Trading surged over Friday’s levels on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 1,320 percent valued 1,375 percent more than Friday after trading ended with an exchange of 43 securities compared with 40 on Friday and ended with declining stocks overwhelming the nine with the price increases and ended with 27 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 24,523,793 shares for $60,261,332 compared with 1,727,434 units at $4,084,376 on Friday as Future Energy traded over 8 million valued just under $30 million and Tropical Battery with 12 million shares at near $23 million.
Tropical Battery led trading with 12.03 million shares for 49 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy with 8.25 million units for 33.6 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 856,430 units for 3.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 570,321 shares at $1,401,426 compared with 43,186 shares at $102,109 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 158,559 units at $395,758 compared with 105,067 stock units at $265,112 on the previous day. October closed with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 62.76 points to 3,765.99.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 44 cents to close at $2 after a transfer of 7,072 stock units, Blue Power rallied 15 cents to $2.90 after an exchange of 40 shares, CAC 2000 dipped 89 cents to close at $4.01 with investors dealing in just 2 stocks. Caribbean Cream fell 23 cents and ended at $3.36 following trading of 7,500 units, Caribbean Flavours dropped 28 cents to end at $1.03 after 111,177 stocks passed through the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries shed 21 cents in closing at $2.05 as passed 8,122 units through the market. Derrimon Trading declined 13 cents to $1.85 in an exchange of 218,483 shares, Dolphin Cove skidded 95 cents to end at $15.55 with traders dealing in 4,089 stock units, EduFocal lost 15 cents and ended at $1.95, with 423,246 shares crossing the market. 
Fontana fell 9 cents to close at $10.89 with a transfer of 91,148 stocks, GWest Corporation declined 13 cents to close at 90 cents with investors exchanging 133,087 units, Honey Bun shed 28 cents and ended at $6.39 in switching ownership of 41,280 stock units. Jamaican Teas popped 10 cents to end at $2.18, with 150,000 shares changing hands, Jetcon Corporation dropped 24 cents to close at 70 cents with shareholders swapping 79,000 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing skidded 23 cents to end at $4.50 after 6,143 units crossed the market. Lumber Depot dipped 13 cents to $2.50 while exchanging 4,339 stock units, Main Event increased 14 cents to end at $14.60 with 68 shares clearing the market, 
Medical Disposables fell 14 cents in closing at $3.36 in trading 6,806 units and MFS Capital Partners dipped 8 cents to close at $1.92 with investors transferring 224,968 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market rallies as Juniors dropped
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed higher at the close of trading on Monday as the JSE USD Market inched marginally lower but the Junior Market plunged 63 points, following a moderate rise in the volume of stocks traded with the value jumping above that on Friday.
At the close of trading on Monday, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 136.50 points to 329,091.28, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 2,334.48 points to 350,357.91, after shares of NCB Financial jumped $6.51 to $73.50, the JSE Main Index advanced 733.38 points to 315,732.62. The Junior Market Index rose 62.76 points to close trading at 3,765.99 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 0.10 points to 223.37.
Investors traded 31,517,364 shares in all three markets, versus 13,255,970 units on Friday. The value of stocks traded climbed on the Junior and Main markets to $149. 07 million from $118.38 million on Friday. The JSE USD market closed after 647,665 shares were traded, for US$35,342 up sharply from 126,524 units at US$3,325 on Friday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% declined $8 and ended at $42.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.9 times those for 2023-24 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 between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local 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.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and 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 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
New additions to ICTOP10
A series of third quarter company results were released during the past week, and most reported good numbers that augur well for the stock prices in the months ahead. Some of the results are companies in the ICTOP10. During the week the JSE Main Market rose but the Junior Market lost ground moderately for a second week.
Price movements in the market resulted in two new ICTOP10 listings for the Junior Market and one for the Main Market. In the Junior Market, Dolphin Cove rose 6 percent to $16.50 and AMG Packaging rose 4 percent to $2.44 after trading at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.95 during the week. Paramount Trading dropped 12 percent to $1.48, followed by Everything Fresh shedding 11 percent to $1.56, Iron Rock Insurance fell 9 percent to $2 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 8 percent to end at $2.85.
The Main Market closed the week with Sygnus Credit Investments climbing 7 percent to $11.90, Margaritaville and Jamaica Broilers rising 6 percent to $17.58 and $34.97 respectively. General Insurance dropped 9 percent to end at $5.04.
Lasco Financial and Lasco Distributors released half year results but dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 and Lasco Manufacturing also reported six months results but remained in the ICTOP 10. Following the release of the results, Lasco Distributors earnings were reduced from $1.65 to $1.60 for the full year and sits at number 12 in ICInsider.com rankings. 
Importantly selling in the stock has been drastically reduced with just 19 offers up to $15.90 amounting to less than 200,000 shares and 19 bids above $4, with the highest bid amounting to more than the total stocks being offered. Earnings per share for Lasco Financial were reduced to 15 cents for the year and holds the 31st spot on the list.
Jamaica Teas also released results for the year to September, showing an improvement over 2022 and disclosed expected improvements from major changes already undertaken, which should improve 2024 results added to that, stocks should do better in the coming year, resulting in exposure of projections for 2024 as such it along with Caribbean Cream are now in the ICTOP10.
Returning to the Main Market TOP 10 is Palace Amusement Company replacing Caribbean Cement.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5, well below the market average of 12.2. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 319 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
An indication of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
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 30 and 20 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 23 for the top half and 16 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 5.7, just over half of the market, with an average of 11.9. There are 11 stocks, or 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 48, averaging 21 that are well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, with the market projected to rise by 260 percent on or around May 2024.
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.
Profit climbs 22% at Stationery & Office Supplies
Profit climbed in 2023 at Stationery and Office Supplies an under the radar company until listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange transformed it into one of the leading companies peddling office supplies in Jamaica. For the quarter ending September this year, profit after tax climbed 22 percent to $96 million from $79 million last year and for the nine months $294 million up 14 percent from $252.5 million.
Stationary & Office Supplies – Montego Bay office.
The year-to-date figures include a gain on the sale of assets amounting to $7.1 million and $30 million in 2022 as such this year’s ongoing profit performance is greater than the net figures suggest.
Year to date, the operating profit before finance charges and gains or loss on the sale of fixed assets is up a solid 38 percent for the nine months and 12 percent for the quarter.
For the September quarter, revenues inched up from $473 million to $488 million. A fair bit of the slowdown is due to price discounts granted based on originally listed prices following falling input costs. For the year to date, revenues climbed 16 percent to $1.53 billion from $1.32 billion in 2022.
Administrative and general expenses rose 23.5 percent to $138 million from $112 million in the September quarter of 2022 and for the year to date, it climbed 20 percent to $378 million from $314 million. Selling and promotional costs fell to $29 million for the September 2023 quarter from $35.8 million last year, with the year to date figures being almost flat at $97 million in 2023 versus $96 million in 2022. Depreciation charges were slightly down from $8.7 million in the September quarter of last year to $8.4 million this year and year to date the numbers are flat at $26.4 million.
Earnings per share for the third Quarter was 4 cents compared to 3 cents in 2022 and for the nine months end September this year, 13 cents per share, up from 11.33 cents.
ICInsider.com projects 19 cents per share for the year, from revenues of just over $2 billion and 30 cents for 2024. The stock last traded at $1.72, with a PE of 8.9 times current year’s earnings, well below the market average of 12.
Operations produced cash inflows of $356 million, up from $259 million in 2022 and at the end of the period with a surplus of $189 million that brought the total to $320.8 million up from just $99 million at the end of September. The 2023 growth in Cash inflows is after spending $72 million on acquiring property, plant and equipment, $50 million in dividend payments and $40 million used in repaying loans. Some of the amount on hand is earmarked to fund the acquisition of properties to be used for storage to allow for continued expansion of the business.
Current assets closed the period at $1 billion, with Receivables rising from $194 million to $317 million and inventories at $349 million compared with $356 million in 2022. Current liabilities rose to $305 million from $148 million in 2022.
Shareholders’ equity stands at $1.35 billion which is up from $884 million from a year ago and borrowed funds used in its operations is only $65 million.
Going forward, the Seek manufacturing division is to get new machines to help meet growing demand as the current facility is said to be at its peak. The distribution of 3M stationery products has been added to the company’s line in the latter months of 2023 and will boost revenues in 2024, with a full year of sales.
AS Bryden jumps 29% on the JSE debut
The Trinidad and Tobago based AS Bryden commenced trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday and was welcomed by investors who pushed the stock price up $6.50, up 29 percent on the listing price of $22.50, in swapping 53,309 shares with a value of J$1,575,191 as the price closed at $29 on a day when the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,118.17 points to close at 348,023.43, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,433.99 points to 314,999.24 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.10 points to end at 68.74.
The day closed with rising stocks beating out those declining, with trading in 57 securities, a similar number compared with Thursday and resulted in prices of 23 rising, 19 declining and 15 ending unchanged as the volume of stocks traded rose 52 percent but with a marginally higher value.
Investors traded 11,402,012 shares at $114,300,385 compared to 7,516,087 units at $111,267,823 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 200,035 shares at $2,005,270 compared with 131,861 stocks at $1,952,067 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 159,869 units valued at $1,664,779 compared to 153,983 units at $1,614,887, on the previous day. Trading in October closed with an average of 214,410 units at $1,325,907.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.489 million shares for 39.4 percent of total volume, followed by Kingston Wharves with 3 million units for 26.6 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican with 986,893 million units for 8.7 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 1,420.45 points to close at 328.954.78,
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.1. 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 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose $1 to $71.05 after an exchange of 32,450 stocks, Eppley gained 67 cents to close at $34 after investors traded 33 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $2.50 to end at $33.50 after trading 210 stock units. General Accident fell 52 cents to close trading of 3,360 shares at $5.04, GraceKennedy added 99 cents to close at $72.49 as investors exchanged 84,190 shares, Guardian Holdings rose $1.99 to $439.99 after a transfer of 300 shares. Jamaica Broilers had an exchange of 24,321 shares at $34.97, after gaining 97 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 55 cents in closing at $8.45 after investors exchanged 27,320 shares, JMMB Group rose $0.36 to $27.40 with an exchange of 22,320 shares. 
Kingston Wharves lost $1.21 to finish at $17.58, with 3,029,633 stock units crossing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy jumped $12.13 to $93 after an exchange of 102 shares, Margaritaville popped $1.57 in closing at $17.58 after 284 stocks passed through the market. NCB Financial popped $1.99 and ended at $66.99 in switching ownership of 35,941 units, Pan Jamaica shed $2.50 to close at $47 with shareholders swapping 1,057 stocks, Seprod slipped $1 to $77 in an exchange of 12,345 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments gained 60 cents in closing at $11.90 after investors traded 3000 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Fund dropped $0.87 in closing at $11.00 with just 24 shares changing hands and Wisynco Group ended with investors trading 55,638 shares and lost 55 cents in closing at $20.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $8 to close at $50, with investors dealing in 1,495 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popped $10.20 to end at $112.20, with 231 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on the JSE Junior Market
Rising and falling stocks shared the spotlight on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, following a 52 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded after the value plunged 67 percent compared with Thursday trading as trading ended with 41 securities changing hands down from 44 on Thursday and ended with 17 rising, 18 declining and five closing unchanged and ending with the Junior Market Index popping 8.65 points to close at 3,828.75 after two stocks closed on 52 weeks’ lows.
Investors traded 1,727,434 shares for $4,084,376 down from 3,568,081 units at $12,531,088 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 43,816 shares with an average value of $102,109, down from 87,026 stock units at $305,636 on Thursday, with the month to date, averaging 105,067 units at $265,112 compared with 113,573 stock units at $287,518 on the previous day, well down from October with an average of 361,392 units at $863,984.
Indies Pharma was the leading traded stock with 342,085 units accounting for 19.8 percent of total volume and was followed by One On One Educational Services, with 161,988 units for 9.38 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spies, 140,115 units for 8.1 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 49 cents to close at $2.44, with 640 stocks changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries rallied 20 cents to $2.26 with investors dealing in 435 shares, Derrimon Trading rose 6 cents to $1.98 after an exchange of 18,906 stock units. Dolla Financial dropped 8 cents to close at $2.40 with a transfer of 38,203 units, Edufocal slipped 12 cents to end at $2.10 with stakeholders exchanging 43,190 stocks, Everything Fresh lost 13 cents in closing at $1.56 after 54,408 shares were traded. Express Catering popped 65 cents in closing at $4.40, as 11 shares passed through the market, Indies Pharma ended trading 342,085 shares as the price fell 35 cents to $2.75, ISP Finance rallied $2.80 to close at $30.80, with 16 units crossing the market. 
KLE Group climbed 35 cents to close at $1.45 with an exchange of 3,382 shares, Knutsford Express gained 9 cents to end at $12.29 with an exchange of 10 stocks, Lasco Distributors shed 21 cents to close at $4.34 with 6,272 stocks clearing the market. Lumber Depot climbed 13 cents to $2.63 after an exchange of 122,625 stock units, MailPac fell 15 cents to $2.02 after 117,076 shares were exchanged by investors, MFS Capital saw trading in 74,688 shares but the stock fell 15 cents to close at $2. Regency Petroleum gained 7 cents in closing at $2.25 after investors exchanged 87,412 shares, Spur Tree Spices had 140,115 shares being traded by investors the price climbing 17 cents to close at $2.20 and 
Stationery and Office Supplies added 10 cents and ended at $1.72 with investors transferring just 2,698 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD Market declines into the Weekend
Trading fell back on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Friday, compared with Thursday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining by 59 percent and the value 37 percent lower, resulting in the trading of five securities, compared to four on Thursday with one rising, two declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 126,524 shares were traded for US$3,325 compared to 308,440 units at US$5,303 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 18,075 units at US$475, versus 77,110 shares at US$1,326 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 28,374 shares at US$1,972 compared with 30,013 units at US$2,210 on the previous day. October ended with an average of 47,977 units for US$4,392.
The US Denominated Equities Index fell 4.00 points to end at 224.49.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. 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 three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Productive Business Solutions ended at US1.50 with 48 stocks crossing the market, Sterling Investments popped 0.3 of a cent to close at 1.78 US cents while exchanging 358 units, Sygnus Credit Investments inched 0.28 of a cent higher in closing at 7.23 US cents after 3,000 shares passed through the market and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.01 of a cent to end at 1.62 US cents after trading 1112,820 stock units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions ended at US12.40, with 11 shares passing through the market
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market pulls back, Juniors rise
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed with mixed results on Friday with the JSE Main Market index rising followed by the Junior Market but the JSE USD Markets slipped and the All Jamaican Composite Index lost more ground to close out the week, following a rise in the volume of stocks traded with the value slipping from Thursday’s levels.
AS Bryden commenced trading on the Main market with investors swapping 53,309 shares with a value of J$1,575,191 and the price closed at $29 with a rise of $6.50 from the listed price.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 1,420.45 points to close at 328.954.78, while the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,118.17 points to conclude trading at 348,023.43, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,433.99 points to 314,999.24. The Junior Market Index rose 8.65 points to close trading at 3,828.75 and the JSE USD Market Index fell 4.00 points to 223.47.
Investors traded 13,255,970 shares in all three markets, compared to 11,392,608 stock units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded dipped on the Junior and Main markets to $118. 38 million from $123.80 million on Thursday. The JSE USD market closed after 126,524 shares were traded, for US$3,525 down from 308,440 units at US$5,303 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $8 and ended at $50 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popped $10.20 to end at $112.20.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.7 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.8 times those for 2023-24 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 between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local 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.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and 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 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Rising stocks outshine decliners on Trinidad Exchange
Investors mostly pushed stocks higher in trading on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, resulting in 19 securities trading compared with 17 on Thursday, with prices of seven stocks rising, only two declining and seven remaining unchanged as the market closed as the volume of stocks traded rose 43 percent and the value jumped 554 percent over Wednesday out turn.
Investors exchanged 335.666 shares for $2,934,595 compared to 329,768 stock units at $9,971,076 on Wednesday.
An average of 18,648 units were traded at $163,033 compared to 19,398 shares at $586,534 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 12,166 shares at $186,672 compared with 11,217 units at $190,127 on the previous day. The average trade for October amounts to 15,711 shares at $151,451.
The Composite Index advanced 4.99 points to 1,199.46, the All T&T Index popped 10.46 points to conclude trading at 1,822.17, the SME Index remained unchanged at 79.99 and the Cross-Listed Index slipped 0.12 points to settle at 74.63.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s climbed 50 cents to close at $67.50 as investors exchanged 23,845 units, Angostura Holdings had an exchange of 100 shares at $20.51, Ansa Merchant Bank rose 87 cents to $43.50 in switching ownership of 3,000 stocks, Ansa McAl closed trading of 300 shares after the price rose 5 cents to $54.05, First Citizens Group ended trading at $49.25 in an exchange of 10,697 stock units, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7 after closing with an exchange of 174 shares, GraceKennedy popped 31 cents to $3.66 in trading 219 units. Guardian Holdings rallied by 10 cents to $1910, with 8,590 stocks crossing the market, JMMB Group ended at $1.41 with stakeholders exchanging 125,026 stock units, Massy Holdings added 2 cents to close at $4.49 after a transfer of 1,819 shares. National Enterprises remained at $3.55 after 2,503 stock units crossed the exchange, 
NCB Financial fell by 16 cents to $2.84 with a transfer of 5,640 units, National Flour ended at $1.63 after rising by 11 cents, with 147,325 stocks crossing the market. Prestige Holdings closed at $11.50 after an exchange of 350 shares, Republic Financial ended at $126 after 8,4625 stocks passed through the market, Scotiabank shed 23 cents to close at $72.52 with an exchange of 2,839 units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $12.50 after 14,198 stock units changed hands and Unilever Caribbean rose 1 cent and ended at $10.51 in an exchange of 1,920 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Profit rises at Jamaican Teas
Net profit attributable to Jamaican Teas for the September quarter more than doubled to $45 million from $21 million in the 2022 quarter. The net profit attributable to Jamaican Teas shareholders for the year was $237 million, an improved performance from the $194 million in the previous year, the group quarterly report released to the Jamaica Stock Exchange reveals.
Reduced administrative costs aided the improved performance.
Total operating revenues for the September quarter declined marginally from $655 million a year ago to $652 million and $2.7 billion for the year, up from $2.47 billion in 2022.
Earnings per share attributable to shareholders was 11 cents, up from 9 cents in 2022.
The group changed distributors in two important markets and appointed Wisynco as its exclusive local distributor effective November this year, as well as an Ansa McAl subsidiary as our exclusive distributor in Trinidad and Tobago, “these changes are expected to result in improved sales in the coming year, the report stated.”
Stockholders’ Equity rose to $2.96 billion from $2.66 billion in September 2022, with loan financing amounting to $735 million. Net current assets amount to $1.09 billion and investments of $2 billion.
The quarterly states, “the group has also taken decisions to increase our investment in additional machinery to better serve our customers and this is expected to enhance our capacity to meet current demand for some of our products.”
“The group has outgrown its capacity at Bell Road, resulting in us having to rent space at Montgomery Avenue in 2022. Accordingly, the company decided to acquire an existing factory in Temple Hall, St. Andrew and this purchase was concluded in October 2023. The property comprises some 60,000 square feet of factory buildings on about 3 acres of land. Relocation of our spice and dry pack facilities to the Temple Hall facility will commence by the end of Calendar 2023 and the tea factory will follow in 2024.“
“ As a result of the acquisition, the board is considering the sale of the Bell Road property. Combined with sale of the apartments at Belvedere, the possible sale of some of our investment properties and the changes of two of our manufacturing distributors, the Group expects increased sales revenue and improved liquidity in the new financial year commencing in 2024.”
