The main market of Jamaica Stock Market indices chalked up more records last and closed the week at another record high on Friday and the Junior Market closed at a 9 months’ high as the markets continue the usual summer bounce.
A number of positive results and chronic shortage of many of the stocks are helping in putting upward pressure on prices resulting in three changes to the IC TOP 10 at the end of the week.
Medical Disposables rose to $6.40 at the end of the week and was the sole stock moving out of the TOP 10 and AMG Packaging returned to the TOP 10. Caribbean Cement traded as high as $50 on Friday as supply has virtually dried up, not surprising with the company cutting finance cost and reports of several projects slated to come on stream later this year. Berger Paints also moved higher to $21 on Friday and remains scarce. Iron Rock jumped to a new high of $4.07 on Friday as the company shows promise of making a profit sooner than later.
The coming days will see a flood of quarterly results be released and could impact the prices of stocks.
The PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks averages 7.9 compared to an average PE for the overall market of 12, based on 2018 estimated earnings and the main market PE stands at 8.2 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13, a good indicator of the level of undervaluation of these stocks. Work done by IC Insider.com suggest that the PE ratio is likely to end around 16 times earnings by year as investors continue to gradually upgrade the multiple they are prepared to pay for stocks, which would lift prices sharply over the next several months from current levels.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 34 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 39 percent to the market.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Stocks are selected based on projected earnings for each company’s current fiscal year. Based on an assumed PE for each, the likely gains are determined and then ranked, with the stocks with the highest potential gains ranked first followed by the rest, in descending order. Potential 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 based on new information received that can result in changes in and out of the list as well.
Stocks to Watch this week
There are clear signs that the usual summer rally has started on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the main market hitting new highs on all five trading days during the past week, and ending at record closing highs on all, except on Friday.
The main market entered record territory, minutes after opening on Friday with the All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 1,082.40 points to an intraday record of 340,315.50 and the JSE Index rising 986.19 points to a record 310,065.85. The market is being steered higher by an upward sloping support line as well the 45 and 125 day moving averages, lending support just below the index for the main market and the Junior Market is being steered by an upward rising long term support line.
The market saw many developments that confirm that a bull market is in place. Mayberry Jamaican Equities initial public offer, opened and closed on Monday, having been oversubscribed and Indies Pharma public offer opened on Thursday and closed on Friday but Stanley Motta remains opened after more than a week since the offer opened.
Elsewhere in the secondary market, Jamaica Broilers traded briefly at a record high of $33, others trading at 52 weeks’ high in the main market are Kingston Wharves trading at $52.03, PanJam Investment at $58.99 and Pulse Investments trading up to $3.50, but 138 Student Living, having fallen to a 52 weeks’ low of $4.40 the previous week fell even lower in this past week to $3.85,
Former TOP 10 Junior Market listing, Derrimon Trading ordinary share, hit at an all-time high of $23 during the week. Current TOP 10 listing, CAC2000 hit a new record high of $10 as well as C2W Music climbed to $1.60, while recently listed Everything Fresh traded at an all-time low of $1.95 since listing in June. US dollar market listings, Margaritaville and Proven Investments both traded at a 52 weeks’ lows during the week as investors seem to lose interest in the US dollar listed shares.
The main market is exhibiting strong bullish signals while the Junior Market seems more subdued apparently waiting on the release of results.
Against this back drop there could be some interesting developments in in the market in the coming days. Based on demand and supply of stocks and trading activities last week the stocks worth watching this week include, Caribbean Cream that jumped sharply on Friday after the company reported improve first quarter results, NCB Financial pulled back in the past week but may be constrained by the $100 mark until the group reports third quarter results by month end. PanJam Investment could move higher again, as there continues to be buying but there is very limited supply of the stock on offer. Radio Jamaica that came for increased buying recently seems to be seeing supplies coming to market at $1.20 or higher and could get more attention as the weeks roll on. Others worth watching include Caribbean Cement, Berger Paints with little selling, Grace Kennedy for which there is also limited supply. In the Junior market, some demand exists for Derrimon Trading, with a resolution to be voted on at the upcoming AGM to split each share into 10 units, but the price may be stuck around the $20-23 range with the PE more than 20 times 2018 earnings compared to the market average of 11.4. Stationery and Office Supplies continues to trade around the $8 mark, with limited supply on offer, the stock is worth watching but may require second quarter results to kick the price to another level. With the directors stating that they have discussed the possibility of a stock split in the past, the stock can be expected to be one to see a split probably by the next AGM, investors should be stock piling this one with the price being undervalued. Jamaican Teas pulled back in the past week from $5.50 to $5 this week, but with limited stocks being offered for sale, is worth watching. Wisynco seems to have found support just above $9 and is one to watch over the next few weeks as the release of full year result nears, the Jamaican Stock Exchange is another to be watched along with JMMB Group and Seprod.
Grace & Carib Producers back in TOP 10
the past week was very eventful for the Jamaica Stock market as the main market surged to a new all-time high and the Junior market surges more than 100 points in the early part of the week and broke through resistance before pulling back.
Importantly, although the results for the first quarter of 2018 for many companies did not show strong gains while some showed declines compare with 2017, both the junior and main markets are at points to break out of a wedge formation. The moves are bias to the upside.
Medical Disposables jumped to $5 from $4.30 last week and was eased out of the top stocks and replaced by Caribbean Producers. Stationery and Office Supplies fell by the end of the week to $7.80, moving up on the list in the process, the order book of the stock suggest further decline before it bottoms out. Jamaican Teas price moved to $5.25 during the latter part of the week as demands picks up and supplies appear to have been declining, but by the end of the week it closed at $5.
In the main market, Jamaica broilers jumped to a record close of $26.30 on Friday, up from $21 at the end of the prior week and moved well outside the top 10 list, replaced by Grace Kennedy that slipped 50 cents in price by week end.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6,2 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 11, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.6 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 44 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 41 percent to the market.
Stocks to watch. Scotia Group reported half year results during the past week, but there was nothing about them for investors to be excited about, as they showed lower profits in the April quarter than a year ago period. The stock price pulled back sharply on release of the results. The stock yields a dividend of 4 percent which is higher than treasuries and this could be an attraction for some investors while they await return to profit growth. NCB sits just below the TOP 10 list and has good growth prospects for patient investors. PanJam Investment that IC Insider.com reported on in a separate article last week caught the eyes of some investors who moved the price up to $51.98 and it could go higher this week has there is very limited supply for this one. Investors should also keep an eye out for Sygnus Credit that could have its shares listed by next week.