There were no stock recording gains at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Monday after the volume of stocks traded fell 19 percent, with a marginally lower value than on Friday.
A total of nine securities were traded, down from 11 on Friday. No stock recorded gains, five declined and four ended unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index fell 3.29 points to end at 224.30. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending between August this year to August 2023.
Overall, 246,032 shares traded, for US$54,963 compared to 302,622 units at US$59,279 on Friday.
Trading averaged 27,337 units at US$6,107, compared to 27,511 shares at US$5,389 on Friday, with month to date average of 46,342 shares at US$2,813 versus 48,162 units at US$2,498 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share finished at 7.9 US cents after trading 1,763 shares, Margaritaville ended at 15 US cents, with ten stock units clearing the market and Productive Business Solutions remained at US$1.18 with an exchange of 57 stocks.
Proven Investments fell 0.35 of a cent to close at 26.45 US cents after 159,603 units crossed the market, Sterling Investments shed 0.24 of one cent to end at 2 US cents in exchanging 37,600 units, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share declined 0.3 of a cent to 12.65 US cents with 33,609 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.04 of one cent in closing at 1.02 US cents after trading 5,400 shares.
In the preference segment, Equityline Mortgage Investment preference share dropped 27 cents after ending at US$1.70 after trading 116 stock units and JMMB Group 6% remained at US$1.02 after exchanging 7,874 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
No gains for JSE USD market on Monday
72% gains for ICTOP10 winner
Stationery and Office Supplies (SOS) is up 72 percent in 2022 and is heading to more than $20 with projected earnings of $1.25 for the year. SOS made the ICTOP15 list in January at 12 spot to produce a 200 percent gain for the year. It came into TOP10 in the week ending January 21, in the 6th spot and exited the TOP10 on the week ending April 22.
Stationery & Office Supplies – Montego Bay office.
Over the past two weeks, company results have been coming out fast and furious, with many posting solid increased profits over the first quarter of 2021, as the economy continues to recover and cost savings also takes hold to help lift profits to record levels in many cases.
One company to benefit from improved results for the first quarter results to March is SOS, with revenues rising 37 percent to $427 million and profits surging 344 percent to $81 million before gains from the sale of a property, investors belated warmed to the stock pushing it to a 52 week’s high of $11.02 and out of ICTOP10. Based on the results, ICInsider.com upgraded earnings from $1.10 to $1.25. Investors in the stock can look for a possible stock split this year if the price rises.
It is well worth noting that the Junior Market peaked at 4,669.78 points at the market opening on May 10 and pulled back to 4,444.25 on Friday as new quarterly results tempered investors in some overvalued stocks that have started to adjust downwards as reality sets in. Among them is Fesco, which was selling at a PE of 50 times the current year’s earnings. There seem to be more painful adjustments to come for investors in this stock. MailPac also suffered a reversal in price after the first quarter results disappointed investors, with lower revenues and earnings.
It is not unusual for investors to take a break after mid-May each year, with most results released and return in late June or early July just ahead of the new earnings season for the half year. Against this background, trading could move sideways for a month or two, but the Lasco companies, Access and Medical Disposables could light up the market when they release results in a few weeks.
Berger Paints annual report had good news for investors to digest.
In the Main Market, Jamaica Stock Exchange was added to the ICTOP10 recently but slipped out last week and reported solid results for the March quarter, with profit jumping 84 percent after revenues rose 37 percent. The projected earnings were downgraded to $1.30 from $3, leaving the stock just about appropriately valued. Berger Paints came out with solid earnings, resulting in our projection being upgraded from $1.70 to $2.35, helped by a sharp cut in other operating expenses from $160 million in 2021 to $117 million and now heads the Main Market TOP10 list.
Elite Diagnostic gained 3 percent for the week at $4, but the promise that the company showed when it was listed has started to show again, with revenues in the third quarter rising 24 percent to $161 million and profit surging to $28 million from $4.4 million in 2021. Based on the results, earnings for the current year ending in June are projected at 24 cents and 55 cents for the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Former ICTOP10 listing, Tropical Battery earnings were downgraded to 18 cents per share for this year, following the release of March half year results.
Access Financial jumped 22 percent last week, and is down 16 percent this past week at $21.50, and attracted more buying interest as the release of year results approaches. tTech tumbled 8 percent during the week and AMG Packaging 7 percent. Caribbean Assurance Brokers was the only stock with any meaningful gain, with a rise of 6 percent.
This week, there was no change to ICInsider.com TOP10 Main Market listings, but the Junior Market has two, with Lasco Distributors just slipping out. Jetcon Corporation suffered a big price decline during the week to close at $1.35 to reenter the list. tTech earnings were revised down to 25 cents after the company posted flat sales in the first quarter and a small loss and fell out of the top listing to be replaced by Dolphin Cove is poised to grow much more this year as improving tourism traffic that April numbers show is virtually back to normal provide a big boost to future earnings.
Investors should be on the lookout for companies with March year end that have not yet reported earnings. Amongst the grouping are the three Lasco companies that could get price moving punch from the results. Watch also Access and Medical Disposables sitting on the TOP of the list, with the company said to be generating profit from the acquisition of Cornwall Enterprises, well ahead of the two year target. ICInsider.com earnings projections of 70 cents per share for the 2022 fiscal year assume that earnings would include profit from the subsidiary and should result in a big jump in the stock toward $14.
The primary mover in the main market was Caribbean Cement that fell 12 percent to $61 as buying interest in the stock remains low, even as the first quarter results suggest the stock is highly undervalued, no other stock had any serious change.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 ends the week at 6.2, well below the market average of 15.3, while the Junior Market PE for the Top 10 sits at 6.3 versus the market at 13.9. The Junior Market TOP10 is projected to gain an average of 226 percent by May 2023 and the Main Market 215 percent.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Equal rising and declining stocks
Trading ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks jumping 1,156 percent and the value 82 percent more than on Wednesday, at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market, resulting in nine securities trading, compared to 10 on Wednesday with two rising, two declining and five unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index fell 1.00 points to 223.97.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.5. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2023.
Overall, 566,691 shares traded for US$14,366, up from 45,127 units at US$7,903 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 62,966 units at US$1,596, compared to 4,513 shares at US$790 on Wednesday, with month to date average of 50,899 shares at US$2,115 versus 49,431 units at US$2,178 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with a bid higher than the last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share lost 0.029 of a cent ending at 7.86 US cents after trading 89 shares, Margaritaville finished at 15 US cents, with 16 stock units crossing the market and Productive Business Solutions remained at US$1.18 in switching ownership of 1,132 stocks. 
Proven Investments ended at 25.99 US cents with 5,106 units changing hands, Sterling Investments rallied 0.15 cents to end at 2.25 US cents in trading 61,784 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share finished at 12.85 US cents with the swapping of 15,679 stocks. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share advanced 1.8 cents to 13.8 US cents, with 300 stock units crossing the exchange and Transjamaican Highway ended at 1.06 US cents in exchanging 479,246 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% fell 8 cents to US$1.02 in trading 3,339 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD Market rises
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume and value of stocks traded declining 94 percent and 47 percent, respectively, from Tuesday, resulting in 10 securities changing hands, against nine on Tuesday with three rising, two declining and five ending unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index gained 3.04 points to end at 224.97.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.5. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with the financial year ending to August 2023.
Overall, 45,127 shares traded for US$7,903 compared to 697,907 units at US$14,833 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 4,513 units at US$790, compared to 77,545 shares at US$1,648 on Tuesday, with month to date average of 49,431 shares at US$2,178 versus 56,450 units at US$2,395 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share finished trading 127 shares at 7.89 US cents, Margaritaville ended unchanged at 15 US cents after six units changed hands, Productive Business Solutions remained at US$1.18 in an exchange of 5 stock units. 
Proven Investments increased 0.97 of one cent to end at 25.99 US cents, with 11,324 stocks crossing the market, Sterling Investments climbed 0.1 of a cent to 2.1 US cents in exchanging 15,906 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share fell 0.1 of a cent to close at 12.85 US cents, trading 2,513 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share dropped 0.07 of a cent to end at 12 US cents after trading 4,900 stock units and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.06 of one cent in closing at 1.06 US cents with 8,550 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2.01 with the swapping of 1,795 stock units and JMMB Group 6% finished at US$1.10, with just one unit crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More slippage for JSE USD market
Trading on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks, traded climbing 83 percent with little change in the value compared to Monday, resulting in more stocks declining than rising at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market.
A total of nine securities traded against ten on Monday, with two rising, three falling and four ending unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index lost 1.31 points to end at 221.93.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 23.4. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with their financial year end closing to August 2023.
Overall, 697,907 shares traded, for US$14,833 up from 380,821 units at US$14,951 on Monday. Trading averaged 77,545 units at US$1,648, compared to 38,082 shares at US$1,495 on Monday, with a month to date average of 56,450 shares at $2,395 versus 52,998 units at US$2,517 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share increased 0.81 of a cent to 7.89 US cents after exchanging 49 shares, Margaritaville remained at 15 US cents trading 102 units, Productive Business Solutions finished at US$1.18 in exchanging one stock unit. 
Proven Investments dropped 0.98 of a cent in closing at 25.02 US cents in switching ownership of 15,111 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share popped 0.34 of one cent to close at 12.94 US cents in exchanging 2,217 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share shed 2.62 cents in closing at 12.07 US cents while trading 10,000 shares and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.01 of a cent in ending at 1 US cent with the swapping of 668,000 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% ended unchanged at US$2.01, as 45 stock units crossed the exchange and JMMB Group 6% finished at US$1.10 in trading 2,382 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
RJR back in 3rd spot as Access jumps 22%
There is only one change to ICInsider.com TOP10 listings this week, with Radio Jamaica coming back in the Main Market list at position 3. Following an earnings upgrade for the 2023 fiscal year, it replaces Jamaica Stock Exchange that ICInsider.com projects to have explosive results for the first quarter.
Radio Jamaica
In the wider market, Junior Market stocks keep on piling the pressure on the main market with the former closing the week at a record high, with year to date gains of 32.8 percent and is well on the way to ICInsider.com forecast of 60 percent for the year.
Thanks to a takeover announcement of AS Bryden, a Trinidad based company by Seprod, the Main Market moved higher for the week, with the All Jamaica Index just under 460,000 points, still well below 2020 high.
TOP10, Access Financial shares moved higher this past week as selling seems to have dried up and led the stock to a 22 percent rise during the week, to be the best performing stock in the TOP10. Access Financial has been beaten up for more than two years but is now worth watching. On Friday, well ahead of the close of the market, a buy order for 100,000 Access Financial shares was placed at $25.60, but only18,000 units were filled up to the close. There were no stocks on offer with any sizable quantity close to the bid price just before close, indicating that the price is heading higher.
Elite Diagnostic 
gained 8 percent to close the week at $3.90, but Caribbean Assurance Brokers that reported a profit for the first quarter versus a loss in 2021, fell by 6 percent and so did General Accident that is said to be having a good 2022, with Trinidad and Barbados expected to deliver positive results versus a loss of around $200 million in 2021. Movement of main market stocks was more subdued than their junior counterpart, with the Jamaica Stock Exchange rising a mere 4 percent and selling at 8 times this year’s earnings, with a blowout first quarter results due shortly. Caribbean Cement, surprisingly, fell 8 percent as buying interest in the stock is low, even as the first quarter results suggest the stock is highly undervalued.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 ends the week at 6.2, well below the market average of 15.5, while the Junior Market PE for the TOP10, sits at 6.2 versus the market at 13.8. The Junior Market TOP10 is projected to gain an average of 230 percent to May 2023 and the Main Market 201 percent.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
More trading for the JSE USD market Friday
Trading on Friday ended with the volume of stocks traded jumping 1,127 percent with a 70 percent value than on Thursday, at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market, resulting in more stocks rising than falling.
A total of 10 securities traded, up from seven on Thursday, with four rising, two declining and four ending unchanged.
JSE US Denominated Equities Index rose 0.61 points to end at 223.73.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
Overall, 1,007,137 shares traded, for US$21,115, up from 82,057 units at US$12,453 on Thursday. Trading averaged 100,714 units at US$2,111, up from 11,722 shares at US$1,779 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 56,313 shares at US$2,744 versus 43,627 units at US$2,925 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share advanced 0.85 of one cent to close at 7.9 US cents after exchanging 3,890 shares, Margaritaville remained at 15 US cents in exchanging 34 units, Productive Business Solutions dropped 1 cent to end at US$1.18, with one stock unit clearing the market. Proven Investments finished at 26 US cents trading 34,764 stocks, Sterling Investments rose 0.25 of a cent to 2.25 US cents with an exchange of 50,000 stocks, 
Sygnus Credit Investments USD share increased 0.55 of one cent to 12.95 US cents, with 12,078 stock units changing hands. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share climbed 1.69 cents to close at 14.69 US cents exchanging 13 units and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.02 of a cent to end at 0.98 of one US cent with the swapping of 906,355 shares.
In the preference segment, Equityline Mortgage Investments preference share ended at US$1.999, after an exchange of just one share and JMMB Group 5.75% ended unchanged at US$2.02 while exchanging one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on JSE USD Market
Trading ended with the volume of stocks declining78 percent, with the value 69 percent lower than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market, resulting in more stocks declining than rising.
A total of seven securities traded, down from 11 on Wednesday, with two rising, four declining and one ending unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index dipped 0.49 points to end at 223.12. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.2. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial year ending up to the close of August 2023.
Overall, 82,057 shares traded for US$12,453, down sharply from 365,713 units at US$39,700 on Wednesday.
Thursday’s trading averaged 11,722 units at US$1,779, compared to 33,247 shares at US$3,609 on Wednesday, with the month to date average of 43,627 shares at US$2,925 versus 51,603 units at US$3,211 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share ended at 7.05 US cents after exchanging 9,248 shares, Margaritaville lost 0.99 of a cent to close at 15 US cents, with six units clearing the market, Proven Investments increased 0.01 of a cent to 26 US cents in an exchange of 43,673 stock units. Sterling Investments dropped 0.17 of a cent to 2 US cents with 3,000 stocks changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share fell 0.55 of a cent to 12.4 US cents in trading 1,075 stock units and Transjamaican Highway advanced 0.02 of a cent to close at 1 US cent, with 25,053 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% shed 0.23 of a cent to US$1.0977 with just two stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading remains elevated on JSE USD Market
On Wednesday, trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended with the volume of stocks declining by 16 percent with a 12 percent higher value than traded Tuesday, resulting in trading in 11 securities, similar to Tuesday with four rising, two declining and five ending unchanged.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index fell 1.15 points to end at 223.61.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.3. The PE ratio uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2023.
A total of 365,713 shares traded for US$39,700 compared to 433,985 units at US$35,454 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 33,247 units at US$3,609, versus 39,453 shares at US$3,223 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 51,603 shares at US$3,211 versus 63,480 units at US$2,953 on the previous day. April ended with an average of 95,379 units for US$3,929.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share lost 0.9 of a cent in ending at 7.05 US cents while exchanging 51,317 shares, Margaritaville remained at 15.99 US cents in trading 14 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy ended unchanged at US$1.26, with one stock unit crossing the market. 
Productive Business Solutions climbed 1 cent to close at US$1.19 with the swapping of two units, Proven Investments rose 0.19 of a cent to 25.99 US cents, with 83,622 shares changing hands, Sterling Investments advanced 0.07 of a cent to 2.17 US cents trading two units. Sygnus Credit Investments USD share finished at 12.95 US cents in an exchange of 100,750 shares and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.04 cents in closing at 0.98 US cents, with 130,000 stocks clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Equityline Mortgage Investments preference share remained at US$1.999 in exchanging one share. JMMB Group 5.75% ended unchanged at US$2.02 after two units were traded and JMMB Group 6% increased 0.23 of a cent to end at US$1.10 trading two stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Expanded trading for JSEUSD market
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index dipped 0.41 points to end at 224.76.At the close, First Rock Capital USD share remained at 7.95 US cents in switching ownership of 8,290 shares, Margaritaville fell 0.01 of a cent after ending at 15.99 US cents, with 634 stocks clearing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy ended unchanged at US$1.26 trading 2 stock units.
Productive Business Solutions fell 1 cent to US$1.18 in an exchange of three units, Proven Investments lost 0.19 of a cent in closing at 25.8 US cents and 78,144 shares crossing the market, Sterling Investments declined 0.1 of a cent in closing at 2.1 US cents and trading 13,110 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments USD share finished at 12.95 US cents, with 47,993 units changing hands, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share shed 1.69 cents to close at 13 US cents while exchanging 145 stock units and Transjamaican Highway ended unchanged at 1.02 US cents with the swapping of 283,196 stock units.In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% shed one cent in ending at US$2.02 in trading 2,467 stocks and JMMB Group 6% declined 0.23 of a cent to close at US$1.0977 in trading one unit.
