Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 30 percent and the value diving 58 percent lower than on Tuesday, with 59 securities trading compared to 60 on Tuesday, resulting in the prices of 18 rising, 24 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
Only 7,575,200 shares were traded for just $27,742,615 compared with 10,763,695 units at $65,931,590 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 128,393 shares at $470,214, versus 179,395 shares at $1,098,860 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 217,446 units at $1,465,231, compared to 230,484 units at $1,610,904 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 264,549 units at $1,409,410.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.80 million shares for 36.9 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.20 million units for 15.8 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.0 million units for 13.2 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 511.59 points to 368,714.93, the JSE Main Index popped 437.53 points to finish at 334,568.02 and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.07 points higher to 75.61.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last selling prices of stocks and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 17 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints increased 49 cents to end at $8.29 and closed with an exchange of 378 shares, Caribbean Cement shed 98 cents in closing at a 52 week’s low of $50.02 after trading 38,022 stocks, Caribbean Producers declined 40 cents to close at $10.10, with 22,647 units crossing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $1 and ended at $41.60 with investors transferring 200 stock units. GraceKennedy rallied 50 cents to $77.99 after a transfer of 6,403 stock units, Guardian Holdings gained $28 to end at $500 while exchanging one stock, Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced 60 cents in closing at $14, with 7,050 shares crossing the exchange, JMMB Group dropped 97 cents to close at $29.02 as investors exchanged 11,918 units. Margaritaville climbed $3.37 in ending at $17.08 with shareholders swapping 750 units, Massy Holdings popped $1.50 to $99.50 as 30,226 units passed through the market, Mayberry Investments dipped 39 cents to close at $7.50, with 13,778 stocks changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 50 cents and ended at $10 with a transfer of 81,450 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy increased $10.75 to end at $83 in trading 25 units, NCB Financial advanced $3 in closing at $75 after an exchange of 28,214 stocks,Proven Investments fell 59 cents to $25.41 in an exchange of 6,630 shares, Sagicor Group dipped $1.19 to close at $48.19 with 8,437 stock units changing hands. Scotia Group popped 50 cents to $35 in switching ownership of 21,437 shares, Seprod lost $1.89 and ended at $70.11 after an exchange of 2,282 units, Stanley Motta dropped $1.20 in closing at $4.95 after shareholders exchanged 153,530 stock units, Supreme Ventures declined 99 cents to end at $27, with 169,524 stocks crossing the market and Wisynco Group rallied 39 cents in closing at $16.95 with 60,885 stock units clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share rose $20 to close at $1220 in an exchange of 100 shares, Eppley 5% preference share fell $4.95 to $18.03, with 39 units changing hands and 138 Student Living preference share gained $17.81 to end at $150, with one stock clearing the market stock.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
ICTOP10 Image Plus price jump 9%
With interest rates softening, some life has entered the Jamaica stock market, with the Junior Market posting gains for a second consecutive week, but the Main Market suffered a mild retreat following notable increases in the last week of April as several ICTOP10 stocks posted solid gains, including Image Plus that posted impressive full year results at the end of the previous week.
The week ended with several sizable winners in the ICTOP10 and one big loser. Lasco Distributors rose 13 percent to lead the winning stocks, followed by Everything Fresh with a strong 11 percent climb to $1.66, Consolidated Bakeries rose 10 percent to $2.39, Image Plus rallied 9 percent and iCreate rose by 5 percent to $1.47 and fell out of the ICTOP10 and is replaced by Jamaican Teas. Iron Rock Insurance fell 18 percent to close at $1.88 and General Accident slipped 6 percent to $5.08, being the only two losers of significance.
The price of Main Market listed Berger Paints rose 10 percent to $8.30, Caribbean Producers gained 8 percent in closing at $10.56, with the stocks seemingly poised to get back to the $12 region sooner than later as the supply of stocks being sold below $13 has virtually dried up. 138 Student Living popped 6 percent to $5.35, JMMB Group fell 6 percent to $29.60, and Jamaica Broilers slipped 4 percent to $35.70.
Stocks are being prepped to rally, with signals that interest rates will be declining across the board sooner. This stems from the continued slide of BOJ CDs rates since March, which saw the rate falling by 25 percent to 8 percent this past week. Lower interest rates are around the corner, which will be positive for stocks and the signs are already showing.
At the previous week’s close, Image Plus released solid full year results showing profit after tax that jumped 125.6 percent to $213 million or 21 cents per share. Based on those numbers, ICInsider.com revised earnings for the current fiscal year to 35 cents from 30 cents previously. On Monday, the company reported revised results, with the profit being even higher at $252 million, with a reduction in the amount previously booked as professional fees. Based on the revision, projected earnings were raised by the publication to 40 cents per share for the current fiscal year. The stock sits at the number three spot in the ICTOP10. The revision raises some serious questions about how such matters escaped the directors, auditors and the financial controller before the audited financial statements were released.
Dolla Financial fell out of the TOP10 at the end of the previous week and this past week released impressive first quarter results that excited investors who responded well to them by driving the price to close the week at $2.89, with the price hitting a high of $2.99 on Friday. The company seems poised to deliver ICInsider.com forecasted earnings of 40 cents, provided they obtain loans on a timely basis to on lend.
The Junior Market’s long history of rising around a month before the release of quarterly results and declining shortly after results are released seems to be starting with a rise of 108 points in the market index in the previous week with more this past week, with the supply of some stocks continuing to fall sharply.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.5. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 273 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 16 highest valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 28 and 19 excluding the highest PE stocks and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.7 compared with the market at 11.5. There are 12 stocks, or 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 26, averaging 20, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16, suggesting that this may currently be the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks. Junior Market is projected to rise by 258 percent to May 2024.
The differences between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the 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 will likely deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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, resulting 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.
iCreate in ICTOP10 Image Plus EPS jumps
The markets are changing, with the Main Market up for three consecutive weeks but the Junior Market meandering for the last four weeks. Against this backdrop, there was one change to the TOP10, with iCreate coming in and Dolla Financial falling out, but Dolla and Honey Bun, that slipped out the previous week, sit immediately below the TOP10.
There were no significant winners for the past week in both markets’ TOP10 as losers dominated. The Junior market had Consolidated Bakeries falling 11 percent to $2.17 and general Accident down 10 percent to $5.40 and Lasco Distributors down 3 percent, with the stock selling at just 5.5 times 2023 estimated earnings and only 8.5 times the company’s nine month results. By any stretch, the stock is considerably undervalued and there are more profits to come in the current fiscal year.
Main Market stocks had a 13 percent fall in Key Insurance after the price closed at $3.08, Berger Paints contracted by 9 percent to $7.54 and 138 Student Living slipped 5 percent to $5.03, while Jamaica Broilers rose just 3 percent to $37.
Stocks are being prepped to rally, with early signals that interest rates will be declining across the board sooner than later. This stems from the continued slide of rates on BOJ CDs since March, that saw the rate falling by 23 percent to 8.11 percent against a background where inflation since November last year is running at less than one percent per annum.
At the week’s close, Image Plus released full year results showing profit after tax jumping 125.6 percent to $213 million or 21 cents per share. ICInsider.com revised earnings for the current fiscal year to 35 cents from 30 cents previously.
The Junior Market’s long history of rising around a month before the release of quarterly results and declining shortly after results are released seems to be starting with a rise of 108 points in the market index this past week, with the supply of some stocks falling sharply.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.8, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.6. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 257 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 280 percent to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15to 27, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, suggesting that this may currently be the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks.
The 18 highest valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 115, with an average of 29 and 20 excluding the highest PE stocks and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
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 2023 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, resulting 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.