Caribbean Cream fell $1 to $7 while trading 199,000 units in response to the company posting profit of $19 million in the November quarter, down from $39 million in the same period in 2015. Profit for the year to date is up to $137 million from $124 million in 2015. More trading took place with 1,000 units at $7.50 but 300,000 units were offered at $7.45.
Notwithstanding the sharp fall of Caribbean Cream price, the junior market index rose moderately. The main market index rose as well. In trading elsewhere, Lasco Distributors had 599,260 units trading at $7, 
AMG Packaging hit a new high of $32.55 and Blue Power traded at a new high of $35.50.
Market activity has been moderate so far resulting in 29 securities traded at 10:45 am, compared to 26 on Thursday. A total of 11 securities advanced and 7 declined, resulting in a volume of 1,490,866 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $16,271,265, compared of 1,790,982 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $22,912,791 on Thursday. The average number of shares traded, amount to 51,409 units versus 68,884 units on Thursday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 773.25 points to 211,971.25, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index gained 691.43 points 193,914.56 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index climbed 707.44 points to 208,184.58 and the junior market index rose 6.45 points above the record close on Thursday to 2,759.63.
Kremi’s profit fall pushes stock down
Jetcon & CWJ set for 2017 top spots
C&W set to be 2017 top stock from the main market.
In the just concluded week, Caribbean Cream (Kremi) and Lasco Financial that entered the IC Insider’s TOP 5 at the end of December, only spent one week in the list. Both stocks climbed during the past week with Lasco Financial moving up 18 percent to $3.67 and Caribbean Cream gained 14 percent to $8.55. Key Insurance rose 14 percent during the week and General Accident was up 7 percent.
Entering the TOP 5 for the first time, is Dolphin Cove, and returning is Jetcon Corporation at 4th and 5th spot, respectively. Investors have lost confidence in Dolphin Cove even as the company continues to produce decent results and having good prospects, with the major expansion in the tourism industry. Profit to September last year, was up 11 percent to $1.17 per share, exceeding the results for the entire 2015.
Jetcon reported in their September quarterly
Dolphin Cove moved into the IC Insider’s TOP 5 junior market stocks.
There were not much movement in the main market stocks during the week. Radio Jamaica moved out of the TOP 5, having gained in price during the week and is replaced by National Commercial Bank, at the number 5 position. The banking group is still selling cheaper than Scotia Group with earnings for the 2017 year to be released by the end of January. IC Insider is forecasting $8 per share earnings for 2017 with increased dividend payments around $3 per share, suggesting the stock has much room for growth. The number 1 main market stock is projected to be Cable & Wireless followed by Barita Investments. Last year this publication stated that Barita was the best main market stock back in September, it is now up by 93 percent since but has much more gains ahead with projected earnings of $1.75 for 2017.
Note: One of our writers is a director of two junior companies, Jetcon Corporation and Jamaican Teas. Connected parties to IC Insider.com may hold shares in companies commented on from time to time.
New high for Margaritaville in early session – Monday
Margaritaville Turks traded 339,428 at a new high of 23.95 US cents and gained 2.95 cents in the process In early morning trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, at 10:45 Am, there were no stock being offered for sale. Trading activity generally has been light in early trading with most prices inching up.
Demand came in for Seprod as the price climbed $1.50 with 88,000 shares trading at $20.50 and Scotia Group dropped $1.39 to $30. In the junior market AMG Packaging rose 85 cents with 17,100 units changing hands up to $14.55 while Lasco Distributors fell 20 cents with 166,700 shares trading at $6.50. C2W Music traded down 4 cents to a new low of 20 cents with 100,000 shares.
At 10:45 am 27 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 1,014,803 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 36,243 units compared to 59,281 units on Friday. The number of stocks falling so far amounts to 6 while the prices of 12 securities rose as the market continues to consolidate with no new major developments or news to move prices in one direction or the other.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 223.47 points to 177,766.67 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 199.82 points to 159,996.78, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index gained 317.79 points to close at 170,876.16 and the junior market index up 12.90 points to 2,189.78.
Kremi hits new high of $7.55
Jamaica stocks gained in trading on Monday in the main market but there was some slippage in the junior market although Caribbean Cream traded at a new high of $7.55,
up by 90 cents with 21,157 units as investors continue to respond to the company’s first quarter results.
The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 130.80 points to 179,643.95, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index gained 109.96 points to 159,887.05, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index climbed 1,499.13 point to close at 171,976.49 points andthe junior market index slipped 0.22 points to 2,157.12.
Subsequent to 12:20PM the main market indices enter negative territory.
Trading at 12:20 pm, resulted in 28 securities changing hands, accounting for a volume of 3,097,628 shares with 14 securities rising and 7 falling. The average number of shares traded amounts to 110,630 units compared to an average of 63,379 units on Friday.
Big Carib Cream’s profit hike
Caribbean Cream may not have officially landed the 60 cents per shares that IC Insider forecasted last year, following release of their 2015 full year results. That was due to two main factors, one is the writing down of assets amounting to $31.4 million and exceptional cost incurred, with waste water disposal which IC Insider estimates cost around $80 million during the year.
The 2016 profit of 40 cents per share is coming from just 15 cents per share for 2015 following the writing off of assets amounting to $31.4 million, the equivalent of 8 cents per share. The company that produces the Kremi brand of ice cream for the local market, delivered profit 0f $151 million for the year an increase from only $56.77 million for 2015 and from sales revenues that were up 12 percent to $1.13 billion compared to $1 billion in 2015. Importantly, final quarter revenues climbed 16.57 percent to $317 million, from $272 million, an acceleration from sales in the November quarter that grew 9 percent to $258 million.
The growth in revenues is “due to our ongoing aggressive sales, marketing and promotional efforts. We continue to expand our wholesale and retail segments” the company stated in a release accompanying the financials.
The improved results flowed from what IC Insider stated towards the commencement of 2015, “going forward the benefits of installation of the blast freezer will be reflected for the full year, while it only partially impacted the last quarter of the just concluded 2015 fiscal year. They increased prices around 15 percent ahead of the Christmas period and may have seen some cut back in volume in the quarter as a result. They should be able to recover volumes going forward and even expand on it as the shock effect of the price increase wears off and more retail outlets are added.”
“Importantly, electricity cost will fall from two standpoints one is the lower electricity cost around 20 percent from the peak last year (2015 fiscal) and lower cost due to the faster freezing of ice cream thus using less energy. The cost of milk powder is down quite sharply as well. Going forward, the margin should improve even more with the blast freezer installed in November, which management says will reduce utility cost and create capacity for greater production to enhance sales volume.”
Based on the recently released 2016 results, the company benefited from the above developments.
For the 2016 fiscal year, gross profit jumped by 62 percent over the 2015 full year’s performance and 72 percent for the fourth quarter. For the 2016 fiscal year, gross profit margin climbed to 40 percent in the last quarter, from 27 percent in the 2015 period, for the full year, the margin jumped to 39.67 percent compared to 27.2 percent for the 2015 period.
Administrative cost excluding the onetime asset write off, rose 29 percent to $210 million for the full year and by 78.7 percent to $58.2 million for the quarter. The last quarter reflects moderate increase in marketing cost from $6.4 million in 2015 to $7.6 million and $42.75 million for the full year versus $38 million in 2015. Finance cost in the quarter declined from $10.6 million in the prior year, to $4 million and to $17.76 million from $27 million in the prior year.
Borrowings declined from $155 million to $125 million and will result in reduced interest cost in the year ahead.
Kremi generated gross cash flows of $230 million for the year compared to $97 million and ended with cash funds of $153 million up from just $2 million in 2015. Equity capital at year-end amounted to $437 million.
Cash flows for 2017 fiscal year should be in the order of $436 million if the projected earnings of $1 per share are met. These numbers suggest that the payments of a dividend cannot be far off. The environment is looking positive for increased sales with the planned tax break for a large number of workers that will increase spending and expected pickup in economic growth.
The stock last traded on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $4.02 for a PE of 8.4 based ongoing profit for the fiscal year to February, or 4 times 2017 estimated earnings and compares with 12 times 2015 earnings for the junior market and 9.5 times estimated 2016 earnings for the top half of the market.
Proven sells Knutsford shares
Knutsford Express traded a big block of 20,000,002 shares at $10.65 with the price falling 65 cents, helping the junior market to lose ground on Tuesday. The record of the company showed Proven Investments as the holders of the exact amount traded, representing 20 percent of the shareholdings with their brokerage house being the seller with NCB Capital Markets being the brokers buying.
The junior market index falling by 24.27 points to 1,666.91 points as the market retreated from the all-time high reached on Monday. Trading ended with 14 securities trading of with 7 advanced and 2 declined with 20,742,505 units, valued at $215,634,789 changing hands as 2 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs.
At the close there was 1 security ending with no bid to buy and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 2 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while one closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial Services closed at $16 with 2,646 units changing hands, AMG Packaging closed with 8,964 units changing hands at $7, Blue Power had 581 units changing hands to close at $13.10, Caribbean Cream gained 43 cents with 13,000 shares changing hands at $3.70. 
Caribbean Flavours traded 450 units to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $10, by adding 97 cents, Caribbean Producers closed at $4.62 to gain 17 cents with 290,856 units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries rose 10 cents while trading 35,000 shares at $1.20, Derrimon Trading ended with 27,247 shares changing hands at $3.80. General Accident closed at $1.95 with 4,500 shares trading, Honey Bun finished with 2,000 shares changing hands, to close at $6, Lasco Distributors closed with 80,000 shares changing hands at 25 cents higher at $4.60. Lasco Financial rose 43 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.55, with 241,631 shares changing hands and Lasco Manufacturing lost 55 cents to close at $3 with 298,484 shares trading.
Trading picks up for juniors – Thursday
Caribbean Flavours hit a high of $8.10 on Thursday
At the close there was 1 security ending with no bid to buy and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 3 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while none closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Caribbean Cream gained 2 cents while trading 192,500 units to end at $3.40, Caribbean Flavours traded 1,550 units at a new 52 weeks’ high of $8.10 by adding 90 cents, Caribbean Producers traded 42,978 units as the price fell 5 cents to end at $5.25, Consolidated Bakeries fell 24 cents trading 695,535 shares at $1.06. General Accident Insurance fell 8 cents, in trading 11,802 units, at $1.92, Honey Bun gained 10 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.95.
Jamaican Teas had 76,295 shares trading to close with a loss of 40 cents at $4.50, Lasco Distributors closed with 765,536 shares changing hands at $4.30, Lasco Financial ended at $3, with 741,400 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing lost 11 cents and closed at $3.51, with 680,796 shares trading, Medical Disposables closed at $3.40 with 250,000 shares trading as the price declined by 13 cents, Paramount Trading ended with 6,000 shares changing hands at $8.96 and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 64,000 shares changing hands to end at $2.10.
Juniors up on low volume – Wednesday
Activity in the junior market declined on Wednesday from the higher levels seen over the last few trading session as 8 securities were active, ending with 1 stock advancing and 2 declining. Junior market index ended with an increase of 18.43 points to 1,641.58 with 1,378,773 units, valued at $4,830,892 changing hands.
At the close there was 1 security ending with no bid to buy and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 4 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial ended with a gain of 39 cents at $14 with 1,500 shares 
trading, C2W Music had 2,200 shares trading at 39 cents, Caribbean Cream dropped 4 cents while trading 80,000 units to end at $3.38, Caribbean Producers traded 45,182 units as the price fell 30 cents to end at $5.30. KLE Group ended with 25,975 units trading at 75 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with 185,802 shares changing hands, at $4.30, Lasco Financial ended at $3, with 357,318 shares changing hands and Lasco Manufacturing lost 11 cents and closed at $3.51, with 680,796 shares trading.
More juniors rise but index dips – Friday
Cargo Handlers at new high of $35.20 on Friday.
Only 2 securities ended with no bids to buy and 9 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and none closed with a lower offer.
In trading, C2W Music traded 16,460 units at 39 cents, Cargo Handlers gained 20 cents and ended at a new 52 weeks’ high of $35.20, with 13,415 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream traded 50,300 units with a rise of 40 cents to $4.95, Caribbean Flavours traded 260,052 units to end at $6.50 after rising 54 cents. Caribbean Producers closed with a gain of 52 cents in trading 175120 units at $5.52, for a new 52 weeks’ closing high, Consolidated Bakeries fell 8 cents at the close, to end at $1.40 with 50,000 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading ended with 10,000 units changing hands at $3.50, Dolphin Cove fell $1.01 with 3,532 units trading, to close at $15, General Accident ended with 165,385 shares changing hands and closed with a gain of 5 cents at $1.90, KLE Group lost 21 cents and ended with 17,292 units trading at 75 cents. Honey Bun with 27,035 shares changing hands and closed at $5.30.
Jamaican Teas had 109,363 shares trading to close at $4.30 after trading after rising by 30 cents, Knutsford Express ended 95 cents higher, at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.50 with 210 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors closed with 347,004 shares changing hands to end at $4.20 after falling by 10 cents. Lasco Financial rose of 5 cents to $3.30, with a total of 210,557 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing closed with a 5 cents gain at $3.80 with 932,066 shares trading and Medical Disposables ended with 341,000 shares changing hands and lost 40 cents to be at $3.45 and Sweet River Abattoir traded 35,500 units at $3.95
Juniors lost ground on Thursday
AMG Packaging closed at a new high of $6.50 on Thursday.
Only 2 securities ended with no bids to buy and 7 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 8 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging jumped to a 52 weeks’ high of $6.50 with 41,067 shares trading with a gain of 90 cents, Blue Power traded 295 units at $13.50, for a rise of 40 cents, C2W Music traded 74,958 units at 39 cents. Caribbean Cream traded 280,225 units but fell by 45 cents to $4.55, Caribbean Flavours traded 8,796 units to end at for a new 52 weeks’ high of $6.60 after rising 54 cents, Caribbean Producers closed with a gain of 15 cents in trading 327,271 units at $5, for a new 52 weeks’ closing high. Consolidated Bakeries fell 6 cents at the close, to end at $1.48 with 6,186 units changing hands.
Derrimon Trading ended with 47,482 units changing hands at $3.50, Dolphin Cove traded 13,336 units at $16.01, General Accident ended with 80,000 shares changing hands and closed at $1.90, KLE Group lost 21 cents and ended with 148,000 units trading at 75 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with 210,250 shares changing hands to end at $4.30 after rising by 15 cents. Lasco Financial ended with a loss of 25 cents to $3.25, with a total of 354,542 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $3.76 with 156,500 shares trading and Paramount Trading ended with 12,000 shares changing hands and lost 40 cents to be at $8.60.
