares at $1,401,426 compared with 43,186 shares at $102,109 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 158,559 units at $395,758 compared with 105,067 stock units at $265,112 on the previous day. October closed with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 62.76 points to 3,765.99.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.6, 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 seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 44 cents to close at $2 after a transfer of 7,072 stock units, Blue Power rallied 15 cents to $2.90 after an exchange of 40 shares, CAC 2000 dipped 89 cents to close at $4.01 with investors dealing in just 2 stocks. Caribbean Cream fell 23 cents and ended at $3.36 following trading of 7,500 units, Caribbean Flavours dropped 28 cents to end at $1.03 after 111,177 stocks passed through the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries shed 21 cents in closing at $2.05 as passed 8,122 units through the market. Derrimon Trading declined 13 cents to $1.85 in an exchange of 218,483 shares, Dolphin Cove skidded 95 cents to end at $15.55 with traders dealing in 4,089 stock units, EduFocal lost 15 cents and ended at $1.95, with 423,246 shares crossing the market. 
Fontana fell 9 cents to close at $10.89 with a transfer of 91,148 stocks, GWest Corporation declined 13 cents to close at 90 cents with investors exchanging 133,087 units, Honey Bun shed 28 cents and ended at $6.39 in switching ownership of 41,280 stock units. Jamaican Teas popped 10 cents to end at $2.18, with 150,000 shares changing hands, Jetcon Corporation dropped 24 cents to close at 70 cents with shareholders swapping 79,000 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing skidded 23 cents to end at $4.50 after 6,143 units crossed the market. Lumber Depot dipped 13 cents to $2.50 while exchanging 4,339 stock units, Main Event increased 14 cents to end at $14.60 with 68 shares clearing the market, 
Medical Disposables fell 14 cents in closing at $3.36 in trading 6,806 units and MFS Capital Partners dipped 8 cents to close at $1.92 with investors transferring 224,968 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market rallies as Juniors dropped
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed higher at the close of trading on Monday as the JSE USD Market inched marginally lower but the Junior Market plunged 63 points, following a moderate rise in the volume of stocks traded with the value jumping above that on Friday.
At the close of trading on Monday, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 136.50 points to 329,091.28, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 2,334.48 points to 350,357.91, after shares of NCB Financial jumped $6.51 to $73.50, the JSE Main Index advanced 733.38 points to 315,732.62. The Junior Market Index rose 62.76 points to close trading at 3,765.99 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 0.10 points to 223.37.
Investors traded 31,517,364 shares in all three markets, versus 13,255,970 units on Friday. The value of stocks traded climbed on the Junior and Main markets to $149. 07 million from $118.38 million on Friday. The JSE USD market closed after 647,665 shares were traded, for US$35,342 up sharply from 126,524 units at US$3,325 on Friday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% declined $8 and ended at $42.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.9 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.
New additions to ICTOP10
A series of third quarter company results were released during the past week, and most reported good numbers that augur well for the stock prices in the months ahead. Some of the results are companies in the ICTOP10. During the week the JSE Main Market rose but the Junior Market lost ground moderately for a second week.
Price movements in the market resulted in two new ICTOP10 listings for the Junior Market and one for the Main Market. In the Junior Market, Dolphin Cove rose 6 percent to $16.50 and AMG Packaging rose 4 percent to $2.44 after trading at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.95 during the week. Paramount Trading dropped 12 percent to $1.48, followed by Everything Fresh shedding 11 percent to $1.56, Iron Rock Insurance fell 9 percent to $2 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 8 percent to end at $2.85.
The Main Market closed the week with Sygnus Credit Investments climbing 7 percent to $11.90, Margaritaville and Jamaica Broilers rising 6 percent to $17.58 and $34.97 respectively. General Insurance dropped 9 percent to end at $5.04.
Lasco Financial and Lasco Distributors released half year results but dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 and Lasco Manufacturing also reported six months results but remained in the ICTOP 10. Following the release of the results, Lasco Distributors earnings were reduced from $1.65 to $1.60 for the full year and sits at number 12 in ICInsider.com rankings. 
Importantly selling in the stock has been drastically reduced with just 19 offers up to $15.90 amounting to less than 200,000 shares and 19 bids above $4, with the highest bid amounting to more than the total stocks being offered. Earnings per share for Lasco Financial were reduced to 15 cents for the year and holds the 31st spot on the list.
Jamaica Teas also released results for the year to September, showing an improvement over 2022 and disclosed expected improvements from major changes already undertaken, which should improve 2024 results added to that, stocks should do better in the coming year, resulting in exposure of projections for 2024 as such it along with Caribbean Cream are now in the ICTOP10.
Returning to the Main Market TOP 10 is Palace Amusement Company replacing Caribbean Cement.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5, well below the market average of 12.2. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 319 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
An indication of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 30 and 20 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 16 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 5.7, just over half of the market, with an average of 11.9. There are 11 stocks, or 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 48, averaging 21 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 260 percent on or around May 2024.
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.
Profit climbs 22% at Stationery & Office Supplies
Profit climbed in 2023 at Stationery and Office Supplies an under the radar company until listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange transformed it into one of the leading companies peddling office supplies in Jamaica. For the quarter ending September this year, profit after tax climbed 22 percent to $96 million from $79 million last year and for the nine months $294 million up 14 percent from $252.5 million.
Stationary & Office Supplies – Montego Bay office.
The year-to-date figures include a gain on the sale of assets amounting to $7.1 million and $30 million in 2022 as such this year’s ongoing profit performance is greater than the net figures suggest.
Year to date, the operating profit before finance charges and gains or loss on the sale of fixed assets is up a solid 38 percent for the nine months and 12 percent for the quarter.
For the September quarter, revenues inched up from $473 million to $488 million. A fair bit of the slowdown is due to price discounts granted based on originally listed prices following falling input costs. For the year to date, revenues climbed 16 percent to $1.53 billion from $1.32 billion in 2022.
Administrative and general expenses rose 23.5 percent to $138 million from $112 million in the September quarter of 2022 and for the year to date, it climbed 20 percent to $378 million from $314 million. Selling and promotional costs fell to $29 million for the September 2023 quarter from $35.8 million last year, with the year to date figures being almost flat at $97 million in 2023 versus $96 million in 2022. Depreciation charges were slightly down from $8.7 million in the September quarter of last year to $8.4 million this year and year to date the numbers are flat at $26.4 million.
Earnings per share for the third Quarter was 4 cents compared to 3 cents in 2022 and for the nine months end September this year, 13 cents per share, up from 11.33 cents.
ICInsider.com projects 19 cents per share for the year, from revenues of just over $2 billion and 30 cents for 2024. The stock last traded at $1.72, with a PE of 8.9 times current year’s earnings, well below the market average of 12.
Operations produced cash inflows of $356 million, up from $259 million in 2022 and at the end of the period with a surplus of $189 million that brought the total to $320.8 million up from just $99 million at the end of September. The 2023 growth in Cash inflows is after spending $72 million on acquiring property, plant and equipment, $50 million in dividend payments and $40 million used in repaying loans. Some of the amount on hand is earmarked to fund the acquisition of properties to be used for storage to allow for continued expansion of the business.
Current assets closed the period at $1 billion, with Receivables rising from $194 million to $317 million and inventories at $349 million compared with $356 million in 2022. Current liabilities rose to $305 million from $148 million in 2022.
Shareholders’ equity stands at $1.35 billion which is up from $884 million from a year ago and borrowed funds used in its operations is only $65 million.
Going forward, the Seek manufacturing division is to get new machines to help meet growing demand as the current facility is said to be at its peak. The distribution of 3M stationery products has been added to the company’s line in the latter months of 2023 and will boost revenues in 2024, with a full year of sales.
Trading drops on the JSE Junior Market
Rising and falling stocks shared the spotlight on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, following a 52 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded after the value plunged 67 percent compared with Thursday trading as trading ended with 41 securities changing hands down from 44 on Thursday and ended with 17 rising, 18 declining and five closing unchanged and ending with the Junior Market Index popping 8.65 points to close at 3,828.75 after two stocks closed on 52 weeks’ lows.
Investors traded 1,727,434 shares for $4,084,376 down from 3,568,081 units at $12,531,088 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 43,816 shares with an average value of $102,109, down from 87,026 stock units at $305,636 on Thursday, with the month to date, averaging 105,067 units at $265,112 compared with 113,573 stock units at $287,518 on the previous day, well down from October with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
Indies Pharma was the leading traded stock with 342,085 units accounting for 19.8 percent of total volume and was followed by One On One Educational Services, with 161,988 units for 9.38 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spies, 140,115 units for 8.1 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.4, 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 one stock ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 49 cents to close at $2.44, with 640 stocks changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries rallied 20 cents to $2.26 with investors dealing in 435 shares, Derrimon Trading rose 6 cents to $1.98 after an exchange of 18,906 stock units. Dolla Financial dropped 8 cents to close at $2.40 with a transfer of 38,203 units, Edufocal slipped 12 cents to end at $2.10 with stakeholders exchanging 43,190 stocks, Everything Fresh lost 13 cents in closing at $1.56 after 54,408 shares were traded. Express Catering popped 65 cents in closing at $4.40, as 11 shares passed through the market, Indies Pharma ended trading 342,085 shares as the price fell 35 cents to $2.75, ISP Finance rallied $2.80 to close at $30.80, with 16 units crossing the market. 
KLE Group climbed 35 cents to close at $1.45 with an exchange of 3,382 shares, Knutsford Express gained 9 cents to end at $12.29 with an exchange of 10 stocks, Lasco Distributors shed 21 cents to close at $4.34 with 6,272 stocks clearing the market. Lumber Depot climbed 13 cents to $2.63 after an exchange of 122,625 stock units, MailPac fell 15 cents to $2.02 after 117,076 shares were exchanged by investors, MFS Capital saw trading in 74,688 shares but the stock fell 15 cents to close at $2. Regency Petroleum gained 7 cents in closing at $2.25 after investors exchanged 87,412 shares, Spur Tree Spices had 140,115 shares being traded by investors the price climbing 17 cents to close at $2.20 and 
Stationery and Office Supplies added 10 cents and ended at $1.72 with investors transferring just 2,698 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market pulls back, Juniors rise
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed with mixed results on Friday with the JSE Main Market index rising followed by the Junior Market but the JSE USD Markets slipped and the All Jamaican Composite Index lost more ground to close out the week, following a rise in the volume of stocks traded with the value slipping from Thursday’s levels.
AS Bryden commenced trading on the Main market with investors swapping 53,309 shares with a value of J$1,575,191 and the price closed at $29 with a rise of $6.50 from the listed price.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 1,420.45 points to close at 328.954.78, while the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,118.17 points to conclude trading at 348,023.43, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,433.99 points to 314,999.24. The Junior Market Index rose 8.65 points to close trading at 3,828.75 and the JSE USD Market Index fell 4.00 points to 223.47.
Investors traded 13,255,970 shares in all three markets, compared to 11,392,608 stock units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded dipped on the Junior and Main markets to $118. 38 million from $123.80 million on Thursday. The JSE USD market closed after 126,524 shares were traded, for US$3,525 down from 308,440 units at US$5,303 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $8 and ended at $50 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popped $10.20 to end at $112.20.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.7 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.8 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.
Profit rises at Jamaican Teas
Net profit attributable to Jamaican Teas for the September quarter more than doubled to $45 million from $21 million in the 2022 quarter. The net profit attributable to Jamaican Teas shareholders for the year was $237 million, an improved performance from the $194 million in the previous year, the group quarterly report released to the Jamaica Stock Exchange reveals.
Reduced administrative costs aided the improved performance.
Total operating revenues for the September quarter declined marginally from $655 million a year ago to $652 million and $2.7 billion for the year, up from $2.47 billion in 2022.
Earnings per share attributable to shareholders was 11 cents, up from 9 cents in 2022.
The group changed distributors in two important markets and appointed Wisynco as its exclusive local distributor effective November this year, as well as an Ansa McAl subsidiary as our exclusive distributor in Trinidad and Tobago, “these changes are expected to result in improved sales in the coming year, the report stated.”
Stockholders’ Equity rose to $2.96 billion from $2.66 billion in September 2022, with loan financing amounting to $735 million. Net current assets amount to $1.09 billion and investments of $2 billion.
The quarterly states, “the group has also taken decisions to increase our investment in additional machinery to better serve our customers and this is expected to enhance our capacity to meet current demand for some of our products.”
“The group has outgrown its capacity at Bell Road, resulting in us having to rent space at Montgomery Avenue in 2022. Accordingly, the company decided to acquire an existing factory in Temple Hall, St. Andrew and this purchase was concluded in October 2023. The property comprises some 60,000 square feet of factory buildings on about 3 acres of land. Relocation of our spice and dry pack facilities to the Temple Hall facility will commence by the end of Calendar 2023 and the tea factory will follow in 2024.“
“ As a result of the acquisition, the board is considering the sale of the Bell Road property. Combined with sale of the apartments at Belvedere, the possible sale of some of our investment properties and the changes of two of our manufacturing distributors, the Group expects increased sales revenue and improved liquidity in the new financial year commencing in 2024.”
Declining stocks outpaced rising Junior Market stocks
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 35 percent and the value 25 percent lower than Wednesday following trading in 41 securities compared with 44 on Wednesday and ended with 12 rising, 22 declining and seven closing unchanged and ending with the Junior Market Index popping 18.08 points to close at 3,820.10 after two stocks closed on 52 weeks’ lows.
Investors traded 3,568,081 shares for $12,531,088 compared with 5,519,040 units at $16,710,818 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 87,026 shares at $305,636, compared to 125,433 shares at $379,791 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 113,573 units at $287,518 compared with 117,927 stock units at $284,547 on the previous day, well down from October with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
EduFocal led trading with 597,842 shares for 16.8 percent of total volume, followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 457,050 units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade and Lumber Depot, 380,300 units for 10.7 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.4, 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 two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed 50 cents and ended at $29 with traders dealing in 19 units, AMG Packaging dropped 57 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.95, with 747 stocks changing hands, Cargo Handlers rallied 9 cents to end at $14.49 with investors dealing in 1,000 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 17 cents in closing at $2.83 while 4,778 stock were trading, Caribbean Flavours skidded 9 cents to close at $1.31 in switching ownership of 8,044 shares, Derrimon Trading fell 8 cents to $1.92 after an exchange of 7,121 stock units. Dolla Financial increased 8 cents to close at $2.48 with a transfer of 157,601 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 97 cents to end at $16.50 with stakeholders exchanging 55,373 stocks, Express Catering dipped 65 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.75, as 124,899 shares passed through the market.
Fontana declined 38 cents and ended at $11 in an exchange of 374,039 stock units, Honey Bun rose 20 cents to $6.65 and closed with an exchange of 1,464 units, Iron Rock Insurance lost 19 cents and ended at $2 as investors traded 100,000 stocks. ISP Finance fell $2.79 to close at $28, with 500 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express dropped 10 cents to end at $12.20 with an exchange of 1,014 shares, Lasco Distributors gained 40 cents in closing at $4.55 with 279,413 stock units clearing the market and significantly sucked out most of the supply of stocks and leaving ten offers on the board at the close with prices from $4.55 to $15.90. Lumber Depot shed 17 cents to $2.50 after an exchange of 380,300 stocks, 
Stationery and Office Supplies declined 8 cents and ended at $1.62 with investors transferring 457,050 shares and Tropical Battery popped 8 cents to close at $1.90, with 9,899 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market pulls back, Juniors rise
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market slipped back from the two day bounce as the Junior and JSE USD Markets popped higher, with the volume of stocks traded dropping compared with Wednesday but with a much higher value. As trading in the Junior Market dropped back from the level on Wednesday, while the Main Market volume dropped even as the value jumped.
At the close of Thursday’s trading, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 326.84 points to close at 327534.33, while the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 930.59 points to conclude trading at 349,141.60, the JSE Main Index dropped 521.94 points to 313,565.25. The Junior Market Index rose 18.08 points to close trading at 3,820.10 and the JSE USD Market Index inched 0.33 points higher to 227.49.
Investors traded 11,392,608 shares in all three markets, compared to 18,249,810 stock units on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded jumped on the Junior and Main markets to $123.80 million, down from $70.16 million on Wednesday. The JSE USD market closed after 308,440 shares were traded for US$5,303, down from 443,134 units at US$59,410 on Wednesday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% climbed $100 and ended at $2,900, JMMB Group 7% preference share increased 45 cents in closing at $2.45 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popped $1 to end at $102.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 22 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.6 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.
Profit jumps 31% at Lasco Manufacturing
Profit climbed 31 percent after taxation of $258 million to $615 million in the September quarter this year at Lasco Manufacturing, from $469 million after provision for taxation amounting to $210 million in 2022. For the half year, after taxation of $453 million, profit jumped 29 percent to $1.14 billion from $883 million in 2022 after taxation of $361 million.
Sales revenues rose 11 percent for the quarter, to $3.19 billion from $2.9 billion in 2022 and grew 10 percent for the year to date, to $6 billion from $5.5 billion in 2022.
After a brief one year dip in profit in the 2020 fiscal year, profit has been on a roll since and seems destined for a new record in the current fiscal year ending next March.
Management delivered an improvement in profit margin in the second quarter to 38 percent from 37 percent last year resulting in gross profit rising faster than sales with an increase of 13 percent, with a gross profit of $1.22 billion versus $1.08 billion in 2022. Gross profit for the half year soared 38 percent from 36 percent last year, resulting in an increase of 16 percent to $2.3 billion compared with $1.98 billion in 2022.
Operating expenses rose by just 4 percent in the quarter and half year to $394 million in the second quarter from $378 million in 2022 second quarter and in the half year to $755 million from $725 million in 2022. Finance cost declined in the quarter, to $23 million from $36 million in 2022 and from $15 million to $5 million for the six months period.
Lasco’s ICool drinks.
The operations generated Gross cash flow of $588 million and it was increased to $778 million after a reduction in funds previously tied up in working capital, additions to fixed assets of $309 million. After pumping $589 million into short term investments and $496 million in dividends the net cash position ended at $1.6 billion.
Current assets ended at $9.2 billion inclusive of trade and other receivables of $3.3 billion, cash and bank balances of $3.8 billion, while inventories were steady at $2 billion. Current liabilities ended at $1.86 billion. Net current assets was a solid $7.3 billion.
At the end of September, shareholders’ equity closed at $11.75 billion up from $9.9 billion at the end of September last year. There was no long-term borrowing, while short term loan was just $89 million.
Earnings per share for the quarter was 15 cents and 28 cents for the year to date. IC Insider.com computation projects earnings of 70 cents per share for the fiscal year ending March 2024 and 90 cents in 2025, with a PE of 6.7 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $4.60 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Lasco’s products
Junior Market and the value is well down on the average for the market at 11.6, a clear indication of the potential gains ahead in the price. Net asset value ended the period at $2.85 with the stock selling at 1.6 times book value.
The company is in a healthy financial position to do a major acquisition, with no major loan commitment currently and a tidy wad of liquid funds, with more to come as profit increases in the rest of the fiscal year.
Buy and hold for a few years until growth in sales and profit slows considerably to single digits, investors should see a doubling in the stock price by next year June.
ICInsider.com gives the stocks Buy Rated seal of approval.