The Jamaica stock market got hit in the past week as a new Initial Public offer of Regency Petroleum shares open to the public on Thursday. The market decline is now a very pronounced feature of the market as investors seek funds to invest in the new issue and pressure prices of existing stocks and provides opportunities for savvy investors to pick up stocks at depressed prices for the eventual rally after the IPO closes.
NCB Financial Group is now back in the ICTOP10
The pricing of the IPO issue does not provide enough likely gains for it to make the ICTOP10, but it is included in the Stocks to Watch as the price is expected to jump and deliver a decent profit.
In the past two weeks, several company results were released to the public, with varying outturns, some of which led to adjustments to earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Sterling Investments and VM Investments earnings were adjusted downward and fell out of the TOP 10 and were replaced by NCB Financial Group and Key Insurance. Earnings for Berger Paints and JMMB Group were also revised downward, but they remain in the Main Market TOP10. Access Financial and Iron Rock Insurance return to the Junior Market TOP10 as General Accident and Medical Disposables dropped out.
Seven stocks in the Junior Market TOP10 declined between 3 percent and 20 percent, with only one rising. The Main Market list had two stocks gaining for a second week and six declining between four and nine percent.
Notable price changes during the week include Paramount Trading that dropped 20 percent to an attractive $1.52, Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Financial dipping 10 percent to close at $3.35 and $2.71, respectively, Lasco Distributors lost 10 percent to $3.10 and Caribbean Cream fell 4 percent to $3.86.
In the Main Market, Guardian Holdings rose 10 percent to $550. VVM Investments dropped 7 percent to $4.07 while JMMB Group and 138 Student Living fell 9 percent to $34 and $4.50, respectively, Jamaica Broilers and VM Investments fell 7 percent to $26.35 and $4.07, respectively and Radio Jamaica lost 5 percent in closing at $1.91.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 13.4. At the same time, the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.8 versus the market at 12, important indicator of the level of undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 247 percent and the Main Market TOP10, an average now of 275 percent, to May 2023.
The Junior Market has 13 stocks representing a third of the market, with PEs from 15 to 30, averaging 20 compared with the above average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17. This data shows the extent of potential gains that the TOP 10 stocks possess. The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 16 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 90, with an average of 27 and 22.6 excluding the highest valued one and 19.4 for the top half excluding the highest valued stock.
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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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.
A total of 8,629,483 shares were traded for $70,734,289 compared to 10,480,449 units at $152,509,794 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
First Rock Real Estate declined 92 cents to $12.20 with the swapping of 12,491 shares. Guardian Holdings advanced $19 to close at $550 after 860 units crossed the market, Jamaica Broilers dipped $1.64 to $26.35 in trading 31,523 stock units, JMMB Group fell $1.50 to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $34 after a transfer of 78,044 stock units. Kingston Properties lost 97 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $5.53 after exchanging 230,448 stocks, Kingston Wharves shed $1.40 to settle at $34 trading 7,960 units, Mayberry Investments gained 44 cents to end at $7 in switching ownership of 4,922 shares. NCB Financial rose $1.97 to close at $84.97 with 142,623 stock units clearing the market, PanJam Investment dropped $3.50 ending at $49 in an exchange of 1,159 stocks, Proven Investments declined $1 to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $26 in exchanging 16,676 shares. Sagicor Group fell 80 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $49.20 as investors swapped 49,480 units, Scotia Group advanced $2.28 to close at $35.80 in trading 48,837 shares,
Seprod rose $1 to end at $70 with 20,478 units changing hands and Supreme Ventures dropped $2.49 to $23.06 with 37,419 stock units crossing the market.
A total of 10,480,449 shares were traded for 152,509,794 compared to 23,960,723 units at $104,197,869 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
JMMB Group lost 55 cents to finish at 52 weeks’ low of $35.50 after hitting an intraday low of $30, with 1,907,834 stock units crossing the exchange, Kingston Properties declined 45 cents to close at $6.50 trading 1,977 shares, Kingston Wharves lost 60 cents in closing at $35.40 after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $30, with 1,003,077 units changing hands. Massy Holdingsfell $1 to $80 with a transfer of 16,384 stock units, Mayberry Investments lost 79 cents to end at $6.56 with 5,935 shares clearing the market, PanJam Investment dropped 50 cents to close at $52.50 after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $30 in exchanging 8,544 stocks. Portland JSX advanced $1.20 to $10.20 in trading 12 stock units, Proven Investments shed $1 to 52 weeks’ low of $27 after hitting the day’s low of $25.40 with a transfer of 22,014 units, Sagicor Group dipped 49 cents to $50 in an exchange of 108,413 stocks after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $45.20. Scotia Group fell $1.98 to close at $33.52 with the swapping of 1,890 shares, Seprod shed $2 to $69 as investors switched ownership of 659 units,
Supreme Ventures fell 45 cents to end at $25.55 in transferring 57,953 stocks and Sygnus Real Estate Finance gained 90 cents to end at $10.10 trading ten stock units.
At the close, Berger Paints shed 85 cents to end at $9.15 with 663 shares crossing the market, Carreras fell 48 cents in ending at $8.60 after trading 180,526 units, Guardian Holdings jumped $28.50 to close at $528.50 after an exchange of 18,157 stock units. JMMB Group dipped 94 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $36.05 in switching ownership of 929,318 stocks, Massy Holdings rallied $1 to end at $81 as investors exchanged 115,035 stocks, NCB Financial declined $1.47 to $83.03 with investors transferring 140,898 units. Palace Amusement dropped $75.12 in closing at $716.88 in transferring 40 shares, PanJam Investment lost 50 cents to close at $53 after 2,265 stock units cleared the market, Proven Investments dipped $1.30 ending at a 52 weeks’ low of $28 with an exchange of 44,415 stocks. Sagicor Group declined 51 cents to end at $50.49 in trading 35,467 shares, Scotia Group gained $1.16 to end at $35.50 with the swapping of 60,071 stock units, Supreme Ventures fell $1 to $26 after exchanging 59,226 units. 
Sygnus Credit Investments USD share advanced $1.57 in closing at 52 weeks’ high of $17.24 after trading 74 stocks.
A total of 12,140,427 shares were traded for $121,031,433, up from 10,954,351 units at $87,091,829 on Monday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 629.97 points to 389,849.52, the JSE Main Index shed 570.04 points to 342,155.36 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.57 points to 81.37.
Kingston Wharves rallied $1 in ending at $36, with 4,664 stocks crossing the exchange, Massy Holdings popped $2.48 in closing at $80 with an exchange of 300,853 shares, Mayberry Investments dipped 43 cents to end at $6.97 after exchanging 16,540 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced $1.19 to $13.19 after 10,523 units crossed the market, NCB Financial fell 50 cents to end at $84.50 with investors transferring 588,864 stock units, 138 Student Living shed 43 cents to $4.70 with 102,865 stocks changing hands. Palace Amusement jumped $72 in closing at $792, with four units clearing the market, PanJam Investment declined $1 to close at $53.50 after exchanging 14,003 shares, Proven Investments climbed 60 cents in ending at $29.30 and trading 421 shares. Sagicor Group rose $1 to $51, with 74,561 units crossing the market after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $48.30. Scotia Group increased 83 cents to end at $34.34 with the swapping of 165 stocks, Seprod rose $1 to $71 after 4,419 stock units crossed the exchange. Supreme Ventures advanced 98 cents to $27 after an exchange of 325,615 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments USD share increased $1.42 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $15.67 in an exchange of 16 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share popped $1.10 in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $21.10 after a transfer of 114 shares, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference advanced $100 to close at $1150 in switching ownership of five shares and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dipped $5 to end at $140 in trading 10 stock units.
Jamaica Stock Exchange fell to a 52 weeks’ low of $15 and Proven Investments declined to a 52 weeks’ low of $28.70.
At the close, Barita Investments declined $2.50 after ending at $88.50 with investors transferring 8,518 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $1 to close at $39 after a transfer of 20 stock units, GraceKennedy popped $2.01 to $85.01 with investors exchanging 48,708 units. Guardian Holdings advanced $19.99 in closing at $519.99 with the swapping of just one stock, Jamaica Broilers dropped $1.45 to $27.02 with an exchange of 25,129 shares, Kingston Wharves lost $2 to end at $35 after a transfer of 3,900 units. Massy Holdings declined $2.48 to $77.52 in trading 695 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell $1.20 to close at $12 with an exchange of 94,150 stocks, Portland JSX dropped $1.20 to $9 with 1,000 units changing hands. Scotia Group lost $1.99 in closing at $33.51 trading 4,170 stock units, Seprod fell $1 to finish at $70 in exchanging 123,635 shares, 
Supreme Ventures shed $1.97 to settle at $26.02 with a transfer of 89,935 stocks and Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined $1.02 in closing at $9.18 after exchanging 4,845 shares.
138 Student Living made it back in the Main Market TOP 10 following reporting strong full year results with the promise of more in 2023 as students return to on campus training and Medical Disposables returns to the Junior Market list.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.3, well below the market average of 13.4. At the same time, the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.2 versus the market at 12.4, an important indicator of the level of undervaluation of the ICTOP10stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 224 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average now of 298 percent, to May 2023, following an upgrading of Guardian Holdings earnings per share to $173.50 from $92 previously.
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.
A total of 7,723,200 shares were exchanged for $106,579,158 versus 12,082,376 units at $88,446,679 on Thursday.
At the close, Berger Paints dipped 58 cents to end at $10.40 in exchanging 6,600 shares, Caribbean Cement declined 60 cents in closing at $57.10 with a transfer of 60,204 units, Caribbean Producers dropped 64 cents after ending at $12.33 in switching ownership of 159,053 stock units. Eppley rose advanced $3.98 to $39 after trading 123 stocks, First Rock Real Estate gained $1.05 to close at $14.05 with 14,656 stock units crossing the market, GraceKennedy fell $3.50 to close at $83 after clearing the market with 159,196 stocks. Guardian Holdings shed $29.98 to $500 as investors exchanged 212 units, Jamaica Producers lost $1.70 to finish at $17.90 with an exchange of 3,529 shares, JMMB Group shed 74 cents in closing at $37.55 in transferring 3,674 shares. Kingston Properties rallied 44 cents to end at $7 with the swapping of 4,822 stock units, Kingston Wharves rose 70 cents to end at $37 trading 1,204 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped 76 cents to $13.20 in exchanging 524 stocks. 
138 Student Living gained 44 cents in closing at $4.92 with investors transferring 2,026,320 units, PanJam Investment climbed $1 to close at $54.50 with the swapping of 400 stocks, Seprod popped $3.50 to settle at $71 after trading 11,920 shares and Supreme Ventures lost 96 cents to end at $27.99 after exchanging 14,148 stock units.
A total of 12,082,376 shares were exchanged for $88,446,679 up from 4,265,895 units at $19,430,399 on Wednesday.
At the close, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $2.95 in closing at $40 after an exchange of 2,445 shares, First Rock Real Estate fell $1.41 to $13 after exchanging 10,849 units, GraceKennedy rallied 50 cents to close at $86.50 after the trading of 14,897 stock units. Kingston Properties dropped 43 cents to end at $6.56 with a transfer of 293,304 stocks, Kingston Wharves declined 70 cents to $36.30 in an exchange of 100 units, Massy Holdings lost $1 to end at $80 as investors traded 841 stocks. Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 96 cents in closing at $13.96, with 51,611 stock units crossing the market, PanJam Investment climbed 50 cents to close at $53.50 in trading 519 shares, Proven Investments shed $2.27 to $28.73 with the swapping of 1,968 units. Seprod dipped 50 cents after ending at $67.50 in switching ownership of 2,467 shares and Supreme Ventures increased $2.45 to $28.95 after trading 272,233 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share popped 72 cents to $7.87, with 2,159 stocks crossing the market, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% advanced $100 to close at $3100 after an exchange of just one stock and 138 Student Living s preference share dipped $15 to $45 with an exchange of 105 stock units.
A total of 15,475,658 shares were traded for $123,996,797 versus 16,146,320 units at $67,828,590 on Monday.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $2.80 to 91.98 after trading 15,982 stocks, Caribbean Cement shed $4 to end at $57.50, with 6,138 stock units crossing the market. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $1.70 in closing at $38.30 after exchanging 560 units, First Rock Real Estate fell 87 cents to $13.55 clearing the market with 7,625 stock units, GraceKennedy dipped $1.60 to $85.40 in trading 31,476 units. Guardian Holdings climbed $28.97 to end at $524.99 with an exchange of 5 shares, Jamaica Broilers increased 50 cents to $28.50 as investors exchanged 538,867 stocks, Kingston Wharves dipped $1.25 to close at $36.25 while exchanging 2,236 shares. Massy Holdings lost $4.99 in closing at $74.01 after trading 301,694 stocks, NCB Financial declined $2 to close at $83 with 193,074 units changing hands, PanJam Investment fell $2.55 in closing at $51.45 after exchanging 13,262 stock units. 
Proven Investments dropped $2.10 to $30, with 4,772 units crossing the market and Scotia Group shed $1 to end at $35 with a transfer of 294,706 shares.