Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 26 percent and the value 22 percent lower than on Monday, with activity in 61 securities compared with 61 on Monday and ended with prices of 19 stocks rising, 24 declining and 18 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 8,127,453 shares trading for $68,683,585 down from 11,028,594 units at $88,599,929 on Monday.
Trading averaged 133,237 shares at $1,125,960 compared to 180,797 units at $1,452,458 on Monday and month to date, an average of 174,614 units at $1,135,795 compared with 185,174 units at $1,138,305 on the previous day and April that closed with an average of 680,802 units at $3,619,595.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.65 million shares for 32.6 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.19 million units for 14.6 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 1.03 million units for 12.7 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,855.81 points to close at 356,728.41, the JSE Main Index lost 1,104.98 points to finish at 319,557.13 and the JSE Financial Index skidded 0.32 points to 67.67.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments dipped 98 cents to $71.02 after an exchange of 25,437 shares, Caribbean Cement sank $2.60 in closing at $65, with 103,908 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Producers rose 73 cents to close at $8.73 with an exchange of 19,810 shares. General Accident advanced 67 cents and ended at 52 weeks high of $7.57, with 103,656 stock units crossing the market, Guardian Holdings popped $9.90 to finish at $370 with investors trading 22 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped 63 cents to close at $10.27 after a transfer of 15,024 stock units. JMMB Group rallied $1.10 to $25.50 in trading 158,327 units, Kingston Properties fell 67 cents and ended at $7.81 with 1,314 stocks clearing the market, Lasco Manufacturing increased 38 cents to finish at $5.48 with investors dealing in 108,774 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities climbed $1.20 to close at $10.80 with investors trading 9,795 stock units, NCB Financial gained $1.50 in closing at $62.50 as investors exchanged 66,221 stocks, 138 Student Living skidded 87 cents to end at $3.01 with a transfer of 26,331 units. 
Pan Jamaica lost $2.78 in closing at $44.72 after 2,684 stocks passed through the market, Portland JSX declined 50 cents to $9 in an exchange of 3,201 units, Proven Investments shed 40 cents to close at $20.90 and closed after an exchange of 5,082 shares. Sagicor Group rose 93 cents and ended at $41.93 in switching ownership of 80,103 stock units, Scotia Group slipped 75 cents to finish at $41.25 with investors swapping 22,101 shares, Seprod sank 40 cents to end at $76.60 in an exchange of 13,086 stocks and Wisynco Group dipped 51 cents in closing at $20 with traders dealing in 571,693 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell 93 cents to $48, with 234 stock units crossing the exchange and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dropped $1 to finish at $109 with investors transferring 3,350 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
CAB dominates Junior Market on Tuesday
Caribbean Assurance Brokers (CAB) dominated trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, helping to push the volume of stocks traded up 444 percent, valued 514 percent more than market activity on Monday, from trading in 45 securities up from 43 on Monday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 20 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 14,317,132 shares at $36,679,561 with Caribbean Assurance accounting for 63 percent of the volume traded, with the overall trading comparing with 2,632,539 stock units at $5,970,320 on Monday.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 9.03 million shares for 63.1 percent of total volume followed by MFS Capital Partners with 1.96 million units for 13.7 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 960,813 units for 6.7 percent market share.
Trading averaged 318,158 shares at $815,101 compared with 61,222 units at $138,845 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 135,614 units at $331,049 compared to 88,131 stock units at $205,139 on the previous day and April with an average of 204,118 units at $439,599.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dropped 21.65 points to conclude trading at 3,762.08.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.31 and ended at $21.12 with investors swapping 226 shares, AMG Packaging skidded 39 cents to $3.42 in switching ownership of just 11 stocks, Blue Power climbed 31 cents to close at $3.83 with investors transferring 3,529 shares. CAC 2000 lost 45 cents in closing at $3.84 after investors ended trading 1,951 stock units, Cargo Handlers popped 97 cents to end at $13 after a transfer of just one share, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 6 cents to finish at $2.80 with investors gobbling up 9,029,844 units. Caribbean Cream declined 20 cents to $4.01 closed with an exchange of just one stock, Consolidated Bakeries shed 13 cents to end at $2.05 in an exchange of 505 stock units, Derrimon Trading sank 19 cents in closing at $1.83, with 38,175 shares changing hands. Dolphin Cove rose 97 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $21 with a transfer of 29,377 stock units, 
Fontana rallied 33 cents to finish at $8.93 after 74,373 units passed through the market, Future Energy gained 10 cents to close at $3.45 with an exchange of 41,805 stocks. Honey Bun dipped 10 cents to $7.90 with 54,138 shares clearing the market, Indies Pharma fell 8 cents and ended at $2.62 after an exchange of 4,832 units, ISP Finance dropped $1 in closing at $29.50 in trading 100 stock units. Jetcon Corporation slipped 12 cents to close at 87 cents, with 14,233 stock units crossing the market, JFP Ltd rose 11 cents to end at $1.27 after investors exchanged 16,164 shares, KLE Group fell 38 cents to finish at $1.92, with 27,557 stocks crossing the market. Mailpac Group climbed 7 cents to $2.10 in an exchange of 10,789 units, Main Event fell 69 cents in closing at $13 with traders dealing in 128,495 stock units, MFS Capital Partners shed 11 cents to end at $1.33 after 1,958,225 shares passed through the exchange. Spur Tree Spices dropped 18 cents and ended at $2.31 with investors trading 960,813 units and Tropical Battery gained 17 cents to close at $2.29 after an exchange of 9,455 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling stocks dominate TTSE for a 5th day
The dominance of declining stocks in May continued on Tuesday in trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, following a drop in the volume and the value of stocks traded and resulted in 20 securities trading compared with 16 on Monday and ending with prices of three rising, nine declining and eight remaining firm as the volume traded declining 80 percent and the valued 51 percent lower than on Monday.
The market closed trading with an exchange of 185,374 shares for $3,535,845 compared to 919,495 stock units at $7,213,577 on Monday.
An average of 9,269 shares were traded at $176,792 down from 57,468 units at $450,849 on Monday, with trading month to date averaging 20,877 shares at $208,588 compared with 24,194 units at $217,672 on the previous day and an average for April of 17,642 shares at $178,724.
The Composite Index increased 0.27 points to finish at 1,162.43, the All T&T Index rose 1.35 points to settle at 1,758.74, the SME Index climbed 1.19 points to lock up trading at 78.90 and the Cross-Listed Index dipped 0.12 points to 73.38.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended at $69.03, with 20 shares changing hands, Angostura Holdings remained at $20.10 with investors transferring 124 units, Ansa McAl remained at $57 after 1,116 shares crossed the market. Calypso Macro Investment Fund increased 19 cents to end at $23 with a transfer of 15 stock units, Endeavour Holdings lost $1.25 to finish at $15 with 7,497 shares clearing the market, First Citizens Group dipped 1 cent and ended at $47.50 after it closed with an exchange of 15,631 stock units. FirstCaribbean International Bank slipped 11 cents to $6.93 with 824 units changing hands, GraceKennedy fell 15 cents to close at $3.90 with traders dealing in 45,990 stocks, Guardian Holdings skidded 27 cents in closing at $17.50 in an exchange of 1,852 units. 
JMMB Group ended at $1.35, with 16,400 stocks crossing the market, Massy Holdings popped 2 cents to $4.25 after a transfer of 21,765 shares, National Enterprises shed 2 cents and ended at $3.70 in trading 767 stock units. National Flour Mills ended at $1.94 after 1,200 shares passed through the market, NCB Financial declined by 5 cents to finish at $2.70 after investors traded 29,038 stocks, One Caribbean Media remained at $3.70 with investors dealing in 320 units. Republic Financial dipped 50 cents to close at $118 after an exchange of 11,642 stock units, Scotiabank rose $1.25 to end at $66.25 with investors swapping 9,748 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL dropped 13 cents in closing at $8 in switching ownership of 16,157 units. Trinidad Cement ended at $2.60 after an exchange of 1,275 stocks and West Indian Tobacco remained at $10 with investors trading 3,993 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on JSE USD Market
Trading jumped on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Monday, with a 359 percent surge in the volume of stocks exchanged, with a 552 percent jump in value compared to Friday’s activity, resulting in the trading of 11 securities, up from seven on Friday with prices of two rising, five declining and four ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 492,062 shares for US$57,344 compared to 107,250 units at US$8,800 on Friday.
Trading averaged 44,733 units at US$5,213 versus 15,321 shares at US$1,257 on Friday, with a month to date average of 28,230 shares at US$3,914 up from 18,676 units at US$3,162 on the previous trading day and April with an average of 35,401 units for US$2,453.
The US Denominated Equities Index popped 0.01 points to end trading at 236.41.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.3. The PE ratio is computed using 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 one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and none with a lower offer.
At the close, AS Bryden ended at 22.49 US cents after investors ended trading 82,768 shares, First Rock Real Estate USD share climbed 0.01 of a cent to 4.94 US cents in switching ownership of 570 units, Margaritaville remained at 10.03 US cents, with 37 shares crossing the exchange. Proven Investments sank 0.48 of one cent and ended at 13.09 US cents after a transfer of 41,578 stock units, Sterling Investments dipped 0.09 of a cent to finish at 1.51 US cents as investors exchanged 6,400 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 7.6 US cents, with 237 units crossing the market. 
Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 9 US cents with investors swapping 281 stocks and Transjamaican Highway shed 0.08 of a cent to finish at 2.03 US cents with an exchange of 340,039 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share lost 7 cents and ended at US$1.20 after an exchange of 20,000 stock units. Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share popped 59.56 cents in closing at US$11.6456 with traders dealing in 125 units and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% skidded 25 cents to close at US$10.15 in an exchange of 27 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling JSE Main Market stocks outdid risers
Trading activity rose on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 137 percent with a 34 percent higher value than on Friday, with trading in 61 securities compared with 60 on Friday, with rising stocks being dwarfed by declining ones on a one to three ratio following the prices of 21 stocks rising, 32 declining and eight ending unchanged.
Trading closed with 11,028,594 shares for $88,599,929 versus just 4,656,593 units at $66,077,872 on Friday.
Trading averaged 180,797 shares at $1,452,458 compared to 77,610 units at $1,101,298 on Friday and month to date, an average of 185,174 units at $1,138,305 compared with 186,674 units at $1,030,646 on the previous trading day and April with an average of 680,802 units at $3,619,595.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.41 million shares for 30.9 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.64 million units for 24 percent of the day’s trade, QWI Investments came in with 1.21 million stocks for 11 percent market share and General Accident with 1.03 million shares for 9.3 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 486.01 points to finish at 358,584.22, the JSE Main Index declined 131.88 points to finish at 320,662.11 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.50 points to lock up trading at 67.99.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 15 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments slipped 48 cents to $72, with 8,576 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement sank $2.30 to $67.60 with investors trading 10,178 stocks, Caribbean Producers declined $1 to finish at $8 after 41,355 shares crossed the market. Eppley climbed $3 and ended at $40 as investors exchanged 4,951 stock units, First Rock Real Estate shed 78 cents to end at $10 in trading 12,385 shares, General Accident increased 40 cents to close at $6.90, with 1,026,275 stock units crossing the market. Guardian Holdings dropped $9.90 to $360.10 in swapping 2,329 units, Jamaica Producers lost 65 cents to finish at $22.55 with 304 stocks crossing the exchange, Jamaica Stock Exchange skidded 60 cents and ended at $10.90 with a transfer of 51,733 units. JMMB Group popped 80 cents to close at $24.40 after an exchange of 28,918 stocks, Margaritaville gained $1.45 to end at $15.71 after a mere two shares passed through the market, Massy Holdings fell $1.40 to close at $88.60 in an exchange of 8,426 stock units. 
Mayberry Jamaican Equities dipped $1.26 to $9.60 with investors trading 35,500 shares, NCB Financial lost 75 cents and ended at $61 after an exchange of 639,915 units, Pan Jamaica skidded $3.56 to finish at $47.50 closed after 13,285 stocks changed hands. Portland JSX fell 75 cents to $9.50 after a transfer of 1,301 stock units, Sagicor Group dipped 60 cents in closing at $41 with traders dealing in 18,598 shares, Scotia Group rose $1 to close at $42 with 7,758 stocks clearing the market. Seprod sank $6.50 to $77 trading 8,520 units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance advanced 34 cents to end at $11.89 with an exchange of 79 stock units and Wisynco Group shed 94 cents in closing at $20.51 with investors trading 37,588 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share dropped $1.50 to finish at $18.50 in an exchange of 3 units, Eppley 7.50% preference share rallied 55 cents and ended at $6.10 with investors dealing in 2 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 7% increased $6.42 to close at $48.93 with 226 stock units changing hands. 
JMMB Group 7% preference share declined 50 cents to $2.85 with an exchange of 1,000 shares and 138 Student Living preference share slipped $18 to finish at $200 after 100 stock units changed hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market slips on lower trading
Trading fell on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 4 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with 16 percent lower value than on Friday, with trading in 43 securities as was the case on Friday and ended with prices of 16 rising, 17 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Trading closed with 2,632,539 shares for $5,970,320, down from 2,755,767 units at $7,072,014 on Friday.
Trading averaged 61,222 shares at $138,845 compared with 64,088 units at $164,465 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 88,131 units at $205,139 compared to 97,032 stock units at $227,067 on the previous trading day and April with an average of 204,118 units at $439,599.
Tropical Battery led trading with 682,451 shares for 25.9 percent of total volume followed by Lumber Depot with 368,183 stock units for 14 percent of the day’s trade and Caribbean Assurance Brokers with 227,450 units for 8.6 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dipped 19.58 points to 3,783.73.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $1.33 to end at $19.81 after investors traded 1,000 stocks, AMG Packaging advanced 41 cents in closing at $3.81, with 20,780 units crossing the market, Blue Power popped 22 cents to $3.52 with investors transferring 38,886 shares. Cargo Handlers sank 82 cents to close at $12.03 with 4,159 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed 54 cents to finish at $2.74 with investors trading 227,450 shares, with investors responded positively to the full year results for 2023, Caribbean Flavours increased 12 cents and ended at $1.70 after exchanging 1,110 units. Dolla Financial rose 5 cents to $2.80 with a transfer of 131,922 stocks, Express Catering rallied 19 cents to end at $3.97 after 12,812 stock units passed through the market, Fontana shed 38 cents in closing at $8.60 with traders dealing in 29,601 shares. 
Future Energy fell 19 cents and ended at $3.35 in an exchange of 91,397 stock units, Indies Pharma gained 8 cents to finish at $2.70 with a mere 8 stocks clearing the market, Jamaican Teas slipped 8 cents to close at $2.45 in an exchange of 66,021 units. JFP Ltd lost 16 cents to close at $1.16 with investors trading 126,818 shares, Lasco Financial rose 9 cents to finish at $1.69 after an exchange of 26,938 stocks, Mailpac Group dipped 8 cents to $2.03 with trading of 29,036 units. Paramount Trading declined 5 cents to close at $1.45 after a transfer of 10,916 stock units, Regency Petroleum climbed 8 cents to end at $2.20, with 11,394 shares changing hands, Spur Tree Spices increased 6 cents to $2.49 with an exchange of 18,341 stock units. Tropical Battery skidded 21 cents to $2.12 with investors swapping 682,451 units and tTech popped 6 cents and ended at $2.26 in switching ownership of 118 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading rises on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Trading activity picked up moderately on the Jamaica Stock Exchange but resulted in modest declines the markets with trading ending with the number of stocks changing hands rising, after the value of stocks traded jumped over the previous trading day, with NCB Financial contributing with the highest value with the market closing with prices of 33 shares rising and 42 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 262.85 points to end at 333,763.14, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 486.01 points to 358,584.22, the JSE Main Index lost 131.88 points to wrap up trading at 320,662.11. The Junior Market Index fell 19.58 to 3,873.73 and the JSE USD Market Index inched 0.07 points lower to 236.37.
At the close of trading, 14,070,427 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 7,495,887 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $94.57 million, well over the $73.15, million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 492,062 shares for US$57,344 compared to 107,250 units at US$8,800 on Friday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.41 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.64 million stock units, QWI Investments chipped in with 1.21 million units and General Accident with 1.03 million stock units.
In Junior Market trading, Tropical Battery led trading with 682,451 shares followed by Lumber Depot with 368,183 stocks and Caribbean Assurance Brokers with 227,450 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share dropped $1.50 to finish at $18.50, Jamaica Public Service 7% increased $6.42 to close at $48.93 and 138 Student Living preference share slipped $18 to finish at $200.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 22 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.5. 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.
Falling stocks held upper hand in Trinidad
Stocks mostly fell at the close of trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 226 percent and valued 158 percent more than on Friday and resulting in 16 securities trading similarly to trading on Friday and ending with prices of three stocks rising, nine declining and four remaining unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 919,495 shares for $7,213,577 up from 281,951 stocks at $2,799,468 on Friday.
An average of 57,468 shares were traded at $450,849 solidly up on the 17,622 units changing hands at $174,967 on Friday, with trading for the month to date averaging 24,194 shares at $217,672 compared with 14,335 stock units at $148,614 on the previous trading day and April with an average of 17,642 shares at $178,724.
The Composite Index dropped 4.31 points to end the day at 1,162.16, the All T&T Index skidded 5.33 points to finish trading at 1,757.39, the SME Index remained unchanged at 77.71 and the Cross-Listed Index shed 0.45 points to end at 73.50.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s remained at $69.03 in an exchange of 871 shares, Ansa McAl ended at $57 with 19,926 units clearing the market, First Citizens Group dipped 49 cents to $47.51 after trading of 210 shares. GraceKennedy gained 5 cents and ended at $4.05 after an exchange of 50,864 stock units, JMMB Group remained at $1.35 with investors trading 47,117 shares, Massy Holdings lost 2 cents in closing at $4.23 after trading 497,504 stocks. National Flour Mills dropped 16 cents to close at $1.94 with an exchange of 4,930 units, NCB Financial fell 15 cents to end at $2.75, with 185,147 stock units crossing the market, Point Lisas skidded 20 cents in closing at $3.70 after an exchange of 263 shares. Prestige Holdings popped 3 cents and ended at $11.23 with investors trading 4,100 stocks, Republic Financial sank $1.25 to close at $118.50 in switching ownership of 16,093 units, 
Scotiabank slipped 99 cents to finish at $65 with investors swapping 4,829 stock units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL shed 22 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $8.13 after an exchange of 127 shares, Trinidad Cement ended at $2.60 and closed after an exchange of 4,000 stocks, Unilever Caribbean rose 2 cents to $end at 11.14 after 3,172 stocks passed through the market and West Indian Tobacco slipped 10 cents to finish at $10 with investors dealing in 80,342 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks to watch with explosive potentials
Better than expected reported profits compared with the prior period has been the driver of local stock prices since last year into the current year. Late last year, Transjamaican Highway and Scotia Group reported a surge in profits over the previous year and investors rewarded them with a jump in their price and they did that for Caribbean Cement that released results early last week.
Last week, investors drove up General Accident shares to a new 52 weeks’ high and so too Caribbean Cement. The above are clear messages that profit growth outweighs interest rates as the driver of stock prices.
Three companies reported above average profits that should help lift prices over the coming days or weeks and are worth watching.
Caribbean Cement rose from $58 last week to trade as high as a new 52 weeks’ high of $69.90 in response to profits in the first quarter to March this year, from an increase of nearly 12 percent in revenues to $7.6 billion from $6.8 billion in 2023 with profits jumping 546 percent to $1.9 billion compared to a mere $289 million in last year first quarter.
Based on closing quotes buying interest is at the $60 level with a few shares at $61 but offers are at $69 to $70 levels and above. The gap could result in a standoff for a few days, with the stock popped strongly already.
General Accident reported earnings of $0.39 per share in its interim financial report for 2023 but released audited accounts with $0.52 per share earnings instead. The audited accounts show profit revised to $0.71 from $0.53 previously reported in 2022, based on the new accounting standard – IAS17 which requires insurance companies to report income and expenses dramatically differently from the previously used format.
ICInsider.com forecast earnings of $1.10 for the 2024 fiscal year. In the past two months, there was heavy buying in the stock, with 223,053 traded on Friday with the price closing at $6.50. A total of 1,026,154 units were traded during the week. In April, trading amounted to 19.77 million units and 23.8 million shares in March. These numbers suggest that Mayberry Investment disposed of the majority of shares they previously owned. At the close on Friday, there were only 8 offers on the board, amounting to less than 20,000 shares, up to a price of $9.57. There are 300,000 units on the bid over $5.95.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers selling at a PE of just 3 based on current year’s earnings.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers reported solid gains in profit for 2023 compared to 2022. The latest audited results show the company earning $0.47 per share, in line with ICInsdier.com’s projection before the release of the third quarter results that showed a fall in revenues and profit. The company reported earnings of $0.30 per share in the previous year. ICInsdier.com projects earnings of $0.65, for 2024.
Buying is strong at the $2-2.20 level but with the results, many of these bids will move up to meet supply, mostly at $2.55 and above. With the latest results, released after trading on Friday, there should be major adjustments to bid and offer prices at the start of trading on Monday.
Dolphin Cove closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $20.03 and seems to be grudgingly moving higher, with bids mostly under $20 for small amounts. Offers are drying up with just 14 on the board, between $21 and $25, amounting to 144,000 shares. The trendline indicates the price slowly moving towards $23 in the weeks ahead. With the first quarter results due in days, the trajectory could accelerate with tourist traffic and the recently increased dividend payment suggests that profit should be seeing a bounce.
Also to be watched is Caribbean Producers with just 4 bids at the close on Friday, but sellers are overwhelming buyers at the close. The price looks set to fall below $8, before too long.
JMMB Group is another stock under pressure with more sellers than buyers. NCB Financial releases results on Thursday and is expected to declare an interim dividend.
New ICTOP10 addition to explode
After a prolonged hiatus, the local general insurance Main Market listed, General Accident came to life during the week and hit a series of 52 weeks’ highs, to close at $6.50, with a rise of 8 percent. The company closed with few stocks on offer, a feature over the past few weeks. The price could get ignited in the coming weeks following better than expected audited results for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 that were revised upward from previously reported numbers.
General Accident spreading wings
General Accident originally reported $0.39 per share in earnings for 2023 based on in-house numbers and released audited accounts with earnings of $0.52 per share, with that for 2022 revised to $0.71 from $0.53 previously reported in the audited 2022.
The 2022 results now reflect the impact of IAS17 which requires insurance companies to report income and expenses dramatically differently from the previously used format.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers (CAB) a former 2023/24 ICTOP10 company, reported solid gains in profit for 2023 compared to 2022. Earnings were downgraded when the company reported disappointing third quarter numbers. The latest audited results show the company earning $0.47 per share in line with ICInsdier.com’s projection before the release of the third quarter results with a fall in revenues and profit. The compared reported earnings per share of $0.30 in the previous year. The change in the 2023 results along with increased projections for 2024 resulted in the company returning to the TOP10 with projected earnings of $0.65, with the potential to report gains in the stock price of 500 percent.
CAB replaces Dolphin Cove after closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $20.03. Coming into the Main Market ICTOP 10 is Lasco Manufacturing with projected earnings for the current fiscal year ending March 2025 of $0.85 per share replacing Pulse Investments.
The main market top 10 saw Margaritaville falling 15 percent to $14.25 during the week followed by JMMB Group down 7 percent to $23.60, while Palace Amusement rose 6 percent to $1.08. Junior Market ICTOP10 witnessed an 8 percent gain in Edufocal to close at $0.96, with losses in Iron Rock Insurance of 12 percent to close at $2.20 and a 6 percent contraction in the price of AMG Packaging to $3.40.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 13.1 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.9 over half of the market, with an average of 12.7.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 284 percent by May 2025, based on 2024 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain just 207 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 16 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 103, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 11 stocks, or 24 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 45, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The average PE in the top half of the market is 17, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
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 2025 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.
