With the final days of 2019 draws to a close, investors looking back must ponder how the JSE Main Market stocks outperformed the Junior Stocks by a considerable margin, by growth in the market indices and the number of shares with triple-digit gains.
At the end of the week, JSE Main Market stocks gained 33 percent to just 4 percent for the Juniors as six Main Market stocks more than doubled compared to only three Junior stocks.
The Junior Market had Lasco Distributors and Paramount Trading entering the TOP 10 last week.
Still, they were replaced this week, by Honey Bun and tTech, in at number 9 and 10 positions, respectively. There were no changes to the TOP 10 listing for Main Market stocks.
The targeted PE ratio is now 25, with several stocks trading at that level or around 22 currently. The average projected gains for the IC TOP 10 stocks are 172 percent for Junior Market and 152 percent for JSE Main market Top 10 stocks.
The top three Junior Market stocks currently are Medical Disposables with projected gains of 257 percent, followed by Main Event with a potential increase of 227 percent and Jamaican Teas with 223 percent likely capital growth.
Radio Jamaica is still the leading Main Market stock, with an expected increase of 213 percent, even with the price moving up from $1.85 to $2. Pulse Investments is in at the number two spot with a projected increase of 201 percent and Sygnus US dollar-denominated stock, with likely gains of 186 percent, is next.
The JSE Main Market closed the week, with an overall PE of 20.5 and the Junior Market at 14.5, based on current year’s earnings. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages 9.4 with the Main Market PE at 10.2.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at a discount of 35 percent of the average for Junior Market stocks and main market stocks trade at a discount of 50 percent to the overall market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns to March next year.
Forecasted earnings and PE ratio for the current fiscal year are in determining potential gains. Possible gains for each stock are ranked in descending order, 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.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in moderate gains in the two primary market indices on Tuesday as advancing stocks subdued decliners with a surge of cash passing through the market.
Proven Investments dropped $4 to land at $50 while trading 4,696 stock units, Sagicor Group lost 99 cents to $69 with 193,572 shares changing hands. Seprod jumped $3 in exchanging 2,931,938 shares to close at $51.50, Sterling Investments added 39 cents to close at $3.34 with an exchange of 10,000 stock units, Supreme Ventures added 560cents to end at $2550., while trading 58,057 shares and Wisynco Group lost 95 cents to $23.50, with 133,370 shares changing hands.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in moderate gains for the two primary market indices on Monday as rising stocks edged out decliners after trading declined again following a sharp drop on Friday. 
PanJam Investment fell 99 cents to end at $101, with 17,366 shares crossing the exchange, Proven Investments dropped $4 to land at $50 while trading 4,696 stock units, Sagicor Group jumped $3.99 to $69.99 with 25,664 shares changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained $1.20 to $10 with 36,350 shares, Scotia Group gained $1.50 to end at $55.50, in transferring 339,093 shares, Seprod lost $1.50 in trading 53,370 units to close at $48.50 and Supreme Ventures shed 56 cents to end at $25 while trading 24,197 stock units.
The JSE Main Market TOP 10 had just stock leaving with

Radio Jamaica still holds on to the lead for Main Market stocks, with an expected increase of 236 percent, followed by Pulse Investments in the number two spot with projected growth of 205 percent and Sygnus US dollar-denominated stock with likely gains of 186 percent, is next.


Sagicor Group dropped $2 to $66 with 17,851 shares changing hands, Salada Foods traded just 18 shares after rising 95 cents to end at $30.95, Scotia Group lost 70 cents to end at $54, in transferring 29,645 shares. Seprod recovered the $2 lost on Thursday in trading 12,567 stock units to close at $50, Sygnus Credit Investments put on $1.87 to close at $27, with 72,065 units crossing the market and Wisynco Group rose 20 cents to $24.30, with 54,141 shares changing hands.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in a surge in the two primary market indices on Thursday as rising stocks edged out decliners following a rise in volume and values of shares changing hands.
MPC Caribbean gained $2 to end at $202 with an exchange of 116 stock units, NCB Financial Group advanced by $2.40 to close at $202.40, in swapping 228,153 shares. PanJam Investment lost 99 cents to end at $101, with 21,070 shares crossing the exchange. Sagicor Group dropped $2 to settle at $68 with 219,174 shares changing hands, Scotia Group lost 80 cents to settle at $54.70, in transferring 30,971 shares. Seprod dipped $2 trading 22,600 stock units to close at $48, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents to end at $25.50, while exchanging 97,424 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments put on $1.13 to close at $25.13, with 47,758 units crossing the market and Wisynco Group fell 39 cents to $24.10, with 128,188 shares changing hands.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered more declines in the market indices on Wednesday with an almost equal number of rising and declining stocks and a fall in volume and a modest rise in values of stocks crossing the market.
The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 448,856 units for $10,376,356 and previously, an average of 464,870 units for $10,941,397 for each security changing hands. The market closed out November, with an average of 653,621 units valued at $8,699,916 for each security traded.
NCB Financial Group lost $1 to close at $200, in swapping shares, 45,342 shares. PanJam Investment gained $1.99 to end at $101.99, with 24,456 shares crossing the exchange. Portland JSX lost 75 cents to settle at $7, with 18,180 shares changing hands. Proven Investments lost $1 in trading 14,915 to close at a $49, Salada Foods slipped 95 cents to end at $30, trading 198 shares, Scotia Group rose $1.50 to settle at $55.50, in transferring 526,827 shares. Seprod added $1 in trading 26,364 units to close at $50, Sygnus Credit Investments put on $1.10 to close at $24, with 78,111 units crossing the market and Wisynco Group climbed $1.47 to $24.49, with 564,12 5 shares changing hands.
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday led to an almost equal number of securities rising and declining, but with a substantial fall in volume and values of stocks crossing the market and declines in the two Main Market indices.
Proven Investments jumped $2.15 in trading 1,326 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $50, Sagicor Group gained $2.01 to end at $70, trading 134,893 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund exchanged 74,773 after declining 51 cents to end at $10. Scotia Group dropped $1.49 to settle at $54, in transferring 45,530 shares, Seprod shed $1.45 in trading 22,564 stock units to close at $49. Supreme Ventures lost 55 cents to close at $25.01, with 119,205 units crossing the market and Wisynco Group fell 48 cents to $23.02, with 553,635 shares changing hands.
The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 469,338 units for $11,590,816 and previously, an average of 457,043 units for $7,086,604 for each security changing hands. The market closed out November with an average of 653,621 units valued at $8,699,916 for each security traded.
Salada Foods climbed 95 cents to settle at $30.95 with 16 shares changing hands, Scotia Group dropped $2 to settle at $55.50, in transferring 62,328 shares, Seprod shed 20 cents in trading 17,900 stock units to close at $50.45, Stanley Motta gained 60 cents to end at $5.90, trading 81 shares. Supreme Ventures rose 28 cents to close at $25.56 with 14,671 units crossing the market, Sygnus Credit Investments climbed $1.59 to $22.79 while exchanging 10,599 shares and Wisynco Group fell 50 cents to $23.50 with 197,674 shares changing hands. In the preference sector, Productive Business Solution 9.75% traded 100 units and rose $3 to close at $103.
Newly listed Lumber Depot traded for the first time after listing on Friday to close at $1.59, up 32.5 percent from the IPO issue price of $1.20. The stock remains in the TOP Junior Market listing at 6th position from third, last week, but may not be in it much longer.


Projected earnings, along with the PE ratio for each company’s current fiscal year, are used in determining potential gains with the likely gains ranked in descending order with highest-ranked being the most attractive. Future 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.