The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market and the Main Market moved in opposite directions in the past week with the Junior Market enjoying some recovery from the fall in the past week and the Main Market suffering more pain, with a near 2 percent fall, with a few of the stocks hitting 52 weeks’ low, with Scotia Group being one of them and pushed to stock to 6 positions in the TOP10.
Developments in the past week, the Main Market, Key Insurance rose 11 percent to close the week at $2.77, followed by a 10 percent fall in Scotia Group down to $30, but the bid closed higher than the last price, suggesting a rebound in the coming week. Scotia Group reported solid results for the nine months to July. ICInsider.com upgraded earnings to $5.50 but it could hit $6, with the stock being extremely undervalued. Caribbean Cement declined by 6 percent to close the week at $47.50 and JMMB Group fell 5 percent to $28.10
The Junior Market ICTOP10 closed the week with a 16 percent rise in the price of Caribbean Cream to $4.06 followed by a 12 percent decline for Elite Diagnostic to $1.61 and an 8 percent fall in General Accident Insurance to $4.55.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5, well below the market average of 12.3. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 336 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
A total of 12 of the most highly valued stocks representing 26 percent of the Main Market are priced with a PE of 15 to 84, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 21 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5 compared with the market at 10.6. There are 12stocks or 26 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 38, averaging 21 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, and projected to rise by 300 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 
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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of 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.
Investors traded 1,971,310 shares for $4,610,291 versus 11,110,231 units at $23,817,408 on Thursday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 10.7, based on the last traded price in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
JFP Ltd rose 17 cents in closing at $1.58 with investors trading in 22,394 units, Knutsford Express increased $1.01 in closing at $11.25 with an exchange of 34 stock units, Lasco Financial popped 15 cents and ended at $1.90 in switching ownership of 9,903 shares. Lumber Depot advanced 17 cents to close at $1.98, with 29,182 stocks changing hands, Main Event increased $1.06 to end at $15.25 after 10,538 stock units passed through the market, MFS Capital Partners rose 10 cents to $2.20 as investors exchanged 135,372 shares. Regency Petroleum climbed 8 cents to end at $2.23 with stakeholders trading 34,738 units, Stationery and Office Supplies skidded 7 cents to $1.71 after a transfer of 165,774 shares, 
Tropical Battery fell 10 cents and ended at $1.90 with a transfer of 100,109 stocks and tTech gained 13 cents in closing at $2.48 in an exchange of just one stock unit.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 1,541.73 points to close at 328,361.75, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,705.34 points to 346,427.98, the JSE Main Index skidded 1,827.78 points to 314,347.08, the Junior Market Index added 17.87 points to close at 3,829.44 while the JSE USD Market Index dipped 3.02 points to finish at 255.36.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 19.5 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.1 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
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.
Investors traded 11,110,231 shares for $23,817,408 up from 3,026,858 units at $8,218,631 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
General Accident slipped 5 cents and ended at $4.85 with investors trading 112 stocks, Honey Bun popped 11 cents to close at $6.71 with shareholders swapping 314,857 shares, ISP Finance climbed 75 cents in closing at 52 weeks’ high of $44.95 with stakeholders exchanging 10 stock units. Knutsford Express fell $1.01 to $10.24 in switching ownership of 4,428 shares, Lasco Distributors popped 10 cents to $4.45 as investors exchanged 52,306 stocks, Lumber Depot lost 25 cents in closing at $1.81 with 418,304 units clearing the market. Main Event shed $1.31 and ended at $14.19 after an exchange of 5,868 shares, MFS Capital Partners shed 15 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.10 after trading in 214,932 units, 
Paramount Trading lost 7 cents to close at $1.93 after a transfer of 26,357 stock units and Tropical Battery rose 10 cents and ended at $2 with traders dealing in 51,873 stocks.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,259.01 points to close at 329,392.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,390.33 points to close at 349,133.32, the JSE Main Index rose 128.65 points to 316,174.86, the Junior Market Index jumped 42.71 points to 3,811.57, while the JSE USD Market Index popped 13.81 points to finish at 258.38.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% skidded $13 to $42, 138 Student Living preference share lost $15 to end at $84.98 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share dipped $180 and ended at $1,020.
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.
that was not enough to quell the negative pull of 17 other stocks that declined as the volume of stocks traded was moderately higher and the value 24 percent greater than in trading on Tuesday.
Future Energy Source led trading with 744,736 shares for 24.6 percent of total volume followed by JFP Ltd with 600,551 units for 19.8 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 229,220 units for 7.6 percent market share.
EduFocal increased 21 cents to $1.46 with investors trading 145,666 stocks. Express Catering rallied 35 cents to close at $4.85, with 240 units crossing the market, Fosrich advanced 11 cents in closing at $2.04 with shareholders swapping 99,691 stock units, Future Energy Source fell 10 cents and ended at $3.30, with 744,736 stock units crossing the market. ISP Finance surged $10.20 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $44.20 after investors traded 7,716 stocks, Lasco Financial dropped 15 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.75 and closed after 166,806 units changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing declined 8 cents and ended at $5.20 as investors exchanged 155,801 shares. Limners and Bards shed 5 cents in closing at $1.70 with an exchange of 3,535 shares, Lumber Depot gained 6 cents to close at $2.06 after trading 20,521 stock units, 
Tropical Battery slippped 6 cents in closing at $1.90 after a transfer of 109,191 stocks and tTech dipped 13 cents to $2.35 with stakeholders trading a mere 199 shares.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,259.01 points to end at 329,392.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 107.59 points to close at 350,523.65, the JSE Main Index lost 1,264.18 points to end at 316,046.21, the Junior Market Index slipped 8.68 points to 3,768.86, while the JSE USD Market Index rallied 4.15 points to 244.57.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with companies grouped by industry, for easy comparison 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.
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.
declining with a 25 percent lower value than Monday following trading of 40 securities the same number as Monday as the Junior Market Index inched 2.32 points higher to end at 3,777.54.
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with projected earnings done by ICInsider.com’s for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Future Energy Source advanced 9 cents to close at $3.40, with investors trading 124,589 stocks, GWest Corporation increased 9 cents and ended at 97 cents, with 87 shares crossing the market. Honey Bun popped 7 cents to end at $6.60 after 2,547 shares passed through the exchange, Indies Pharma declined 15 cents in closing at $3 with stakeholders exchanging 538 stocks, Knutsford Express rallied $2.74 to close at $11.25 after 359 units passed through the market, Limners and Bards dropped 15 cents and ended at $1.75 after closing with 207,912 stock units changing hands. Lumber Depot climbed 9 cents in closing at $2 with a transfer of 6,352 stock units, Main Event skidded $1.25 to $15.50 with shareholders swapping 3,850 units, 
Medical Disposables popped 22 cents to end at $4.24 as investors exchanged 1,177 stocks and Paramount Trading rose 18 cents to end at $1.98 after a transfer of 3,033 shares.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 470.27 points to close at 330,651.49, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,710.44 points to finish at 350,631.24, the JSE Main Index skidded 526.78 points to end at 317,310.39, the Junior Market Index popped 2.32 points to 3,777.54, while the JSE USD Market Index dipped 4.28 points to finish at 240.42. 
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with companies 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.
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.
Investors traded 3,594,328 shares for $8,871,607, down from 7,272,753 units at $19,023,620 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Dolla Financial skidded 17 cents to $2.31 in trading 735,087 stock units, Everything Fresh advanced 21 cents to end at $1.51 with investors dealing in 2,150 units, Fosrich lost 23 cents to close at $1.95 as investors exchanged 97,948 shares, Future Energy Source dipped 10 cents in closing at $3.31 with 226,383 stocks changing hands. Honey Bun shed 7 cents and ended at $6.53 with traders dealing in 300 stocks, JFP Ltd declined 20 cents to $1.45 after investors traded 9,337 shares, Knutsford Express fell $2.99 in closing at $8.51 with a transfer of 14,328 stock units, Lasco Financial increased 8 cents to $1.90 with an exchange of 3,160 units. Lumber Depot dipped 14 cents and ended at $1.91 with investors trading 218,565 shares, Main Event rallied 65 cents to close at $16.75 while exchanging 2,212 stock units,
Medical Disposables skidded 8 cents to end at $4.02 with 300 stocks crossing the market and Paramount Trading lost 20 cents to end at $1.80 after exchanging 5,079 units.