There is only one change to the TOP 10 lists, since we last reported on it, with Victoria Mutual Investments rising to more than $4 from the IPO price of $2.45, after listing in December and is replaced by Barita Investments.
Junior market stocks show some noted position change due to price movements. Key Insurance slipped in price to move atop that list, while Jamaican Teas gained and moved into the second half of the listing. CAC2000 posted results that were just 2 cents lower than IC Insider.com’s forecast of 80 cents, with the price climbing to $7.31 at close of the week and should really be going higher based on those numbers. Access Financial climbed back to $42, pushing it to the bottom of the list.
Former TOP 10 listing, Main Event reported a 79 percent jump in earnings for 2018, to 38 cents per share before taxation, the price may bounce about for a while around the $6, until it is clear that 2018 earnings should hit 55 cents per share.
With the Initial Public offerings (IPOS) out of the way, more life returned to the secondary market this past week with the main market enjoying buoyant volumes and the Junior Market recording some recovery with more buying interest.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 8.6 and 8.4 for the main market TOP 10. The average PE for the overall main market is 15 and 13.6 for the Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 37 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and 44 percent for the main market.
Market Watch| Investors should still keep a keen eye on Caribbean Cement for which supply seems to be declining and word that the company is close to an agreement in refinancing the leased assets that is expected to result in major savings in cost for 2018 onwards. FosRich and GWest Corporation, pulled back from their highs this past week with FosRich hitting $2.50 in trading on Friday, this one could see some rebounding but GWest Corporation could decline some more. Others to be watched are, CAC2000, General Accident, Cable & Wireless, NCB Financial, Berger Paints, JMMB Group, Main Event, Lasco Financial, Paramount Trading and Stationery and Office. Wisynco pulled back this past week to $10.80 and may well trade around this level for a while with a PE of 15 times 2018 earnings, as profit taking continues.
Pulse no 1 stock in 2016 & 2017
Data going back 30 years show that on only very rare occasions more than 2 stocks appear in the TOP for two consecutive years. 2017 is one such exception with 3 stocks doing so.
Pulse Investments retains the number 1 best performing main market stock position in 2017 with a gain of 256 percent, the stock also was also in the TOP 10 in 2016 at number 1 position for local stocks with gains, then of 350 percent. Berger Paints ended at the number 6 best performing stock in 2016 with gains of 200 percent and repeated in the 2017 TOP 10 with a rise of 196 percent, for the 2017 number 2 spot. Palace Amusement ended at 7 position in 2016 with a rise of 134 percent and rose 187 percent in 2017 to hold down the number 3 spot and is followed by Supreme Ventures at number 4.
The stocks from the 2017 top 10 that could repeat in 2018 include Berger Paints, Palace and Pulse, with JMMB Group looking to have a chance.
Watch impact of interest rate cut
Lower interest rates make real assets more valuable than before, as such the biggest change to stocks this coming week may well be guided by the recent cut in interest rates, with Treasury bill rates falling and the Bank of Jamaica cutting its overnight rate by 25 basis points.
At the close of last week, Caribbean Cream closed at $6.20 and helped to return it to the TOP 10 list, replacing Lasco Financial with its price rising to $4 from $3.40.
There were no other change to the two listings at the close of the week, even as the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed to week at record new high. For the coming week the cut in interest rates by Bank of Jamaica as well as a fall in the most recent Treasury rates could well positively impact prices.
The average PE ratio for the Junior Market Top stocks is at 7.5 and the PE for the main market TOP 10, ends the week at 7.3. The average PE for the overall main market trades at 13.6 and 13.3 for Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 44 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and it remains at 46 percent for the main market.
Is Broilers’ inside trade a buy signal?
Insider trading in the stock of the company they are connected to can be a big indicators of future prospects, but it is not always the case.
In the past big purchasing of Jamaica Broilers Group shares by insiders have signaled improved profits down the road.
Could the latest big trade be such a signal? The latest ones are a bit confusing with bought buying and selling although there is a bias towards buying. The company recently reported that three Directors and three Senior Managers purchased a total of 5,735,448 of the company’s shares and that a Director and a Senior Manager sold a total of 5,214,772 of the shares, during the period July 11 to 14.
The company reported earnings of $1.85 per share for the just concluded 2017 fiscal year and IC Insider.com forecast is for $2.60 for the 2018 fiscal year to April as revenues continues to grow and debt is paid down with increasing profits. The stock which traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday at $18, is one of IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 main market stocks to own.