Activity Trading on the Junior Market closed with only 5 securities traded and ended with 510,555 units valued at $1,054,385. The JSE Junior Market Index lost 0.64 points to close at 696.43, with the price only 1 advancing and 1 declining but at the close there were stock ending with bids above the last sale prices, an indication that demand exceed supply in quite a large number of stocks in this market
At the close of the market, there were 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers. The junior market continues to reflect renewed interest with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Paramount Trading ended trading with 155,860 units with the price rising 10 cents to $3.30, General Accident closed trading with 204,610 units at $1.80, Lasco Distributors traded 38,994 shares trading at $1.45, Lasco Financial ended with 107,800 units trading to end at $1 and Honey Bun closed with 3,291 shares trading 5 cents lower to $1.95.
Bids of 7 stocks above last sale
TTSE exhibiting negative bias
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange closed with 14 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced, 5 declined and 6 traded firm with a total of 173,362 units, valued at $797,942.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 1.47 points to close at 1,152.56, the All T&T Index gained 2.35 points to close at 1,987.64 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.08 points to end at 41.57.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Firstcaribbean International Bank closed with a volume of 27,636 shares trading, valued at $138,733, to close 2 cents higher at $5.02, Prestige Holdings 40 shares, traded to close at $9.57, higher by 1 cent and One Caribbean Media gaining $1.79 to end at $23.99 while trading 3,972 units.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund trading just 900 shares but the price declined by 1 cent to end at $23.49. First Citizens Bank closed with only 80 shares trading at $36.49 and lost a cent, Guardian Holdings lost 1 cents in trading 905 shares to end at $13.25, Massy Holdings fell 5 cents to close at $68.05 with 2,897 units valued at $197,140 while Scotia Investments added 15,206 shares at $1.45, down 1 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, ANSA Mcal with 367 shares at $66.52. National Commercial Bank with 99,830 shares changing hands for a value of $116,801, closed at $1.17, Sagicor Financial Corporation contributed 20,000 shares with a value of $109,800 at $5.49, Scotiabank traded 895 share at $62.01, Trinidad Cement had 629 shares changing hands at $2.30 and Unilever Caribbean closed at $65.01 with only 5 units changing hands.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Declining stocks still can’t get upper hand
With more than 2 trading weeks gone in January, the number of declining stocks have still not exceeded those advancing on any date so far on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. Monday’s trading activity, resulted in the prices of 7 stocks rising and 7 declining as 24 securities changed hands, ending in only 1,372,251 units traded, valued at a mere $9,697,061, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 126.58 points to 76,700.43, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 141.51 points to close at 84,472.94 and the JSE combined index advanced by 152.16 points to close at 78,634.65.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless ending with 202,960 units changing hands to close with a gain of 2 cents at 50 cents. Pan Jamaican Investment ended with 3,607 units changing hands to close at 98 cents up to $53, Sagicor Group ending with 390 units with the price rising 20 cents $10.20 and Scotia Group ended trading with 28,908 shares changing hands to close 50 cents higher to $20.50.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded price are, Grace Kennedy closing with 42,250 units at $63. Jamaica Stock Exchange finishing with 8,000 stock units trading at $2, Kingston Wharves ending with 1,582 shares at $6, Radio Jamaica trading 1,386 units at $1.30 and Supreme Ventures with 10,956 shares changing hands to close at $2.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Desnoes & Geddes finishing with 500 shares trading lower by 5 cents to $4.80, Jamaica Money Market Brokers closed with 255,465 ordinary shares changing hands to end lower by 15 cents at $6.50, Jamaica Producers ended trading with 445 units, the stock price slipped $1.30 to $15.70, Mayberry Investments finished with 1,020 units trading, the price declined by 2 cents to $1.98, National Commercial Bank closed with 30,713 units trading as the price fell 50 cents to $19 and Scotia Investments ended with 1,000 shares trading lower by 1 cent at $23.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 17,000 units at $3.
J$ gains big on the Pound & Canadian
The Jamaican dollar made big gains against the British Pound and the Canadian dollar on Monday. Purchase of all currencies by dealers, translated to US$43,325,043, compared with the US$46,887,942, on Friday, and selling of the equivalent of US$44,738,328 versus US$51,219,344 sold on Friday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$39,907,638 compared to US$42,022,513 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar remained at $114.89 and US$42,884,931 was sold versus US$40,341,432 on Friday with the selling rate climbing 4 cents to $115.35. The Canadian dollar buying rate lost $1.71 to $93.62 with dealers buying C$1,510,308 and selling C$782,714, at an average selling rate that dropped $2.19, to $95.68. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped 92 cents to $171.72 for the purchase of £1,283,715, while £632,777 was sold, the rate dived $2.29 to $173.83. At the end of trading it took J$132.57 to purchase the Euro, 90 cents down from Friday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$130.11 for a decline of 91 cents from Friday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$267,950 while the equivalent of US$250,533, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest and the lowest buying and the highest selling rates for the US dollar, remained at $115.65, $94.10 and $120.59 respectively while lowest selling rate climbed $1.71 to $95.40. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 50 cents to $97, the lowest buying rate fell $1.24 to $75.95. The highest selling rate remained at $99.51 and the lowest selling rate dropped $15.02 to $78.18. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, climbed $2.50 to $177.50. The lowest buying rate fell 58 cents to $140.15, the highest selling rate rose $2.17 to $180.67 and the lowest selling rate fell 70 cents to $168.85.
Paramount’s profit leaps 163% in Q2
One of the branded product distributed by Paramount Trading
The improved results for the latest quarter, came from a 39 percent climb in revenues over the similar period in 2013, with revenues of $231 million versus $166 million in 2013. The latest quarter’s revenues are the highest the company has had, since listing in 2013. Gross profit margin jumped from 46 percent in the August quarter to 58 percent in November and from 49 percent in the same quarter in the 2013. For the six months to November 2014 the profit margin increased to 53 percent from 49 percent in 2013.
The company launched a new line of lubricants during the August quarter but sales are in their infancy at the time. According to a company executive in commenting on the August results, the increased sales was mostly from new customers added as well as increased sales of a product to an existing customer, who was not supplied with that product last year.
Administrative, selling and distribution cost, which fell in the August quarter came out at $33 million from last year’s $31 million. For the six months period these expenses amounted to $64 million versus $66 million in 2013. With the release of the August figures IC Insider.com had projected profit to come in around $152 million in the current fiscal year or around $1.15 per share, the latest figures suggest that earnings per share will probably be closer to $1.40. At the current price of $2.80 the stock would be priced at a PE of only 2.2 making it a very good buy, bearing in mind that that many junior listings have been valued around 8 times earnings in the recent past, and around 6 times now, with the latter PE, the price should potentially get to $8.40 at the low end and $11 at a PE of 8. The company seems poised to raise its next fiscal year earnings to a much higher level than the above forecast (IC Insider.com forecast $2 per share for 2016) so there seems to be much room for the stock to deliver high returns to investors. These figures do not reflect income or profit that should flow from the company’s acquisition of the Tradewell chemical line which they purchased from the Lasccelles group or any other acquisition that they may undertake in the near term. It also assumes that revenues which include some new customers will repeat going forward.
Financials| The profit to-date provided a strong 44 percent annualized return on average equity. Borrowed funds amounted to only $38 million, compared to the level of equity. Cash is up from $65 million but dividends of $23 million was paid out in December. Receivables which was at $178 million in August from $172 million at May, is down slightly to $172 in November, and represents an improvement considering the strong sales increase. Inventories at $203 million at the end of August and May, this year, jumped to $275 million in November but payables moved up moderately to $136 million from $128 million at the end of May.The performance of the company during the quarter and for the 2014 justifies IC Insider.com elevating the stock to BUY RATED status in mid-October last year.
Paramount jumps 16%
Activity Trading on the Junior Market closed with Paramount Trading closing with a gain of 44 cents or 16 percent as investors responded positively to the company’s strong increase in profits for the November quarter which were released prior to this week. Overall only 7 securities traded and ended with 738,464 units valued at $2,745,022 changing hands. The JSE Junior Market Index rose 3.55 points to close at 697.07, with the price 3 stocks advancing and no declining.
At the close of the market, there were 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices, no stock closed with the offer lower. The junior market continues to maintained investors interest with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy. There were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market on Monday are, General Accident closing with 231,500 shares changing hands, with a gain of 3 cents to $1.80. Honey Bun finished with 10,000 shares trading, the price gained 5 cents to $2, Paramount Trading closed with 132,824 shares with the price gaining 44 cents to $3.20, the stock traded as high as $3.30 before the close. Caribbean Producers finished with 11,100 units at $2.15, Dolphin Cove ended with 945 shares trading at $8.50, Knutsford Express closed with 302,000 shares at $5.85 and Lasco Distributors finished with 50,095 shares trading at $1.45.
Four up 3 down but TTSE softening
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 14 securities changing hands of which 4 advanced, 3 declined and 7 traded firm with a total of 327,664 units, valued at $1,721,615. There were 2 stocks closing at 52 weeks’ high and 2 at 52 weeks’ low at the close.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.40 points to close at 1,151.09, the All T&T Index fell by just 1.14 points to close at 1,985.29 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.04 points to end at 41.49.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, National Commercial Bank with 100,200 shares traded valued at $117,231, closed with the gain of a cent at $1.17. Scotiabank closed with 821 shares traded, 1 cent higher at $62.01, Unilever Caribbean with 400 shares trading, gained 1 cent to close at $65.01, a new 52 weeks’ high and West Indian Tobacco increased 5 cents to $121.42 while trading 1,200 shares to hit a new 52 weeks’ high.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, National Enterprises trading 250 shares closed with a loss of 2 cents at $17.37, a new 52 weeks’ low. Sagicor Financial Corporation traded 5,750 shares and closed with a loss of 3 cents at $5.49 for a new 52 weeks’ low and Trinidad Cement contributed 50,000 shares with a value of $115,000 to close at $2.30, down 20 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, ANSA Mcal trading 688 shares at $66.52. Berger Paints Trinidad closed with 300 shares trading at $3.65, Clico Investment Fund traded 8,520 shares valued at $200,215 and closed at $23.50, while First Citizens Bank added 24,920 shares valued at $909,579 to close at $36.50. Grace Kennedy ended trading with 288 units at $3.66, Guardian Holdings traded 1,200 units and closed at $13.26 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers closed with 133,127 shares changing hands at 43 cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Inflation drops in December
The rate of inflation in Jamaica, fell in December last, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) reported today. Statin reported that the rate for the last month of the year, registered a fall of 0.3 percent over November. In November, the rate declined by 0.5 percent.
The rate for the full year and the point-to-point inflation, each ended at 6.4 percent and compares with 6.4 percent for 2013 but is above the 6 percent achieved in 2011. The increase for 2014 is the second lowest on record, for the past seven years dating back to 2008.
The price movement in December was largely attributable to the “downward movement recorded in the index for the division ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’, ‘Housing Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ and ‘Transport’. The index for the division ‘Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ declined by 0.6 percent, due mainly to lower prices for vegetables. Lower rates for water and sewage in addition to a reduction in the cost of electricity were key factors influencing the division ’Housing, Water, Electricity, gas and Other Fuels’, which moved down by 1.2 percent. A decrease of 0.4 percent was recorded for the division ‘’Transportation as a result of global reduction in oil prices” Statin said.
On the other hand price increases occurred in Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Clothing and Footwear, Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, Health, Recreation and Culture and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.
AMG flat sales push profit down 15%
Revenues rose a strong 36.56 percent for the year to August 2014 for junior market listed, AMG Packaging, hitting $607 million but it increased by a much slower pace of 28 percent in the final quarter of the financial year, to $165 million.
Those strong gains may have cannibalized sales in the November quarter with flat sales compared with 2013 quarter, with revenues of $151 million. But the performance comes against the back ground of volumes sold, climbing a very strong 19 percent for the year. The fall in volume started from the August quarter as units sold increased by 23.4 percent, management stated in a release accompanying the May results.
While sales increased impressively in 2014 fiscal year margins came under pressure with only 23.7 percent for the year to August down from 33 percent in 2013. For the latest quarter gross profit margin comes out at 25.9 percent but could end up at 31.5 percent for the current year if sales volumes increase by 10 percent for the rest of the fiscal year. Gross profit for the quarter amounted to $34.4 million up from $33.3 million in 2013 but increase mainly administrative cost that rose 28.4 percent eroded profit slightly by 15 percent to $15.4 million from $18 million in 2013. The company got a double whammy, with the Jamaican dollar losing value, resulting in a 28 percent more Jamaican dollars having to be found to purchase a US dollar since September 2012, and the price of paper on the world market moving 22 percent from US$720 per tonnes at September 2012 to US$830 in August 2013 and now US$875, which it has been since June last year.
Receivables are down by $12.7 million from the amount at the end of August last year and so too is amounts in payables by $26 million. Cash funds grew to $33 million from $22 million while inventories is down from to $118 million at August to $113 million, which is nearly 4 months supplies based on sales in the quarter and is up from just two and a half months back in 2013 and seems to be a hedge against devaluation of the Jamaican dollar. But that is only a part of the story. A check on world prices for pulp shows a pretty sharp increase since 2012.
AMG has to continue to grow its business by continued strong volume growth to become a more cost competitive producer with lower unit cost. The company needs to put strategies in place to return volume sales to growth and needs to continue cost containment measures to ensure profit improvement going forward. With increase through put, unit cost of production will fall allowing more growth in gross to flow into overall profits. A bright spot for the company is the fall in the cost of fuel and electricity will help in keeping cost down for the rest of the fiscal year.
IC Insider’s forecast for 2015 is 90 cents per share and $1.50 for 2016 on the assumption that volume sales return reasonable growth.
J$ drops again on Friday
The Jamaican dollar fell in value against the major currencies on Friday with the purchase of all currencies by dealers, translating to US$46,887,942, compared with the US$49,795,240, on Thursday, and selling of the equivalent of US$51,219,344 which is more than the US$47,872,723 sold on Thursday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$42,022,513 compared to US$42,661,663 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 10 cents to $114.89 and US$40,341,432 was sold versus US$40,923,096 on Thursday with the selling rate climbing 12 cents to $115.31. The Canadian dollar buying rate lost 98 cents to $95.33 with dealers buying C$3,005,276 and selling C$4,042,357, at an average selling rate that rose 4 cents, to $97.86. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped 58 cents to $172.64 for the purchase of £1,391,659, while £4,723,982 was sold, the rate climbed $1.44 to $176.12. At the end of trading it took J$133.48 to purchase the Euro, $2.24 down from Thursday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$131.02 for a decline of $1.95 from Thursday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$280,637 while the equivalent of US$231,622, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, remained at $115.65, the lowest buying rate rose 8 cents to $94.10, the highest selling rate climbed 11 cents to $120.59 and lowest selling rate dropped 33 cents to $93.69. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar declined 75 cents to $96.50, the lowest buying rate rose 95 cents to $77.19. The highest selling rate rose 38 cents to $99.51 and the lowest selling rate gained $1.35 to $93.20. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, declined by 65 cents to $175. The lowest buying rate gained 25 cents to $140.73, the highest selling rate dropped $2.60 to $178.50 and the lowest selling rate climbed 30 cents to $169.55.
