Profit jumps 43 percent before tax at Limners and Bard trading as the Lab, with revenues up 41 percent for the third quarter. Aftertax, profit climbed 66 percent from $12.7 million to $21 million for the July quarter.
Nine months profit, rose 54 percent to $108 million, from $70 million, aftertax, while profit rose 22 percent from $88.6 million before tax in 2019, to $107.8 million. In 2019, the Company incurred a tax charge of $19 million for the nine months but had none in 2020, as it benefited from the listing on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. Profit for the nine months equals the 2019 full year pretax profit of $107.5 million. The company enjoyed increased profit due to a 41.4 percent rise in revenues in the July quarter, from $152 million to $217 million and an increase of 41 percent for the nine months from $486 million to $686 million.
The cost incurred in generating operating revenue grew faster than incomes, of 46 percent for the nine months to $459 million and 48 percent for the quarter to $154 million.
Administration expenses and other costs rose 47 percent to $119 million for the nine months and by 31 percent for the quarter to $40 million. In a report accompanying the results, the chairman, Steven Gooden and Kimala Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “these included a systemization initiative and training to assist inefficiencies linked to our growth drivers and a pay-out of 50 percent of our 2019 employee profit share.
Kimala Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of The Lab.
Shareholders’ equity climbed to $45 million from $332 million at the end of July 2019. Current assets stand at $529 million including Cash and cash equivalents of $384 million, up from $213 million in July 2019. Current liabilities amounted to $134 million leaving strong net current assets at the end of the period. Borrowings stood at just $66 million.
The stock last traded at $2.80 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday for a PE ratio of 17.5. With the current year ending a little over a month from now and IC Insider.com projecting 28 cents earnings per share for fiscal 2021, the stock can be considered appropriately priced.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
GWest Corporation rose 2 cents to end at 98 cents with 24,000 stocks traded, Honey Bun shed 29 cents to close at $4.71 with investors transferring 5,000 units, Indies Pharma dropped 23 cents to settle at $2.62 in an exchange of 206,274 units. Lasco Distributors slipped 8 cents to close at $3.05 with 7,092 units changing hands, Lasco Financial declined by 2 cents to finish at $2.12 with 70,935 stocks traded, Lasco Manufacturing gained 6 cents to end at $3.79 with 32,978 shares passing through the market. Limners and Bards dropped 32 cents to close at $2.48 with investors switching ownership of 61,016 units, Lumber Depot exchanged 11,123,785 shares and advanced 5 cents to settle at $1.10, Mailpac Group slipped 1 cent to $2 with 181,248 stock units traded. Main Event fell 11 cents to end at $3.39 with 2,418 stocks switching hands, Medical Disposables finished 1 cent higher at $4.71 with an exchange of 1,123 shares, Paramount Trading lost 5 cents to settle at $1.50 with investors switching ownership of 146,900 stock units. SSL Venture fell 1 cent to close at 70 cents in an exchange of 35,144 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 39 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $5.20 with a mere 11 stock units trading and tTech jumped 75 cents in finishing at $5.75 with 281 units crossing the exchange.
Trading concluded with 33 securities changing hands, up from 31 on Thursday and ended, with the prices of 13 stocks rising, the prices of 14 declining and six with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, Access Financial dropped $4.49 to end at $21.51 in an exchange of just 11 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 22 cents to finish at $1.76 with a mere ten units trading, Blue Power fell 12 cents to settle at $3.30 with 1,500 stock units passing through the market. Cargo Handlers lost 30 cents to close at $7, trading 10,000 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 14 cents to end at $2.05 with 116,159 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream shed 40 cents to finish at $4 with investors switching ownership of 36,150 shares. Caribbean Flavours fell 3 cents to settle at $18.44 with 3,309 stocks passing through the market, Derrimon Trading advanced 34 cents to end at $2.85 in an exchange of 18,707 shares, Elite Diagnostic closed 33 cents higher at $3.39 with investors transferring 10,050 units. Express Catering slipped 2 cents to $3.93 with 19,201 stock units traded, Fontana lost 3 cents to finish at $4.74 with 138,448 shares passing through the market, General Accident gained 8 cents to end at $6.08 in an exchange of 868 stock units. iCreate rose 4 cents to settle at 70 cents with 3,306 stocks changing hands, Indies Pharma gained 7 cents to close at $2.85 with135,634 stock units traded, Jamaican Teas gained 14 cents to finish at $4.69 with investors switching ownership of 48,000 stock units. 
Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents to end at 85 cents in an exchange of 2,550 shares, KLE Group declined by 6 cents to finish at $1.36 with 1,000 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 539,293 stock units and advanced 10 cents to settle at $3.13. Lasco Financial rose 2 cents to close at $2.14 with investors transferring 3,750 units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 6 cents to end at $3.73 in an exchange of 1,136 shares, Limners and Bards slid 2 cents to $2.80 with 75,975 shares passing through the market. Lumber Depot finished 1 cent higher at $1.05 with 158,533 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group traded 639,248 stock units and gained 1 cent to settle at $2.01, Main Event rose 5 cents to end at $3.50 in an exchange of 501 shares. Medical Disposables advanced 8 cents to end at $4.70 with investors switching ownership of 500 stocks and Paramount Trading fell 5 cents to settle at $1.55 with 14,333 units crossing the exchange.
At the close of the market, Access Financial jumped $4.50 to finish at $26 with investors trading 8,406 shares, AMG Packaging fell 13 cents to $1.98 with 501 units changing hands, Blue Power ended 1 cent higher at $3.42 with a mere four shares passing through the market. Caribbean Flavours advanced 17 cents to $18.47 in an exchange of 25,819 units, Caribbean Producers rose 4 cents to close at $2.36 with 2,254 shares traded, Consolidated Bakeries gained 5 cents to settle at $1.50 with investors switching ownership of 300 stock units. Derrimon Trading added 1 cent to finish at $2.51 with an exchange of 400 shares, Elite Diagnostic lost 14 cents to end at $3.06 with 2,046 units passing through the market, Everything Fresh gained 3 cents and traded 220,271 shares to close at 71 cents. Express Catering declined 40 cents to settle at $3.95, with 40,000 stocks changing hands, Fontana rose 1 cent to finish at $4.77 with investors transferring 7,385 shares, Fosrich increased 5 cents to settle at $3.65 in an exchange of 1,061 stock units. General Accident shed 37 cents and traded 33,582 stock units to end at $6, GWest Corporation lost 3 cents to close at 96 cents with 100 shares changing hands, Honey Bun advanced 29 cents to finish at $5 with investors switching ownership of 5,359 stock units. Indies Pharma climbed 27 cents to settle at $2.78 with 128,963 stock units passing through the market, Jamaican Teas fell 5 cents to close at $4.55 with 1,423 stocks traded, Jetcon Corporation finished 1 cent lower at 92 cents in an exchange of 5,600 shares. 
Lasco Distributors rose 2 cents to end at $3.03 with 161,025 stock units changing hands, Lasco Financial rose 4 cents and traded 24,216 stock units to close at $2.12, Lasco Manufacturing gained 4 cents to end at $3.79 with investors switching ownership of 2,263 stocks. Limners and Bards fell 3 cents to settle at $2.82 with an exchange of 76,057 shares, Lumber Depot rose 4 cents to close at $1.04 with 76,089 stock units passing through the market, Mailpac Group traded 2,614,710 stock units and declined 9 cents to end at $2.Medical Disposables climbed 12 cents to settle at $4.62 with 500 units changing hands, Paramount Trading gained 6 cents to close at $1.60 in an exchange of 20,000 stock units, SSL Venture declined by 4 cents to close at 71 cents with 22,156 stocks traded. Stationery and Office Supplies slipped 1 cent to $5.59, with investors switching ownership of 2,240 shares and tTech gained 99 cents to end at $5, with 1,080 stock units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 30 securities changing hands compared to 36 on Tuesday and closed with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 10 declining and seven remaining unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 17.95 points to settle at 2,486.06. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.6 based on IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging gained 11 cents to end at $2.11 in trading 15,758 shares, Blue Power rose 12 cents in closing at $3.41, with 2,000 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers picked up 2 cents to finish at $7.30 in trading 468 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers ended at $1.91 after gaining 1 cent with an exchange of 39,656 shares, Caribbean Cream rose 34 cents to settle at $4.40, after 21,897 stock units passed through the market, Caribbean Flavours lost 19 cents ending at $18.30, with 50,609 shares changing hands. Caribbean Producers lost 4 cents trading 21,578 stock units to settle at $2.32, Dolphin Cove shed 50 cents to finish at $6, with an exchange of 7,924 stock units, Elite Diagnostic gained 15 cents in transferring 6,000 stock units and closed at $3.20. Everything Fresh ended at 68 cents, with gains of 3 cents after exchanging 6,300 units, Express Catering rose 40 cents to $4.35 in trading 468,000 shares, Fontana picked up 1 cent to close at $4.76, with 66,012 units crossing the exchange. 
General Accident lost 5 cents to end at $6.37, in trading 6,482 stock units, Honey Bun lost 25 cents to close at $4.71 after 1,728 units crossed the market, Indies Pharma shed 27 cents in closing at $2.51, with 186,538 shares crossing the exchange. Lasco Financial lost 7 cents to end at $2.08 after exchanging 35,513 shares, Lasco Manufacturing shed 4 cents to close at $3.75, after trading 22,855 shares, Limners and Bards gained 9 cents to end at $2.85, exchanging 9,935 stock units. MailPac Group gained 4 cents to end at $2.09, with 198,740 shares changing hands, Main Event rose 5 cents to end at $3.45, in an exchange of 1,098 units, Medical Disposables shed 30 cents to finish at $4.50 trading 64,000 stock units. Paramount Trading gained 2 cents to end at $1.54, with 1,700 units changing hands and tTech fell 76 cents to $4.01, with 123 shares clearing the market.
Trading concluded with 36 securities changing hands compared to 32 on Monday and ended with the prices of 17 stocks rising, the prices of 12 stocks declining and seven stocks with prices remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Iron Rock Insurance declined 5 cents to settle at $2.85 with investors switching ownership of 13,319 stock units, Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to close at $4.60 with 118,300 stock units changing hands, Jetcon Corporation rose 9 cents and exchanged 408,415 shares to end at 93 cents. Knutsford Express gained 10 cents to end at $6.90 with investors transferring 5,350 shares, Lasco Distributors rose 1 cent to settle at $3.01 with an exchange of 47,841 units, Limners and Bards closed 1 cent higher at $2.76 with 51,824 stock units changing hands. Lumber Depot fell 5 cents to end at $1 with 157,348 shares passing through the market, Mailpac Group added 1 cent and exchanged 143,925 stocks to settle at $2.05, Main Event declined 30 cents to close at $3.40 with 26,047 stock units traded and tTech dropped 73 cents to end at $4.77 with 16,227 units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands compared to 28 on Friday and ended with the prices of 14 stocks rising, the prices of 12 stocks falling and six remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
Honey Bun closed at $4.70 after losing 40 cents in transferring 7,000 stock units, iCreate gained 6 cents clearing the market with 16,200 shares to end at 74 cents, Indies Pharma closed 16 cents higher at $2.79 after trading 3,600 units. Jetcon Corporation gained 1 cent to end at 84 cents, with 43,851 shares passing through the market, Knutsford Express shed 10 cents in ending at $6.80 and trading 2,750 units, Lasco Distributors lost 12 cents to settle at $3, with an exchange of 235,733 shares. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents to end at $2.15, after transferring 9,825 stock units, Limners and Bards gained 14 cents and ended at $2.75, in trading 15,608 units, MailPac Group shed 10 cents to close at $2.04, with an exchange of 118,642 shares. Medical Disposables lost 19 ents, with 16,028 stock units changing hands to end at $4.80 and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 1 cent to close at $5.60, with investors swapping 47,847 stock units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
GWest Corporation fell 19 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of 56 cents with an exchange of 112,000 stock units, Indies Pharma dropped 21 cents to end at $2.63 with investors switching the ownership of 95,088 stocks. Jetcon Corporation rose 3 cents to finish at 83 cents with 31,162 units changing hands, Lasco Distributors closed 2 cents higher at $3.12 with 11,000 stock units traded, Lasco Financial dropped 9 cents to end at $2.06 with investors transferring 140,446 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing climbed 18 cents to finish at $3.79 in an exchange of 2,176 shares, Mailpac Group gained 14 cents to settle at $2.14, trading 865,762 units, Medical Disposables added 10 cents in closing at $4.99 with 12,387 stocks changing hands. SSL Venture declined by 11 cents to finish at 75 cents with 8,084 units trading and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 4 cents to end at $5.61 after with 9,986 stock units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 15 stocks rising, the prices of 10 declining and six, with remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
Indies Pharma gained 19 cents and ended at $2.84, with and 14,008 stock units clearing the market, ISP Finance climbed $2 in closing at $15 in transferring 1,000 units, Jamaican Teas rose 63 cents to close at $4.69, after an exchange of 3,000 units. Jetcon Corporation slipped 4 cents to 80 cents trading 9,510 stock units, Knutsford Express finished 10 cents higher at $6.90, with a transfer of 3,649 shares, Lasco Distributors carved out a gain of 10 cents to close at $3.10, with 51,906 shares crossing the market. Lasco Financial gained 2 cents to settle at $2.15, in trading 51,250 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost 18 cents to end $3.61 after exchanging 6,000 units, Limners and Bards shed 12 cents in closing at $2.61, while trading 374,097 shares. Lumber Depot gained 6 cents to end at $1.05, with a transfer of 4,511 units, MailPac Group closed at $2, with a gain of 1 cent in trading 3,522,281 shares, Main Event rose 30 cents to end at $3.70, in exchanging 100 units and tTech shed 60 cents to settle at $5.50 with investors swapping 40,849 shares.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 9 cents to end at $20.90, with 500 shares crossing the market, AMG Packaging lost 15 cents to close at $1.56 trading 3,100 stock units, Cargo Handlers shed 55 cents to settle at $6 while exchanging 7,493 units. Caribbean Cream lost 30 cents in ending at $4.20 with investors switching ownership of 26,646 shares, Caribbean Flavours climbed 74 cents to $18.33, in exchanging 14,174 stocks, Caribbean Producers lost 9 cents in closing at $2.31 and transferring 183,684 shares. Derrimon Trading gained 20 cents to end at $2.50, after exchanging 9,200 units, Elite Diagnostic rose 44 cents to $3.45 and clearing the market with 389 shares, Everything Fresh picked up 3 cents to end at 70 cents after exchanging 100 units. Express Catering shed 59 cents to settle at $3.35 trading 50,224 shares, Fontana lost 4 cents to finish at $4.75, with 137,591 shares passing through the market, Fosrich lost 20 cents and closed at $3.80 with 16,501 stock units crossing the market. General Accident closed 41 cents higher at $6.48, in exchanging 26,026 stock units, Honey Bun ended at $4.80, with a loss of 30 cents and 22,155 stock units crossing the market, iCreate slipped 2 cents to 68 cents trading 13,646 stock units. 
Indies Pharma shed 14 cents to end at $2.65 trading 14,764 shares, Iron Rock Insurance lost 25 cents to close at $2.90 with investors switching ownership of 6,225 units, ISP Finance rose $1 to settle at $13, with 902 units passing through the market. Jamaican Teas dropped 54 cents to $4.06, after clearing the market with 42,687 shares, Jetcon Corporation gained 4 cents to finish at 84 cents, in transferring 605,400 stocks, KLE Group gained 6 cents to end at $1.42, after trading 5,000 units. Knutsford Express lost 10 cents to close at $6.80, with 4,308 units crossing the market, Lasco Financial shed 1 cent to close at $2.13, in trading 67,204 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 19 cents and ended at $3.79, with an exchange of 34,639 shares. Limners and Bards carved out a gain of 3 cents after ending at $2.73 and a transfer of 30,260 stock units, MailPac Group lost 1 cent to end at $1.99 with investors swapping 50,600 shares. Medical Disposables rose 22 cents to finish at $4.89 trading 7,305 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 5 cents to settle at $5.65 with investors swapping 9,846 units.