3 FTSE Shares Hitting New Highs: Aviva plc, Hargreaves Lansdown PLC And Johnson Matthey PLC

Aviva plc (LON: AV), Hargreaves Lansdown PLC (LON: HL) and Johnson Matthey PLC (LON: JMAT) are soaring

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE) appears to be resting after putting in a good day yesterday with a 53-point rise, and by early afternoon today it’s 9 points down at 6,575 points but still 28 up on the week so far. The FTSE’s 13-year record of 6,876 points set back in May is becoming a more distant memory every day, with the strengthening economic recovery ironically helping hold it back as it is sure to bring the end of economic stimulus measures sooner or later.

But if the UK’s top index doesn’t look like regaining its record highs just yet, which companies are? Here are three from the FTSE 1o0:

Aviva

The insurance business has been doing well of late, and Aviva (LSE: AV) (NYSE: AV.US) has been one of the beneficiaries. Its shares hit a 52-week high of 411.5p today, before dropping back a little to 409p by early afternoon. That takes the price up 40% since April’s lows, and is good news for the Fool’s Beginners’ Portfolio which added Aviva shares at 321p in March.

Aviva itself is forecast to return to profit this year, and since its dividend was rebased, we’re looking at a yield of 4%. That’s not one of the highest around, but it is better than average and it should be well-covered and sustainable.

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown (LSE: HL) shares ended yesterday on a 52-week closing high of 1,040p. They have dropped back 21p on ex-dividend day today to 1,019p, but that fall is smaller than the dividend, so it’s actually an overall up day today.

Full-year results on 4 September showed a 22% rise in revenue to £292.4m, with pre-tax profit up 28% to £195.2m and earnings per share (EPS) up 30% to 31.4p. The shares are up 56% over the past 12 months, which puts them on quite a high P/E multiple of 28 based on full-year forecasts. The dividend yield is a pretty average 3%.

Johnson Matthey

Specialist chemicals supplier Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT) is our third for today, with its shares closing on a 12-month high of 2,985p yesterday for a rise of more than 20% over the period. There has been no further news since July’s positive first-quarter update, but we do have two years of rising EPS currently forecast with dividend yields of a little over 2%.

That Q1 update was in line with forecasts, and we’ll know more when we get first-half results on 21 November.

Finally, if you’re looking for high-performing top-drawer shares that should take you all the way to a comfortable retirement, I recommend the Fool’s special new report detailing five blue-chip shares. They’ll be familiar names to many, and they’ve already provided investors with decades of profits.

But you can only get the report for a limited period, so click here to get your hands on these great ideas — they could set you on the road to long-term riches.

> Alan does not own any shares mentioned in this article.

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

More on Investing Articles

Fireworks display in the shape of willow at Newcastle, Co. Down , Northern Ireland at Halloween.
Investing Articles

The Anglo American share price soars to £25, but I’m not selling!

On Thursday, the Anglo American share price soared after mega-miner BHP Group made an unsolicited bid for it. But I…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Now 70p, is £1 the next stop for the Vodafone share price?

The Vodafone share price is back to 70p, but it's a long way short of the 97p it hit in…

Read more »

Concept of two young professional men looking at a screen in a technological data centre
Investing Articles

If I’d put £5,000 in Nvidia stock at the start of 2024, here’s what I’d have now

Nvidia stock was a massive winner in 2023 as the AI chipmaker’s profits surged across the year. How has it…

Read more »

Light bulb with growing tree.
Investing Articles

3 top investment trusts that ‘green’ up my Stocks and Shares ISA

I’ll be buying more of these investment trusts for my Stocks and Shares ISA given the sustainable and stable returns…

Read more »

Investing Articles

8.6% or 7.2%? Does the Legal & General or Aviva dividend look better?

The Aviva dividend tempts our writer. But so does the payout from Legal & General. Here he explains why he'd…

Read more »

a couple embrace in front of their new home
Investing Articles

Are Persimmon shares a bargain hiding in plain sight?

Persimmon shares have struggled in 2024, so far. But today's trading update suggests sentiment in the housing market's already improving.

Read more »

Market Movers

Here’s why the Unilever share price is soaring after Q1 earnings

Stephen Wright isn’t surprised to see the Unilever share price rising as the company’s Q1 results show it’s executing on…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Barclays’ share price jumps 5% on Q1 news. Will it soon be too late to buy?

The Barclays share price has been having a great time this year, as a solid Q1 gives it another boost.…

Read more »