Trading activity jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with a 392 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded as the value climbed 391 percent above that on Monday with 40 securities trading compared with 39 on Monday and ended with 14 rising, 18 declining and eight closing unchanged.
A total of 20,297,652 shares were exchanged for $52,761,871 versus 4,128,803 units at $10,755,628 on Monday.
Trading averaged 507,441 shares at $1,319,047 compared to 105,867 units at $275,785 on Monday, with the month to date, averaging 608,277 shares at $1,164,338 compared to 614,793 stocks at $1,154,341 on Monday the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Fosrich led trading with 10.82 million shares for 53.3 percent of total volume followed by Jamaican Teas with 5.12 million units for 25.2 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 1.21 million units for 6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 13.86 points to end at 3,690.44.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined $1.20 to $21 in switching ownership of 1,769 shares, AMG Packaging climbed 40 cents to close at $3.30 after trading 74,274 stocks, Caribbean Flavours rallied 8 cents to $1.35 with investors transferring 3,500 units. Dolla Financial fell 10 cents to $2.69 with 360,212 stock units crossing the market, 
Elite Diagnostic dropped 19 cents to $2.70, with 78,321 shares clearing the market, Future Energy Source popped 13 cents to $4.25 in an exchange of 107,537 stocks. Jamaican Teas dipped 33 cents to end at $2.11 with an exchange of 5,117,861 units, JFP Ltd increased 9 cents to close at $1.69, with 58,714 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors rose 19 cents in ending at $2.72 with the swapping of 11,257 shares. Lasco Manufacturing gained 23 cents in closing at $4.35 after an exchange of 14,910 stock units, Limners and Bards shed 16 cents ending at $2.20 in an exchange of 674,350 stocks, Main Event fell $1 to $11.15 after a transfer of 8,732 units. Medical Disposables declined 12 cents to end at $5.02 while exchanging 5,100 units, Regency Petroleum dropped 
10 cents to $1.90 in trading 1,214,127 shares and Spur Tree Spices dipped 9 cents to close at $2.50 after exchanging 28,382 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market at 14 months low
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday at the lowest point since January last year, with the market Index falling 31.75 points to 3,704.30, with the volume of stocks traded declining 55 percent with the value 61 percent lower than on Friday following trading in 39 securities compared with 40 on Friday and ended with 10 rising, 20 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 4,128,803 shares were exchanged for $10,755,628 down from 9,097,236 units at $27,766,092 on Friday.
Trading averaged 105,867 shares at $275,785, compared with 227,431 units at $694,152 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 614,793 units at $1,154,341 compared with 649,010 stock at $1,213,416 on the previous trading day. February ended with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 855,959 shares for 20.7 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 478,505 units for 11.6 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 402,878 units for 9.8 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with 
ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers. At the close, Caribbean Flavours lost 12 cents to close at $1.27 after an exchange of 100 shares, Elite Diagnostic rallied 19 cents in closing at $2.89 with 75,902 stocks clearing the market, Everything Fresh climbed 22 cents to $1.64 in an exchange of 3,200 stock units. Fontana declined 22 cents in ending at $8.18 after 22,925 units crossed the market, Honey Bun dropped 25 cents to end at $6.50 as 12,807 shares passed through the market, iCreate fell 11 cents to close at $1.57 with the swapping of 6,189 stock units. Indies Pharma shed 9 cents to $2.81 with a transfer of 17,869 stocks, 
Jetcon Corporation advanced 12 cents to $1.07, with 2,705 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express gained $1.13 to end at $10.15 as investors exchanged 93 stocks. Lasco Distributors dipped 21 cents in closing at $2.53 after investors exchanged 53,482 shares, Limners and Bards declined 14 cents in closing at $2.36 trading 94,523 units, Main Event fell 10 cents to close at $12.15 with an exchange of 89,562 stock units. MFS Capital Partners popped 9 cents in ending at $3.49, with 242,453 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 24 cents to end at $2.44 and closed with an exchange of 2,500 units, 
Spur Tree Spices traded 75,047 shares with a gain of 1 cent to close at $2.59 after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $2.51 and Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 10 cents to $14.90 while exchanging 39,934 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
KLE Group is Main Event in ICTOP10
Stocks continued to be battered in the past week sending the Junior Market back to January 2022 levels and the Main Market declined for a second week and as far back as September 2018 levels, but some stocks bucked the trend and posted gains.
Main Event
Earnings season delivered a few new results during the past week, with Main Event posting positive profit gains for the January first quarter and seeming poised to earn $1.80 for the year. Fosrich released full year results to December, with profit jumping to $325 million from $199 million in 2021 as revenues climbed a solid 43.4 percent, Dolla Financial posted increased profit of 18 cents per share and should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023, but it is not in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting solid results that augur well for full year’s profit. Limners and Bards delivered disappointing first quarter results of a mere $7 million, down from $66 million in 2022, as revenues dropped sharply from $443 million to $248 million. Lumber Depot suffered a decline in revenues for the January quarter, with a decline in profit and Blue Power reported an increase in revenues year over year, with a profit rising for their third quarter to January, with profit slipping for the nine months.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw four stocks rising and three falling. AMG Packaging gained 16 percent to $2.90, followed by Everything Fresh with a 5 percent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 4 percent to $2.74. Tropical Battery lost 10 percent of its value to close at $2.02 and Image Plus lost 4 percent to end at $1.85.
Stationery and Office Supplies is said to continue to enjoy buoyant business into 2023, rose 3 percent to $15 and dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 along with AMG Packaging as Main Event and KLE Group replaced those that fell out, with the former posting strong first quarter results that point to earnings of $1.80 for the year. KLE is now in, based on the fall in the stock price, but investment in the stock is not without above average risk. They are yet to release 2022 earnings, but they should benefit from pick up in business in their associated restaurant business in which they hold a 49 percent interest, with exposure in Montego Bay that will see added inflows from the considerable pick up in tourist patronage and should have income generated from managing the Bessa apartments in Oracabessa on the north coast of Jamaica.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 3 percent while Jamaica Broilers dropped 12 percent to $33.50’ following some large trades in the week, Guardian Holdings followed with a fall of 6 percent to close at $480 and 138 Student Living being down by 4 percent to $5.01.
There have been no changes in the listing in the Main Market ICTOP10 this past week.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. 
The Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 282 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 12 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 18.3, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15.
The Main Market 18 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 18 to 115, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding stocks with the highest valuations and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate, resulting in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Trading climbs prices dip on junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday, with a 74 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with 59 percent more value than on Thursday following trading of 40 
securities trading down from 46 on Thursday and ended with 14 rising, 15 declining and 11 closing unchanged leading to a moderate movement in the market index.
A total of 9,097,236 shares were traded for $27,766,092 up from 5,242,797 units at $17,417,126 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 227,431 shares at $694,152, compared with 113,974 units at $378,633 on Thursday. Trading month to date closed with an average of 649,014 units at $1,213,416 compared with 680,242 stocks at $1,251,880 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
MFS Capital Partners led trading with 5.06 million shares for 55.6 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 671,812 units for 7.4 per cent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd 650,615 units for 7.2 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 15.12 points to 3,736.05.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed based on the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed 20 cents to $22.20 in trading 5,398 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 9 cents to close at $2.90, with 2,357 stocks clearing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 13 cents to $2.03 with investors transferring 500 units. 
Caribbean Flavours rose 9 cents in closing at $1.39 with a transfer of 340 stock units, Elite Diagnostic dipped 10 cents to end at $2.70 in switching ownership of 100,582 shares, Express Catering lost 28 cents to $5.20 after exchanging 10,159 stock units. Future Energy Source fell 28 cents to close at $4.12 after a transfer of 89,600 units, Jamaican Teas increased 25 cents in closing at $2.45 as investors exchanged 800 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 9 cents in ending at $2.74, with 3,874 units changing hands. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents to end at $2.72 with the swapping of 13,610 shares, Main Event shed 75 cents to close at $12.25 after trading 35,032 stock units, Medical Disposables popped 14 cents after ending at $5.14, with an exchange of 47,630 stocks. 
Paramount Trading declined 20 cents to $2.20 while exchanging 8,145 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 10 cents in closing at $15 with an exchange of 8,908 shares and Tropical Battery fell 13 cents to end at $2.02 and closed with 466,649 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market trading falls back
Trading pulled back to more normal levels from Wednesday’s heady levels at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with a 98 percent declining the volume of stocks traded with the value 96 percent lower than on Wednesday following trading in 46 securities up from 42 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 19 declining and nine closing unchanged.
A total of 5,242,797 shares were traded for $17,417,126 compared to 272,054,087 units at $419,217,066 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 113,974 shares at $378,633, compared with 6,477,478 units at $9,981,359 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 680,242 stock units at $1,251,880 in contrast to 732,972 units at $1,333,194 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
MFS Capital Partners led trading with 734,917 shares for 14 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery with 453,589 units for 8.7 percent of the day’s trade after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.90 and Future Energy Source with 399,936 units for 7.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied 9.49 points to close at 3,751.17.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. The average is down to this relatively low due to new company results that led to increased earnings for the Thursday report and following 
ICInsider.com upgrading earnings for Main Event to $1.80 from $1.45 and Dolla Financial being switched from 2022 earnings of 15 cents for last year to 40 cents for this year, following the release of 2022 full year results, with earnings of 18 cents per share. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed based on the last traded stock price and ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 12 cents to close at $22, with 11,249 shares changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 24 cents in closing at $2.24 after investors swapped 5,051 stock units, Dolla Financial gained 15 cents to end at $2.85 as investors crossing the market exchanged 243,218 stocks Dolphin Cove rose $1.09 in ending at $15.25 with 57,649 units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic rallied 9 cents to $2.80 in an exchange of 445 stocks, Express Catering advanced 38 cents to end at $5.48 with investors transferring 5,600 units.
Fontana popped 15 cents to close at $8.40 after a transfer of 68,140 stock units, Future Energy Source rose 23 cents to $4.40 with an exchange of 399,936 shares, after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $4.05, GWest Corporation climbed 12 cents in closing at $1.08 with a transfer of 1,564 stock units. Honey Bun lost 29 cents to $6.75, with 51,922 shares clearing the market, iCreate rallied 18 cents to end at $1.68 after trading 87,063 units, Indies Pharma rose 10 cents to close at $2.90, with 21,002 stocks crossing the market. Jamaican Teas shed 27 cents in closing at $2.20 with 151,736 units passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 10 cents to 95 cents with 3,984 stocks crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express declined 13 cents to $9.02 after exchanging 7,287 stock units. Mailpac Group dipped 10 cents to close at $1.70 in switching ownership of 113,259 shares, Main Event popped $1.20 after ending at a record closing high of $13 while exchanging 264,941 stocks, following the release of solid first quarter results of 39 cents per share before trading opened, 
MFS Capital Partners dropped 18 cents in closing at $3.33 in an exchange of 734,917 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies increased 89 cents to end at $15.10 in trading 9,521 units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 14 cents to $1.05 with the swapping of 26,055 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Huge trading surge for Junior Market
Trading closed sharply higher on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with a 4,359 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded and the value jumping 2,415 percent more than on Tuesday after trading in 42 securities compared with 45 on Tuesday and ended with 10 rising, 21 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
Investors exchanged 272,054,087 shares for $419,217,066 compared to 6,101,272 units at $16,671,644 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 6,477,478 shares at $9,981,359 compared to 135,584 units at $370,481 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 732,972 units at $1,333,194 up from 199,190 stock units at $529,604 on Tuesday the previous day. February averaged 318,024 units at $782,332.
JFP Ltd led trading with 261.41 million shares for 96.1 percent of total volume followed by tTech with 5 million units for 1.8 percent of the day’s trade and Caribbean Assurance Brokers with 948,138 units for 0.3 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 55.99 points to close at 3,741.68,, the lowest point since the ending of January 2022.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost 13 cents in closing at $22.12 in an exchange of 1,885 shares, AMG Packaging popped 36 cents in ending at $2.94, with 1,127 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers dipped 89 cents to $14.11 and closed with 8 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 15 cents to close at $1.90 after an exchange of 948,138 stocks, Caribbean Cream declined 20 cents to $3.50 after an exchange of 200,000 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 9 cents to $2 with the swapping of 26,653 stock units. Dolla Financial shed 20 cents to close at $2.70 with a transfer of 369,259 units, Dolphin Cove shed 36 cents in closing at $14.16 in an exchange of 39,713 shares, Express Catering fell 30 cents to end at $5.10 after a transfer of 9,461 units. 
Fontana lost 15 cents at $8.25 in switching ownership of 37,317 stocks, Future Energy Source dipped 14 cents to $4.17 as 79,996 shares passed through the market, GWest Corporation declined 13 cents in closing at 96 cents with an exchange of 263 stock units. ISP Finance dropped $5.66 to close at $20 as investors exchanged 784 units, Knutsford Express advanced 13 cents to $9.15, with 21,743 stock units clearing the market, Main Event 20 cents to end at $11.80 after trading 36,428 shares. MFS Capital Partners lost 12 cents to end at $3.51 in trading 255,734 stocks, Paramount Trading climbed 16 cents in ending at $2.34 with an exchange of 142 shares, 
Stationery and Office Supplies fell 29 cents to $14.21 while exchanging 30,289 stocks and tTech gained 23 cents to close at $2.53 with investors transferring 5,000,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended Wednesday, with a 26 percent fall in the volume of stocks changing hands following a 90 percent lower value than on Tuesday, resulting in seven securities traded, compared to eight on Tuesday with two rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 33,994 shares were exchanged for US$8,059 compared with 45,731 units at US$80,158 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 4,856 shares at US$1,151 versus 5,716 shares at US$10,021 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 8,281 stock units at US$3,190 compared with 8,596 units at US$3,377 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index lost 1.23 points to end at 220.54.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share shed 0.04 of a cent to end at 6.95 US cents after a transfer of 400 shares, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced 1.4 cents to 68 US cents after just two stocks passed through the market, Proven Investments dipped 0.47 of a cent after ending at 18.52 US cents in an exchange of 10,157 stock units. Sterling Investments fell 0.25 of a cent to close at 1.75 US cents with the swapping of 4,980 units and Sygnus Credit Investments USD share gained 0.49 of one cent in closing at 10 US cents while exchanging 14,905 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2 with 915 units crossing the market and JMMB Group 6% ended at US$1.05 with a transfer of 2,635 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading plunges on the Junior Market
Trading activity dived on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 74 percent and the value 69 percent lower than on Monday with 45 securities trading compared with 46 on Monday and ended with 12 rising, 27 declining and six closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,101,272 shares for $16,671,644 compared to 23,046,162 units at $53,285,932 on Monday.
Trading averaged 135,584 shares at $370,481, compared to 501,004 units at $1,158,390 on Monday with the month to date average of 199,190 units at $529,604 down from 206,218 stocks at $547,197 on the previous day. February averaged 318,024 units at $782,332.
Dolla Financial led trading with 741,210 shares for 12.1 percent of total volume followed by Derrimon Trading with 651,191 units for 10.7 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 639,010 units for 10.5 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 20.24 points to end at 3,797.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 75 cents to $22.25 after 65 shares passed through the market, AMG Packaging dipped 52 cents to $2.58 in an exchange of 31 stock units, CAC 2000 lost 9 cents to close at $8.20 after transferring 100 units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 14 cents to end at $2.05 in switching ownership of 40,216 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 30 cents in closing at $3.70 with an exchange of 400 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries lost 8 cents to $2.09 after trading 12,354 shares. 
Dolla Financial popped 10 cents in ending at $2.90 with 741,210 units changing hands, Dolphin Cove shed 18 cents in closing at $14.52 with the swapping of 15,366 stocks, EduFocal rose 12 cents to end at $1.98 after trading 100,000 stock units. Elite Diagnostic fell 18 cents to $2.71 as investors exchanged 3,000 units, Fontana lost 15 cents to close at $8.40 after a transfer of 217,560 shares, Future Energy Source shed 24 cents to close at $4.31 as investors swapped 279,285 stocks. General Accident declined 33 cents to $5 in exchanging 50,042 units, iCreate dipped 10 cents to end at $1.55 with a transfer of 311,474 shares, JFP Ltd lost 13 cents in closing at $1.56 trading 183,096 stocks. Knutsford Express fell $1.14 to $9.02 with 34,586 stock units clearing the market, Lasco Manufacturing lost 25 cents to close at $4.05 with 1,448 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards shed 15 cents in closing at $2.51 in an exchange of 7,465 units. 
Main Event dipped 30 cents to end at $12 with the swapping of 13,673 stock units, Medical Disposables gained 15 cents to settle at $5 after a transfer of 22,840 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 50 cents to close at $14.50 with investors transferring 20,484 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on Junior Market
Trading jumped sharply at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 92 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded and a 47 percent increase compared to Friday, leading to 46 securities changing hands up from 42 on Friday and ending with 23 rising, 17 declining and six unchanged.
Investors traded 23,046,162 shares for $53,285,932, up from 12,029,585 units at $36,181,749 on Friday.
Trading averaged 501,004 shares at $1,158,390 compared to 286,419 units at $861,470 on Friday, with the month to date averaging 206,218 units at $547,197 compared to 68,655 stock units at $469,317 on Friday, the previous day. Trading in February averaged 318,024 units at $782,332.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 14.92 million shares for 64.7 percent of total volume followed by Regency Petroleum with 1.95 million units for 8.5 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 946,925 units for 4.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 11.64 points to 3,817.91.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging gained 59 cents in closing at $3.10 with 70,128 shares changing hands, CAC 2000 advanced $1.28 to $8.29 after trading 15 units, Cargo Handlers gained 8 cents to close at $15 in exchanging 6,660 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 17 cents to end at $1.91 with a transfer of 10,809 stocks, Caribbean Cream popped 10 cents to finish at $3.40 after 520 shares passed through the market, Derrimon Trading popped 10 cents to settle at $2.20 after trading 14,915,935 stocks. Dolla Financial slipped 8 cents to $2.80 with the swapping of 946,925 units, Dolphin Cove declined 63 cents to $14.70 after an exchange of 33,141 stock units, dipped 13 cents to end at $1.86 in switching ownership of 515,305 shares. 
Express Catering gained 24 cents to close at $5.40 after a transfer of 300 stocks, Fontana rallied 14 cents to end at $8.55 after 115,454 stock units cleared the market, Future Energy Source rallied 15 cents to $4.55 with a transfer of 392,151 units after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $4.16. General Accident rose 33 cents in closing at $5.33 as investors exchanged 650 stocks, GWest Corporation gained 11 cents after ending at $1.04 in trading 12,113 shares, ISP Finance advanced 66 cents to close at $25.66 with investors transferring 825 units. Knutsford Express popped 10 cents to settle at $10.16 with an exchange of 4,000 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing lost 9 cents to close at $4.30 in switching ownership of 2,200 stock units, Lumber Depot gained 14 cents in closing at $2.20 in an exchange of 206,658 stocks. Main Event jumped $1.30 to $12.30 with the swapping of 58,507 units, MFS Capital Partners popped 46 cents to end at $3.70 as investors exchanged 409,249 shares,
Paramount Trading shed 20 cents to close at $2.15 after trading 25,685 units. Regency Petroleum lost 10 cents after ending at $2.05 with 1,947,630 shares changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 50 cents to end at $15 in an exchange of 18,301 stock units and tTech fell 20 cents to $2.30 after an exchange of 94,118 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Everything & Guardian head ICTOP10
Everything Fresh and Guardian Holdings continue to head the ICInsider.com TOP10 in a week when the Main Market fell 2.7 percent and the Junior Market dropped a hefty 7.8 percent and reversed all the gains of the previous week, but the Investors Choice bid-offer Indicator is flashing positive signals for both markets on Monday.
Guardian Holdings has a commanding lead over its next rival by almost 100 points, but Everything Fresh likely gain of 344 percent is just above Caribbean Assurance at 333 percent, but the latter is currently far more appealing, with the stock selling at a PE of a mere 7 times 2022 earnings and 4.6 times 2023. Everything Fresh PE based on 2022 earnings is at a much higher 17 and 4.5 based on projected 2023 earnings.
Earnings season had two companies in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting very strong results that augur well for a full year’s profit.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers is selling at a PE of just 7 based on historical earnings.
Scotia Group reported a net income of $3.4 billion for the quarter that ended January 2023, an increase of $2.2 billion or 173 percent over the prior year period as loans the primary driver of profits increased a solid 18.8 percent to $237 billion while deposits grew only 7.7 percent to $4.05 billion and resulted in net interest income surging $2.6 billion as interest expenses actually declined. These results suggest ICInsider.com forecast for $5 per share may be a bit light with solid prospects that earnings of $5.50 seem possible. It noted that overall comprehensive profit shows a loss of $1 billion after accounting for pension obligations of $9.5 billion and other items of gains.
Jamaica Broilers continues to churn out strong growth in profits with their nine months results more than double that of the prior year while the January quarter is up 27 percent to $1.5 billion as revenues climbed a solid 20 percent after finance cost nearly doubled. With the tourism industry back to normal the company should get a further boost for the rest of 2023. ICInsider.com forecast for $6 per share for the current fiscal year from continuing operations seem well within reach and could be exceeded making it a solid buy for the long haul.
Scotia Group had a significant increase in profits for the January 2023 quarter.
Performance in the past week was mixed for the Junior Market TOP10 but was far better than the near 8 percent fall by that market, with only three stocks rising of which two rose by 2 percent or less. Iron Rock Insurance gained 15 percent this past week to $2.30 after falling 13 percent the previous week. Lasco Distributors fell 6 percent to $2.64, followed by AMG Packaging and Stationery and Office Supplies which fell by 3 percent to $2.51 and $14.50, respectively.
The Main Market TOP10 performed worse than the overall market with only two stocks gaining and six declining. Jamaica Broilers rose 6 percent to $38 as investors warmed to the stock following release of outstanding results, with the price having a far way to run, while JMMB Group a clear winner for the long term, put on just 2 percent to close at $31.01. Key Insurance fell 7 percent to $2.61 followed by a 5 percent for NCB Financial and 138 Student Living to $72 and $5.20 respectively.
There are no new additions in either market to the ICTOP10 this past week.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.1 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains of ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 238 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 274 percent to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 25, averaging 19.7, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16.
The Main Market 16 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 98, with an average of 30 and 22 excluding the highest valued stocks and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings 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 are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
