The majority of prices fell on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday. The difference between rising and declining stocks narrowed sharply from Monday’s levels but still lagged behind the losing stocks as the volume passing through the market increased 47 percent, with the value jumping 370 percent.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,959.50 points to settle at 403,412.62, the Main Index shed 1,852.03 points to close at 368,158.32 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.13 points to end at 95.96.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands compared to 47 on Monday and ended with the prices of 18 stocks rising, the prices of 20 shares declining and six remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.3 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 33,825,327 shares for $268,427,066 compared to 23,030,074 units at $57,044,608 on Monday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 14.87 million shares for 44 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 8.83 million units for 26 percent of the day’s trade, Jamaica Broilers Group came next with 4.07 million units for 12 percent market share. Tranjamaica Highway traded 1.95 million shares and 5.8 percent of the volume and Grace Kennedy with 1.8 million units and 5.4 percent of trading.
Trading ended with an average of 768,757 units changing hands at $6,100,615 for each security, in comparison to an average of 490,004 shares at $1,214,010 on Monday. The average trade for the month to date, ended at 449,855 units at $2,394,484 for each security, in contrast to 417,892 units at $2,023,026. 
Trading month to date compares well, with July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments shed 80 cents to end at $55.20 in an exchange of 2,447 stock units, Berger Paints fell $1.44 to settle at $11 and finishing with 1,959 stock units changing hands, Eppley carved out a gain of 40 cents to end at $17.90 trading 12,000 units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed 60 cents in closing at $49.10 in exchanging 6,700 units, Grace Kennedy fell 51 cents to $56.49, with 1,822,315 shares passing through the market, Jamaica Broilers Group dropped $1.25 to close at $24.50 in trading>4,067,555 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange increased 52 cents to $20.52 after 161,468 units changed hands, Key Insurance increased 62 cents in closing at $8.13 with investors switching ownership of 1,448 stock units, Kingston Properties declined by $1.09 to $6.16, with 1,826 shares changing hands.
Mayberry Investments advanced by 75 cents in closing at $5.85, with 36,930 units passing through the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost $10.99 to close at $152.01 after exchanging 123 stock units, NCB Financial Group declined by $7.50 to close at $131 and finishing with 199,286 stock units crossing the exchange. Palace Amusement rose 50 cents to close at $1,552 after clearing the market with 19 units, PanJam Investment climbed $2 to close at $72 with investors swapping 3,804 stocks, Proven Investments rose $2.04 to close at $35.94 and finishing trading of 18,376 shares. Salada Foods carved out a gain of $1 to settle at $29 with investors swapping 50 units, Scotia Group rose $1 to end at $46, with 1,660 stock units changing hands, Seprod carved out a gain of $1 to settle at $55 in trading 16,225 stock units. Stanley Motta fell 33 cents in finishing at $4.80 trading 1,000 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 39 cents to end at $15.50, with 22,258 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main market closes higher on Monday
Seventy-five percent fewer shares traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday than on Friday, but the market closed higher even as more stocks fell than those rising.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,190.14 points to settle at 405,372.12; the Main Index rose 1,139.72 points to end at 370,010.35, the JSE Financial Index rose 0.39 points to settle at 96.09.
Trading ended with 47 securities changing hands compared to 44 securities on Friday and ended with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 21 stocks declining, with 13 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 23,030,074 shares for $57,044,608 compared to 20,605,919 units at $226,351,750 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 18.64 million shares for 81 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.16 million units for 5 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.09 million units for 4.8 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 490,004 units changing hands for $1,214,010on Monday, in comparison to an average of 468,316 shares at $5,144,358 on Friday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 417,892 units at $2,023,026 for each security, in contrast to 409,246 units at $2,120,026. Trading for the month to date compares well, with July’s average trade of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost 60 cents to settle at $48.50, with 17,041 shares crossing the market, First Rock Capital gained 74 cents in closing at $13 and trading 3,660 stocks, JMMB Group shed 81 cents to close at $30.34, with 162,375 units changing hands. Key Insurance declined 48 cents in closing at $7.51 after 8,181 shares crossed the exchange. Kingston Properties shed 35 cents to settle at $7.25 with investors switching ownership of 412 units, Kingston Wharves climbed 50 cents to end at $53.80, with 8,650 units changing hands, Mayberry Investments lost 30 cents to finish at $5.10 after 15,770 shares crossed the market. 
Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 65 cents to end at $8.10 with an exchange of 7,945 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $11 to $163 in trading just one share, Palace Amusement dropped $138.50 to $1,551.50, with nine units crossing the market. PanJam Investment lost $2 to end at $70 trading 3,160 units, Portland JSX advanced by 38 cents to close at $7.88 with an exchange of 9,700 stocks, Salada Foods rose $3 to $28 in trading 13,594 stock units. Scotia Group gained 95 cents in ending at $45 while exchanging 11,930 stock units and Seprod lost 99 cents to end at $54 and crossing the exchange with 26,126 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% shed $1.05 to close at $7.45, while trading 1,020 stock units and 138 Student Living Preference share, gained 90 cents, in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.88 after investors switched the ownership of 200 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Kremi back in IC TOP 10
In a week when several companies released quarterly results, few had any positive information to move prices forward. Against this development, some stocks pulled back a bit, flowing from weaker than expected results. Last week’s drop out candidate,
Caribbean Cream posted big gains in profit in Q1.
Caribbean Cream, closed the week at $4.10, to return to the Junior Market TOP 10, at the expense of Mailpac Group. There were no changes to the main market list.
The Mailpac Group operations enjoyed a 33 percent rise in revenues for the six months to June and a 36 percent increase in profit over the similar period in 2019. Flowing from those results, IC Insider.com revised the earnings per share down to 20 cents, thus reducing the potential gain based on 2020 earnings, moving it out of the top listing.
The top three stocks in each market saw little change in ranking, leaving the top three Junior Market stocks, with the potential to gain between 281 to 676 percent by March 2021. Caribbean Producers heads the list, followed by Lasco Financial and Elite Diagnostic, the focus on all three is on the 2021 fiscal year results, that are projected to show recovery from the 2020 financial year final numbers.
The top three Main Market stocks with expected gains of 189 to 223 percent are Berger Paints followed by Radio Jamaica and JMMB Group.
This week’s focus: 138 Students Living reported a 44 percent increase in revenues to hit $334 million from $223 million in the June 2019 quarter and a 60 percent rise in the nine months to $1.09 billion. The company moved from a loss of $17 million in the 2019 third quarter to a profit of $132 million in 2020 and from a loss of $60 million in the nine months to June, to a profit of $402 million. Operating cost fell in both periods compared with the 2019 cost. The big problem is that the company continues the extremely poor practice of not showing operating and administrative expenses separately, making it impossible to see what gross margins are. The significant increase in profit is due to claims made on the University going back to 2019, which are booked in the current year that distorts earnings from ongoing operations. 
While earnings per share for the quarter is an attractive 32 cents and year to date 97 cents. Earnings from ongoing operations suggest that the full year’s results should be in the order of 40 cents after a regular tax charge.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, an indication of the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.2 and the Junior Market at just 10.9, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, reflecting better profit opportunities in the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a mere 5.9 at just 54 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.2 or 54 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 278 percent, and 152 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication of potentially more significant gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on possible profit for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. 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.
JSE main market rises
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Thursday with the market rising after the volume passing through the market was six-times the total number of shares traded on Wednesday but at just 25 percent of the value.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 3,382.20 points to settle at 403,348.27, the Main Index increased 3,121.52 points to 368,097.96, the JSE Financial Index advanced by 1.59 points to end at 95.65.
Trading ended with 43 securities changing hands compared to 45 securities on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 13 stocks rising, the prices of 22 declining and eight remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 39,119,819 shares for $135,564,924, compared to 6,840,001 units at $53,958,145 on Wednesday.
Trading was led by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund, with 16.65 million shares, for 42.6 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 15.4 million units for 39.3 percent of the day’s trade and Pulse Investments with 1.38 million units for 3.5 percent market share. Transjamaican Highway was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 1.1 million units changing hands.
Trading ended with an average of 909,763 units changing hands for the day at $3,152,673 for each security, in comparison to an average of 152,000 shares at $1,199,070 on Wednesday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 401,777 units at $1,737,639 for each security, in contrast to 330,159 units at $1,538,143 on Wednesday. Trading month to date compares well to July with an average of 374,929 units at $2,445,605 (392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments carved out a loss $2.50 to close at $56 in exchanging 27,472 shares, Caribbean Cement fell $2.39 to $42, with 636,763 shares clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost $3 to end at $47 in exchanging 1,004 stock units. First Rock Capital fell 52 cents to $12.99 with investors switching ownership of 16,615 units, JMMB Group shed $1 to settle at $30 crossing with 517,552 shares changing hands, Key Insurance carved out a loss 43 cents to end at $7.07 in finishing at 2,232 shares. 
Kingston Wharves climbed 50 cents to $53, with just 2,071 units passing through the market, Mayberry Investments carved out a loss 75 cents to settle at $5.15 in an exchange of 19,239 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped by 45 cents to close at $8.75 with investors wapping 152,360 units. NCB Financial climbed $7.88 trading 65,722 stock units at $137.90, PanJam Investment rose $1.75 to end at $68.50, with 11,860 shares changing hands, Proven Investments dropped $1.90 in ending at $33.80, with 2,500 stocks passing through the market. Sagicor Group increased by $4 to close at $44 in exchanging 682,448 stocks, Salada Foods shed $2 to settle at $25 after exchanging 42,000 units, Scotia Group dropped $1.73 to end at $46 in an exchange of 3,707 stocks. Seprod lost $2.24 to close at $54 in an exchange of 16,518 stocks, Stanley Motta rose 38 cents to settle at $5.13 with investors switching ownership of 37 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 65 cents to end at $14.50 with investors trading 152,771 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments declined by 37 cents to $6.57 with 69,669 stock units changing hands and Wisynco Group gained 58 cents to end at $17.79, with 11,650 stocks clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Main Market falls could rise Thursday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market dropped at the end of trading on Wednesday, with more stocks falling than rising after investors traded 62 percent fewer shares than on Tuesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index fell 2,977.80 points to settle at 399,966.07, the Main Index dropped by 2,833.33 points to end at 364,976.44 and the JSE Financial Index carved out a loss 0.77 points to close at 94.06.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands compared to 41 securities on Tuesday and ended with the prices of 17 stocks rising, 22 securities declining and six remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ending at 15.5 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 6,840,001 shares for $53,958,145 compared to 11,040,481 units at $46,318,943 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.07 million shares for 30.3 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.78 million units for 26 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.44 million units for 21 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 152,000 units changing hands, for the day at $1,199,070 for each security, in comparison to an average of 269,280 shares at $1,129,730 on Tuesday. 
For the month to date, the average trade is 330,159 units at $1,538,143 for each security that traded, in contrast to 360,995 units at $1,596,828 to Tuesday. Trading for the month to date compares well to July with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments dropped 39 cents to end at $58.50 with investors switching ownership of 17,506 shares, Berger Paints shed 35 cents to settle at $11.15 with an exchange of 9,702 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund increased $3 to a record closing high of $50 in exchange of 97,900 units. Jamaica Producers Group shed $1.80 to settle at $22 with investors switching ownership of 81,806 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed $1.40 to close at $20.60 crossing the market 74,227 shares. 
Key Insurance carved out a gain of 50 cents ending at $7.50 with investors swapping 1,135 units, Kingston Properties increased 57 cents to $7.60 after exchanging ten units. Kingston Wharves declined by $1.30 to close at $52.50 passing through the market 7,089 stock units, MPC Caribbean Energy declined by $19.85 to settle at $150 in trading 770 stock units, NCB Financial fell by $6.98 in closing at $130.02, with 222,268 shares passing through the market. Proven Investments increased 30 cents to settle at $35.70 in an exchange of 27,348 shares, Sagicor Group advanced by 90 cents in ending at $40 after trading 52,290 units, Salada Foods dropped by $1 to end at $27 in an exchange of 1,000 shares. Seprod advanced by $1.24 to close at $56.24 after trading 5,507 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 31 cents to close at $15.99 with 7,381 stocks changing hands and Wisynco Group shed 67 cents to end at $17.21 with investors swapping 82,451 units.
In the preference segment of the main market, Eppley 8.25% fell 62 cents to close at $8.50 and clearing the market with 58 units and JMMB Group 7.25% carved out a loss 30 cents to close at $1.20 with an exchange of 942 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE main market drops several points
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed on Tuesday with a decline after more stocks fell than rose after investors traded 15 percent fewer shares than on Monday.
At the close of the market, the All Jamaican Composite Index carved out a loss of 2,268.81 points to settle at 402,943.87. The JSE Main Index fell 2,044.31 points to end at 367,809.77, the JSE Financial Index fell 0.24 points to settle at 94.83.
Trading ended with 41 securities changing hands compared to 42 on Monday and ended with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 20 declining and six remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.5, based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 11,040,481 shares for $46,318,943 compared to 12,952,662 units at $48,479,413 on Monday, with Wigton Windfarm leading trading with 6.69 million shares for 60.6 percent of total volume. Sagicor Select Financial Fund followed, with 1.39 million units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway, with 687,145 units for 6 percent market share.
The day ended with 269,280 units on average trading at $1,129,730 for each security, in comparison to an average of 308,397 shares at $1,154,272 on Monday. The average traded for the month to date is 360,995 units at $1,596,828 for each security, in contrast to 378,165 units at $1,684,276 on Monday. Trading month to date compares well to July with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven, with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints rose 95 cents to settle at $11.50 after clearing the market ith 4,831 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined by $2.50 to $47, trading 3,401 stock units. Jamaica Broilers lost $1.28 to settle at $26, with 29,988 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost $1.95 to settle at $22 after exchanging 278,999 units, 
Key Insurance fell 50 cents to end at $7, with 34,354 shares passing through the market. NCB Financial Group climbed $3.45 to end at $137 after 79,513 shares crossed the exchange, 138 Student Living rose 60 cents to $6.60, finishing trading with 3,119 stock units, PanJam Investment fell $1.26 to $66.74, with an exchange of 11,013 shares, Proven Investments advanced by 40 cents to close at $35.40 trading 151 units. Sagicor Groupfell $1.41 after closing at $39.10 and exchanging 39,769 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 84 cents to end at $8 in trading 10,098 units, Salada Foods climbed $1 to close at $28 and clearing the market with just 200 shares. Scotia Group gained $3.30 to close at $47.50, finishing trading of 7,124 shares, Seprod fell $1.96 to close at $55 after exchanging 31,637 stocks and Stanley Motta declined by 38 cents to settle at $4.75 in trading 15,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks down JSE main market up
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Monday with the market rising after more stocks fell than rose after investors traded just slightly more shares than on Friday as the focus was on stocks selling with a low unit value of less than $1.35.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 1,062.28 points to settle at 405,212.68, the Main Index carved out a gain of 1,000.74 points to 369,854.08, the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.27 points to close at 95.07.
Trading ended with 42 securities changing hands compared to 44 securities on Friday and ended with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 19 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.6 based on IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 12,952,662 shares for a mere $48,479,413 compared to 12,279,679 units at $35,735,006 on Friday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 6.77 million shares for 52.3 percent of total volume followed by QWI Investments with 1.70 million units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.04 million units for 8.1 percent market share.
An average of 308,397 units traded for the day at $1,154,272 for each security, in comparison to an average of 279,084 shares at $812,159 on Friday. 
An average of 378,165 units traded for the month to date at $1,684,276 for each security, in contrast to 394,720 units at $1,810,039. Trading month to date compares adversely to July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments rose $1.04 to end at $58.89, while exchanging 276,971 shares, Berger Paints fell by $1.85 to end at $10.55, after trading 28,186 stock units, Caribbean Cement closed $2.50 higher at $44.50, with 13,756 units changing hands. Eppley declined by $2.35 closing at $15.10 in trading 496 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $3.32 to close at $49.50, with an exchange of 12,830 stock units.
First Rock Capital lost 51 cents to end at $13.50, clearing the market with 3,913 stock units, Jamaica Producers Group carved out a gain of $1.10 to close at $23.85 after exchanging 18,550 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 95 cents to settle at $23.95, with 55,562 stock units crossing the exchange. Key Insurance fell by $1 closing at $7.50, with 10,894 units changing hands, Kingston Wharves rose $2.80 ending at $53.80 with an exchange of 768 units, NCB Financial Group dropped $4.45 to end at $133.55 while trading 32,645 units. Palace climbed $222.83 to $1,783.83 and 9 stock units passing through the market, Sagicor Group dipped $1.49 to settle at $40.51 exchanging 44,579 units. Sterling Investments lost 30 cents to end at $2.70 with investors swapping 932 shares and Wisynco Group gained 39 cents to end at $17.99 with an exchange of 28,333 stock units.
In the preference segment of the main market, Community & Workers Credit Union shed 68 cents to close at $2.35 in transferring 534,711 shares and Eppley 8.25% gained $1.06 closing at $9 with an exchange of 404 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
115% gain for IC TOP 10 winner
Caribbean Cream rose 115 percent from the end of June to the closed of the week, with the price ending at $5.30, up from $4, last week and along with General Accident that closed the week at $7.50 and gained 70 percent since the start of May, are out of the TOP 10. That is why it pays to follow IC Insider.
Caribbean Cream gained 115% since the end of June
The two stocks sit just outside the TOP 10 with good potential to make further gains in the weeks and months ahead.
Coming back to the IC Junior Market TOP 10 are Lasco Distributors and Mailpac Group. Lasco Distributors profit is revised to 40 cents per share, for the current fiscal year, from 38 cents previously. The stock trades at a PE of 8 times earnings compared, with the average Junior Market PE over 11 and provides investors with the potential for substantial gains.
There was no change in the Main Market TOP 10 list for the week that saw the Main Market slipping modestly for the past week, while the Junior Market continued to inch higher, with a few points for the week, on top of gains in the previous two weeks.
The top three stocks in each market saw little change in the rankings, leaving the top three Junior Market stocks, with the potential to gain between 239 to 685 percent by March 2021. 
Caribbean Producers heads the list, followed by Lasco Financial and Stationery and Office Supplies.
The top three Main Market stocks, with expected gains of 191 to 223 percent, are Berger Paints followed by Radio Jamaica and JMMB Group.
This week’s focus: Former IC TOP 10 candidate, Barita Investments reported strong results for the third quarter and nine months to June with profit after tax hitting $991 million in the latest quarter, up modestly from $911 million in 2019 and for the nine months profit of $2 billion, up from $1.4 billion in 2019. Earnings per share ended the third quarter at $1.21 and $2.45 for the year to date. The broker house seems set to come close to IC Insider.com projection for the full year of $3.75. 
The company declared a dividend of $2.216 per share payable on October 7, with an Ex-dividend date, of September 21.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, an indication of the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.1 and the Junior Market at just 11.1, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising better profit opportunities the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a mere 6.4 at just 58 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.3 or 55 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the IC TOP 10 stocks is 257 percent, for the Junior Market and 149 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication that there is the potential to make greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gains for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. 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.
JSE Main Market slips again
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Friday with the market declining for a third consecutive trading day after more stocks rose than fell after the market activity, resulted in a 61 percent increase in shares changing hands than on Wednesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 714.74 points to close at 404,150.40, the Main Index shed 703.29 points to settle at 368,853.34 and JSE Financial Index fell 0.43 points to end at 95.34.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands with the prices of 21 stocks rising, the prices of 16 declining and seven remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 12,279,679 shares for $35,735,006 compared to 7,635,914 units at $44,926,751 on Wednesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 6.28 million shares for 51 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.11 million units for 17.2 percent of the day’s trade. Newly listed Community & Workers Credit Union Preference share traded with 1.32 million units for 10.7 percent market share and Ciboney Group was the only other stock to exceed a million shares to end with 1.07 million units changing hands.
The average trade for the day was 279,084 units at $812,159 for each security, in comparison to 173,544 shares at $1,021,063 on Wednesday. An average of 394,720 units traded for the month to date at $1,810,039 for each security that traded, in contrast to 432,976 units at $2,140,165.
Trading month to date compares well to July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments gained $3.85 to end at $57.85, with an exchange of 935 units, Caribbean Cement fell $3.90 to $42 with investors switching ownership of 12,887 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $3.82 in ending at $46.18, with 52,321 stocks crossing the exchange. First Rock Capital fell 79 cents after closing at $14.01 and clearing the market with 21,629 stock units, Jamaica Producers Group lost $1 to close at $22.75 after exchanging 6,400 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $1 to close at $23 trading 1,000 stock units, Key Insurance dropped 45 cents to end at $8.50, with 33,481 shares crossing the market, 
Kingston Wharves gained $1 to end at $51, with 3,270 stocks changing hands. Mayberry Investments climbed 90 cents to close at $5.90 with an exchange of 300 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced by 44 cents to end at $9.19 with investors switching ownership of 10,750 units, Palace Amusement rose $11 to close at $1561, with nine units clearing the market. PanJam Investment shed $1 to close at $68 trading 6,594 stocks, Proven Investments carved out a gain of $1.05 to finish at $34.95 with investors switching ownership of 4,371 stock units, Sagicor Group dropped 50 cents to close at $42 with investors exchanging 33,395 stocks. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained $1.02 to end at $8.88 while exchanging 110 stock units, Seprod gained 96 cents to settle at $56.96, with 36,600 shares crossing the exchange and Wisynco Group advanced 50 cents to $17.60 with investors wapping 85,689 stock units.
In the preference segment of the main market, Eppley 8.25% advanced $1.04 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.94, with 100 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Second day of losses for JSE majors
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Wednesday with the market declining for a second day after more stocks fell than rose and investors exchanged 82 percent fewer shares than and 30 percent of the value of Tuesday’s amounts.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,905.64 points to close at 404,865.14, the Main Index shed 2,630.02 points to settle at 369,556.63 and the JSE Financial Index 1.24 points to close at 95.77.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands, the same as Tuesday, with the prices of 18 stocks rising, the prices of 20 declining and six remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 7,635,914 shares for $44,926,751 compared to 41,738,542 units at $151,520,182 on Tuesday.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund and Wigton Windfarm led trading with 1.70 million shares and 22 percent of total volume each, followed by QWI Investments with 1.40 million units for 18.4 percent market share. Transjamaican Highway was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 1.01 million units changing hands.
An average of 173,544 units traded for the day at $1,021,063 for each security, in comparison to an average of 948,603 shares at $3,443,641 on Tuesday. An average of 432,976 units traded for the month to date at $2,232,352 for each security that traded, in contrast to 561,234 units at $2,693,430. 
Trading month to date compares well to July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows 9 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments shed $3.80 in ending at $54 while exchanging 13,432 shares, Caribbean Cement gained $2 to settle at $45.90, with 7,733 stocks passing through the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $1.05 and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $50, with investors switching ownership of 1,090 units. First Rock Capital carved out a gain of 81 cents to settle at $14.80 after finishing with 123,805 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Producers Group increased $1.75 to settle at $23.75, with 12,456 units passing through the market. Jamaica Stock Exchange carved out a loss $1 in ending at $22, with 6,985 shares passing through the market, Key Insurance rose 35 cents in ending at $8.95 with investors switching ownership of 92,094 shares, 
Kingston Wharves carved out a loss $3.50, with $50 569 units passing through the market. Mayberry Investments lost 99 cents to close at $5 trading 104,727 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 55 cents to end at $8.75 in trading 51,450 units, Palace Amusement dropped by $232.50 to end at $1,550 while exchanging 172 shares. PanJam Investment gained $3 to sit at $69, with 2,258 shares crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group carved out a loss $1.45 to close at $42.50, after 111,287 units changed hands, Scotia Group fell $3.95 to $44.05 in an exchange of 25,815 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments declined by 50 cents to settle at $16 while exchanging 9,658 stock units.
Community & Workers Credit Union preference share jumped 59 cents to close at a record closing high of an incredible $3.10 after exchanging 123,000 stock units and closed with a dividend yield of just two percent.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
