Our message here at The Motley Fool is clear… stock market crashes happen, sure. But those investors who build a well-balanced portfolio of quality shares should still expect to make exceptional returns.
It can be an easy thing to forget when stock prices are going to hell in a handcart. Those that remember, though, and buy equities following a stock market crash tend to be the ones who are most successful. They benefit from buying quality at rock-bottom prices and then watching their investments rocket in value as economic conditions improve.
I think many UK shares look too good to miss following the 2020 financial market meltdown. And even though another stock market crash might be brewing, I’d buy them today in an ISA in expectation of exceptional long-term gains.
I’d buy this bank after the crash
I’d very happily buy TBC Bank Group (LSE: TBCG) after the 2020 market crash. This most cyclical of shares stands to take a big profits hit because of Covid-19. Thankfully, though, infection rates in Georgia have been modest (just over 1,000 at the last count). And this should help the Eurasian country’s economy rebound relatively quickly.
The Asian Development Bank expects Georgia’s GDP to rebound 5% in 2021 following a 5% drop this year. Retail banking giant TBC Bank is well placed to ride this bounceback, of course. I expect profits here to continue rocketing through the rest of the 2020s, too as wealth levels in the nation grow and the FTSE 250 firm’s huge investments in digital banking and international expansion pay off.
Following the stock market crash TBC Bank trades on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 7 times. Given its superior long-term profits outlook — and particularly compared with embattled British banks like Lloyds — I reckon this UK share is a steal.
Medical marvel
Another brilliant bargain I’d buy right now is GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK). The stock market crash leaves it trading on a P/E ratio of just 13 times for 2020. The pharmaceuticals giant carries an enormous dividend yield north of 5%, too.
In my opinion Glaxo’s one of the most oversold stocks on the FTSE 100 today. The essential nature of its products means that profits growth should remain robust this year and next, irrespective of Covid-19. I’d buy it today because of its exceptional long-term outlook, built upon rampant population growth and rising healthcare investment all over the world.
The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science reckons global medicine demand could grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6% through to 2023. And it says that new products launched over the next few years will command a higher level of spending. This bodes well for Glaxo, which has more than 30 new medicines in development.
Buying Glaxo and TBC Bank shares at today’s prices leaves plenty of scope for investors to enjoy big gains in the years ahead. But they’re not the only cut-price powerhouses worthy of serious attention today. With a little bit of research it’s possible to build a formidable shares portfolio for next to nothing. And I for one plan to continue buying for my ISA following the market crash.
