Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with a 36 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded and a 36 percent greater value than Monday, with trading ending with an exchange of 39 securities compared with 43 on Monday and ending with prices of 12 stocks rising, 14 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
The market closed with trading in 11,812,842 shares for a value of $21,832,768 compared with 8,711,353 units at $16,041,925 on Monday.
Trading averaged 302,893 shares at $559,915, compared with 202,590 units at $373,068 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 159,877 units at $316,767 compared to 146,753 stock units at $294,464 on the previous day and December with an average of 466,866 units at $1,111,272.
Fosrich led trading with 2.86 million shares for 24.2 percent of total volume followed by MFS Capital Partners with 2.06 million units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade, One Great Studio closed with 1.24 million units for 10.5 percent market share, iCreate ended with 1.14 million units for 9.6 of trading,
Tropical Battery had an exchange of 1.12 million units for 9.5 percent market share and EduFocal with 1.02 million units for 8.6 percent of total volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 11.23 points to finish at 3,723.72.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.17 to close at $22.68, with 2,379 shares crossing the market, AMG Packaging skidded 63 cents to $2.42 with investors dealing in 131,215 stocks, Blue Power rallied 30 cents and ended at $3 and closed with an exchange of 4,114 shares. Cargo Handlers sank 92 cents to end at $13.08 while exchanging 304 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 23 cents in closing at $2.25 after a transfer of 6,758 shares, but the stock still has an overhang of selling, Consolidated Bakeries rallied 30 cents to $2.18 with traders dealing in 1,000 units.
EduFocal dipped 11 cents to close at $1.44 in switching ownership of 1,018,324 stocks, Fosrich rose 8 cents to end at $2.38 after exchanging 2,862,584 stock units, Future Energy fell 9 cents in closing at $3.71 with 112,460 shares clearing the market. KLE Group declined 15 cents to $1.34 with trading of 30,000 stocks, Knutsford Express gained 38 cents to end at $12.38 after an exchange of one unit, Limners and Bards shed 16 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.30 after a transfer of 26,028 stock units. Main Event advanced 60 cents to close at $14.80 as investors exchanged 25,200 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 13 cents in closing at $1.52, with 211,741 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
138 Student Living jumps 41%, Purity 34%
Last week’s stock to watch, Everything Fresh, climbed another 12.5 percent on top of the solid 43.5 percent last week to close the week at $1.89, while Consolidated Bakeries, added to the list last week, surged 34 percent to close at $1.99 as investors aggressively sucked 837,932 shares out of the market, leaving just eight lots of stocks amounting to 71,000 units on offer.
New to the list this week is Lumber Depot, that is undervalued with good potential to expand. ONE on ONE Education Services should list soon and will enjoy a significant price hike a few days after listing.
138 Student Living delivered a 41 percent jump in the week and should move even higher in the weeks ahead, while Stationery and Office Supplies picked up a bit as some demand came in for the stock. Expect more gains in the months ahead.
Investors should continue to watch Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Producers, Dolphin Cove, Express Catering, Guardian Holdings, Jamaica Broilers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing, NCB Financial and Paramount Trading.
Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers, Express Catering and Everything Fresh will be significant beneficiaries of the strong rebound in tourist arrivals, now back to 2019 levels.
Junior Market surges to a new record high
The Junior Market blast through 4,100 points on Friday on the way to yet another record closing high of 4,168.16, up 95.60 points for the day after hitting all-time intraday high of 4,185.95 at 11.45 am. A the same time Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market stocks continued to consolidate, with the Combined Index falling 572.07 points to 399,669.70.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,330.54 points to settle at 439,591.90 and the JSE Main Index slipped 1,508.82 points to 387,382.91.
A number of Junior Market stocks traded at 52 weeks’ high, with Future Energy hitting a new record of $8.30, Lumber Depot traded at record $4.05, Derrimon Trading closing at $3.09, Spur Tree climbed to a record of $3.96 and Tropical Battery hit a record of $2.30 during the session.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 18.4 based on 2021-22 earnings and 11.8 times those for 2022-23 at the close of market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Investors need a series of measures and pertinent information to successfully navigate the many investment choices in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart along with the more detailed daily report charts, provide investors with regularly updated information to help with decision making.
Investors should make use of the chart to help make rational investment decisions, by investing in stocks that are close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it, unless there are compelling reasons to do so. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock. This approach helps to take emotions out of the investment decision and put in on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors.
The ICInsider.com PE Ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and shows companies grouped on an industry basis, allowing for easy comparisons between same sector companies as well as the overall market.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to easily assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets daily report charts that show closing volume for the bids and offers.
The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2021 and 2022 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items. The PE Ratio is the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks.
64% gains for ICTOP10 picks in 2021
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.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
The market closed with trading of 8,711,353 shares valued at $16,041,925 up from 3,979,718 units at $9,087,458 on Friday.
At the close, AMG Packaging skidded 12 cents to end at $3.05 with an exchange of 4,000 units, after the company posted a 64 percent rise in profit $to 40 million for the first quarter to November, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 23 cents to end at $2.02, with 7,382 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Cream dropped 40 cents and ended at $4.05 as investors exchanged 2,223 shares. Fontana shed 7 cents in closing at $10.63 after 73,121 stock units crossed the market, Future Energy rallied 9 cents to close at $3.80 with investors trading 155,057 shares, Indies Pharma declined 24 cents to $2.71 in an exchange of 64,959 units. Iron Rock Insurance lost 43 cents to close at $2.07 with investors swapping 176 stocks, ISP Finance dropped $3.41 to $21.45 with a transfer of 2,380 stock units, Jamaican Teas fell 19 cents and ended at $2.40 while exchanging 182,250 shares. Jetcon Corporation rose 7 cents to end at 85 cents with investors transferring 33 stocks, Knutsford Express dipped 40 cents to $12 in an exchange of 2,223 units, Lasco Distributors fell 20 cents and ended at $3.90 with traders dealing in 56,178 stock units.
Lasco Manufacturing lost 7 cents to close at $4.48 after an exchange of 58,705 shares, Lumber Depot advanced 11 cents to end at $2.50 in trading 360,630 stock units, Main Event sank 60 cents in closing at $14.20, with 20,634 stocks changing hands, before the company released 2023 full year results with earnings of 69 cents per share. MFS Capital Partners shed 9 cents to $2.35 after trading in 456,811 units, Paramount Trading declined 15 cents in closing at $1.45, with 15,826 shares crossing the exchange and Tropical Battery popped 7 cents to $2.10 with investors dealing in 528,007 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
with the market closing with prices of 12 rising, 19 declining and 10 closing unchanged after a 45 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded at a 37 percent lower in the value than Thursday.
EduFocal led trading with 922,326 shares for 23.2 percent of total volume followed by AMG Packaging with 568,839 units for 14.3 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 530,862 units for 13.3 percent market share.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 24 cents to end at $2.25 with an exchange of a mere 500 shares. Consolidated Bakeries lost 32 cents in closing at $1.88 after 210 stock units passed through the market, Fontana advanced 10 cents and ended at $10.70 after an exchange of 73,847 shares, Indies Pharma rose 17 cents to $2.95 with investors transferring 88 stock units. ISP Finance declined by 14 cents to close at $24.86, with 200 units crossing the exchange, Jetcon Corporation fell 7 cents and ended at 78 cents with investors trading 25 stocks, Limners and Bards skidded 16 cents in closing at $1.50 in switching ownership of 112,900 units. Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 13 cents to end at $1.68 while exchanging a mere 1,553 stocks and Tropical Battery shed 9 cents in closing at $2.03 with a transfer of 4,385 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed on Thursday, with 7,215,549 shares changing hands for $14,447,149 up from 4,153,063 units at $9,236,370 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Lasco Distributors climbed 12 cents to close at $4.10, with 183,822 stock units crossing the market, Lasco Manufacturing increased 10 cents to $4.60 in switching ownership of 110,247 stocks, Lumber Depot sank 10 cents and ended at $2.40 after 51,017 units passed through the market. Main Event dropped 12 cents to close at $14.85 with an exchange of 3,517 shares, MFS Capital Partners advanced 34 cents in closing at $2.49 with traders dealing in 1,298,213 stocks, following an announcement of a directors’ meeting to consider recapitalization of the company, Spur Tree Spices dipped 12 cents to end at $2.35, with 37,003 units crossing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies sank 14 cents in closing at $1.55 with investors dealing in 25,501 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed on wednesday with an exchange of 4,153,063 stock units at $9,236,370 from 9,032,533 shares at $15,706,426 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Fosrich popped 7 cents to $2.25 and closed with an exchange of 12,450 shares, ISP Finance increased 13 cents and ended at $25 after 3,877 stocks changed hands, Jamaican Teas dropped 17 cents to close $2.32, with 298,178 shares changing hands. Lasco Financial gained 18 cents to end at $2.10 after investors ended trading 78,250 units, Limners and Bards advanced 11 cents to $1.66 after an exchange of 42,289 stocks, Main Event rose 67 cents to close at $14.97, with 7,944 stock units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices advanced 12 cents and ended at $2.47 in an exchange of 11,408 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 8 cents in closing at $1.69 after 241,682 stocks passed through the market.
Investors traded 9,032,533 shares for $15,706,426 up from 4,952,177 units at $11,190,849 on Monday.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $5 to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $20, with 25,685 stocks crossing the market, AMG Packaging rallied 39 cents to $3 after an exchange of 51,733 units, Cargo Handlers popped $2.18 to $13.75 after 30 shares were traded. Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 12 cents to close at $2.03 with investors dealing in 1,750 stock units, Caribbean Flavours advanced 20 cents to close at $1.87 after 320 shares passed through the market, Derrimon Trading dipped 10 cents to $1.85 with investors trading 264,085 stocks. Dolla Financial rose 11 cents in closing at $2.63 with an exchange of 80,720 units, Dolphin Cove sank $1.10 and ended at $18.60 after it closed with an exchange of 6,045 stock units, EduFocal skidded 20 cents to close at $1.48 in trading 3,592,888 shares. Fontana gained 59 cents to end at $10.60, with 164,113 units clearing the market, Fosrich fell 12 cents in closing at $2.18 with investors swapping 80,805 stocks, Honey Bun climbed 25 cents to $6.30 in switching ownership of 2,349 stock units. iCreate declined 8 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 47 cents, with investors exchanging 1,711,832 shares, with the stock trading at an intraday low of 39 cents. ISP Finance shed $6.62 to close at $24.87 after 99 stocks crossed the market,
Jamaican Teas rallied 9 cents to $2.49 in an exchange of 7,374 units. Jetcon Corporation declined 15 cents to close at 85 cents, with 402,971 stock units changing hands, JFP Ltd shed 9 cents to end at $1.40, with 5,649 shares changing hands, KLE Group sank 50 cents to close at $1.50 while exchanging 30,450 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing skidded 18 cents and ended at $4.50 with a transfer of 17,348 units, Lumber Depot rose 11 cents to close at $2.50 after an exchange of 2 stocks, Mailpac Group lost 12 cents to close at $2.05 with investors trading 112,114 shares. MFS Capital Partners gained 21 cents to end at $2.19 after an exchange of 274,821 stocks, ONE on ONE Educational popped 7 cents in closing at $1.04 with 1,855 units crossing the exchange, Stationery and Office Supplies fell 7 cents to close at $1.61 with traders dealing in 216,489 stock units and Tropical Battery climbed 9 cents to $2.09, with 1,060,399 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Dolla Financial posted increased profit of $280 million or 18 cents per share from revenues of $746 million up 115 percent from profit of $130 million in 2021, with revenues up 90 percent on the $395 million in 2021. The company should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023. In the earning call, Trevene Mckenzie, the Chief Financial Officer stated that they expected first quarter revenues to come in around $250 million with profit rising at least 50 percent year over year. The company also indicates that they plan to open a second branch in Guyana in Berbice town, in the second quarter.