Declining stocks had the upper hand in trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Tuesday with 27 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. The markets closed with 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining.
Trading levels in main market ended at 4,459,136 units valued at $97,369,402 compared to 1,824,130 units valued at $21,197,848 at the close on Thursday, ahead of the Easter holiday break. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 56,525 units valued at US$16,658.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 378.10 points to close at 248,706.47 the JSE Market Index gained 344.49 points to finish at 226,599.78 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 8.42 points to close at 215.62.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none closed with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 340,219 units valued at $3,606,274 per security traded compared to an average of 82,915 units at an average value of $963,539 on Thursday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 534,102 units with an average value of $5,367,204 versus 555,645 units valued at $5,562,862 per security traded on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments gained 10 cents to close at $7, with 59,000 shares changing hands, Berger Paints closed at $14 with trades of 5,100 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 with an exchange of 434,033 shares, Caribbean Cement closed $2 lower at $30 with 86,694 units changing hands. Carreras closed at $74, gaining $1 exchanging 4,308 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.80, with a loss of $1.20 trading 23,192 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 10 cents to close at $17 with 31,773 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers closed at $15, with a loss of 50 cents exchanging 100,177 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 95 cents lower at $7, with a sale of 939,133 shares. JMMB Group closed 25 cents higher at $18.65, trading of 39,681 units, Kingston Properties traded at $15.95 with 200 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed $1 lower to $30 trading 38,797 units, NCB Financial Group traded at a new intraday high of $75 but failed to hold on to the gain at the end of trading to end with 38,440 shares trading at $65, 1834 Investments gained 2 cents to close at $1.50, trading 10,000 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49 with 63,500 units traded, PanJam Investment closed at $34.66, after losing 34 cents with 39,662 shares changing hands. Pulse Investments traded 4,900 units at $8,Radio Jamaica lost 15 cents to close at $1.60, with an exchange of 52,330 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.05, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 2,253,648 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with a loss of 5 cents and 7,200 shares traded, Scotia Group jumped $2.75 to $41.50, with an exchange of 43,366 units, Seprod lost $4 to close at $35, trading 4,532 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, with 78,390 shares changing hands. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents, losing 1 US cent exchanging 56,625 ordinary shares, Jamaica Money Market 7.25% preference share lost 9 cents, closing at $2.41 with 500 units changing owners, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% preference share traded 100,000 units at $1.81, having lost 19 cents, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share closed at $1.50 with 430 units traded and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 150 units at $1.10.
Upper hand for falling stocks on Tuesday
Drop in Junior Market volume – Tuesday
The Junior Market started another shortened week with a 31.66 points drop, to end at 2,998.48 and a sharp fall in trading levels, compared with Thursday’s levels.
The market closed with 541,499 units valued at $4,457,020 passing through the market, compared to 2,378,976 units valued at 9,310,238 that were traded on Thursday. At the close, with 20 securities changing hands, compared to 23 on Thursday with 7 advancing and 8 declining.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 27,075 units for an average value of $222,851 traded, compared to 103,434 units for an average value of $404,793 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 212,663 units and $1,456,784. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 256,913 units and $1,755,753. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and only 1 ending with a lower offer, than the last traded price.
At the close of the market on Tuesday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.49 with 102,675 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 800 units to close at $35, CAC 2000 lost 18 cents and closed at $7.17 with 10,000 shares trading , Cargo Handlers lost 50 cents in trading just 100 shares at $20.50, Caribbean Cream gained 50 cents in trading 35,450 units to end at $7.80, Caribbean Producers closed trading with 1,000 units at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents with 18,437 shares changing hands, to close at $2.86, C2W Music closed trading with 10,200 shares while shedding 3 cents to end at 30 cents, Dolphin Cove ended at $20.06 with 544 shares trading, Honey Bun had 31,900 shares changing hands to close at $7.25, ISP Finance fell 10 cents to end at $15.40 with 13,045 units. Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to end at $11.90 with 10,710 shares traded, Knutsford Express rose 5 cents in trading 34,659 shares to close at $41, after the company reported the decision of the directors to recommend a 5 for 1 stock split as well as increased profits for the nine months to February. Lasco Distributors added 10 cents and ended with 73,693 units trading at $6.80, Lasco Financial lost 25 cents and ended with 28,500 shares changing hands at $4.05, Lasco Manufacturing fell 20 cents to close with 108,785 units changing hands at $4.80, Main Event lost 38 cents trading 36,141 shares at $5.35, Medical Disposables closed trading with 19,560 shares and rose 15 cents to end at $6, Paramount Trading closed at $3.55 with 1,000 units trading and tTech rose 5 cents, trading 4,300 shares to end at $7.20.
Exports up 48% in Q2 at Jamaican Teas
Chairman of the meeting John Jackson advised shareholder, that the stock would start trading ex split as of Thursday the 13 on the Junior Market of the stock exchange.
The company reported profit of $118 million in 2016, up from $72 million in 2015, with total comprehensive profit rising to $153 million from $88 million for the same period. Profit from continuing operation rose more than 100 percent to $147 million.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, John Mahfood, presented highlights of 2016 and an update on the new fiscal year to the end of March.
“Sales for the 3 months to March are up 38 percent while exports grew 47 percent. For the first quarter sales were up 8.5 percent over 2015. Export sales continue to perform well and will benefit from sales of five of our products that are being carried in 450 of Kroger Stores in the United States. In addition new markets have opened up in Suriname, Belize and St Marteen,” Mahfood told the nearly full house of shareholders.
“The focus for 2017 is reducing cost, improving margins, growing the export market and building brand awareness. The CEO also pointed to expansion of and renovation for the Kingston Supermarket.” Real Estate|The CEO noted that construction of 58 of the 72 units at Orchid Estates in St Thomas is complete. The rest are expected to be finished in June this year. Sales of 36 units have been concluded with another 26 units sold but not yet delivered. The emphasis is to complete the remaining units by the early summer and commence construction of an 18 unit studio apartment complex, in the Manor Park area overlooking the Kingston waterfront.
The meeting was advised of a reduction in borrowings that will lead to a reduction of interest cost for the current year from $38 million in the 2016 fiscal year and a good record of growth in the company since it listed, showing equity moving from $173 million in 2007 to $878 million last year. The financials of the company show improvement in gross profit margin reaching the highest level since 2010.
Shareholders were introduced to 5 new products that were launched since 2016, Sour Sop drink, Whole Dried Sorrel, Cocoa-Nut that includes chocolate and coconut, Chamomile Herbal Tea and Instant Sorrel with Ginger.
The company’s stock traded at $3.75 ex split on Wednesday but did not trade on Thursday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Big gains for Grace & Seprod on Tuesday
The Market closed with 22 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 6 declined in both markets. The main market ended with 2,043,993 units valued at $24,956,131 compared to 13,790,971 units valued at $428,274,635 on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 72,850 units valued at US$22,258.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 769.18 points to close at 247,670.02 the JSE Market Index gained 700.81 points to finish at 225,655.45 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 3.76 points to close at 222.44.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 92,909 units valued at $1,134,370 for each security traded compared to an average of 599,607 units valued at $18,620,636 for each security traded on Monday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 694,259 units with a value of $16,325,671 per security traded, versus at 794,485 units valued at $18,495,857 per security on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Berger Paints advanced $1.22 to close at $13.52, with 22,986 shares changing hands, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 trading 846,412 shares, Caribbean Cement closed $1 lower to $30.60 with an exchange of 33,031 units. Carreras closed at $74 with trades of 570 shares, Grace Kennedy jumped $3.65 to end at $44.65, trading 4,030 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 46 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $17 with trades of 46,542 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7, losing 95 cents with 286,012 shares changing hands. JMMB Group closed at $18.65 trading 300,125 units, Kingston Properties gained 2 cents to close at $16 with 100 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, with an exchange of 14,100 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.70, losing 10 cents trading 9,123 shares, NCB Financial Group gained $1.60 to close at $64, after exchanging 19,712 shares, 1834 Investments traded 4 cents lower to close at $1.50, while exchanging 7,900 units, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 12,400 units, Pan Jamaican closed 14 cents lower at $35.46 with 20,250 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 20 cents to close at $1.80, trading 37,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed with a loss of 97 cents to $32.54 exchanging 225,742 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with 4,600 shares traded, Scotia Group closed at $38.60, with trades of 62,464 units, Seprod advanced $3.70 to close at $39.70, with 2,000 shares changing hands, Sterling Investments gained 25 cents, closing at $17 with an exchange of 67,394 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38 trading 21,500 shares and Proven Investments gained 2 US cents to close at 31 US cents with trades of 72,850 ordinary shares.
Jamaican Teas ex split Thursday
Shareholders of Jamaican Teas will consider a 2 for 1 stock split at their Annual General Meeting scheduled for tomorrow April 12, to be held at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Kingston.
The resolution which will be considered will see a recommendation being put forth, for the authorized shares to be increased to 1 billion units from 500 million units.
The issued shares will move from 337,416,730 units at the end of September last year, to 678,833,460 shares of no par value. Subsequent to the 2016 year end, directors exercised the option to acquire 2 million new shares under a share option plan, thus increasing the number of issued shares prior to the record date of April 19. The stock is slated to start trading ex-split on Thursday April 13. in 2016, the company also approved a 2 for 1 stock split as well.
The shares traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market at $7.75 on Tuesday.