More risers than decliners but index slips

January 11, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Fewer companies’ stocks traded on Tuesday, leading to a slippage in the volume by 14 percent but the value rising by 15 percent higher than on Monday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.

Dolphin Cove closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Tuesday.

Market activity led to 35 securities trading compared to 38 on Monday and ended with 15 rising, nine declining and 11 closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index dropped 16.62 points to settle at 3,400.66.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 4,676,723 shares for $16,609,083 compared to 5,461,309 units at $14,393,557 on Monday. Jamaican Teas led trading with 1.24 million shares for 26.4 percent of the total volume followed by Future Energy Source, 838,006 units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery, 526,823 units with 11.3 percent market share.
Trading averaged 133,621 shares at $474,545 compared to 143,719 shares at $378,778 on Monday and month to date, an average of 119,440 units at $464,910, versus 117,234 units at $463,411 on Monday.December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 28 cents to $2.62 in trading 1,483 shares, Dolphin Cove rose $2.45 in ending at $19.20 with an exchange of 164,259 stocks, Everything Fresh climbed 6 cents to end at 98 cents in switching ownership of 45,928 units. Express Catering advanced 5 cents to $5.40 trading 13,925 stock units, Fontana popped 15 cents to close at $7.25 after 62,032 stocks changed hands, Fosrich rallied 50 cents to end at $11.50 after exchanging 38,098 stock units. Future Energy Source gained 5 cents to end at $2.99, with 838,006 units clearing the market, Honey Bun dropped 6 cents in closing at $9.69 with the swapping of 9,875 shares, Indies Pharma popped 10 cents to close at $3.20 after trading 10,747 units. Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to 85 cents in exchanging 22,000 stocks, KLE Group gained 25 cents in closing at $2.50, with 2,742 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express declined 45 cents to close at $7.55 in trading 728 shares. Limners and Bards increased 15 cents to end at $3.70 with an exchange of 44,053 units, Main Event rose 30 cents to $4.50, with 2,470 stock units crossing the market, Medical Disposables climbed 21 cents in ending at $6.70 after exchanging 65,529 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 9 cents to $5.70 while trading 5,600 shares and tTech shed 53 cents to close at $4.25 in an exchange of 1,579 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market Tagged With: Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, FESCO, Fontana, FosRich, Future Energy Source, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Main Event, Medical Disposables, Paramount Trading, SSL Venture Capital, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity, tTech

The Junior Market could gain 60% in 2022

January 11, 2022 by IC Insider.com

The Junior Market continues to offer opportunities for supper stock performance in 2022 with an average PE for the market at 9 times 2022 earnings versus close to 15 at the end of 2021, and offering a potential gain of more than 60 percent to the end of 2022. There are 26 Junior Market stocks that can double in 2022.
The market is technically at a support level that is steering the index upwards, more importantly, it is caught in a triangular formation that is set to push the market sharply upwards once it breaks out, which is not far off. The market is also trading in a channel that goes back to May 2020 and is pointing to a record high of more than 4,000 points in a few months.
Last year finished with a number of stocks trading at or above 20 times earnings in the Junior Market if that level of valuation continues into 2022 then the gain in the market could exceed the above potential gains.
The market will continue to benefit from the recovery of some of the companies that suffered major fallout due to the restrictions placed on operations as a result of the COVID19 epidemic in 2020 into 2021. Stocks that could benefit in a big way are, Access Financial, Main Event, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Knutsford Express, Jetcon Corporation, Dolphin Cove and Stationery and Office Supplies.
Access Financial – Earnings per share are projected at $4.80 for the year to March 2023 and $2.60 for the 2022 fiscal year to March. The company showed signs of recovery from the beating taken in 2020 and 2021 as a result of steep provisioning for doubtful loans and a slowdown in lending. That situation started to reverse in 2021 up to September with loans net of doubtful loans up to $4.38 billion versus $3.9 at the end of September 2020. Revenues and profit in 2021 tripled the September 2020 quarter and the 2020 half year results. This trend is expected to gather pace in 2022 and beyond. See full article on the company recently published.
AMG Packaging – Earnings per share is projected at 35 cents for the year to August 2022 as new machinery facilitates cutting costs and creating more flexibility in the manufacturing operations. See full article on the company recently published.
Caribbean Brokers – Earnings per share is projected at 40 cents for 2022. The company reported strong earnings in the September quarter, with EPS at 41 cents for the quarter and 33 cents for the nine months. The company tends to get the bulk of its income in short periods with the other quarters reflecting relatively lower income that does not cover the cost. Unfortunately, the company failed to provide investors with appropriate information to fully glean what the results will mean for the full year and beyond. The end result is that the stock has suffered from investors’ interest when it really should have surged well over $4 per share, based on the latest results and what can be expected for the full year.
Elite Diagnostic – Earnings per share are projected at 80 cents for the year to June 2023. The stock is under pressure but that is due to investors not paying adequate attention to what the company is doing and the improvement in sales, quarter over quarter as well as the strong cash flow it’s generating. See full article on the company recently published.
Medical Disposables – Earnings per share are projected at $1.50 cents for the year to March 2023.

Technical indicators for the Junior Market are pointing to a record high of more than 4,000 points in a few months.

Profit after taxation surged 455 percent to $21.5 million for the second quarter to September from a loss of $6 million in 2020. For the year to date, profit after tax spiked 458 percent to $47 million, up from a loss of $13 million in 2020. Income from sales jumped 49 percent to $936 million for the September quarter, up from $630 million in 2020 and climbed 42 percent for the six months ended September 2021 to $1.62 billion, from $1.14 billion in the prior year. The acquisition of majority ownership of Cornwall Enterprises along with new distributorships helped in fueling the sales surge. See full article on the company recently published
Caribbean Cream – Earnings per share is projected at $1.30 cents for the year February 2023 from 65 cents projected for the 2021 fiscal year. Management is building an enterprise that can go up against the competition successfully and deliver superior returns for shareholders. They have cut costs in the past two years and grew their market reach by setting up a distribution depot in the Ocho Rios region that helped to push sales. The implementation of their own power generating plant will lead to a reduction of energy and other utility costs. Excluding the slowdown in sales in the August quarter when the government introduced no movement days, sales increase is been robust and is expected to be on track again for the second half of the year into the 2023 fiscal year.
Dolphin Cove – Earnings per share is projected at $3 for this year and $1.35 for 2021. This company is in a period of major recovery with profit surging and set to get even better with the tourism industry rebounding strongly and closing in on 2019 arrivals. See full article on the company recently published.
Spur Tree Spices – Earnings per share is projected at 19 cents for this year. A recent IPO, this stock is set to do extremely well over the next few years. Expect local sales to surge as a result of the publicity they received due to the IPO. See full article on the company recently published.
Stationery and Office Supplies – Earnings per share is projected at 95 cents for the current year and reflect a full recovery from the fall out of the Covid19 disruption to sales. The company has made major strides since 2020 when sales were badly affected by the shutdown of businesses and schools. That has changed and the company posted a 175 percent increase in pre-tax profit of $78 million versus $29 million for the nine months to September 2020, from a 13.5 percent rise in revenues. Earnings per share for the third Quarter of 2021 was 8 cents, compared to 3 cents in 2020. For the 9 months ended September 2021 earnings per share was up to 31 cents from 11 cents in 2020. reports are that the company had the best four quarter in its history and the performance seems to have carried over into 2022 and should continue to be robust with opening and expansion in the wider economy.
Lasco Distributors – Earnings per share is projected at 50 cents for the year to March 2023. For the half year to September, revenues rose 15 percent to $11.6 billion and profit increased 6 percent to $615 million as margins were squeezed in the period from higher input cost, followed by delayed price increase. With price adjustments since implemented, margins should increase and result in higher profits. Revenues should pick up as tourist traffic rose sharply throughout the year and schools are now back in operation both activities will impact revenues positively.
With earnings per share of 14 cents for the half year, full year earnings should exceed 30 cents making the stock undervalued at $3.45 with a PE of 11, versus the market average of just over 14.
The company has no borrowed funds and possesses $2.8 billion in cash funds, with annual gross cash flows of over $1.2 billion.
Everything Fresh – Earnings per share is projected at 15 cents for the year. The company seems to have turned the corner with a small profit in the September quarter. Importantly, gross cash flow for the nine months to September was positive at $15 million despite a loss of $20 million. The hotel sector is enjoying a strong rise in visitor arrivals with December last year down 24 percent compared to 2019 compared to a fall of 45 percent for 2021 versus 2019 preliminary data shows, this is a very positive development for the company going forward. The current year should see an even greater number of visitors that should better the performance in December. This is good news for a company that markets the bulk of sales to that sector.
Lasco Financial – Earnings per share is projected at 45 cents for the year March 2023. Net Profit for the second quarter ended at $134 million compared with $30 million in the similar period of 2020. The second quarter suffered revenue reduction from $617 million in 2020 to $554 million in 2021, due to disruption in business during the period as a result of no movement days, while cost rose from $400 million to $424 million leaving profit after tax at $59 million from $136 million in 2020. Earnings per share ended September at 10.5 cents and that should climb sharply in the second half with the impact of the high volume Christmas period having a positive impact. The company has cash funds of $1.7 billion at the end of the period as they curtailed lending.
Lasco Manufacturing – Earnings per share is projected at 60 cents for the year March 2023. For the half year to September, revenues rose 13 percent over the $4.1 billion generated in 2020 to $4.65 billion and profit popped 6 percent to $782 million, but the second quarter saw profit falling 3.8 percent to $380 million from revenues that increased 2.7 percent to $2.34 billion. Earnings per share came in at 19 cents for the half year on target for around 40-45 cents for the full year as margins increase based on price adjustments.
Cash on hand stood at $1.8 billion with borrowings at $600 million.
General Accident – Earnings per share are projected at 80 cents for the year.

General Accident spreading wings

Net profit after tax of $351 million, was generated for the nine months to September up from $125 million in 2020, with earnings per share of 39 cents versus 14 cents in 2020. Profit in the third quarter was $177 million compared to just $12 million in 2020. Earnings per share in the September quarter was 19 cents.
The company is in an expansion mode, with the establishment of operations in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, with both operations expected to break even in 2022. Higher interest rates locally and the ability to increase investment in higher yielding assets are measures expected to boost investment income in 2022.
Jetcon Corporation – Earnings per share is projected at 15 cents for the year but don’t be surprised if it ends as high as 25 cents, depending on how rapid sales increase becomes. On a recovery path from the pandemic slump in 2020, revenues to September 2021 were up 30 percent but and should end the year above that level based on what the company reported in the third quarter, that sales for the fourth quarter are strong, with units sold in November back at regular pre-pandemic levels and already exceeded sales for the third quarter, at $196 million with the upward swing continuing into December, and with increased bookings to date. The improved sales position in the final quarter should result in an increased gross profit margin and a better net position than in 2020.
The above developments augur well for 2022 that should see revenues climbing appreciably again, with growth of 50 percent not out of the picture. If that were to happen it could lift profit margins closer to 20 percent from much lower levels in 2020 and 2021.
Bonus Pick
Honey Bun is our bonus pick for the year. Earnings per share are projected at $1 for the year to September 2022, as revenues continue to climb at a healthy pace. Earnings may be too low for it to qualify for the TOP15, but the stock could double from its current price of $9.30 per share during the year.

Filed Under: Buy Rated, Feature Stories, Investment 2024, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Access Financial, Dolphin Cove, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Honey Bun, Jamaican Stock, Jetcon Corporation, junior market, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event, Stationery and Office Supplies

Meager gains for Juniors as rising stocks beat out losers

January 10, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Trading closed on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 59 percent and the value rising 22 percent higher than on Friday as the prices of stock rising exceeded those declining on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market two to one.
Market activity led to 38 securities trading similar to trading on Friday and ended with 19 rising, nine declining and 10 ending unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 5.44 points to 3,417.28.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years, to August 2022.
Overall, 5,461,309 shares changed hands for $14,393,557 versus 3,426,726 units at $11,765,999 on Friday. Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 1.25 million shares for 22.9 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 600,408 units for 11 percent of trading and Consolidated Bakeries with 550,740 units for 10.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 143,719 shares at $378,778 in contrast to 90,177 units at $309,632 on Friday and month to date, an average of 117,234 units at $463,411, compared to 111,853 units at $480,609 on Friday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging spiked 56 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.90 with 180,309 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers popped 39 cents to $7.50 after exchanging 5,812 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 27 cents to close at $2.75 while trading 1,251,586 units. Dolphin Cove popped 85 cents in closing at $16.75 in an exchange of 70,604 stocks, Everything Fresh shed 8 cents to end at 92 cents after 11,113 stocks changed hands, Fontana dropped 30 cents in closing at $7.10 after trading 58,447 units. Fosrich fell $1 to close at $11 after exchanging 32,245 stock units, GWest Corporation climbed 10 cents to end at $1, with 32,240 shares crossing the exchange, Honey Bun advanced 45 cents to $9.75 in trading 8,855 stocks. Jetcon Corporation rose 7 cents to 90 cents, with 74,659 units crossing the market, KLE Group dropped 72 cents to $2.25 trading 164 stock units, Knutsford Express rallied 10 cents to $8, with 8,633 shares crossing the market. Lasco Financial climbed 14 cents in closing at $3.34 with an exchange of 24,670 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing declined 5 cents to end at $4.60, with 10,189 shares clearing the market, Lumber Depot lost 15 cents to close at $2.88, with 440,341 stock units changing hands. Main Event increased 19 cents to $4.20 in switching ownership of 602 units, Medical Disposables advanced 12 cents to $6.49 in exchanging 24,880 units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 9 cents in ending at $5.61 as 8,929 stocks were traded.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, FESCO, Fontana, FosRich, Future Energy Source, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Main Event, Medical Disposables, Paramount Trading, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity

ICTOP10 scaling new highs

January 9, 2022 by IC Insider.com

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Main Market TOP10 stock, Sagicor Group price fell to $52.31 to return to the TOP10 after closing the previous week at $58 and replaced by Scotia Group that slipped from $36 to $35.50 as both the Main and Junior Markets displayed some bullish signs in the past week, with Caribbean Producers hitting a record high of $15 and gained 436 percent in just over a year.

Sagicor Group back in ICTOP10.

Other big news for the week was the continued rise of ICTOP10 Main Market stock, Caribbean Producers that closed the week with a gain of 15 percent at a record high of $15 and is now in the sixth spot with the potential to gain another 120 percent in months. Radio Jamaica rose 7 percent for the week to $3.23 and Guardian Holdings rose 5 percent.
Junior Market AMG Packaging rose 6 percent but could climb higher with the first quarter results to November, due this coming week and the company is also expected to announce a dividend. Lasco Financial put on 7 percent to land at $3.20, Elite Dynastic gained 4 percent to $2.95, Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed as high as $2.75 during the week but closed down at $2.48 for a 3 percent gain, and Access Financial Services fell 10 percent to $17.08 and Lasco Distributors lost 6 percent to $3.20.
Elsewhere, investors in the Spur Tree Spices Initial Public offer will receive just over 11.76 percent of the shares they applied for in the heavily oversubscribed issue that is sure to drive the stock price with a big bang in the first week of trading which should be ahead of the end of January.
The top three Main Market stocks, this week are Guardian Holdings followed by JMMB Group and Radio Jamaica all projected to gain between 199 and 258 percent up from 183 and 261 percent last week.
The Junior Market’s top three stocks for the week are Access Financial Services followed by AMG Packaging and Caribbean Assurance Brokers. All three can gain between 182 and 204 percent versus 174 and 218 percent, previously.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks is 148 percent and Main Market stocks moved from 152 percent to this weeks’ 146 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week, with an average PE of 14.8 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is currently well below the target of 20 and the average of 17 at the end of March this year based on 2020 earnings. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of just 8.2, with a 45 percent discount to that market’s average.
The Junior Market can gain 35 percent to March this year, based on an average PE of 20 and 15 percent based on an average PE of 17. Ten stocks representing 26 percent of all Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level and averaging 25.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 16.4, just 16 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 22 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8.4 representing a 49 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 14 stocks or 30 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average roundabout 25, suggesting that the accepted multiple is between 20 and 25 times the current year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios 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 per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.

Coming soon reports

Filed Under: Buy Rated Tagged With: Access Financial, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Producers, Daily Trading, Dolphin Cove, Emerging markets, GraceKennedy, Guardian Holdings, Jamaican Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JMMB Group, junior market, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Medical Disposables, PANJAM Investment, Radio Jamaica, Scotia Group, Spur Tree Spicies, Stocks to Watch, Sygnus Credit Investments, TOP 10 stocks, Trading Activity, Victoria Mutual Investments

Junior Market suffers sharp fall

January 7, 2022 by IC Insider.com

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market suffered a sizable pull back at the close of the market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 34 percent less and the value falling 64 percent lower than on Thursday and leading the market index into a big fall at the close.
A total of 38 securities traded compared to 39 on Thursday and ended with 11 rising, 17 declining and 10, closing unchanged and the Junior Market Index losing 32.78 points to settle at 3,411.84.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.3, The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years, up to August 2022.
A total of 3,426,726 shares changed hands for $11,765,999, down sharply from 5,199,743units at $33,066,923 on Thursday. Lumber Depot led trading with 1.2 million shares for 35.1 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers 635,609 units with 18.5 percent of the day’s trade and Indies Pharma 243,296 units for 7.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 90,177 shares at $309,632 compared to 133,327 shares at $847,870 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 111,853 units at $480,609, against 117,381 units at $524,214 previously traded. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $3.67 in ending at $17.08 with the swapping of 2,738 shares, CAC 2000 fell 20 cents to end at $7.70 while exchanging 50 units, Cargo Handlers shed 39 cents in closing at $7.11, with 3,600 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 27 cents to close at $2.48 trading 635,609 stocks, Dolphin Cove slipped 10 cents to $15.90 in switching ownership of 90,619 stocks, Fontana lost 6 cents at $7.40 trading 49,726 stock units. General Accident fell 25 cents to $6.35, with 52,292 shares crossing the market, GWest Corporation dropped 9 cents to end at 90 cents after 110 units passed through the exchange, Indies Pharma declined 13 cents in closing at $3.07 after trading 243,296 stocks. Jetcon Corporation shed 7 cents to close at 83 cents, with 24,059 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors declined 15 cents in closing at $3.20 in an exchange of 19,141 units, Lasco Financial advanced 8 cents to close at $3.20 after trading 54,262 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 5 cents to $4.65 with an exchange of 1,717 stocks, Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $3.55 after trading 52,828 shares, Lumber Depot increased 6 cents to $3.03 in exchanging 1,202,497 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 5 cents to $5.70 in trading 5,581 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, FESCO, Fontana, FosRich, Future Energy Source, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Medical Disposables, Paramount Trading, SSL Venture Capital, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity

Junior Market inches higher

January 6, 2022 by IC Insider.com

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market rose moderately at the close of trading on Thursday with the volume of stocks traded rising 26 percent and the value up 69 percent from Wednesday levels as the number of securities changing hands rose.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading up from 36 on Wednesday and ended with 15 rising, nine declining and 15, closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 3.95 to end at 3,448.57. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 5,199,743 shares changing hands for $33,066,923 against 4,123,382 units at $19,617,436 on Wednesday. Honey Bun led trading with 3 million shares for 57.7 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Flavours with 297,998 units for 5.7 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 294,424 units for 5.7 percent market share.
Trading averaged 133,327 shares at $847,870 in contrast to 114,538 shares at $544,929 on Wednesday and month to date, averaging 117,381 units at $524,214, compared to 111,727 units at $409,463 on Wednesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rallied 13 cents to close at $2.35 after exchanging 15,409 shares, Blue Power lost 20 cents to end at $3.35 while 215 units changed hands, CAC 2000 spiked 70 cents to end at $7.90 trading 1,450 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 5 cents in closing at $2.75 with an exchange of 44,671 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 39 cents to $5.73, trading 1,028 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents in closing at $16 with the swapping of 29,920 shares. Express Catering shed 24 cents in ending at $5.35 after 12,991 stocks crossed the exchange, Fosrich popped 16 cents to close at $11.96 in trading 22,455 stock units, General Accident gained 60 cents to end at $6.60 and closed with an exchange of 8,240 units. GWest Corporation rose 9 cents to 99 cents, with 15,724 shares changing hands, Indies Pharma increased 16 cents in closing at $3.20 after exchanging 9,011 stock units and Lasco Manufacturing declined 25 cents to close at $4.60 with an exchange of 22,106 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, FESCO, Fontana, FosRich, Future Energy Source, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, ISP Finance, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Medical Disposables, Paramount Trading, SSL Venture Capital, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity

Gains for Junior Market

January 5, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Trading closed on Wednesday, with the money entering the market jumping 91 percent higher than on Tuesday as the volume of stocks trading rose just 10 percent more than previously traded and resulted in the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market rising at the close.
The Junior Market Index popped 24.26 points to settle at 3,444.62 as 36 securities traded, down from 39 on Tuesday and ended with 11 rising, 14 declining and 11, closing unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages14.4. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years, up to August 2022.
A total of 4,123,382 shares traded for $19,617,436 compared to 3,733,550 units at $10,264,636 on Tuesday. Cargo Handlers led trading with 963,019 shares for 23.4 percent of total volume followed by Lumber Depot with 446,212 units for 10.8 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas 443,682 units for 10.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 114,538 shares at $544,929, up from 95,732 shares at $263,196 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 111,727 units at $409,463, compared to 110,359 units at $343,561 on Tuesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 10 cents in closing at $2.70 after 429,197 shares crossed the exchange, Dolphin Cove shed 68 cents to end at $15.50 with the swapping of 188,804 stocks, Fosrich lost 70 cents to $11.80 with 22,668 units passing through the market. General Accident fell 88 cents to close at $6 in an exchange of 1,251 stock units, GWest Corporation popped 5 cents in ending at 90 cents with 2,188 units changing hands Honey Bun gained 9 cents in closing at $9.30 while exchanging 48,734 stock units. Indies Pharma lost 14 cents after ending at $3.04 in exchanging 137,581 stocks, KLE Group popped 67 cents to close at $2.97 with 1,000 shares clearing the market, Knutsford Express dropped 10 cents to $7.90 after exchanging 40 units. Lasco Distributors shed 6 cents to end at $3.31 in trading 51,791 shares, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 28 cents to $4.85 with 127,945 stock units crossing the market, Limners and Bards declined 7 cents in closing at $3.69 trading 73,328 stocks. Main Event fell 49 cents to close at $4.01 in trading 6,383 stocks, Paramount Trading rallied 5 cents to end at $1.20 in exchanging 5,850 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $5.65 in switching ownership of 200,353 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, FESCO, Fontana, FosRich, Future Energy Source, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, ISP Finance, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Main Event, Medical Disposables, Paramount Trading, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity, tTech

Junior Market suffers sharp pullback

January 4, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Trading closed on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining after trading 16 percent less, valued 32 percent less than on Monday and resulted in a sharp pullback in the market index at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading up from 35 on Monday and ended with 15 rising, 15 declining and nine closed unchanged after Fosrich traded at a record high of $12.50. The Junior Market Index dropped 33.47 points to settle at 3,420.36.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.7. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with the financial years, ending up to August 2022.
Trading accounted for 3,733,550 shares for $10,264,636 down from 4,433,043 units at $15,158,849 on Monday. GWest Corporation led trading with 1.02 million shares for 27.4 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 262,958 units for 7 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery with 218,718 units for 5.9 percent market share.
Trading averaged 95,732 shares at $263,196 against 126,658 shares at $433,110 on Monday and month to date, an average of 110,359 units at $343,561. December trading average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power gained 38 cents in ending at $3.54 after trading 6,500 shares, Cargo Handlers popped 49 cents to $7.50 in exchanging 55,000 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 10 cents to $2.60, with 210,601 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove fell 82 cents to $16.18, trading 34,952 stock units, Elite Diagnostic dropped 5 cents to end at $2.95, with 1,682 units crossing the market, Everything Fresh popped 6 cents to end at $1 while exchanging 147,525 shares. Express Catering advanced 15 cents in ending at $5.60 with an exchange of 14,660 stocks, Fosrich popped $2.25 to $12.50, with 43,486 stock units changing hands, General Accident jumped 88 cents to $6.88 in switching ownership of 13,790 shares. Indies Pharma shed 21 cents to close at $3.18 trading 211,525 units, KLE Group spiked 30 cents in closing at $2.30 in trading 866 stocks, Lasco Financial rose 6 cents to end at $3.12 with the swapping of 8,307 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to close at $4.57, with 716 stocks crossing the exchange, Main Event lost 5 cents at $4.50 after exchanging 8,275 shares, Medical Disposables advanced 31 cents to $6.36 with an exchange of 19,731 stock units. Paramount Trading fell 10 cents in closing at $1.15 and trading 12,630 units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 54 cents to end at $5.85 with 151 units changing hands.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Junior Market rises on light trading

January 3, 2022 by IC Insider.com

Trading closed on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded rising declining 88 percent with the value falling by 86 percent lower than on Friday after the market index rose at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
A total of 35 securities traded down from 39 on Friday with 13 rising, 15 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 25.53 points to 3,453.83 after trading as high as 3,476.12 within 15 minutes of the market’s opening.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratios of stocks in the chart below are based on earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 4,433,043 shares changing hands for $15,158,849 versus 36,836,465 units at $111,353,786 on Friday. Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 1.17 million shares for 26.3 percent of total volume, followed by Derrimon Trading, 938,417 units for 21.2 percent of the day’s trade and Mailpac Group 655,668 units with a 14.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 126,658 shares at $433,110 down from 944,525 shares at $2,855,225 on Friday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.75 to $20.75 after trading just 47 shares, Blue Power spiked 18 cents to $3.16 with 2,193 stocks clearing the market, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.24 to $7.01, with the swapping of 4,531 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 10 cents to close at $2.50, with 1,165,378 units crossing the market, Caribbean Cream shed 38 cents to end at $5.32, with 3,668 units changing hands, Dolphin Cove popped $2 to end at $17 after exchanging 179,535 shares. Elite Diagnostic rose 15 cents to $3 in exchanging 125,078 stocks, Fosrich advanced 5 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $10.25 after trading at 7,539 stock units, Indies Pharma fell 11 cents to $3.39 in switching ownership of 58,076 shares. Jetcon Corporation declined 5 cents in closing at 88 cents after an exchange of 189,015 stock units, KLE Group climbed 21 cents to $2 in trading 8,014 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 32 cents to end at $8 with 1,509 units changing hands. Lasco Financial rallied 6 cents to close at $3.06 with an exchange of 259,716 units, Limners and Bards dipped 11 cents to $3.76 in an exchange of 144,683 shares, Lumber Depot slipped 11 cents to $3 while exchanging 122,784 stock units. Mailpac Group declined 29 cents to $3.49, with 655,668 stocks changing hands, Main Event rose 5 cents to $4.55 in trading 40,000 shares and Medical Disposables fell 44 cents to end at $6.05 after 6,197 stock units crossed the market.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

64% gains for ICTOP10 picks in 2021

January 3, 2022 by IC Insider.com

The 2021 calendar year ended on Friday, with the Junior Market rising a near 30 percent and the Main Market just holding above the close of the prior year. Against this backdrop ICInsider.com TOP 15 stocks at the start of the year had a 53 percent average gain in the Junior Market but 64 percent when Honey Bun that was reported on in December 2020 and Future Energy Sources (Fesco) that was Buy Rated when the IPO hit the market was up and impressive 64 percent.

IC Buy Rated Caribbean Producers was by far the best performing stock on the JSE for 2021.

Only three Junior Market stocks declined amongst our selection with Elite being the worse with a loss of 11 percent.
TOP10 MM stock did not do as well as the JM but that was told to readers at the start of the year. The average gain for the TOP15 Main Market stocks was 10 percent that excludes Caribbean Producers. The highest gaining stock from the list was Radio Jamaica up 61 percent and Grace Kennedy 58 percent, the two worse performers were Berger Paints and Scotia Group down 12 percent each.
The big news for the market for the past week continues to be the Initial Public offer of Spur Tree Spices priced at $1 per share that was heavily oversubscribed.
Medical Disposables rose 7 percent for the week to $6.49 and dropped out of the TOP10 and was replaced by General Accident that comes in at $6. In the Main Market TOP10, Sagicor Group rose 9 percent for the week to close at $58 and was replaced by Scotia Group at $36.
During the week AMG Packaging rose 4 percent to $2.20, Access Financial Services lost 9 percent to $19, Lasco Distributors rose 6 percent to $3.47, Elite Diagnostic rose 5 percent to $2.85 and Honey Bun gained 8 percent to $9.25. In the Main Market, Caribbean Producers popped 9 percent to $13, JMMB Group and PanJam Investment rose 3 percent, while losses were suffered by Radio Jamaica down 5 percent and Sterling Investments with a fall of 7 percent
The top three Main Market stocks, this week are Guardian Holdings followed by JMMB Group and Radio Jamaica all projected to gain between 199 and 258 percent up from 183 and 261 percent last week.
The Junior Market top three stocks changed a bit during the week, with AMG Packaging leading, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Access Financial Services. All three can gain between 174 and 218 percent versus 158 and 230 percent, previously.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks remained unchanged at 149 percent and Main Market stocks moved from 154 percent to this weeks’ 152 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week, with an average PE of 14.8 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is currently well below the target of 20 and the average of 17 at the end of March this year based on 2020 earnings. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of a mere 8.2, with a 45 percent discount to that market’s average.
The Junior Market can gain 35 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 15 percent based on an average PE of 17.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 16.4, just 16 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 22 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8.2 representing a 50 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 13 stocks or 28 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average roundabout 25, suggesting that the accepted multiple is between 20 and 25 times the current year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios 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 per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.