After posting outlandish first quarter results that were boosted by inventory profit, Lumber Depot reported more down to earth profit in the second quarter of 5 cents per share, raising the half years earnings to 15 cents from profits in the October quarter of $35 million, down marginally from $36 million in 2020, with half year profit climbing 62 percent to $107 million from $66 million in 2020.
Lumber Depot dominated trading with
First quarter revenues grew an attractive 16 percent, but the second quarter revenues were flat, at $340 million bringing the half year sales to $760 million up 8.6 percent from $700 million for the similar period in 2020. “Revenues and profits for the three months ended October 2021, were directly affected by the lock-down period effected during the late summer that resulted in 17 lost sales days during the quarter and unprecedented disruptions to the construction planning and work cycle as well as to the supply chain for construction inputs. Against this backdrop, we are satisfied to have been able to maintain both revenues and profits for the second quarter at that same level as the prior year,” chairman, Jeffrey Hall advised shareholders in his report accompanying the quarterly.
Gross profit margin rose to 23 percent in the half year from 19.6 percent, while the 2021 second quarter saw gross profit falling to 18 percent versus 21 percent in 2020. Gross profit rose 28 percent from $137 million in the half year in 2020 to $176 million, while the 2021 October quarter saw gross profit just ahead of 2020, with $72 million versus $71 million.
Other income brought in $11 million for the half year compared to $5 million in 2020 and $9.5 million for the quarter versus $1.4 million being interest income in the 2020 quarter.
Administrative and other expenses slipped marginally in the half year to $73 million from $76 million last year and rose moderately from $39 million to $43 million for the quarter. Finance cost amounted to $5 million for the half year against $4.44 million in 2020 and the last quarter $2.2 million with the 2020 period amassing $1.9 million.
An unprecedential construction boom taking place in Jamaica
Gross cash flow brought in $112 million but growth in working capital, additions to fixed assets costing $164 million, resulted in negative funds flow of $28 million for the half year. At the end of October, shareholders’ equity stood at $402 million. No borrowed funds were used to finance the operation at the end of the period. Current assets ended the period at $329 billion including trade and other receivables of $51 million, cash and bank balances of $115 million. Invested funds amount to $119 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $228 million. Net current assets ended the period at $$101 million.
The Paul Scott’s, Stony Hill Investments recently acquired a major interest in the company, what could be in it for them some investors are asking. Scott sees scope for expansion and growth, in what he considers a well-run company that is simple and easily understood. He feels that they are in a position to benefit from expansion of housing in the country.
ICInsider.com sees potential for major expansion, with Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town prime areas for expansion focus and there is nothing to prevent them from expanding nationally at some point in time. Lumber Depot could benefit from the close linkage to the Musson Group that has large holdings of real estate within the group or indirectly in the investment companies that can purchase materials for repairs or expansion through them.
The full year results should end up around 30 cents assuming some pickup in sales in the second half. On this basis, the stock may be considered undervalued at the current trading price of around $3.
In the Main Market, other than Caribbean Producers, Sygnus and Pan Jam Investment fell 4 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week, with an average PE of 14.3 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 8.1, with a 42 percent discount to that market’s average.
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.
Notable TOP10 movers this week are; AMG Packaging rose 9 percent in closing at $2.07 from $1.90 at the previous week’s close and Lumber Depot rose 18 percent to $3.25. Medical Disposables lost 5 percent of its value to close the week at $6 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers dived 13 percent to $2.60.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks moved from 142 percent last week to 150 percent and Main Market stocks moved from 157 percent to this weeks’ 159 percent.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 15.8, which is 20 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 27 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8, representing a 51 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 17 stocks or 36 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.
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.
The other notable large TOP10 movers this week are; 
The top three Main Market stocks are Guardian Holdings, Caribbean Producers and JMMB Group, projected to gain between 213 to 253 percent expected versus last weeks’ 214 to 254 percent.
The Junior Market closed the week with an average PE of 14.3 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and 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 8.1, with a 43 percent discount to that market’s average PE.
The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8.1, representing a 51 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 17 stocks or 36 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.
The two major Jamaica Stock Exchange markets meandered all week, closing the past week with the Junior Market rising moderately and the Main Market recovering 5,228 points of the more than 12,000 lost on the last two trading days in the previous week as prices of Caribbean Cement, NCB Financial and Scotia Group rose. 
Big TOP10 movers for the week are AMG Packaging lost 6 percent in closing at $2.25 from $2.40 last week, Caribbean Cream fell 4 percent to $5.60, Elite Diagnostic dropped 8 percent to $3.20, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 6 percent to $2.47 and Dolphin Cove rose 3 percent to land at $12.90 after it a 52 weeks’ high of $14 on Thursday, new coronavirus making the news seemed to have induced selling on Friday. In the Main Market, Caribbean Producers jumped 15 percent to close at $10, up from $8.61 and Radio Jamaica gained 8 percent to $3.30.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market are AMG Packaging, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Access Financial Services. All three can gain between 150 and 211 percent, down from 154 percent and 207 percent previously.
The Junior Market can gain 38 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 17 percent based on an average PE of 17. Ten stocks representing 25 percent of all Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level, down from seven last week, indicating that many others will rise towards the 17 mark in the weeks ahead.
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.
The top three Main Market stocks are Caribbean Producers, Guardian Holdings and JMMB Group, which are projected to gain between 212 to 283 percent expected versus last weeks’ 227 to 261 percent.
The average gains projected for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks moved from 185 percent last week to 145 percent and Main Market stocks remains unchanged at 163 percent.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 15.5, which is 23 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 29 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8, representing a 52 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 PE of 25.5, suggesting that the accepted multiple maybe around 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.
During the past week, Caribbean Brokers jumped 30 percent to close at $2.32 after hitting $2.96 on Thursday, following the company’s surprise to the market with outstanding results for the nine months to September. Elite Diagnostic rose 15 percent ahead of the release of the first quarter results that show increased sales over the June quarter and ended with a loss of $500,000 in the quarter versus a $10million loss in 2020, but the company generated cash inflows of $27 million for the quarter, slightly more than the dividend they recently paid. General Accident rose 8 percent ahead of quarterly results, Stationery & Office Supplies gained 7 percent, following improved nine months results. In the Main Market, Caribbean Producers jumped 24 percent following a big spike in September quarterly profit, but the stock has much more to do with earnings upgraded to J$1.65 per share for the year. Proven rose 6 percent, the rest were mostly downhill with a 10 percent fall for Guardian Holdings, VM Investments fell 7 percent and Radio Jamaica slipped 8 percent as investors reacted hurriedly to half year results that show the company is on track to reach ICInsider.com forecast of 45 cents per share.
The top three Main Market stocks are Guardian Holdings, Berger Paints and Caribbean Producers. These stocks are projected to gain between 227 to 261 percent expected versus last weeks’ 220 to 230 percent.
The latest results show that there are many undervalued stocks, but investors should focus on these stocks that could deliver good earnings growth in 2022.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 15.5, which is 23 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 29 percent below the target of 20 to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 8, representing a 51 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 12 stocks or 25 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average PE of 25.5, suggesting that the accepted multiple maybe around 25 times the current year’s earnings.
This week’s focus: QWI investments, one of ICInsdier.com TOP15 stocks for 2021, now boast a Net Asset Value of $1.43 at the end of the past week, the highest value since it was listed in 2019, but the stock is selling at 92 cents on the Main Market at a huge 36 percent discount to NAV, even as the composition of the portfolio suggests further increase in value is likely before the end of 2021. The NAV is up 23 percent from $1.16 at the end of December last year, just below the Junior Market gains for the year to date and well ahead of the Composite index rise. The stock price has increased by 19.4 percent from 77 cents at the end of 2020 to Friday. It seems that investors don’t buy into the concept of buying stocks when blood is in the streets.
Investors’ focus should now be on 2022 for the local stocks and the current year’s values to determine the appropriate values of each stock for a hold or fold decision.
The Junior Market can gain 52 percent to March next year, based on an average PE of 20 and 25 percent based on an average PE of 17. Seven stocks representing 15 percent of all Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level, down from nine last week, indicating that many others will rise above the 17 mark in the weeks ahead.
ICTOP10 focuses on potential 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.
Sygnus Credit Investment gave back the 5 percent increase last week to end at $17.80. Berger Paints and Proven Investments both gave up 3 percent during the week, while Junior Market Lasco Financial gave up six percent at the end of the week in closing at $3.05 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost three percent, from $1.79 to $1.74 as Medical Disposables rose four percent to $4.95 after hitting an intraday high of $5.80 on Friday and Lumber Depot rose four percent to $2.97.
The company will be paying a hefty dividend of 32 cents per share. Lasco Manufacturing and Lasco Distributor reported second quarter results. The former enjoyed a 13 percent increase in revenues to $4.65 billion and a 6 percent rise in profit to $782 million after increased taxation in the period versus a lower rate in 2020. The distributing company enjoyed a 15 percent rise in revenues to $11.6 billion and a 14 percent fall in after tax profit to $197 million.
The Junior Market closed the week with an average PE 13.2 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is currently well below the target of 20 and the historical average of 17 for the period to March this year, based on 2020 earnings. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of a mere 6.8, with a 52 percent discount to that market’s PE.
TOP 10 average PE is 7.8, representing a 50 percent discount to the market and well below the potential of 20. A total of 12 stocks or 25 percent of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average PE of 25.5, suggesting that the accepted multiple maybe around 25 times the current year’s earnings.