Trading fell on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Wednesday, with a 77 percent fall in the volume of stocks changing hands, valued 63 percent less than on Tuesday and resulting in trading of seven securities, the same number as Tuesday and ended, with four rising and three ending unchanged.
A total of 136,351 shares were exchanged for US$23,735 compared with 593,068 units at US$64,296 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 19,479 shares at US$3,391 versus 84,724 units at US$9,185 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 56,990 shares at US$4,045 compared with 58,949 units at US$4,079 on the previous day. July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index rose 3.33 points to finish at 238.46.
PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.8. The PE ratio is calculated based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share remained at 4 US cents, with 12,795 shares crossing the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popped 0.01 of a cent to 53.01 US cents after trading 194 units, Proven
Investments gained 0.45 of one cent and ended at 15 US cents in an exchange of 70,006 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments climbed 1.13 cents to end at 10.23 US cents with 21,557 stocks changing hands, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 10 US cents with shareholders swapping 48 units and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.09 of a cent and ended at 1.7 US cents, with 21,369 stock units crossing the market.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% ended at US$1, with traders dealing in 10,382 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on JSE USD Market
Funding for JSE USD stocks jumped
The volume of stocks trading declined 33 percent, but the value jumped 291 percent more than on Monday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Tuesday, resulting in seven securities being traded, up from three on Monday and ended with two rising, three declining and two unchanged.
Overall, 593,068 shares were traded for US$64,296 compared with 884,498 units at US$16,456 on Monday.
Trading averaged 84,724 shares at US$9,185 compared to 294,833 units at US$5,485 on Monday. Trading for the month to date averaged 58,949 shares at US$4,079 compared to 57,529 units at US$3,798 on the previous day. Trading in July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index advanced 1.05 points to conclude trading at 235.13.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.6. The PE ratio is calculated based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Margaritaville dipped 0.01 of a cent to 11.49 US cents after 3,909 shares changed hands, Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.70 after 45 units were traded, Proven Investments fell 0.1 of a cent to close at 14.55 US cents in trading 409,526 stocks. Sterling Investments rallied 0.04 of a cent to end at 1.98 US cents, with trading in 91,000 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.04 of a cents to 9.1 US cents after a transfer of 1,001 units and Transjamaican Highway skidded 0.08 of a cent to end at 1.61 US cents with an exchange of 87,500 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% remained at US$1 and closed with 87 stock units being traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading surged on the JSE USD Market
Trading surged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Monday, with a 708 percent jump in the volume of stocks changing hands rising, valued just slightly more than on Friday,
and resulting in the trading of three securities, compared to four on Friday with none rising, two declining and one ending unchanged.
Investors traded a total of 884,498 shares with a value of US$16,456 compared to 109,502 units at US$16,272 on Friday.
Trading averaged 294,833 shares at US$5,485 compared with 27,376 units at US$4,068 on Friday, with a month to date average of 57,529 shares at US$3,798 compared with 51,787 units at US$3,757 on the previous trading day. July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index fell 4.11 points to end at 234.08.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher
than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Proven Investments lost 0.15 of a cent and ended at 14.65 US cents with shareholders exchanging 2,000 shares and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.01 of a cent in closing at 1.69 US cents after an exchange of 880,507 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% remained at US$1 after 1,991 stocks passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
CPJ returns to ICTOP10

Caribbean Producers
Caribbean Producers (CPJ) returns to the TOP10 after a long period of absence, following the fall out of Berger Paints from the Main market Top10, even as CPJ earnings are based on June 2023 full year earnings with the company is yet to release these results.
Preliminary projection indicates earnings of $2.50 per share for the 2024 fiscal year that would put the stock into the third position on the TOP10 list. Until the full year results are in, the estimate for the 2023 year is used.
The Main and Junior markets closed the week with moderate changes in market indices, with a slight fall in the Junior Market and a modest increase in the other.
The Main and Junior markets closed the week with moderate changes in market indices, with a slight fall in the Junior Market and a modest increase in the other.
The Junior Market had one stock rising 10 percent and two falling 12 and 10 percent, with more modest changes in most of the rest. The Main Market had one stock climbing 10 percent and one falling 6 percent as the largest movers.
Caribbean Cream the leading mover in the Junior Market ICTOP10, climbed 10 percent to $4.15, followed by Edufocal rising 4 percent to $1.45. Iron Rock Insurance was the worst performer, falling 12 percent to $2.10 and was followed by general Accident, down 10 percent to $4.43, while Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped just 4 percent to $2.87.
Berger Paints rose 10 percent to $7.76 in the Main Market, followed by Guardian Holdings with a 4 percent rise to $439.80, JMMB Group also gained 4 percent to close the week at $28.79, but 138 Student Living fell 6 percent to $4.35 and Caribbean Cement fell 4 percent to $50.
Investors should note that Margaritaville is listed on both the Main and USD markets, with similar values.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.2, well below the market average of 12.6. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 322 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 2most highly valued Main Market stocks, representing 26 percent of the Main Market, are priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 31 and 20 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 23for the top half and 17excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.4 compared with the market at 10.7. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 38, averaging 20, 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 is projected to rise by 271 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
The markets are not bullish, but there continue to be cases of slow upward movements in some prices as investors respond to some recent attractive results, leading them to quietly nibble away at a number of stocks, gradually reducing the supply of a number of them that are attractively priced. The list includes, Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event 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.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely 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 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.
Trading skids on JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday, following a 72 percent fall in the volume of stocks changing hands with a 56 percent lower value than on Thursday, resulting in four securities being traded, compared to six on Thursday with one rising and three declining.
A total of 109,502 shares were exchanged for US$16,272 compared to 389,899 units at US$37,298 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 27,376 shares at US$4,068 compared with 64,983 units at US$6,216 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 51,787 shares at US$3,757 compared with 52,601 units at US$3,747 on the previous day. July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index fell 2.01 points to end at 238.19.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined 4 cents to 53 US cents, with investors exchanging 292 shares, Proven Investments gained 0.2 of a cent and ended at 14.8 US cents in exchanging 108,621 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments dipped 1.43 cents to 9.06 US cents, with 477 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.05 of a cent in closing at 1.7 US cents in an exchange of 112 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks slipped on JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 756 percent, valued 158 percent more than on Wednesday, resulting in six securities traded, compared to six on Wednesday with one rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 389,899 shares were traded for US$37,298 compared to 45,555 stock units at US$14,460 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 64,983 shares at US$6,216 versus 7,593 units at US$2,410 on Wednesday, with a month to date average of 52,601 shares at US$3,747 compared with 51,949 units at US$3,617 on the previous day. Trading in July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index dipped 1.20 points to close at 240.16.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute stock values, averages 8.9. The PE ratio is calculated based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share remained at 4 US cents in an exchange of 4 shares, Margaritaville climbed 0.4 of a cent in closing at 11.5 US cents in trading 100,001 stocks,
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined 8 cents to 57 US cents and closed with an exchange of 682 units. Proven Investments shed 0.2 of a cent to end at 14.6 US cents, with 157,209 stock units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.31 of a cent to 10.49 US cents, with 1,734 units being traded and Transjamaican Highway ended at 1.75 US cents with traders dealing in 130,269 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading dives on the JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 87 percent, with the value 63 percent lower than on Tuesday, resulting in the trading of six securities, down from eight on Tuesday with one rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
Trading closed with an exchange of 45,555 shares at US$14,460 compared to 343,792 units at US$39,382 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 7,593 shares at US$2,410 compared with 42,974 shares at US$4,923 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date averaged 51,949 shares at US$3,617 compared with 54,414 units at US$3,684 on the previous day. Trading in July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index gained 0.66 points to finish at 241.36.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 9.2. The PE ratio is calculated using the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 4 US cents after 376 shares were traded, Margaritaville shed 0.4 of a cent to close at 11.1 US cents with investors trading 26,918 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy ended at 65 US cents in an exchange of 510 stock units, Proven Investments popped 0.3 of a cent to close at 14.8 US cents, with 7,529 stocks passing through the market and Sterling Investments dropped 0.03 of a cent and ended at 1.94 US cents with investors dealing in 215 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% lost 5 cents to close at US$1 in an exchange of 10,007 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading gains for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 22 percent with a 337 percent increased value compared to trading on Monday, resulting in trading in eight securities, compared to six on Monday with five rising, two declining and one ending unchanged.
A total of 343,792 shares were exchanged for US$39,382, up from 282,396 units at US$9,019 on Monday.
Trading averaged 42,974 shares at US$4,923 compared with 47,066 units at US$1,503 on Monday, with a month to date average of 54,414 shares for US$3,684 compared with 55,329 units at US$3,585 on the previous day. July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index lost 6.67 points and concluded trading at 240.70.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.2. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Margaritaville increased 0.16 of a cent to 11.5 US cents, with 300,000 shares changing hands, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed 10 cents to 65 US cents in switching ownership of 2,592 units,
Productive Business Solutions shed 10 cents to end at US$1.70 while exchanging 62 stocks. Proven Investments remained at 14.5 US cents to close trading of 5,000 stock units, Sterling Investments gained 0.17 of a cent to end at 1.97 US cents in an exchange of 247 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 1.8 cents to 10.8 US cents, with 1,845 units crossing the exchange, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share rallied 0.01 of a cent to 10 US cents in trading 19,478 shares and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.04 of a cent to 1.75 US cents after a transfer of 14,568 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market stocks dominate ICTOP10
Everything Fresh jumped 19 percent to $1.60 to be the leading mover in ICTOP10 stocks, followed by Iron Rock Insurance, that rose 14 percent to $2.39, while Dolphin Cove and Margaritaville rose 4 percent to $17.05 and 11.34 US cents, respectively, on a week when the Junior Market slipped and the Main Market was pretty stable.
Investors may want to note the latest report on the court judgement on the Mystic Mountain sale as there were indications that Dolphin Cove was an interested buyer and they may well be amongst the preferred bidders. If they succeed, expect the stock that currently has limited offers posted on the JSE platform to jump.
Declining ICTOP10 stocks include Key Insurance, with an 11 percent fall to $2.56, followed by a fall of 7 percent for Caribbean Cream to $3.76. Berger Paints fell 7 percent to $7.05 and Edufocal lost 6 percent to $1.40.
Investors should note that Margaritaville is listed on both the Main and USD markets, with similar values.
The week closed with no new additions to the lists.
ICTop10 stocks that released results in the past week include the following:
General Accident Insurance was one of the TOP10 stocks to release results in the week, with the results validating why the stock is high on the TOP10 List. The half year results ended with revenues jumping sharply by 39 percent to $5.75 billion, with profit after tax of $165 million, up 193 percent over $56 million earned in the 2022 half year. Revenues for the June 2023 quarter surged 41 percent to $2.7 billion over the $1.9 billion in 2022, with profit of $225 million, up by 201 percent from $75 million in 2022.
Dolphin Cove reported a 5 percent increase in revenues to US$4.4 million in the June 2023 quarter over the June 2022 quarter and a 37 percent jump for the half year to US$9.2 million from US$6.76 million, with profit of US$1.153 million for the second quarter, up 10.5 percent over the $1.04 million in the June 2022 quarter and US$2.72 million for the half year, up 48 percent to US$1.84 million in the half year to June 2022.
JMMB Group reported a 25 percent jump in revenues to $14.34 billion in the June quarter from $11.48 billion in 2022 and generated a profit of $2.5 billion, thus reversing a loss of $2.2 billion in 2022.
138 Student Living reported a 12 percent increase in revenues to $347 million over the $309 million in the June 2022 quarter and a 17 percent jump for the nine months to $1.05 billion from $894 million and profit of $270 million, up 10.5 percent compared with $239 million in the nine months to June 2022 and for the June 2023 quarter and $89 million, up 48 percent to $54 million.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.1, well below the market average of 12.6. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 317 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 13 most highly valued Main Market stocks representing 28 percent of the Main Market, are priced at a PE of 15 to 95, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 22 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.5 compared with the market at 10.9. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 40, averaging 20, which is 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 278 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
The markets are not bullish, but there continue to be cases of slow upward movements in some prices as investors respond to some recent attractive results leading them to quietly nibble away at many stocks, gradually reducing the supply of a number of them that are attractively priced. The list includes stocks such as Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event 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.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely 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, resulting 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.
Gains for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 34 percent, valued 79 percent more than on Thursday, resulting in nine securities traded, compared to eight on Thursday, with four rising, one declining and four ending unchanged.
A total of 595,775 shares were traded for US$31,180 compared to 445,494 units at US$17,444 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 66,197 units at US$3,464 compared to 55,687 shares at US$2,181 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 55,856 shares at US$3,718 versus 54,761 units at US$3,744 on the previous day. July ended with an average of 95,306 units for US$2,965.
The US Denominated Equities Index rosey 9.95 points to conclude trading at 246.53.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. The PE ratio is calculated based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 4 US cents in an exchange of 25,500 shares, Margaritaville rose 0.34 of a cent in closing at 11.34 US cents while exchanging 5,563 stock units, Productive Business Solutions increased 10 cents and ended at US$1.80 as investors traded a mere three stocks.
Proven Investments ended at 14.8 US cents after a transfer of 9,980 units, Sterling Investments ended at 1.8 US cents with a transfer of 553 units, Sygnus Credit Investments popped 0.5 of a cent to 8.5 US cents with 45,690 shares clearing the market, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share dipped 0.01 of a cent to end at 9.99 US cents after 99 stocks crossed the market and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.04 of a cent to close at 1.75 US cents, with 507,156 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share ended at US$12.30 with an exchange of 1,231 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.