Falling stocks pushed down the Main and the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close of trading on Wednesday but the JSE USD market closed higher as trading ended with the number and value of stocks changing hands falling and ending with prices of 36 shares rising and 34 declining.
At the close of trading on Wednesday, the JSE Combined Market Index dipped 98.14 points to 332,650.57, the All Jamaican Composite Index sank 1,331.50 points to finish at 356,830.08. The JSE Main Index fell 39.50 points to settle at 319,760.28. The Junior Market Index slipped 8.65 points to end at 3,748.14 and the JSE USD Market Index climbed 7.91 points to end at 242.10.
At the close of trading, 13,732,924 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 28,997,894 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $64.77 million, well below the $132.25 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 61,810 shares for US$42,431 compared to 380,494 units at US$26,519 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.02 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.38 million stocks and Wigton Windfarm with 1.18 million units.
In the Junior Market, EduFocal led trading with 2.85 million shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 670,034 units and Future Energy with 587,225 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share climbed $1.24 to finish at $20.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.2 based on 2023-24 earnings and 13.3 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide for investors to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Stocks moved Trinidad Exchange higher
Stocks inched higher at the end of trading on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday, following a 34 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded and a 30 percent fall in value from Tuesday, resulting in 18 securities trading the same as on Tuesday and ending with prices of four stocks rising, five declining and nine remained.
The market closed with 97,769 shares being traded at $1,040,061 down from 149,149 stock units at $1,486,315 on Tuesday.
An average of 5,432 shares were traded for $57,781 compared to 8,286 units at $82,573 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 15,629 shares at $129,694 compared to 16,118 units at $133,146 on the previous day and an average for April of 17,642 shares at $178,724.
The Composite Index advanced 0.32 points to conclude trading at 1,137.13, the All T&T Index popped 2.24 points to wrap up trading at 1,718.49, the SME Index ended unchanged at 78.90 and the Cross-Listed Index skidded 0.24 points to wrap-up trading at 72.08.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s remained at $68.78 with traders dealing in 1,360 stocks, Ansa McAl increased 25 cents and ended at $59.25 with 100 units crossing the market, Endeavour Holdings ended at $15, after investors traded 85 shares. First Citizens Group popped 15 cents to end at $44.75 after trading of 2,990 stock units, FirstCaribbean International Bank shed 1 cent in closing at $6.93, with investors trading 14,204 shares, GraceKennedy fell 15 cents to close at $3.75 with 4,783 stock units being traded. Guardian Media ended at $1.80 after switching ownership of 1,000 units, JMMB Group slipped 6 cents to end at $1.22 after 5,168 stock units passed through the market, Massy Holdings slipped 1 cent to $4.18 after an exchange of 24,146 shares. National Enterprises remained at $3.65 with investors swapping 14,047 stock units, National Flour Mills ended at $2.25 after an exchange of 100 units, Point Lisas remained at $3.50 with 100 stocks crossing the market. Prestige Holdings ended at $13 after trading of 5,546 shares, Republic Financial advanced $1 and ended at $116 with 1,415 stock units crossing the market, Scotiabank ended at $65.50 after a transfer of 1,491 units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $7.60 with investors trading 8,205 stocks, Unilever Caribbean skidded 9 cents in closing at $11.91 in an exchange of 474 shares and West Indian Tobacco rose 25 cents to end at $10.25 with investors dealing in 12,555 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Dolphin Cove the dividend king
The dividend yield on the Junior market listed Dolphin Cove is 10 percent based on Wednesday’s early traded price of $24 and dividends of $2.40 payable since October last year.
Dolphin’s shareholders have much more than the high yield to cheer about, with the stock gaining 68 percent in value over the past twelve months in a market that has delivered no increase during the same period. The company reported profit declining from US$1.57 million for the first quarter last year to $1.38 million in the March 2024 quarter with revenues of US$4.9 million up from US$4.85 million with operational expenses jumping by US$300,000. For the year to December 2024, the company reported sales of US$17 million from $15 million in 2023. It generated a profit of US$4.2 million before booking a cost of US$1.13 million in penalties and interest on GCT relating to an earlier period compared with $2.97 million in 2022
The returns for Dolphin are far ahead of a 7 percent yield for Mailpac but in line with Carreras at 10 percent yield and Transjamaican Highway at 6 percent. Scotia Group another high dividend payer is currently 4 percent but that is expected to rise as the year progresses and dividends are increased with rising profit and a return to the traditional pay out ratio of more than 40 percent of profit.
The real virtue of Dolphin over Carreras is that the former continues to record growth while the latter has has little or no growth for years.
Trading rises on the JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the value and volume of stocks changing hands rising 27 percent more than on Monday, resulting in trading in eight securities, similar to trading on Monday with prices of five stocks declining and three ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 380,494 shares for US$26,519 compared to 299,302 units at US$36,390 on Monday.
Trading averaged 47,562 units at US$3,315 versus 37,413 shares at US$4,549 on Monday, with a month to date average of 34,154 shares at US$3,131 compared with 33,260 units at US$3,119 on the previous day and April that ended with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index skidded 1.77 points to conclude trading at 234.19.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.5. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, AS Bryden ended at 22 US cents with traders dealing in 304 stocks, Productive Business Solutions shed 5 cents to US$1.55 after 100 units passed through the market, Proven Investments sank 0.4 of one cent to close at 13 US cents as investors exchanged 79,601 shares. Sterling Investments skidded 0.02 of a cent in closing at 1.58 US cents after 2,793 stocks changed hands, Sygnus Credit Investments lost 0.6 of one cent and ended at 8.8 US cents after an exchange of 9,405 shares and Transjamaican Highway slipped 0.06 of a cent to finish at 2.08 US cents with 283,944 stocks clearing the market.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2 after an exchange of 4,297 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share ended at US$11 with investors transferring 50 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on the Trinidad Exchange
The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange closed on Tuesday, with a 66 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded valued at 32 percent less than on Monday resulting in 18 securities trading compared with 20 previously and ending with prices of four stocks rising, four declining and 10 remaining firm.
The market closed with trading of 149,149 shares for $1,486,315 down from 442,478 units at $2,184,391 on Monday.
Trading averaged 8,286 shares at $82,573 compared to 22,124 stocks at $109,220 on Monday, with trading for the month to date averaging 16,118 shares at $133,146 down from 16,513 units at $135,696 on the previous day and an average for April of 17,642 shares at $178,724.
The Composite Index dipped 3.47 points to conclude trading at 1,136.81, the All T&T Index lost 6.71 points to close at 1,716.25, the SME Index remained unchanged at 78.90 and the Cross-Listed Index ended at 72.32.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s rallied 3 cents and ended at $68.78 in an exchange of 3 stocks, Angostura Holdings popped $1.25 to $18.25 with investors transferring 13 units, Ansa McAl ended at $59 after an exchange of 1,122 shares. Ansa Merchant Bank remained at $42.50 with investors dealing in 924 stock units, First Citizens Group rallied 10 cents to finish at $44.60 after an exchange of 1,258 shares, L.J. Williams B share ended at $1.88 with investors trading a mere one stock unit. Massy Holdings dipped 1 cent to $4.19 after a transfer of 5,217 units, National Enterprises remained at $3.65, with 63,112 stock units crossing the exchange, National Flour Mills slipped 5 cents in ending at $2.25 in switching ownership of 695 shares. One Caribbean Media ended at $3.68 with 101 stock units clearing the market, Point Lisas remained at $3.50 in an exchange of 7 stocks, Prestige Holdings ended at $13 with traders dealing in 2,215 units. Republic Financial skidded $1.28 to a 52 weeks’ low of $115 as investors traded 2,716 shares, Scotiabank remained at $65.50 with a transfer of 3,562 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 10 cents to end at $7.60 and closed after 27,941 stocks were traded. Trinidad Cement remained at $2.56 with investors trading 19,447 stock units, Unilever Caribbean ended trading at $12 after 14,073 shares passed through the market and West Indian Tobacco lost 2 cents to finish at $10 with an exchange of 6,742 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading climbs on the JSE USD on Monday
The volume of stocks changing hands jumped 28 percent on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Monday, following an 11 percent rise in value over Friday, resulting in the trading of eight securities, compared to seven on Friday with prices of two rising, three declining and three ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 299,302 shares for US$36,390 compared with 233,466 stock units at US$32,685 on Friday.
Trading averaged 37,413 units at US$4,549 versus 33,352 shares at US$4,669 on Friday, with a month to date average of 33,260 shares at US$3,119 compared with 32,964 units at US$3,017 on the previous day and April that ended with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index dipped 1.84 points to cease trading at 235.96.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.7. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AS Bryden lost 0.49 of a cent in ending at 22 US cents with 565 units crossing the market, First Rock Real Estate USD share rallied 0.58 of one cent to 4.7 US cents with investors dealing in 13,006 stocks, Margaritaville ended at 10.01 US cents after an exchange of 467 shares. Proven Investments dropped 0.41 of one cent in closing at 13.4 US cents with investors trading 76,631 stock units, Sterling Investments remained at 1.6 US cents and closed after 18,761 shares changed hands and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.05 of a cent to close at 2.14 US cents with 173,748 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share remained at US$1.28 after trading of 16,024 units and Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share fell 5 cents in closing at US$11 in switching ownership of 100 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.