Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday with advancing stocks just edging out declining ones and the market index remained almost steady, slipping just 0.69 points to 3,108.19.
The market ended with 1,948,274 units valued at $10,702,346 changing hands, compared to Thursday with 1,176,216 units valued at $5,557,230.
A total of 19 securities traded, down from 22 on Thursday, with 8 stocks rising and 7 declining. Trading closed with 7 stocks with bids higher than the last traded prices and 4 closing with lower offers.
Trading ended trading with an average of 102,541 units for an average of $563,281 in contrast to 53,464 units for an average of $252,601 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 81,062 units valued at $422,302 compared to 70,323 units valued at $351,812 previously. In contrast, July closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
At the close of the market, stocks trading and their last traded prices are: AMG Packaging rose by 22 cents to close at $3.75 with 64,907 units changing hands, CAC 2000 climbed 60 cents higher close at $7.10 with a 18,600 shares, Caribbean Cream with a loss of 35 cents, closed at $6.50 with a 17,300 shares, Caribbean Flavours suffered a loss of $1, to close at $11 with a 250,000 shares, Caribbean Producers closed at $3.45 with a 48,500 shares. Consolidated Bakeries ended with a loss of 33 cents, to $2.62 with a 23,617 shares, Derrimon Trading traded 25 cents higher to $7.75 with a 100,000 shares, Dolphin Cove rose 50 cents to close at $18 with a 700 shares, Express Catering closed 60 cents higher at $5.30 with a 1,158,203 shares, after trading at a low of $3.90 for the day and ended with an offer at $4.50 to sell 13,736 units. General Accident with a loss of 5 cents, closed at $2.85 with a 2,642 shares, ISP Finance fell $1.16 cents, to close at $17.26 with 120 shares, Jamaican Teas gained 24 cents to $4.75 with a 39,147 shares, Jetcon Corporation close at $5.30 with a 28,500 shares, KLE Group closed at $2 with a 2,390 shares, Knutsford Express fell 1 cent to $15 with a 2,000 shares, Lasco Distributors with a loss of 10 cents, to close at $6.60 with 61,046 shares, Lasco Financial closed at $4 with a 121,709 shares, Main Event lost 49 cents, and closed at $4.90 with a 8,000 shares and Paramount Trading jumped 69 cents higher to close at $2.54 with a 893 shares.
Junior Market steadies on Friday
Paramount chops profits by $72M
Paramount Trading chops its 2017 profits by $72 million according to a release by the company published over the week end to $101 million. According to the release sales revenues climbed 12.8 percent to $1.156 billion for an increase of $132 million.
Gross profit margin declined by 2.1 percent cutting $23 million from profit compared to 2016 and operating cost rose 16 percent or $31 million from $193.8 million in 2016. “This resulted mainly from investments to build capacity to facilitate business growth in line with strategic direction of the company” the report stated. “The company will maintain a leading position in chemical raw materials, while accelerating growth in lubricants due to our investments in fixed assets including a joint venture with Allegheny Petroleum to manufacture oils locally the report went on to say.”
In the fourth quarter revenues grew 17.65 percent to $320 million from $272 million in 2016 and profit ended at $20 million in the 2017 final quarter versus $42 million in 2016. The final 2017 quarter results deteriorated sharply from performance for the February 2017 quarter, with revenues of $297 million and profit $29.5 million. The one year delay in starting to operate the lubricant plant has been costly. The profit result translates to only 6.5 cents per share. The stock last traded on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $2.99 per share with a PE ratio of 46.
Junior Market gains on Monday
Trading on the Junior Market dropped sharply on Monday to 1,438.180 shares valued at $7,648,204.78, from 8,428,003 shares valued at $32,387,101 on Friday. At the close, the market index rose 32.62 points to 2,988.90.
Trading ended with 17 securities changing hands, down from 20 on Friday with 5 gaining and 11 declining and with 6 stocks having a higher bids than the last traded price and 5 closing with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 84,599 units for an average value of $449,894 compared to 421,400 units for an average value of $1,619,355 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 74,820 units valued at $371,129 compared 74,208 units valued at $366,206 previously. In contrast, June closed with averages of 395,969 units valued at $1,799,200 for each security traded.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging closed at $3.50 with 7,486 units changing hands, Blue Power dived $4 to close at $45 with 143 units, CAC 2000 lost 31 cents with 500 shares trading to end at $6.40, Caribbean Cream jumped by $1 and closed trading with 3,205 units at $6, Caribbean Producers lost 23 cents to close trading with 700 units, at $3.07, General Accident lost 20 cents and closed trading with 14,242 shares at $2.50, ISP Finance slipped $2 and closed with 23,500 units changing hands at $12, Jetcon Corporation traded 142,419 shares to end at $4.50, after slipping 4 cents, KLE Group ended at $2 with 31,325 shares changing hands, Knutsford Expressclimbed $1 in trading 591 shares to end at $15, Lasco Distributors closed 59 cents higher at $6.90 after trading 552,000 units, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents and ended with 235,000 shares changing hands at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing shed 30 cents and ended with 418,482 shares trading at $4.50, Main Event lost 30 cents to close with 689 shares trading at $5.30, Medical Disposables rose 1 cent, ending at $5.51 with 250 units trading, Paramount Trading gained 20 cents and ended with 1,000 units changing hands at $2.95 and tTech traded 33,400 units, falling 40 cents to close at $9.60.