The performance of the Jamaica Stock Exchange in the near term is expected to be influenced by the pile of results dumped on the market in the past week, with varying degrees of success. Based on results for the December quarter, Caribbean Producers’ earnings were adjusted down to $1.15 per share, resulting in the stock falling out of the TOP10, with Guardian Holdings replacing it and ISP Finance entering the Junior Market listing in replacing Elite Diagnostic following the release of full year earnings, with ICInsider.com projected earnings per share of $4 for ISP for 2024.
For a second consecutive week, the Junior Market ended with minimal price changes, ranging from 4 percent and less and none with a negative price movement, while the Main Market had only two stocks with negative price changes, with Pulse Investments, the highest with a fall of 7 percent to $1.85 and 138 Student Living slipping 3 percent, while Margaritaville popped 18 percent to close at the week at $17.48, Caribbean Producers rose 6 percent to $9.64 following the release of nine months results that saw profit for the second quarter rising 17.6 percent to US$2 million but with the six months results, down marginally to US$3.28 million versus $3.35 million in 2022. Key Insurance rose 5 percent to $2.31 and Palace Amusement gained 4 percent to close at $1.25 following news of a sold-out opening night for the Marley movie that nearly doubled that of the highly successful Black Panther.
For the full list of weekly percentage changes for the ICTOP10 stocks, check the attached charts that now carry a column of the weekly percentage price movements.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.4, well below the market average of 13.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.3 just over half of the market, with an average of 13.4.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 279 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 177 percent over the same period.
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 110, with an average of 30 and 24 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 17 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 45, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
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.
Trading ended with 9,234,717 shares trading at $63,291,889 compared with 38,589,987 units at $156,062,036 on Thursday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.7.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.
Massy Holdings skidded $5.50 to end at $91.50 while trading 6,203 shares. Pan Jamaica advanced $1.01 in closing at $51.51 as 29,192 units passed through the market, Sagicor Group rose 50 cents to $44 as investors exchanged 5,201 stocks, Scotia Group rallied $1 to close at $46 closing with an exchange of 57,369 stock units. Stanley Motta increased 70 cents to end at $7 in trading 18,743 shares and Supreme Ventures popped 30 cents to $26.50 after exchanging 53,468 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with an exchange of 178,798 shares for US$56,398 compared to 827,138 units at US$94,452 on Thursday.
Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share inched 1 cent higher to close at 8 US cents in an exchange of 15 shares and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.08 of a cent to 1.91 US cents, with 29,133 stock units crossing the market.
Investors traded 4,262,868 shares for $11,405,667 compared with 6,026,066 units at $13,427,737 on Thursday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
KLE Group rose 14 cents to $2.39 after exchanging 92 stocks. Knutsford Express gained 8 cents in closing at $12.38, with two units crossing the market, Lasco Distributors rallied 13 cents and ended at $4 in trading 22,865 stock units, Limners and Bards increased 15 cents to end at $1.62 after 853 shares passed through the market. Lumber Depot popped 10 cents to close at $2.30 while exchanging 196,403 units, Paramount Trading sank 21 cents to $1.27 with traders dealing in 2,814 stocks and tTech rose 49 cents to close at $2.49 in an exchange of just one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of trading on Friday, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed solidly by 1,293.91 points to 373,276.24, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied by 1,293.92 points to 373,276.24, the JSE Main Index popped 807.06 points to end at 335,848.38. The Junior Market Index gained 4.31 points to 3,812.89 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 0.21 points to end the day at 254.01.
At the close of trading on the Main Market, Caribbean Cement increased $1.02 to end at $57, Guardian Holdings rose $19.99 to $370, Jamaica Producers gained 84 cents and ended at $23.94, Margaritaville rallied $1.14 to close at $17.48, Pan Jamaica advanced $1.01 in closing at $51.51 and Scotia Group rallied $1 to close at $46
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.
Investors exchanged 369,644 shares for $6,055,169 compared with 603,629 units at $2,944,390 on Thursday.
At the close, Agostini’s shed 5 cents and ended at $67.95 with 282 shares clearing the market, Ansa McAl ended at $51.62 in exchanging 1,732 units, First Citizens Group lost 31 cents to end at $49.69, with 5,429 stock units crossing the market. FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7.05 with an exchange of 582 stock units, GraceKennedy dipped by 19 cents to close at $3.90 with 350 shares being traded, Guardian Holdings sank 25 cents to end at $18.25 in trading 700 stock units. JMMB Group remained at $1.45, with 131,831 stocks passing through the market, Massy Holdings ended at $4.25 trading 53,435 units, National Enterprises ended at $3.90 with investors dealing in 102,898 stocks. 
National Flour Mills remained at $2.10 after exchanging 5,000 shares, NCB Financial popped 1 cent to $3.06 with investors trading 425 stock units, Prestige Holdings rallied 25 cents to close at $10.50, with 38 units crossing the exchange. Republic Financial dipped 1 cent and ended at $120 with traders dealing in 3,714 shares, Scotiabank surged $6.75 to close at $72.75, with 61,129 stocks passing through the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL fell 3 cents to $9.40 with investors trading 999 stocks. Trinidad Cement ended at $2.87 in switching ownership of 100 units and West Indian Tobacco remained at $9 after a transfer of 1,000 shares.
The market closed with an exchange of 827,138 shares for US$94,452 compared with 180,495 units at US$53,094 on Tuesday.
Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share popped 0.3 of a cent to close trading at 7 US cents with an exchange of 4,065 stock units and Transjamaican Highway shed 0.17 of a cent to 1.83 US cents, after 358,974 units crossed the market.
The market closed trading of 6,026,066 shares for $13,427,737 compared with 3,460,585 stock units at $8,913,356 on Tuesday, following release of several results of companies for the December quarter prior to the start of trading.
At the close, Access Financial popped $1.27 to close at $22.68 with investors trading 774 shares, CAC 2000 climbed 38 cents to $4.21 in an exchange of 469 units, Caribbean Flavours increased 10 cents and ended at $1.70 with investors swapping 3,038 stocks. Derrimon Trading rose 15 cents in closing at $2.06 in an exchange of 16,927 stock units, Dolphin Cove rallied 97 cents to end at $18.97 after an exchange of 7,290 shares, Elite Diagnostic advanced 8 cents in closing at $1.77 after investors traded 144,846 units. Fontana dropped 12 cents to $10.48 with an exchange of 42,236 stocks, Honey Bun sank 39 cents to end at $6.30, with 24,354 stock units crossing the market, Jamaican Teas shed 18 cents to close at $2.40 with traders dealing in 124,722 shares. Knutsford Express declined 8 cents and ended at $12.30 after a transfer of 1,785 stocks, 
Lasco Distributors gained 11 cents to $3.87 in switching ownership of 27,706 units, Lasco Financial fell 13 cents to close at $1.91 while exchanging 5,933 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing dipped 10 cents to end at $4.90 with 11,723 shares clearing the market, Limners and Bards lost 18 cents in closing at $1.47 after an exchange of 9,866 stock units, Lumber Depot skidded 12 cents to $2.20, with 185,704 units changing hands. Mailpac Group popped 19 cents to $2.38, with an exchange of 2,052,755 stocks and Medical Disposables increased 18 cents and ended at $2.70 with investors transferring 11,894 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Investors traded 38,589,987 shares at $156,062,036 up from 12,851,415 units at $53,884,935 on Tuesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
Pan Jamaica dropped 70 cents in closing at $50.50 after a transfer of 1,265 stock units, Proven Investments popped $2.02 to close at $24.97 with 100,444 stocks clearing the market. Sagicor Group shed 50 cents to end at $43.50 with an exchange of 7,767 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dipped 32 cents in closing at $7.62 after 1,375 stocks crossed the market, Salada Foods advanced 48 cents and ended at $3.60 in an exchange of 143,597 shares. Seprod rose 75 cents to close at $83.75 with investors swapping 3,912 stock units, Stanley Motta sank 70 cents to end at $6.30 in switching ownership of 1,113 units, Supreme Ventures shed 30 cents to $26.20 while exchanging 4,440 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 65 cents and ended at $11.60 in trading 103,323 units and Sygnus Real Estate Finance increased 65 cents to end at $11.25 with investors dealing in 4,193 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share declined 90 cents in closing at $6 in an exchange of 705 stock units. Jamaica Public Service 7% gained $5.25 to close at $48.25 with investors swapping 19 shares and 138 Student Living preference share popped $3 to $217 with an exchange of 5 stock units.
At the close of trading on Thursday, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 549.45 points to close at 347,570.91, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 1,143.26 points to 371,982.32, the JSE Main Index climbed 634.96 points to end trading at 335,041.32. The Junior Market Index shed 5.26 points to end at 3,808.58 and the JSE USD Market Index skidded 1.80 points to cease trading at 253.80.
At the close of trading on the Main Market, Barita Investments climbed 92 cents to end at $71.10, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $2.50 in closing at $40, JMMB Group rose $2.95 to close at $27, Margaritaville rallied $1.48 in closing at $16.34, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy increased $14.50 and ended at $91, NCB Financial climbed $1 to end at $69.75, Proven Investments popped $2.02 to close at $24.97.
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.
