As was the case last week, the Jamaica stock market continues to consolidate as it awaits developments that will push investors to act decisively. At the same time, the Main Market traded heavily and sat below the close of the previous week but the Junior Market mostly traded above the prior week’s close.
After just one week in the ICTOP10, Tropical Battery price rose this week and resulted in the stock falling outside the top flight, to be replaced by Lasco Manufacturing that dropped out during the previous week. In the Main Market, Scotia Group slipped out of the TOP10 and Radio Jamaica reentered.
At the end of the week, Tropical Battery rose 9 percent to $2.60, Image Plus Consultants gained 6 percent to close at $2.05, Paramount Trading rallied 5 percent to $2.20 and Iron Rock Insurance rose 4 percent to end at $2.50. Honey Bun fell 8 percent to $7.07 and was the only one of only two stocks to decline for the week, with the other slipping by just one percent.
In the Main Market, 138 Student Living popped 11 percent to $5.56, while Berger Paints fell 8 percent to $9.75, followed by a 5 percent decline for Jamaica Broilers to close at $30.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 14.7, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 6.6 versus the market at 12.8, important indicators of the level of the undervaluation of the ICTOP10 stocks currently. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 208 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average of 275 percent, to May this year. The major concern for the Main Market achieving such gains by May is that the list is dominated by financial companies that are out of favour and may need to see the summer months before full interest of investor start to show.
The Junior Market has 16 stocks representing 33 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 31, averaging 21 compared with the above average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks. The situation in the Main Market is similar, with the 18 highest valued stocks priced at a PE of 15 to 116, with an average of 28 and 21 excluding the highest valued stocks and 28 for the top half excluding the highest valued stock.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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.
A total of 8,306,314 shares were traded for $100,793,237 compared to 5,605,407 units at $34,963,663 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 14.7 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ends between November 2022 and August 2023.
Massy Holdings climbed $1.39 to close at $80 after 699,277 stock units crossed the market. Mayberry Investments rose 76 cents to $8.77 after a transfer of 101 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced $1.81 to close at $12.91 in an exchange of 1,055 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $5.69 to $98 after trading one stock. NCB Financial declined $3 to a 52 weeks’ low of $77 after 122,024 units passed through the market, following the release of first quarter results to December with lower profit before other comprehensive income. 138 Student Living shed 44 cents in ending at $5.56 after 2,450 shares were traded, Palace Amusement climbed $201.99 in closing at $2,399.99 after switching ownership of 375 stocks. Sagicor Group rallied $2 to settle at $51 with the swapping of 25,843 stock units, Scotia Group lost 40 cents to finish at $34.50 as investors exchanged 353,714 units, Seprod dipped $1 to end at $65 in transferring 3,550 shares and Supreme Ventures shed 50 cents to close at $25 after 117,645 stock units cleared the market.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share popped $150 after ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1,250 with 30 stocks changing hands, Jamaica Public Service 7% gained 50 cents in closing at a record high of $6 in exchanging 128 shares and 138 Student Living preference share rose $1.50 to $75.50 with investors transferring 516 units.
A total of 6,415,297 shares were exchanged for $16,382,248 against 5,986,665 units at $16,728,284 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Honey Bun shed 36 cents in ending at $7.07 in switching ownership of 3,327 shares, iCreate rose 22 cents to $2.15 with the swapping of 927,094 stocks, following a release of the company signing an agreement to acquire Visual Ideas Execution Limited, ISP Finance popped 44 cents to $27.94 after exchanging 721 units. JFP Ltd gained 7 cents to settle at $1.77, with 293,494 shares crossing the market, Knutsford Express fell $1.50 to $11 with 1,948 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing rose 64 cents to $4.70 with a transfer of 28,371 stock units. Main Event fell $1.04 to $9.20 after 7,713 units passed through the market, Medical Disposables shed 80 cents to close at $4.61 after trading 20,474 stocks, MFS Capital Partners gained 20 cents in closing at $3.21 after an exchange of 441,437 stock units.
Stationery and Office Supplies popped 50 cents to end at $15.50 with investors transferring just 1,627 shares and Tropical Battery gained 15 cents in closing at $2.60 after 1,515,045 stock units cleared the market.
Overall, 291,324 shares were exchanged for US$20,906 compared with 260,566 units at US$12,989 on Thursday.
Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share lost 0.6 of one cent in closing at 8.9 US cents and trading 13,505 stocks and Transjamaican Highway remained at 0.92 of one US cent in an exchange of 230,000 stock units.
Trading ended with an exchange of 15,002,754 shares, down from 11,852,477 units on Thursday, valued at $117 million up from $51.7 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market resulted in investors exchanging US$20,906 compared with US$12,989 on Thursday.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many 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.
Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
Investors traded 239,632 shares for $4,387,314. compared to 578,879 stock units at $21,821,167 on Thursday.
L.J. Williams B share dipped 15 cents to $2.55 in an exchange of 600 units, Massy Holdings remained at $4.49 in switching ownership of 197,706 shares, National Enterprises climbed 39 cents in closing at $3.99 after an exchanging of 1,114 stock units. One Caribbean Media ended at $3.50, with 1,000 stocks crossing the market, Point Lisas ended at $3.55 with a transfer of 545 stock units, Republic Financial fell $3.50 to $134 with an exchange of 20,999 shares. Scotiabank added 1 cent in closing at $77.94 with 523 units changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL dropped 25 cents to $21 in trading 1,600 shares and West Indian Tobacco lost 1 cent to close at $20.50, with 175 units crossing the exchange.
A total of 5,605,407 shares were exchanged for $34,963,663 versus 9,458,006 units at $74,659,322 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 14.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ends between November 2022 and August 2023.
Kingston Properties rallied 44 cents to $6.99 after 395 stocks cleared the market, Kingston Wharves dipped $1 to $34 trading 10,600 stock units. Massy Holdings declined $1.39 in closing at $78.61 after switching ownership of 5,190 units, Mayberry Investments shed 76 cents to end at $8.01 with investors transferring 723 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities declined $1.83 to close at $11.10 after 94,250 stocks passed through the market. NCB Financial advanced $2.50 in closing at $80 in transferring 15,495 units, 138 Student Living popped $1 to $6 with 197,838 shares changing hands, Palace Amusement climbed $8 in ending at $2,198 with a transfer of 667 stocks. Sagicor Group gained 40 cents to settle at $49 trading 2,252 stock units, 
Sterling Investments lost 40 cents to close at $2.60 with the swapping of 10,000 shares and Supreme Ventures shed 60 cents to end at $25.50 after an exchange of 91,761 units.
Overall, 260,566 shares were traded for US$12,989 compared with 287,125 units at US$19,364 on Wednesday.
Proven Investments lost 0.84 of a cent to end at 19.16 US cents while exchanging 16,700 stock units, Sterling Investments popped 0.18 of a cent in closing at 1.99 US cents as 494 stocks passed through the market. Sygnus Credit Investments USD share ended at 9.51 US cents 16,850 units crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway remained at 0.92 of one US cent with investors exchanging 187,273 stocks.
Trading ended with an exchange of 11,852,477 shares, down from 19,398,419 units on Wednesday, valued at $51.7 million down from $95.1 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market resulted in investors exchanging US$12,989 compared with US$19,364 on Wednesday.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many 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.
Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
Investors traded 578,879 shares for $21,821,177 versus 603,880 stocks at $13,154,529 on Wednesday.
GraceKennedy gained 5 cents to $4.75, with 31,155 stocks changing hands, Guardian Holdings remained at $26 after an exchange of 218,509 stock units, JMMB Group ended at $1.99 in exchanging 2,250 stock units. L.J. Williams B share remained at $2.70 with a transfer of 10 stocks, Massy Holdings ended at $4.49 with trading in 25,399 units, National Enterprises declined 11 cents in closing at $3.60 after 115,000 shares changed hands. National Flour Mills advanced 1 cent to close at $1.51, with 10,100 stocks crossing the market, One Caribbean Media rose 39 cents to $3.50 while exchanging 30,000 stock units, Point Lisas rallied 5 cents to end at $3.55 with 459 units changing hands. Prestige Holdings remained at $7 after a transfer of 1,650 shares, Republic Financial remained at $137.50 with an exchange of 98,145 shares, Scotiabank ended at $77.95 in trading 17,649 stock units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $21.25 as 15,744 units changed hands, Unilever Caribbean increased 30 cents in closing at $13.90 with investors transferring 1,086 stocks and West Indian Tobacco fell 80 cents to end at $20.51 in trading 1,471 stock units.
