If you invest in good-quality shares and hold them for the long haul, I reckon they can help you compound your way to a million. As part of a diversified portfolio, the following are two of the best UK shares I’d buy now.
Food products
With Cranswick (LSE: CWK), both operations and the share price have held up quite well through the coronavirus crisis. The FTSE 250 meat-focused food products supplier has proved the resilience of its business recently. Indeed, the company has defensive qualities that show up in the long record of gradually rising revenue, earnings, cash flow, and shareholder dividends.
The enterprise has so far been a growth success. And that reflects in the almost 350% rise in the share price over the past 10 years. But I wouldn’t allow past achievements to put me off owning the stock. I reckon the future looks bright for Cranswick. And shareholders taking the plunge and buying a few shares today may be glad they did a decade from now.
In June, chief executive Adam Couch said there is a “solid platform from which to continue Cranswick’s successful long-term development”. And the firm has been ploughing money into its operations as well as acquiring new businesses to keep the growth flowing.
Meanwhile, with the share price near 3,734p, the forward-looking earnings multiple is just above 21 for the trading year to March 2022. And the anticipated dividend yield is a little under 1.8%. This isn’t a bargain-basement valuation, but the business is a premium enterprise and may be worth paying for.
Fast-moving consumer goods
The fast-moving consumer goods sector has long been cherished by investors as a well-stocked hunting ground for cash-generating, defensive businesses. And perhaps the king of the bunch in the FTSE 100 is Unilever (LSE: ULVR), which has a market capitalisation around £119bn. Indeed, it’s a huge business.
You’ll probably know many of the company’s resilient and much-loved brands, such as Hellman’s, Domestos, Vaseline, and many others. Consumers tend to stick to the brands they know, and they keep using up the product and coming back for more. That’s why company cash flow can be so reliable and backs steady shareholder dividends.
But Unilever has delivered growth as well. And that shows up in the share price. The stock is around 130% higher than it was 10 years ago. But on top of all that capital appreciation, shareholders have collected a rising stream of dividend income. For a sleep-well-at-night investment, that’s a decent return.
And the next decade could work out well for shareholders as well. In July, chief executive Alan Jope said, “Our focus for the rest of 2020 will continue to be volume led competitive growth.” Meanwhile, with the share price close to 4,549p, the forward-looking earnings multiple for 2021 is just below 20. And the anticipated dividend yield is around 3.4%. Unilever has carried a full-looking price tag for as long as I can remember. But I reckon the company remains one of the best UK shares to buy now.
