Trading activity jumped on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday, with a 68 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, with the value rising 215 percent more than on Tuesday, with trading in 57 securities up from 55 on Tuesday and resulted in prices of 25 rising, 18 declining and 14 ending unchanged.
A total of 15,314,858 shares were exchanged for $91,506,030, up from 9,129,580 units at $29,005,096 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 268,682 shares at $1,605,369 versus 165,992 stocks at $527,365 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 405,808 units at $2,522,386 compared to 425,596 units at $2,654,714 on the previous day. Trading in June averaged 366,795 units at $6,952,581, including trading in Bonds.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 6.16 million shares for 40.2 percent of the volume, Transjamaican Highway followed with 3.07 million units for 20 percent of the day’s trade after the price ended at a record close of $2.72 to be up a solid 94 percent year to date. JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 ended trading with 1.93 million units for 12.6 percent market share and Ciboney Group, with 1.02 million units, controlled 6.6 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 41.48 points to settle at 362,840.57, the JSE Main Index fell 77.50 points to 325,206.38 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.20 points to 71.31.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rallied 53 cents to end at $8.04 and closed after 4,500 shares were traded, Caribbean Cement rose 65 cents to $54.65, with 4,754 stocks changing hands, Eppley gained $1.45 to close at $36.45, with stakeholders exchanging 8,012 stock units, Jamaica Producers shed 95 cents to close at $19.50, with 446,112 units clearing the market. Jamaica Stock Exchange dipped 30 cents in closing at $10.60 after 26,097 stock units crossed the exchange, JMMB Group lost 80 cents to close at $29.19 after an exchange of 7,657 units, Kingston Wharves increased 30 cents in closing at $29.30 while exchanging 750 stocks,
Massy Holdings dropped $1 to end at $98 in an exchange of 1,722 shares. Mayberry Investments rose 48 cents to $8.98 with shareholders swapping 500 shares, Proven Investments fell $1.98 to end at $20.01 after a transfer of 2,150 stocks, Seprod climbed $2.98 to $73 after exchanging 1,492 units and Supreme Ventures declined 83 cents to close at $27.67 after 18,090 stock units passed through the market.
The preference segment was active with, trading in several stocks but with only a few shares each. At the close, Eppley 5% preference share popped $1 in closing at $21 in switching ownership of 6 stock units, Eppley 7.25% preference share rose $2.33 and ended at $18.52 in an exchange of just one stock, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell 96 cents to end at $41.54, with 146 shares crossing the market,
Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $342.47 to a record high of $3767.17 with an exchange of 5 units and 138 Student Living preference share dived $15.75 to end at $89.24, with 4 stock units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains continue for ICTOP10
The Junior Market wiped all 2023 losses this past week, with the market index reclaiming the 4,000 mark for the first time since January and wiping out all of the 2023 losses recorded up to Thursday. The Main Market continues to struggle and has remained down 8 percent for the year to date.

Jamaica Broilers is now in at 3 on ICTOP10.
The Junior Market is now up 11.6 percent since the low in March and is on what will be a big bull ride over the coming months that is signalled by two indicators. The Main Market is likely bottoming after a traditional sell off in May before settling off in the early summer ahead of a rebound later. The action is now with the Junior Market with more potential for growth.
The Junior Market had 5 stocks for the week, each rising and falling. The Main Market ended with 3 rising and three declining, with the most significant change being a loss of 9 percent for JMMB Group to $30 and Berger Paints with a five percent fall being the biggest losers as all other changes were just one percent.
In the Junior Market, iCreate rose 18 percent to $1.30, Dolla Financial rallied 8 percent to $2.43, Everything Fresh popped 5 percent to $1.60, and Edufocal and Image Plus rose 3 percent. OneonOne slipped 10 percent to $1.10, while Iron Rock Insurance and Caribbean Cream fell 4 percent.
During the week whole, year results came out for Jamaica Broilers, with earnings of $4.43 including the write off of the Haitian operations, with revenues rising 23 percent but excluding the Haitian operations, earnings were $5.40 per share, with just over $7 projected by ICInsider.com for the current year, making it a compelling buy at current prices. The stock now sits at the number 3 position on the ICTOP10.
Dollar Financial reported second quarter profit after trading ended on Friday, showing a profit of $105 million compared with $59 million in the 2022 June quarter and $227 million for the six months to June versus $119 million in 2022. Earnings per share ended at 4 cents in the latest quarter and 9 cents year to date. The period shows a small amount set aside for expected credit losses, but the cash flow shows that only 75 percent of interest earned was paid during the period, down from 77 percent for the 2022 first half and 80 percent for the 2022 full year.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.1, well below the market average of 13.3. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 252 percent, by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 15 most highly valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 29 and 20 excluding the highest PE stocks, 23 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.4. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 44, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently. Junior Market is projected to rise by 240 percent by 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 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 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, 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.
Big gains for ICTOP10 stocks
Movement in the Junior Market this past week just about wiped out all of 2023 losses and resulted in most ICITOP10 stocks rising, with four recording double digit gains as the Junior Market consolidates around the 3,900 points level before breaking into the 4,000 points level. The Main Market enjoyed five out of 6 days of gains since the previous Friday and delivered four stocks with double digit gains.
Gains for the Junior Market this week occurred even as the price of Stationery and Office Supplies dropped $4.52 from $28 to $23.48 on Friday and former Caribbean Assurance Brokers ICTOP10 stock that fell out of the top tier the prior week pulled back in price to close at $3.30 from $4 as sellers offered stocks for sale below $4, with still more selling at the close of the week. History points to many investors buying into stocks after the split takes effect, usually at far higher prices than if they bought before, as such, it would not be surprising that investors will push the stock to a record valuation post-split. Accordingly, the stock now selling at a PE of 12.4 times current year’s earnings is a compelling buy at Friday’s price of $23.48.
The Junior Market ended the week with eight stocks rising and one declining, with Iron Rock Insurance the top stock, with a gain of 30 percent, followed by iCreate, up 21 percent to $1.10, and Caribbean Cream, up 18% to $4.70, but the company will be benefitting from lower input cost of some raw material, especially the price of milk solids that have fallen sharply by about 33 percent from peak prices last year March, Consolidated Bakeries popped 15% to end the week at $2.51, with very few stock offered for sale in the market at the close. The gains in Consolidated Bakeries propelled it out of the TOP10 and replaced by Edufocal, while OneonOne seems to be coming into its own with a rise of 9 percent to $1.22. In comparison, Dolphin Cove rose 6 percent to $16.90 but seems to have a seller with an undisclosed amount at that price. Dolla Financial is the only loser, with a decline of 4 percent to $2.25.
The Main Market had Caribbean Producers (CPJ) rising 15 percent to $10.95, JMMB Group climbing 14 percent to $33, with Berger Paints and Transjamaican gaining 11 percent each to close at $8.11 and a record close of $2.48, respectively. Guardian Holdings was the only declining stock, falling 7 percent to $420.
It is worth noting that Transjamaican US dollar denominated stock traded at 1.93 cents or almost $3 per share on Friday, putting well ahead of the local based issue at $2.48. The gap will close sooner or later, the question will the Jamaican dollar based stock move up to the $3 level or the US based one fall back to match the Jamaican dollar one. There is minimal selling in the US dollar market and much more in the Jamaican market.
CPJ sits at the number 10 position in the Main Market TOP 10, but it has a June year end, with the changeover to earnings per share for the 2023/4 fiscal year of $2.50 by August that will change the outlook for the price markedly above the current level, with the PE ratio at just 4.4.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.3, well below the market average of 13.7. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 242 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 15 most highly valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 29 and 20 excluding the highest PE stocks, 24 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.8 compared with the market at 11.7. There are 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 44, averaging 21, 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. Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 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 likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
In the market generally, Investors continue to nibble away at a number of stocks and, in the process, gradually reduce the supply of several stocks that are attractively priced as the market moves toward the summer months, the start of the stock market year.
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 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, 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.
A total of 9,129,580 shares were traded for $29,005,096 down from 24,449,466 units at $83,643,070 on Monday.
JSE Financial Index added 0.36 points to conclude trading at 71.51.
JMMB Group climbed 74 cents in closing at $29.99 after 61,111 units passed through the market. Kingston Wharves dropped 98 cents to end at $29 while exchanging 4,738 stocks, Mayberry Investments lost 50 cents to close at $8.50 as investors exchanged 102,836 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $15.49 to $83.99, with 447 shares clearing the market. NCB Financial rallied $1.23 to close at $65.25 after 9,895 stock units crossed the market, Pan Jamaica advanced 95 cents and ended at $50.45 after 344 stocks passed through the exchange, Sagicor Group popped 50 cents to close at $48 after an exchange of 4 units. Salada Foods gained 30 cents to end at $2.80 with shareholders swapping 38 stock units,
Seprod shed $2.73 in closing at $70.02, with 7,517 stocks changing hands and Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose 50 cents to end at $12.50 in an exchange of 16,441 units.
A total of 24,449,466 shares were exchanged for $83,643,070 up from 11,913,117 units at $42,086,420 on Friday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 91.60 points to close trading at 363,379.58, the JSE Main Index dipped 1,424.39 points to end at 325,201.53 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.30 points to conclude trading at 71.15.
Guardian Holdings dropped $20 to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $400 with investors transferring 2,043 units, after the price hit a 52 weeks intraday low of $375.05, Jamaica Producers dropped $1 to end at $19.50, with 14,200 stock units crossing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange declined 20 cents to $10.80 after 2,100 stocks changed hands, JMMB Group shed 75 cents and ended at $29.25 after trading 13,118 shares. NCB Financial declined $1.38 and ended at $64.02 after an exchange of 123,940 stock units, Pan Jamaica declined $1.25 to close at $49.50 with 207 stocks changing hands. Salada Foods shed 30 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.50 after 234,280 units passed through the market, Seprod climbed $2.57 to $72.75, with stakeholders exchanging 1,837 stocks and Supreme Ventures dropped 30 cents in closing at $28.50 in switching ownership of 40,906 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% lost $7.50 to close at $42.50 with shareholders swapping 50 stock units and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rose $446.70 to a record high of $3,424.70 with a transfer of one unit.
A total of 11,913,117 shares were traded for $42,086,420 compared to 19,516,550 units at $47,807,103 on Thursday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 2,051.59 points to end at 363,287.98, the JSE Main Index fell 1,305.66 points to finish at 326,625.92 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.61 points to end at 71.45.
Ciboney Group shed 32 cents in closing at $1.33, with 1,948,280 stock units changing hands. Eppley lost $2.45 and ended at $34, with 107 stocks crossing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3.48 in closing at $39 with an exchange of 1,030 stock units, Guardian Holdings rose $8 to end at $420, with 283 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers dipped $1.84 to close at $35.05 with 56,101 units clearing the market, Jamaica Producers gained 35 cents and ended at $20.50 as investors exchanged 2,200 shares. JMMB Group dropped $2.30 to $30 after a transfer of 22,542 stocks, Margaritaville increased $2.68 in ending at $17.98 in an exchange of 2 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 56 cents to close at $11.56 with a transfer of 75,240 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost 50 cents to end at $68.50 in an exchange of 1,545 stock units.
Proven Investments shed $1.59 to $22.12 in trading 46,772 shares and Seprod fell $2.82 in closing at $70.18 with shareholders swapping 181 units.
Wednesday, after trading took place in 57 securities compared with 56 on Wednesday, with prices of 21 rising, 21 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
Transjamaican Highway closed with 3.16 million units for 16.2 percent of market share and Ciboney Group ended with 3.06 million units for 15.7 percent of total volume.
Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $3.48 to $42.48, with 11,384 units changing hands, First Rock Real Estate increased 73 cents in closing at $9.75 after a transfer of 71 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange rallied 79 cents and ended at $11 after closing with 2,144 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings dipped $2.20 to $98.80 with a transfer of 167 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 56 cents and ended at $11, with 33,200 units crossing the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $8.99 to close at $69 in an exchange of 387 stocks. NCB Financial declined 30 cents in closing at $65.20 in an exchange of 51,169 stock units, Proven Investments dropped 35 cents to $23.71 with an exchange of 2,154 stocks,
Sagicor Group lost 47 cents in closing at $47.53 in trading 122,107 units and Seprod popped $2.99 to $73 with 6,267 shares clearing the market.
A total of 17,334,420 shares were traded for $83,845,979 compared to 76,180,578 units at $630,021,406 on Tuesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,461.79 points to finish at 364,684.10, the JSE Main Index fell 487.98 points to close at 328,377.50 and the JSE Financial Indexslipped 0.53 points to close at 71.93.
Kingston Wharves increased $1.90 in closing at $29.90 after 876 units crossed the market, Margaritaville lost $2.75 and ended at $15.30 after 1,105 shares passed through the exchange. Mayberry Investments rose 50 cents to end at $9 while exchanging 1,606 shares, NCB Financial advanced 45 cents to close at $65.50 in switching ownership of 121,185 stock units after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $60, Pan Jamaica declined $2.01 and ended at $50.99, with 507,508 stocks crossing the exchange, Proven Investments declined $1 to end at $24.06 with 1,206 units crossing the market. Sagicor Group dipped $1 to close at $48 after a transfer of 38,194 stocks, Seprod shed $5.30 to $70.01 in an exchange of 2,630 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose $1.22 in closing at $12 with 816 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% preference share gained $2.87 and ended at $20 in an exchange of 100 units, Eppley 7.50% preference share rallied 61 cents to end at $6.70, after trading 868 units and Jamaica Public Service 7% advanced $6.12 to $55 and closed with an exchange of 1,488 shares.
A total of 76,180,578 shares were traded for $630,021,406 in contrast with 9,586,592 units at $132,203,147 on Monday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 659.59 points to close at 366,145.89, the JSE Main Index fell 272.83 points to end trading at 328,865.48 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.57 points to 72.46.
Guardian Holdings surged $32.50 to $452.50 with 131 stock units passing through the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 60 cents to end at $11.50 in an exchange of 2,215,100 shares, JMMB Group climbed 47 cents and ended at $32.47, with 8,676 units changing hands. Kingston Wharves shed $2 in closing at $28 with shareholders swapping 2,745,588 units, Massy Holdings popped $2 to close at $101 with an exchange of 2,700 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced 40 cents in closing at $11.70 after stakeholders traded 3,598 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined 98 cents to close at $60.02 after 667 shares were traded, NCB Financial lost 90 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $65.05 with 301,043 units clearing the market, Proven Investments rallied $2.03 to end at $25.06 after 10 stock units were traded. Sagicor Group gained $1 to end at $49 after a transfer of 7,962 shares, Seprod declined $2.91 in closing at $75.31 in switching ownership of 9,729 stocks and Supreme Ventures shed 45 cents to end at $29 as 12,335 shares passed through the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share dipped $1.08 and ended at $6.09 in trading 20,000 units, Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $8.62 to close at $48.88 after an exchange of 100 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% fell $22 to end at $2978 while exchanging just one stock unit. 138 Student Living preference share rose $17 to end at $105 after exchanging 193 shares and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share rallied $12.90 to $103 with investors transferring 3 units.
A total of 9,586,592 shares were traded for $132,203,147 down from 25,472,457 units at $247,227,632 on Friday.
Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
NCB Financial traded 319,722 shares and lost 5 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $65.95, Pan Jamaica fell 89 cents to close at $53 as investors traded 67,386 units. Proven Investments shed $2.77 to end at $23.03 after an exchange of 2,213 stock units, Sagicor Group declined $1 to close at $48 with a transfer of 68,657 stocks, Scotia Group increased 50 cents to $34.50, with 25,150 units crossing the market. Seprod gained $1.22 to end at $78.22 while investors traded 30,940 shares, Supreme Ventures fell $1.55 to $29.45 with a transfer of 265,619 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 32 cents to close at $12.98 after 45,666 stock units crossed the exchange and Sygnus Real Estate Finance dipped $1.15 to $11 trading 1,100 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% shed $9.50 and ended at $57.50 in an exchange of 224 stock units, JMMB Group 7% preference share fell 38 cents to $2 with 657 units changing hands and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $3 in closing at $88 with shareholders swapping 18 stocks.