Palace Amusement, Lasco Financial and Caribbean Flavours are back in the TOP 10 for this week, out goes Salada Foods, ForsRich and Caribbean Producers.
Salada Foods rose to $15 from $13.10 at the close of the previous week, as investors continued to react good half year results. Caribbean Flavours stock price dropped to $10 by the end of the week and that was enough to make its return to the top list. Lasco Financial just reentered the list as the price fell to $.20 by week end. IC Insider.com upgraded 2019 earnings for Palace based on sensitivity that the company’s patronage and revenues have to employment data. Economic growth and increasing employment that Jamaica is enjoying bode well for continuation of an elevated level of profitability, even after totally discounting the exceptional increase for the current year that ends in June, based substantially on the success of the Black Panther movie.
Radio Jamaica, stock price fell from $1.35 to $1.02 on Friday with the stock moving back up in the list.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 10, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7 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 40 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 46 percent to the market.
Palace & Lasco Financial back in TOP 10
Good news push TOP 10 stocks
There were no new entrants this past week, to the TOP 10 list of stocks on the Jamaican Stock Exchange, but there was some good news with the acquisition by Stationery and Office Supplies of a book making business.
The acquisition is set to add to profit in year one, and investors responded by driving the stock to a new high. The stock that was facing some challenge to get bids around the $5.50 level, the stock traded at in the past few weeks, jumped to $6 on the same day the announcement was made. With annual sales estimated around $130 million that could rise with greater focus on the operations and more capital available to support it, IC Insder.com has up graded the earnings to 90 cents for this year. The company is one of a number of Junior Market listings expected to post positive gains in the 2018 first quart over that of 2017.
The other good news for the market was a further fall in Treasury bill rates and another month of slightly negative inflation for March with the first quarter inflation also being negative. While the main market hit two new record highs during the week. While the JSE main market is caught up in a wedge formation and waiting for a big break out which could happen any time, the Junior Market that was in a downward drift from late 2017 now seems to have support from the 200 day and 120 day moving averages with the short term moving average now above both longer term ones. The market is being steered by two support lines with one going back to 2010 and another going back to early 2014.
Investors pressured recently listed Elite Diagnostic during the week as they reacted negatively to the December quarter results with lower profit that the previous year’s results. Investors seemed to have responded the Berger Paints bullish reading in the annual report as they bought the stock in increasing volumes during the week, leaving the price at $19. The Managing Director had reported that “the outlook for 2018 and beyond is extremely positive. The Berger brand remains strong and continues to dominate the local market with strong brand equity and a reputation for quality. With GDP projected to grow by at least 1.5% in 2018, construction activity and the demand for coatings is expected to remain relatively strong for the next two to three years. Plans are already being implemented to expand the company’s local distribution and product range as well as to improve our level of customer service and responsiveness. In 2018, there will also be greater emphasis on building out exports by targeting new markets in Central America and the Greater CARICOM region.”
Palace Amusement continues to enjoy expanded interest from investors with the continued success of the movie Black Panther. After more than two months of showing it still has two showings per day in all three cinemas, but the attraction for the stock is much more than this movie.
Strong buying came in for Barita Investments at $9.50 during the week. JMMB Group gained more ground, as the block out period for insiders to trade in the stock closes and the stock moved up to $28.32, resistance is just over $31 an area investors should be on the lookout for in the short run.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 10 based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE remains at 7 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 12.7.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 40 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 42 percent to the market.
tTech is back Carib Producers exits TOP 10
tTech is a new entrant to the Junior Market TOP 10 stocks and replaces Caribbean Producers that has been in the TOP 10 for several months.
Caribbean Producers closed at a 52 weeks high of $5 at the end of last week and fell out of the TOP 10. PanJam Investment price moved to $43 and just held on in the main market TOP 10. The price of Palace Amusement fell during the week to end at $1,000 and moved up on the top ten list as a result. Caribbean Cement price dropped sharply from $42 in the previous week to $35, but closed with the bid at $37.95 and moved into the number 5 spot as a result.
Cable & Wireless is unofficially the number one rated stock in the main market list based on IC Insider.com forecast, of profit for the current year, flowing from increased revenues and a sharp fall in interest cost. Uncertainty surrounding continued listing keeps it off the official list.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.5 compared to an average PE for the overall main market is 10 based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 6.6 for the top stocks compared to a market average of 12.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 36 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, 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 46 percent to the market.
Palace is back NCB out of TOP 10 stocks
Palace Amusement is back in among the top stocks, after falling out at the end of the previous week, with the stock now offered for sale at $1,120, below the last sale price of $1,300.
There is still no new entrants to the junior market TOP 10, for the second week in a row, as there has been only moderate price changes in that market.
A new element in the market this past week, is the payment to some former Cable & Wireless shareholders who collected nearly $2 billion in cash. Most of these funds are likely to go back into the market that is short on supplies.
The price of NCB Financial rose by the end of the week and moved out of the main market top stock list. Caribbean Cement that has languished just above the $30 level for months has broken into the $40 range and moved down to the second half of the list. The sharp price change follows an announcement that the company signed an agreement to buyback leased assets during this year. The buyback is set to save around $2 billion per annum before tax.
Palace Amusement revenues and profit, are getting a big lift from the strong showing of the Black Panther movie being shown currently. The stock’s attractiveness is not based solely on that development. Data shows the company’s revenues have been rising well since 2014 when it hit $833 million, rising to $916 million in 2015, while there was a slight dip in 2016 to $909 million, it rose 9 percent in 2017, to $990 million. Revenues for the half year to December last year grew 11 percent to $493 million and profit rising 138 percent, continuing the normal annual growth. Revenues will hit the billion mark for the first time in the company’s history, for the current fiscal year and remain over that level going forward. The performance of the economy is critical to the future fortunes and to a lesser degree, the quality of films. Data shows that with tight economy, patronage in Kingston suffered badly with the fall in the economy from in 2008 onwards. At the same time strong growth said to be around 7 percent per annum in the Montego Bay economy, shows up in strong revenues gains there compared to Kingston. With the overall economy recovering, Palace is benefitting.
PanJam Investment for 2017, reported a 29 percent rise in profit to $4.13 billion and in earnings per share of $3.93 from continuing operations. The group is expected to continue to enjoy increased earnings in 2018 and the focus on expansion of new projects will be beneficial to them going forward.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.3 compared to an average PE for the overall main market is 10 based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 6.8 for the top stocks compared to a market average of 12.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 37 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, 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 44 percent to the market.
Entities associated with IC Insider.com owns shares in Palace Amusement Company and Caribbean Cement.