The start of a bull market is appearing with the Jamaica Stock Exchange moving higher, partially helped by rising profits of some companies, as a result, the USD market is solidly in the black for 2024 to date, with a rise of 11 percent while the Main Market sits with a gain of 2.9 percent and the Junior Market is now back at the 2023 end of year level on Friday, but just below. At the same time two listings reported nine months results reflecting improving profit that should help the stock prices in the weeks ahead.
During the week new results were released to the market, with mostly positive profit outcomes that should aid the prices of stocks going forward as the results help to lay a foundation for prices in the short term as this provides investors with a better sense of valuations of these companies. There will be more releases this week as the deadline date for their release is this week for companies that have not opted for 60 days publication of audited accounts.
Earnings were revised downwards by a few cents for Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing, following the release of nine months results, that show continued growth in profits.
Last week IC Insider.com reported Scotia Group and TransJamaican Highway that traded at 52 weeks’ high they now seem to have topped out for a while, with both undervalued with quite some room to run for 2024. Scotia has an undisclosed amount on offer at $46.
The past week ended with minimal price changes for Junior Market stocks but the Main Market threw up a few, with General Accident rising 12 percent to close at $5.30, followed by JMMB Group up 10 percent to $26.38 and Caribbean Producers up 4 percent to $9.09 as Margaritaville dropped 15 percent to $14.86 and Palace Amusement lost 8 percent to close at $1.20.
As was the case for the previous week the markets closed with no addition to the ICInsider.com TOP 10 stocks.
For the full list of weekly percentage changes for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts that now carry a column of the weekly percentage price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 13.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.,5 just over half of the market, with an average of 13.6
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 287 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 169 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 45, averaging 22, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 on or around 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.

Scotia Group with the supply of the stock increasingly falling, with only 14 offers posted at the close on Friday the stock price jumped 14 percent this past week to a multi-year high of $46, for a gain of 20 percent since the start of the year and 25 percent since the publication on December 17 of “Why

Scotia Group Broke through the channel top on Friday following limited selling in the stock.

Scotia Group should be on your buy list”.
Despite the move, the stock remains in the ICTOP10 with much upside potential, but the price broke through the top of a channel, formed in late November. This coming week may determine whether the price will move decidedly higher to confirm if the break is sustainable.
Elsewhere, TransJamaican, a former 2024 TOP10 stock has gone on to record several record highs during the past week and traded at a record $3.30 and is up 86 percent plus a dividend that represented an 11 percent return since ICInsider.com placed it on the Watch list in April last year, when the price was S1.77.
During the past week, the Main and the Junior markets gained over one percent, led by Scotia Group as the leading market mover, with AMG Packaging following with a 13 percent rise. General Accident was the leading declining stock, down by 11 percent in a week when only four stocks declined in both markets.
The markets closed with no addition to the ICInsider.com TOP 10 stocks.
For the full list of weekly percentage changes for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts that now carry a column of the weekly percentage price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 13.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.4, just over half of the market, with an average of 13.5
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 288 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 175 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 31 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 47, averaging 22, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 19, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 on or around 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.

At the end of the past week, the Main Market moved within less than one percent for the year’s highest close as the market is showing bullish signs. The junior Market closed the week higher than the close of the previous week but the market closed with the ICInsider.com TOP 10 stocks remaining unchanged.
Two stocks with a notable gain in the Junior Market TOP 10 are Caribbean Cream rising 11 percent to close at $3.79 and Express Catering rose 10 percent to $3.96. AMG Packaging skidded 18 percent to close at $2.60. In the Main Market, there were three stocks with outsize movements. 138 Student Living jumped 19 percent to $4.15 followed by a 13 percent rise respectively for General Accident to $5.35 and Margaritaville to $17.50.
For the full list of percentage changes for the week for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts that now show a column of the weekly price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.2, well below the market average of 13.4 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.2, just over half of the market, with an average of 13.4
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 294 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 181 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 32 and 22 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 14 stocks, or 29 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 48, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 on or around 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.

Access Financial returns to the Junior Market IC TOP10 after a week’s absence, replacing Express Catering at the end of the week that saw Jamaican Teas as the only Junior Market stocks with any sizable move, as the stock rose 12 percent to $2.59. No other Junior Market stock moved by more than two percent for the week.
There is no change to the Main Market list in the week but General Accident surprisingly jumped 23 percent to $5.75 on limited volume while Scotia Group was up 4 percent to $39.38. Palace Amusement fell 12 percent to $1.23, but supply seems low around these prices and Pulse Investment slipped by 6 percent to $1.85.
There are some developments in the market and in some stocks that are worth noting as they could surprise to the upside. Buying for Scotia Group is gradually improving and selling is not and the price could move solidly into the $40 range this coming week. Transjamaican Highway a previous TOP10 stock climbed this week to close at $2.84, up from $2.71 the previous week as the supply of the stock faded and demand has increased. AS Bryden has just two offers at the close of the week but the price seems to be above the average for the market, at a PE of 23, but be careful. Jamaican Teas has undisclosed selling at $2.59 by an institution but there was more buying by insiders than selling during the week. Junior Market TOP10 listed AMG Packaging climbed on Friday as investors quickly snapped up nearly 600,000 shares that were on offer at $2.40 before the stock closed at $3.17 ahead of first quarter results that show a solid 64 percent jump in profit to $39.86 million from $24.34 million in 2022. Caribbean Cement has both limited buying and selling currently, suggesting the price may stay around the mid $50 range for some time. Selling in General Accident is down but buyers are not yet close to the prices for limited stocks on offer. Watch Seprod as a visible supply of the stock below the $90 range is very limited. Stanley Motta has only three offers amounting to 10,437 shares between $6.04 and $8
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 13.6 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.2, just over half of the market, with an average of 13.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 287 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 191 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 32 and 22 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market, there are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 49, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 on or around 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.

Honey Bun jumped into the Junior Market IC TOP10 this week in the sixth place, while Access Financial dropped out in a week when both of the Main and Junior markets declined in value compared to the 2023 year end close. Honey Bun rose to the ICTOP 10 following the release of the 2023 full year results, showing profit after tax rising 14 percent to $232 million, with indications that the 2024 performance should see profits hitting 80 cents per share with a PE of 8 currently.
Honey Bun sales income rose 16 percent for the fiscal year but only 8 percent in the final quarter.
t the close of the market on Friday, five Junior Market stocks gained between two and eight percent and three fell by 2 percent and 18 percent, while just two Main Market stocks rose at 2 and to four percent and seven fell by 7 percent or less.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with, 138 Student Living gaining 4 percent to $4.05. Declining stocks include JMMB Group down seven percent to $24.25, Pulse Investments with a six percent fall to $1.97 and General Accident down four percent to $4.66.
The Junior Market ended the week, with Lasco Manufacturing rising eight percent to $4.64, Lasco Distributors up seven percent to $4 and AMG Packaging climbing six percent to $3.20. Jamaican Teas dropped eighteen percent to $2.31, as investors seem to ignore a positive report on the group that was published in the Financial Gleaner on Friday.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.2, well below the market average of 13.4 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.3, just over half of the market, with an average of 13.4.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 292 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 189 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 14 of the most highly valued stocks representing 29 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 32 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market, there are 12 stocks, or 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 50, averaging 23, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 on or around 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.