The ICTOP10 stocks racked up some solid gains to close out the past week, even as the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior and the Main Market that suffered losses last week declined further this past week.
The Main Market had just two stocks with notable price changes this past week, with Scotia Group jumping 13 percent to $34 and Key Insurance slipping 8 percent to close the week at $2.55. There were more changes of note in the Junior Market ICTOP10 that closed the week with a 15 percent rise in General Accident Insurance to $5.24, the price of Elite Diagnostic rose 11 percent to $1.79 and Iron Rock Insurance gained 5 percent to end at $2.20. Image Plus with a 4 percent loss to $2.02, was the only declining stock of note.
Earnings for Margaritaville was adjusted to $3.10 for the current fiscal year ending May 2024, placing the stock at number 5 on the list.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5, well below the market average of 12.2. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to gain an average of 298 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
A total of 11 of the most highly valued stocks representing 23 percent of the Main Market are priced with a PE of 16 to 84, with an average of 31 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 21 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with the over weighted valuations.
The PE of the Junior Market Top 10 sits at 5.2 just half of the market at 10.4. There are 10 stocks or 26 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 29, averaging 19 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, and projected to rise by 288 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
The markets are not in a bullish state but there continue to be cases of slow upward movements in some prices as investors respond to some recent results leading them to quietly nibble away at the supplies of a number of stocks on offer and paving the way for price appreciation ahead. The list includes stocks such as Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing and Transjamaican Highway.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
ICTOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly changes 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.
Overall, 580,017 shares were traded, for US$10,197 up from 73,572 units at US$2,495 on Thursday.
Proven Investments fell 0.25 of one cent in closing at 14.5 US cents with stakeholders exchanging 4,029 units, Sterling Investments lost 0.03 of a cent and ended at 1.92 US cents with a transfer of 21,145 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments dropped 0.03 of a cent to close at 9.07 US cents with an exchange of 558 units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share rallied 1.5 cents to 10 US cents with investors dealing in 106 stocks and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.06 of a cent in closing at 1.69 US cents in switching ownership of 553,682 shares.
A total of 73,572 shares were traded for US$2,495 compared to 218,675 units at US$32,659 on Wednesday.
At the close, Margaritaville remained at 12 US cents with just 3 shares crossing the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy slipped 5 cents in closing at 55 US cents and closing with 91 stocks changing hands, Proven Investments rose 0.25 of one cent to end at 14.75 US cents after trading of 3,580 units. Sterling Investments increased 0.01 of a cent and ended at 1.95 US cents crossing the market 3,573 stock units and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.06 of a cent to close at 1.63 US cents in trading 66,263 stock units
At the close, Margaritaville rallied 0.5 of a cent to close at 12 US cents with just one share being traded, Proven Investments dipped 0.3 of a cent to 14.5 US cents with investors transferring 215,386 units. Sterling Investments gained 0.04 of a cent in closing at 1.94 US cents in trading 400 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.05 of a cent to end at 9.1 US cents with 2,140 shares trading and Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.08 of a cent and ended at 1.69 US cents, with 648 units changing hands.
A total of 90,382 shares were traded, for only US$2,822 compared to 183,401 units at US$13,204 on Monday.
Sterling Investments skidded 0.05 of a cent to end at 1.9 US cents with traders dealing in 13,000 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 0.03 of a cent to 9.05 US cents in switching ownership of 5,000 units and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.09 of a cent in closing at 1.61 US cents with stakeholders exchanging 63,801 units.
A total of 183,401 shares changed hands for US$13,204 compared to 596,504 units at US$35,632 on Friday.
Proven Investments declined 0.4 of a cent in closing at 14.5 US cents in an exchange of 608 units, Sterling Investments rose 0.15 of a cent to 1.95 US cents with investors trading 99 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments dipped 0.08 of a cent to 9.02 US cents, with 5,822 stocks clearing the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share skidded 1.5 cents in closing at 8.5 US cents with an exchange of 16,019 stock units and Transjamaican Highway rallied 0.08 of a cent to close at 1.7 US cents after 152,800 units changed hands.
Developments in the past week, the Main Market, Key Insurance rose 11 percent to close the week at $2.77, followed by a 10 percent fall in 
A total of 12 of the most highly valued stocks representing 26 percent of the Main Market are priced with a PE of 15 to 84, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 21 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
Overall, 596,504 shares were traded for US$35,632 up from 363,879 units at US$13,846 on Thursday.
Sterling Investments declined 0.12 of a cent and ended at 1.8 US cents after exchanging 40,000 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 9.1 US cents with investors dealing in 6,635 stocks and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.06 of a cent in closing at 1.62 US cents, with 512,247 stock units crossing the market.
Proven Investments lost 0.2 cents in closing at 14.8 US cents with an exchange of 17,421 units, Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 9.1 US cents with 108 stocks clearing the market, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 10 US cents in trading 18 shares and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.01 of a cent to end at 1.68 US cents after 273,196 units passed through the market.
A total of 246,487 shares were traded at US$10,039 compared to 1,397,026 units at US$71,601 on Tuesday.
Sterling Investments ended at 1.92 US cents with investors trading in 1,046 units, Sygnus Credit Investments climbed 0.1 of a cent in closing at 9.1 US cents with a transfer of 26,288 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share rose 1.5 cents to end at 10 US cents with 62 stocks crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.11 of one cent to close at 1.69 US cents with an exchange of 131,637 shares.