“The biggest change to stocks this coming week may well be guided by the recent cut in interest rates, with Treasury bill rates falling and Bank of Jamaica cutting its overnight rate by 25 basis points.” That was part of last week’s opening statement for the TOP 10 stocks report by IC Insider.com.
During the week main market stocks surged to record levels on 3 days with Friday closing with the third highest daily gain in the market’s history. The main market sits just below the critical 290,000 point mark and seems headed to break through that level, based on the shortage of supply for Scotia Group shares on Friday with a closing bid of $52. The cut in BOJ’s bench mark rate would translate to the all Jamaica Composite Index climbing to 298,000 points.
At the close of last week, there were no changes to the TOP 10 Junior list but two new companies swapped places in the main market with Barita Investments returning, as investors cooled on the stock following a run up in the price following news out of the company that the directors were considering a bid to acquire majority shares. Based on the third quarter results showing unrealized investment gains more than doubling the level at the end of September last year to $1.1 billion at June, the company should see major gains going forward in this area, with falling interest rates and rising stock prices. 
Salada Foods fell in price to $8.50 and along with Barita pushed out Sagicor Group and Pan Jam Investment, both of which rose in price during the week.
The average PE ratio for the Junior Market Top stocks is at 7.3 and the PE for the main market TOP 10, ends the week at 6.9. The average PE for the overall main market trades at 13.4 and 13.3 for Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 45 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and it remains at 48 percent for the main market.
Finance companies blast JSE indices
Sagiocr Group was one of the big contributors to the JSE rise on Friday with a rise of $2.30.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange started trading for September in a very bullish mode and closed the day with a huge jump in the market indices, thanks to 2 to 1 advance decline ratio, but more so by movements in the three large capitalisation stocks, NCB Financial, Sagicor Group and Scotia Group.
The All Jamaica Composite Index surged 8,689.74 points, at the close of trading the third highest in the markets history and the JSE Market Index climbed 7,917.33 points. The market sits just under a major resistance level at 290,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index, a meaningful break out this coming week could open the market up for a huge rally for the balance of the year.
At the close of market activity, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are Barita Investments with gains of 5 cents to end at $8.10 with 9,501 shares, Berger Paints closed $2.50 lower to $10.60 with 30,378 shares as investors responded negatively to the buyout offer for the minority shareholdings while ignoring the fundamentals of the company. Cable and Wireless gained 5 cents, closing at $1.05 with 18,094 shares, Caribbean Cement traded 40,150 shares at $27, Carreras closed at $108 with 30,352 stock units, Ciboney exchanged just 200 shares at 17 cents, Grace Kennedy added 2 cents to close at $42 with 14,115 shares. Jamaica Broilers lost 5 cents and closed at $18.95 with 26,278 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35, rising of 50 cents in trading 850 shares,JMMB Group gained 49 cents to close at $21.49 with 11,653 units. Kingston Properties closed at $7.50, rising 30 cents with 742 stock units, Kingston Wharves traded 6 cents lower to $30.79 with 1,503 shares, 
Mayberry Investments lost 20 cents, closing at $4.30 with 199,098 stock units, NCB Financial Group climbed $1.01 to close at $90 with 42,492 shares, 1834 Investments ended with a gain of 4 cents, closed at $1.34, with 31,474 shares and 138 Student Living lost 70 cents to close at $4.75 with 100 stock units. Radio Jamaica closed at $1.22 with 25,927 units changing hands, Sagicor Group jumped $2.30 to $34.10 trading 331,028 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $11.96, after falling 9 cents with 17,729 shares, Salada Foods gained 50 cents, closing at $8.50 with 100,000 shares, Scotia Group closed at $50 with 255,822 shares, after trading earlier at $52. The market closed with no stock being offered for sale ahead of the third quarter results due in the coming week. Seprod traded 4,000 shares at $33, Supreme Ventures closed at a record $12.90, gaining 90 cents with 81,771 units. Newly listed Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares rose 5 cents and closed at a record 60 US cents while trading just 100 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 24 US cents with 14,100 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share traded 45,100 units at $2 and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 1 cent to close at $1.16 with 34,643 units.
New record for JSE main market
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to a new high at 11 am on Friday with the all Jamaica Composite index jumping 4,315.47 points to a record 284,872.86 while the main market index rose 3,931.88 points to a record 259,551.43.
The Combined Index climbed 3,602.38 points to a record 272,379.47 as market sentiments suggest that the market may be at an early stage of a major bull run. The Junior Market slipped 1.95 points to 3,096.95 while the US dollar market index is unchanged at 182.58.
Sagicor Group traded 242,800 units valued $8 million and Lasco Distributors had 214,992 units trading valued at $1,68 million and Salada Foods had 100,000 units changing hands with a gain of 50 cents to $8.50.
Major end of month JSE moves
Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $12 on Thursday.
In an active day of market activities, 29 securities traded with Scotia Group hitting a record high of $50 ahead of the third quarter results due for release within a week and Supreme Ventures (SVL) closed at a high of $12 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Investors continue to respond positively to SVL half year results that rose 41 percent but Sterling Investments dropped to a 52 weeks’ low of $12.75.
Elsewhere in the main market overvalued Jamaica Producers traded 1,082,752 shares to close at $15.99 after adding 5 cents and 138 Student Living gained 30 cents to close at $5.45 with 1,589,048 shares. Productive Business Solutions that went to the public to raise fresh capital had the US dollar ordinary shares and the preference shares were listed at the start of the day but there was no trading in them.
PBS shares were listed on Thursday.
Pulse Investments gained 4 cents, closing at $1.99 with 4,826 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.22 with 1,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $31.80 with gains of 20 cents trading 44,472 units, Sagicor Real Estate fund ended at $12.05, after gaining 5 cents with 500 shares, Salada Foods dropped $2 to $8 with 100,000 shares, Scotia Group advanced $3 to $50 with 75,994 shares, Scotia Investments eased 1 cent to $35.50 with 200 shares, Seprod traded 2,500 shares at $33, Sterling Investments declined $1.25 to $12.75 with 2,000 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $12, gaining $1.01 with 114,906 shares. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary shares closed at 30 US cents with 1,000 units, Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents with 51,749 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share with gains of 15 cents, closed at $2 with 745,140 units and Proven 8.25% cumulative redeemable preference share gained 40 cents to close at $5.50 with 21,000 units.
NCB accounts for 61% of trade on Wednesday
NCB Financial traded 3m shares on Wednesday on the JSE.
On another record breaking day with the all Jamaica Composite index closing over 280,000 points for the first time, NCB Financial Group led the market with 61 percent of the volume traded, accounting for 3,011,045 shares with the price inching 1 cent higher to $87.55.
Elsewhere at the close of market activity, on a day when there were less securities rising than declining the securities changing hands with the last traded price and volume exchanged are:Barita Investments that lost 1 cent, to close at $9 with 17,951 shares, Cable and Wireless ending at $1 after losing 5 cents with 755,957 shares. Caribbean Cement traded $1 lower to $29 with 59,177 shares, Carreras closed 50 cents lower to $107.50 with 100,008 stock units, Grace Kennedy with gains of 50 cents, closed at $41.50 with 12,349 shares. Jamaica Broilers closed at $18.20 with 21,335 units, overvalued Jamaica Producers added 50 cents, in closing at $15 with 1,936 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35, with a loss of 14 cents in trading 91,633 shares, 
JMMB Group gained of 20 cents and closed at $20.95 with 19,820 shares. Kingston Wharves closed at $32 with 150 shares, Mayberry Investments exchanged 97,980 shares at $4.60, 1834 Investments ended with a loss of 10 cents, closed at $1.30 with 342,520 shares, PanJam Investment climbed $1.52 to $34.50 with 6,000 shares. Pulse Investments fell 4 cents to $1.95 with 109,500 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 8 cents to close at $1.22 with 3,611 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $31.60 with a loss of 40 cents trading 43,720 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $12 with 8,983 shares, Scotia Group closed $1 higher at $47 with 29,941 shares, Seprod traded 5,000 shares at $33, Sterling Investments exchanged 7,000 shares at $14, Supreme Ventures slipped 1 cent to $10.99, with 81,268 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares gained 1 US cent to close at 24 US cents with 60,480 units and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share closed at $2.51 with 17,709 units.
Trading activity picks up on JSE
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw increased trading on Tuesday over Monday’s activity, with higher values and volumes. The market closed at a new record high with the gains for the year to date being 33 percent based on the All Jamaica Composite Index that advanced 1,183.31 points by the close of trading.
In trading Cable Bahamas Jamaica dollar denominated preference share, traded for the first time with 3 units changing hands at $1,000,000 each.
Elsewhere, at the close of market activity, the securities changing hands, the last price and volume traded for the day are, Barita Investments with a fall of $1.48 to $9.01 with 6,099 shares, after investors seemed to have lost interest in it, following the announcement of a buyout of majority shares. Berger Paints closed at $15.80, losing 20 cents with 60,636 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 5 cents to close at $1.05 with 905,749 shares, Caribbean Cement exchanged 5,388 shares at $30, Carreras held firm at $108 with 730,722 shares, Grace Kennedy ending with a loss of 50 cents, t0 $41 with 5,213 shares. 
Jamaica Broilers rising 45 cents, to $18.20 with 234,394 shares, Jamaica Producers with a loss of 48 cents, closed at $14.50 with 326,105 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange jumped 79 cents to $6.49, in trading 5,300 shares, JMMB Group lost 15 cents to $20.75 with 284,052 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $7.50, after losing 50 cents with 10,325 shares, Kingston Wharves climbed $1.15, to $32 with 164,207 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 10 cents to finish at $4.60 with 12,020 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $87.54, losing 45 cents with 110,532 shares, PanJam Investment lost 2 cents to close at $32.98 with 150,000 shares. Pulse Investments closed with a loss of 1 cent, at $1.99 trading 20,701 shares, Radio Jamaica gained 10 cents to $1.30 with 54,276 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32 with 55,233 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $12 trading 8,200 shares, Salada Foods exchnaged 7,705 shares at $10, Scotia Group closed 50 cents higher to $46 with 16,854 stock units, Seprod climbed $3.25 to close at $33 with 9,091 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $11, gaining $1.49 with 34,580 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 23 US cents with 2,420 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share, closed at $1.85 with 74,950 units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed with 300,000 shares at $1.15 and Proven 8.25% preference share gained 10 cents to close at $5.10 with 279,533 units.
JSE main market pulls back from record
The Jamaica Stock Exchange pulled back from the record close on Friday with the market indices declining with the volume and value traded rising above Friday’s levels.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 452.43 points to close at 278,307.75, the JSE Market Index declined 412.22 points to 253,569.88 and the JSE US dollar market index fell 6.51 points to 177.52.
At the close of trading, 24 securities changed hands in the main market with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 9 stocks advancing and 10 declining. The main market ended with 3,602,298 units valued at $94,690,959 changing hands compared to 2,197,630 units valued at $56,139,038 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 174,932 units valued at US$40,234 bringing the total of all trades to J$99,840,958.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 150,096 units valued at $3,945,457 for each security traded compared to an average of 84,254 units valued at $2,159,194. 
The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $185,421 units with an average value of $3,984,939 compared with an average of 187,499 units with an average value of $3,987,261 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
At the close of the market, the last traded prices of securities and volume changing hands are, Barita Investments with a loss of 51 cents in closing at $10.49 with 2,449 shares, Berger Paints closed at $16, after gaining 25 cents with 500 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 5 cents to close at $1.10 with 299,771 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $2.50 and ended at $30 with 76,723 shares, Carreras inched 1 cent higher to close at $108 with 473,898 shares, Grace Kennedy traded 206,942 shares at $41.50. Jamaica Broilers with gains of 14 cents, closed at $17.75 with 4,965 shares, Jamaica Producers dropped $1.52 to $14.98 with 1,053,204 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $5.70, with a loss of 30 cents trading 1,645 shares, JMMB Group lost 10 cents to close at $20.90 with 301,858 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $8 with 4,184 units, 
Kingston Wharves rose 6 cents and closed at $30.85 with 5,743 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $87.99, having lost $1 with 5,571 stock units, PanJam Investment gained 5 cents to $33 with 39,433 shares, Portland JSX traded 5 cents lower to $9.25 with 10,000 shares. Pulse Investments ended with a loss of 5 cents at $2 with 16,600 shares, Sagicor Group added 50 cents, closing at $32 with 19,990 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 2 cents to close at $12 trading 490,652 shares, Scotia Group closed 40 cents higher at $45.50 with 1,651 shares, Sterling Investments exchanged 2,000 shares at $14, Supreme Ventures closed at $9.51, losing 49 cents with 74,519 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares lost 1 cent US and closed at 23 US cents with 174,932 units, 138 Student Living variable rate preference share traded 500 units at $5.68, Jamaica Money market Brokers 7.5% preference share closed at $1.85 with 61,500 units being exchanged and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed with 448,000 shares at $1.15.
NCB’s eye-popping $1,200 in 5 years
$100,000 invested in NCB would be worth $1.3 million in 5 years if price rose to $1,200 per share.
“Unless something changes, NCB Financial Group is the best buy on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and will be for the next 5 years. My exit price? $1,200!” That is a recent quote from a seasoned financial analyst.
That is astounding, for a stock that traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange just below $90 this past week and around $95 on the Trinidad market and was selling at $19 at the start of 2015. To reach $1,200 in 5 years, would require growth in profits averaging close to 30 percent per annum and the PE ratio rising to match that growth rate. If that were to happen it would mean that $100,000 invested now in the stock, would be worth $1,348,314 in 5 years.
How possible is that? First with interest rates receding to lower levels than they have been recently and seems poised to fall some more, PE ratios for stocks will increase. Not only will they increase but demand will increase for good quality stocks that are enjoying robust growth.
NCB delivered net profit of $14.7 billion for the nine months to June, this year, an increase of 48 percent over the prior year’s nine months profit of $9.9 billion. In the June quarter, profit grew 33 percent over 2016. Loans, the major fuel for growth in profits, increased a very strong 18 percent, year over year, in an economy that is probably growing around 2 percent in real terms.
Sagicor should be watched for strong gains over the next 5 years.
If growth were to pick up, and that seems likely, with several major projects on the drawing board to commence sooner than later, with some already started, then lending could picked up even more, boosting profit in the process.
In this regard, investors should not ignore Sagicor Group that reported profit jumping 31 percent to $5.65 billion, for the six months to June this year over 2016, with a 5 percent rise in revenues to $30.36 billion and was negatively affected by realized losses on securities that were sold. In the June quarter revenues slipped to $15.1 billion from $15.29 billion in 2016, as net investment income dropped from $5.55 billion to $4.24 billion, but net profit increased from $2.4 billion to $3.06 billion. While growth in insurance premium is important to fuel continued gains in profit, it is the ability to manage the investment funds effectively that will generate the growth that will make the stock price move.
Sagicor not only has the life assurance arm, but a commercial bank as well, health insurance and manages pension and other funds and a property development and management division.
Interestingly, these two companies are heavy dividend payers, investors stand to gain from sharply higher dividend income if the profit continue to grow close to current levels.
Main market stocks at record close – Friday
Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $10 on Friday.
Shares of Jamaica’s gaming company, Supreme Ventures hit a new high of $10 at the close of trading on Friday and helped push Jamaica Stock Exchange main market to a new high on Friday, following Thursday’s record close.
At the close of trading on Friday, the All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 106.76 points to end at a record close at 278,760.18, the JSE Market Index rose 97.27 points to a record close of
and the JSE US dollar market index ended 3.84 points higher to 184.03.
At the close of trading, 26 securities changed hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 11 stocks advancing and 13 declining. The main market ended with 2,197,630 units valued at $56,139,038 changing hands compared to 4,236,294 units valued at $109,212,854 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 82,203 units valued at US$31,069 bringing the total of all trades to J $60,115,919.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading ended at 8 to 1.
The main market ended trading with an average of 84,524 units valued at $2,159,194 for each security traded compared to an average of 184,187 units valued at $4,748,385. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $187,499 units with an average value of $3,987,261 compared with an average of $193,935 units with an average value of $4,101,515 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
At the close of the market, the last traded prices of securities and volume changing hands are, Barita Investments with a loss of 10 cents, to close at $11 with 900 shares, Berger Paints ending at $15.75, after falling 40 cents with 7,041 shares, Cable and Wireless added 1 cent to $1.15 with 14,200 shares, Caribbean Cement dropping $2.50 to $27.50 with 2,589 shares, Carreras slipping 39 cents, to close at $107.99 with 8,582 shares, Grace Kennedy traded 50 cents higher to $41.50 with 33,114 shares. Jamaica Broilers with gains of 56 cents, ended at $17.61 with 210,036 shares, Jamaica Producers fell 50 cents to close at $16.50 with 18,317 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closing at $6, with a loss of 19 cents trading 4,905 shares, JMMB Group lost 50 cents to close at $21 with 523,305 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $8 with 3,014 shares, 
Kingston Wharves finished 71 cents lower to $30.79 with 1,000 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.50 with 162,111 shares, NCB Financial Group climbed $1 to $88.99, with 242,433 shares, 1834 Investments inched higher by 5 cents to $1.40, trading 12,717 shares, PanJam Investment concluded trading at $32.95, falling 5 cents with 11,536 shares. Pulse Investments climbed 25 cents to $2.05 with 100 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 10 cents to end at $1.20 with 285,000 shares, Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents, to $31.50 with 109,676 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dropped 8 cents to $11.98 trading 6,028 shares, Scotia Group closed $1.85 lower to $45.10 with 235,195 shares, Seprod traded 27,869 shares at $29.75, Supreme Ventures climbed to a record high of $10, gaining $1.20 with 30,246 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares gained 1 cent US and closed at 24 US cents with 69,200 units, JMMB Group US 6% preference share traded 2 US cents higher to US$1.12 with 13,003 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share declined 14 cents to $1.85 with 142,500 units, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share closed at $1.50, losing 10 cents with 239 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed with 104,977 shares at $1.15.
Huge gains push JSE to record high – Thursday
Main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange made huge gains in trading on Thursday, to close at new record highs.
The All Jamaica Composite Index surged 6,467.89 points to a record close of 278,653.42, as the market recovered from near 5,000 points drop on Wednesday. The JSE Market Index leapt 5,892.98 points to a record close of 253,884.83, bettering the record reached August 10 for both indices. The JSE US dollar market index declined 3.84 points to 180.19.
At the close of trading, 23 securities changed hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 11 stocks advancing and 8 declining. The main market ended with 4,236,294 units valued at $109,212,854 changing hands compared to 12,794,782 units valued at $308,295,023 at the close on Wednesday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 26,814 units valued at US$7,765 bringing the total of all trades to J$110,206,772.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 184,187 units valued at $4,748,385 for each security traded compared to an average of 473,881 units valued at $11,418,334. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $193,935 units with an average value of $4,101,515 compared with an average of $194,585 units with an average value of $4,058,391 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
At the close of the market, the last traded prices of securities and volume changing hands are, Berger Paints closing at $16.15 after gaining 15 cents with 1,658 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 1 cent to close at $1.14 with 78,544 shares, Caribbean Cement rising $1.51 to $30 with 40,298 shares, Carreras with a loss of 40 cents to $107.60 with 128,994 shares, Grace Kennedy traded 50 cents higher to $41 with 333,520 shares. Jamaica Broilers finished with a loss of 45 cents at $17.05 with 502,272 shares, Jamaica Producers advanced by $1 to $17 with 2,297,691 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.19 with gains of 49 cents trading 7,551 shares, JMMB Group gained 50 cents to close at $21.50 with 37,534 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $8 with 1,250 shares, 
Kingston Wharves climbed $2 to $31.50 with only 800 shares, Mayberry Investments rose 32 cents to $4.50 with 20,438 shares, NCB Financial Group traded $1.99 higher to $87.99 with 252,941 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $5.15 trading 7,850 shares, PanJam Investment closed at $33 with 32,820 shares, Portland JSX lost 11 cents, closing at $9.30 with 200 shares. Pulse Investments ended with a loss of 40 cents at $1.80 with 7,800 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 234,820 shares at $1.30, Sagicor Group fell by 60 cents, closing at $31 with 42,184 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund added 1 cent to close at $12.06 in trading 11,185 shares, Scotia Group gained 45 cents and closed at $46.95 with 56,384 shares, Seprod lost 25 cents to close at $29.75 with 56,860 shares, Supreme Ventures held firm at $8.80 with 82,070 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares lost US 1 cent and closed at 23 US cents with 25,097 units and JMMB Group US 6% preference share traded at US$1.10 with 1,717 units.
