Durrant Pate/Contributor

There has been a pullback in the equity prices of Jamaican-based regional conglomerate, Seprod and its Trinidad-based subsidiary, A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings (ASBH).

Seprod was down 4.1% at the end of trading last week but rallied yesterday, advancing 75 cents to now be trading at $79.90, while ASBH dropped 11.9% last week but advanced by $1.06 yesterday to close at $31.01.

Last week’s pullback in ASBH and Seprod occurred despite strong underlying financial performance, as ASBH reported a 22.37% increase in net profit to US$9.7 billion for the full year financial year ended December 31, 2025. 

This represents a 23.07% expansion in revenue, driven by its consumer goods segment and improved export sales, buoyed by earnings. Similarly, Seprod posted a 91.06% surge in full-year earnings, reflecting stronger core operations and the consolidation impact of increased ownership stakes in key subsidiaries.

Overall, year-to-date price performance remains subdued with ASBH and Seprod down 1.34% and 5.67%, respectively. 

Overall market performance

Last week, the broader market performance as measured by the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) Combined Index slipped marginally by 0.41%. Although 63 of the 127 traded stocks advanced, 53 declined and 11 remained unchanged, the performance was evenly split across the indices, with four declining and four advancing. 

The JSE Manufacturing and Distribution (M&D) Index (-1.6%) and the Cross Listed Index (-1.2%) led the decliners. Within the M&D Index, the decline was largely driven by ASBH, Seprod and Caribbean Cement Company (-3.6%) led the losers.

For the Cross Listed Index, Massy Holdings (-1.5%) was the main contributor to its decline. The Group delivered a strong start to FY2026, with Q1 revenue (+5.5%) and earnings (+6.2%) all improving year-on-year, reflecting disciplined execution across the portfolio. 

Meanwhile, the JSE USD Equities Index (+1.24%) and the Select Index (+0.76%) led the advancers. TransJamaican Highway (TJH) was the standout performer for both indices, rising 6.3% for the USD stock and 12.5% for the JMD stock week over week.

The rally likely reflects continued positive investor sentiment following a 17.09% increase in full-year net profit to US$36.68 million. The bottom line was buttressed by revenue, which grew 10.07%, underpinned by sustained traffic expansion across the network and higher t-Tag penetration. 

Importantly, this growth was achieved despite temporary revenue disruptions from the hurricane-related toll suspension, highlighting the resilience of the company’s operating model.