I think these British stocks could rise strongly in value in March. Here’s why I think they are top UK shares that I’d like to buy today and hold for years.
Marketing marvel
Signs of improving trade at 4Imprint Group (LSE: FOUR) leads me to believe now could be a good time to invest in this UK share. The promotional products manufacturer is scheduled to release full-year financials on 16 March. This could lead to a fresh share price jump in my opinion.
Corporate advertising and marketing budgets tend to leap at the start of any economic recovery. And 4Imprint’s order book is already beginning to reflect this. Latest financials in January showed that order intake had improved to around 70% of pre-pandemic levels in the fourth quarter of 2020.
4Imprint’s has been grabbing market share at an impressive pace in recent years. But bear in mind that the marketing sector in which this UK share operates is hugely competitive. This could potentially put the brakes on the company’s impressive earnings growth of recent years.
The ace of spades
I’m also quite excited to see what UK software share Playtech (LSE: PTEC) will have to say this month. Full-year results are scheduled for release on 11 March. Last time it updated the market in January it advised that results for 2020 would be “ahead of consensus”.
Playtech provides sports and gaming software that allows online betting companies to trade. It is therefore riding the crest of a wave as Internet gambling activity powers ahead. And the company is expanding aggressively to make the most of this expanding market. It entered the lucrative US marketplace in 2020. And this month it inked a deal with US casino operator Greenwood Racing for the licensing of its products across a number of US states.
The constant threat of regulatory clampdowns on betting companies is one that has clear consequences for Playtech. But I still think this UK tech share is an attractive share to buy today. The company trades on a forward price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 0.2. Any reading below 1 suggests that a stock could be undervalued by the market. Those upcoming financials next month could remind investors of its exciting growth prospects and prompt a sharp re-rating.
Another high-quality UK share
I also reckon plumbing and heating specialist Ferguson (LSE: FERG) could impress when half-year results also come out on 16 March. This is thanks to strong market conditions in its core US marketplace.
Housing starts Stateside fell by a larger-than-expected margin in January. But on the whole conditions in the US homes market are strong and residential property starts in December rose at their fastest pace since 2006. This favourable backdrop explains why City analysts reckon Ferguson’s annual earnings will rise by mid-to-high single digit percentages for the fiscal years to June 2021 and 2022.
Remember that earnings forecasts can fall short. And Ferguson’s high valuation could prompt a sharp share price reversal if trading starts to deteriorate. Today the UK share trades on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 25 times.
