The IC Insider.com TOP 10 stocks have put substantial gains since the posting at the end of March. The selections based on projected 2020/21 earnings, included robust increases of 73 percent from Elite Diagnostic, followed by Lasco Manufacturing with a gain of 56 percent and Access Financial 55 percent.
Elite Diagnostics surged 73% on the Junior Market since the end of March.
Other outstanding Junior Market gains came from Caribbean Producers that enjoyed a rise of 33 percent in closing at $3 but traded up to $3.51 on Thursday, with an increase of 56 percent since the end of March. KLE Group rose 36 percent and Lasco Financial ended with a 30 percent increase. In the Main Market, Eppley leads with a 45 percent gain, Wisynco Group rose 43 percent and Radio Jamaica 24 percent.
The gains came from a strong recovery of stock prices on the Jamaica Stock Exchange after falling by record levels in March.
Following the rise in prices of TOP 10 stocks, there are five new entrants for the coming week. These are General Accident, CAC 2000 and Stationery and Office Supplies in the Junior Market and in the Main Market, Sygnus Credit Investments and Caribbean Cement.
Stocks that dropped from the TOP 10 are Access Financial, Elite Diagnostic and Medical Disposables from the Junior Market and Eppley and Wisynco Group from the Main Market.
The current IC Insider.com TOP 10 list is based on the profit of companies reporting full year’s results for the financial year ending after 2020 second quarter and up to the second quarter in 2021.
Many local stocks made a strong recovery over the past two weeks, but major uncertainties still exist and it is not possible to determine the exact impact on company earnings. Actual earnings could vary materially from IC Insider.com’s forecast. Looking beyond the immediate fallout or benefits can provide a useful investment guide for above-average gains in the months ahead.
The three top Junior Market selections are Caribbean Producers, KLE Group and Lasco Financial with the potential to gain between 270 to 533 percent by 2021. In the Main Market, Berger Paints leads the pact followed by Radio Jamaica and then Carreras with projected gains of 146 to 170 percent.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 13.3 and the Junior Market a mere 9.7, based on current 2020/21 earnings. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a just 5.7 with the Main Market at 8.8.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at a discount of 41 percent of the average for Junior Market and Main Market stocks trade at a discount of 34 percent to the overall market. The average projected gain for the IC TOP 10 stocks is 278 percent from 312 percent last week and down from 377 percent at the close of the prior week for the 
Junior Market and 139 percent from 153 percent last week for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020/21 earnings.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns to March 2021. Forecasted earnings and PE ratio for the current fiscal year are in determining potential gains. The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. 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. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis as new information is received that can result in changes in and out of the list.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
The Market closed with an average of 909,064 units valued at $10,809,850 for each security traded, in contrast to 543,596 units valued at $2,706,411 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 765,512 units valued at $4,319,932 for each security changing hands, compared to 745,075 units valued at $3,238,279 for each security traded. Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
Portland JSX exchanged 16,000 units and rose 80 cents to end at $8.10. Proven Investments shed 50 cents to finish at $38, in swapping 3,000 shares, Sagicor Group picked up 50 cents to reach $51, with an exchange of 5,271,009 stock units, Salada Foods dropped $4.30 to close at $28.40 trading 121,898 shares. Seprod added $1 and closed at $49, after transferring 26,237 units, Supreme Ventures exchanged 201,920 shares after rising 99 cents to close at $17, Sygnus Credit Investments traded 147,833 shares and gained 50 cents to end at $18. Victoria Mutual Investments ended at $9, with gains of $1 after trading 858,125 shares and Wisynco Group closed $1.50 higher at $19, in exchanging 2,848,031 shares.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 5,606.53 points to 432,124.95, the JSE Market Index advanced 4,975.85 points to 393,629.79 and the JSE Financial Index gained 1.02 points to 106.63.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 10.3 million shares for 47.6 percent of total volume, Wigton Windfarm followed with 3 million units for 14 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.6 million units for 12 percent market share. Wisynco Group, the only other stock trading more than one million units, in exchanging 1.2 million shares.
The PE ratio of the overall market ended at 14.2, while the Main Market ended at 14.5 times 2020/21 earnings.
The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 936,106 units valued at $3,341,554 for each security changing hands, compared to 606,651 units valued at $3,006,358 for each security traded. Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
Mayberry lost 30 cents to close at $5.70, with 193,000 shares crossing the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $5 to close at $140 after trading 957 stock units. NCB Financial Group climbed $3 to $158, with 69,263 shares changing hands, 138 Student Living fell by $1.10 to $5.90 trading 10,400 units, PanJam Investment shed 97 cents to close at $75, with an exchange of 93,034 shares. Sagicor Group lost 75 cents to end at $49.75, after swapping 120,363 stock units, Salada Foods gained 48 cents to finish at $32.70, with 4,604 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures climbed $1.33 to $15.99, with an exchange of 112,333 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments ended the day at $7.70, after gaining 35 cents and transferring 293,021 shares and Wisynco Group added 61 cents to finish at $16, in trading 560,505 shares.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 10.4 million shares for 42 percent of total volume. Wigton Windfarm followed, with 8.5 million units for 34.6 percent of the day’s trade and Trans Jamaican Highway trading in the US dollar market accounted for 3.8 million units for the equivalent of 15.6 percent of the Main Market’s volume. Other stocks trading more than one million units were Sagicor Select Financial Fund, with 2.3 million shares and Wisynco Group with 1.3 million units.
First Rock Capital closed 40 cents lower at $9.60, with 50,007 shares crossing the exchange, Jamaica Broilers declined $3.52 to $29, with 48,411 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers gained $1.04 to close at $20.15 transferring 15,332 units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed $1.20 higher to reach $9.10, in trading 59,464 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced by $5 to $145, with an exchange of 344 stock units, NCB Financial Group climbed $2.09 to $155 in swapping 37,820 shares. Sagicor Group added $1.75 to end at $50.50, with 89,434 shares changing hands, Salada Foods dropped $3.78 to finish at $32.22, after transferring 471 units, Seprod closed $1 lower to $48.50, with an exchange of 11,674 units. Stanley Motta shed 30 cents to end at $5.50 trading 22,100 units, Sterling Investments picked up 35 cents to close at $2.85, with a transfer of 145,739 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments lost $1.96 ended at $17.03, after exchanging 103,764 shares and Wisynco Group rose $1.49 to $15.39, in swapping 1,312,997 shares.
Stocks leaving the TOP are Lasco Manufacturing with a gain of 33 percent after the stock rose from $2.75 the previous week to close at $3.65. General Accident moved from $4.50 to $5.71 to record a 27 percent rise and Sygnus US dollar-based stock gained 25 percent to close at 15 US cents and left the main market TOP 10. Eppley rose 31 percent for the week in closing at $16 and Elite Diagnostic is up a stunning 50 percent but remains in the TOP 10. Access Financial closed the prior week at $18.35 and is now up 33 percent to $24.50.> Some of the gains in the market arose from oversold conditions as well as funds returning to investors last week from the refund of the Trans Jamaica Highway IPO.
While local stocks make a strong recovery this past week, thanks no doubt to some of the IPO refund coming back into the market. Investors must not lose sight that significant uncertainties abound about the local and global economy and how each company may be affected. It is not possible to determine the exact fallout and benefits from the crisis and the impact on company earnings. Actual earnings could vary materially from IC Insider.com’s forecast.
The expectations are for the company to return to normality for the 2021 fiscal year that ends in June 2021 that will give buyers of the stock around current prices a big payday.
With the tourism industry virtually closed, companies heavily dependent on the industry will have little or no sales for a while from March. The Group consists of Caribbean Producers, Dolphin Cove, Everything Fresh and Express Catering. Entertainment company Main Event and restaurant operator KLE Group will be hurt from patrons staying home as well as fewer tourists visiting Montego Bay and patronizing the restaurant in that town. Once this period of disruption has passed, KLE should benefit from economies of scale with the full ownership of the additional restaurant.
The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages 5.5 with the Main Market at 8.5.
Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $5 to $140 after exchanging 1,512 stock units, NCB Financial Group climbed to $152.91, with gains of $2.66 with 265,789 shares changing hands. PanJam Investments fell by $2 to $76 in swapping 225,872 shares, Portland JSX shed 70 cents to finish at $7.30, with an exchange of 38,667 units, Proven Investments closed at $39.70, after rising $2.20 and trading 11,126 units. Sagicor Group picked up 81 cents to end at $48.75, in transferring 73,620 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed 45 cents lower at $7.25 with 81,200 stock units crossing the exchange, Salada Foods jumped $6 to $36, after exchanging 59,400 units. Seprod closed $1.50 higher to $49.50, with a transfer of 65,614 shares and Supreme Ventures gained 40 cents to end at $14.40, with 248,813 shares changing hands.
The JSE Market Index climbed 2,911.92 points to 380,510.48 and the JSE Financial Index adding just 0.30 points to 103.93.
Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
Jamaica Producers fell by $2.31 to $18.70 after trading 35,872 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 50 cents to close at $22.50, with an exchange of 40,317 shares. JMMB Group closed 54 cents lower to $38, in swapping 171,356 shares, NCB Financial Group declined to $150.25, with a loss of $4.74 and trading 36,785 stock units. Proven Investments added 90 cents to finish at $37.50, with 11,664 units crossing the exchange, Scotia Group climbed $1.49 to $47.99 in transferring 18,664 units, Seprod closed 50 cents higher at $48, in exchanging 25,496 shares. Stanley Motta gained 80 cents in swapping 200 units and finished at $5.80, Supreme Ventures picked up 43 cents to end at $14, with 17,488 units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments closed at $18.90, with gains of $1.87 trading 12,280 stock units and Wisynco Group rose 60 cents to $13.90, with a transfer of 1,360,292 shares.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,819.45 points to 414,283.45, the JSE Market Index dropped 1,643.55 points to 377,598.56, but the JSE Financial Index rose 0.33 points to 103.63.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.2, while the Main Market ended at 14.5 times 2020/21 earnings.
PanJam Investment ended at $78, with a loss of $1 trading 63,834 units. Portland JSX gained 70 cents exchanging 2,090 units and closed at $8, Proven Investments ended at $36.60, after climbing $1.60 and transferring 14,113 stock units, Sagicor Group closed $4.40 lower to $48, in swapping 101,381 shares. Salada Foods ended the day at $30, after gaining $1 trading 200 units, Scotia Group dropped $1.49 to finish at $46.50, with 29,841 units changing hands, Seprod added 50 cents to transferring 254,512 shares and closed at $47.50. Stanley Motta shed 75 cents with an exchange of 6,000 units to end at $5, Supreme Ventures gained 57 cents and closed at $13.57, in swapping 561,955 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at $17.03, with a loss of 97 cents trading 99,934 units and Wisynco Group closed $1.39 lower to $13.30 exchanging 1,657,479 shares.
At the close of trading for March and the end of the first quarter of 2020, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index soared 15,152.90 points to 416,102.90, the JSE Market Index jumped 13,681.82 points to 379,242.11 and the JSE Financial Index gained 2.76 points to end at 103.30.
Trading in February resulted in an average of 624,731 units valued at $3,239,665 for each security.
Proven Investments ended at $35, after losing 94 cents while trading 36,309 shares. Pulse Investments added 32 cents to finish at $3.45, in transferring 17,162,610 shares, Sagicor Group leaped $8.40, in exchanging 341,368 shares and closed at $52.40, Salada Foods finished at $29, advancing $4 and trading 20,327 units. Scotia Group closed $3.98 higher at $47.99, with 155,932 shares changing hands, Seprod added $4.50 to end at $47, in swapping 51,191 units, Stanley Motta gained $1.14 exchanging 16,615 units and closed at $5.75. Supreme Ventures shed 50 cents to end at $13, with 177,935 shares traded, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at $18, with gains of $1.40 transferring 154,566 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments exchanged 560,714 shares at $7, after picking up 55 cents and Wisynco Group closed $1.44 higher at $14.69 after trading 501,240 shares.
