5 shares I’d buy right now

BGEO Group plc (LON:BGEO), Taylor Wimpey plc (LON:TW), Shire plc (LON:SHP), Prudential plc (LON:PRU) and National Grid plc (LON:NG) are Prabhat Sakya’s five picks of the moment.

| 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.

Are you interested in buying shares? Are you looking for bargains as the Brexit crisis rolls on? Then I’ve picked five companies that could be worthy additions to your portfolio.

BGEO Group

BGEO Group (LSE:BGEO), formally known as Bank of Georgia, is an emerging market financial that’s the leading bank in the Eastern European state of Georgia. I’ve been a fan of this stock as it has been growing its earnings, has started to pay out a dividend, and yet is remarkably cheap for such a growth prospect.

A P/E ratio of 12 and a dividend yield of 2.24% show that the firm is keenly priced, and is one to invest in if you want more emerging market exposure.

Taylor Wimpey

Housebuilders such as Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW) have taken an absolute pummelling following the Brexit vote. Yet my view is that Britain’s housing boom will continue. And that means that profitability will rise further at Taylor Wimpey.

Recent price falls just mean that this could be the right time to add a housebuilder to your investments. For a business that has seen its earnings steadily rise, a P/E ratio of 9, with a dividend yield of 7.8%, looks cheap.

Shire

I’m a firm believer that the trend of increasing global spend in healthcare will lead to increasing profits for pharmaceutical firms. And of one of the UK’s fastest growing healthcare businesses is Shire (LSE:SHP), a company that aims to cure a wide range of rare diseases.

Shire has been one of the FTSE 100’s growth stars of the past decade. But a recent pull-back in the share price means that this company is a great way to build your holding in Big Pharma.

The P/E ratio is 20, and the company has also started to pay out a dividend.

Prudential

Financials have had a hard time of it since the Credit Crunch. Yet one notable exception is insurance business Prudential (LSE:PRU). This company has largely avoided bad debts, scandal and litigation. Instead, it has taken advantage of its strong position in fast-growing emerging markets such as China and India.

Rapid growth in earnings per share has pushed the Pru’s market value higher, but recent profit taking means the firm is now very reasonably priced. A P/E ratio of just 11, with a dividend yield of 3.1% will appeal to investors who want a combination of income and growth.

National Grid

In the tech-driven bull market of the 1990s, computing and the internet was king, and dull utilities such as National Grid (LSE:NG) took a hammering.

Yet far-sighted contrarians at the time, notably Neil Woodford, saw the intrinsic value in these businesses. Even as most stock prices were tumbling, National Grid has been on a 20-year bull run.

And in times of crisis, investors turn to firms with the defensive qualities of utilities such as this. Check the fundamentals, and this company still represents good value, with a P/E ratio of 14 and a dividend yield of 3.86%.

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.

Prabhat Sakya has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

Will the Rolls-Royce share price hit £2 or £6 first?

The Rolls-Royce share price has soared in recent years. Can it continue to gain altitude or could it hit unexpected…

Read more »

A senior man and his wife holding hands walking up a hill on a footpath looking away from the camera at the view. The fishing village of Polperro is behind them.
Investing Articles

How much should I put in stocks to give up work and live off passive income?

Here’s how much I’d invest and which stocks I’d target for a portfolio focused on passive income for an earlier…

Read more »

Google office headquarters
Investing Articles

Does a dividend really make Alphabet stock more attractive?

Google parent Alphabet announced this week it plans to pay its first ever dividend. Our writer gives his take on…

Read more »

Young mixed-race couple sat on the beach looking out over the sea
Investing Articles

Could starting a Stocks & Shares ISA be my single best financial move ever?

Christopher Ruane explains why he thinks setting up a seemingly mundane Stocks and Shares ISA could turn out to be…

Read more »

Investing Articles

How I’d invest £200 a month in UK shares to target £9,800 in passive income annually

Putting a couple of hundred of pounds each month into the stock market could generate an annual passive income close…

Read more »

Investing Articles

How much passive income could I make if I buy BT shares today?

BT Group shares offer a very tempting dividend right now, way above the FTSE 100 average. But it's far from…

Read more »

Investing Articles

If I put £10,000 in Tesco shares today, how much passive income would I receive?

Our writer considers whether he would add Tesco shares to his portfolio right now for dividends and potential share price…

Read more »

Silhouette of a bull standing on top of a landscape with the sun setting behind it
Investing Articles

What grows at 12% and outperforms the FTSE 100?

Stephen Wright’s been looking at a FTSE 100 stock that’s consistently beaten the index and thinks has the potential to…

Read more »