These could be the best FTSE 100 shares to invest in

I’m looking for high dividend yields at a reasonable valuation and these fantastic FTSE 100 shares might just fit the bill.

| 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.

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.

These FTSE 100 shares all have dividend yields in excess of 5%, relatively low P/E ratios and have at least 5% dividend growth. So, they combine a good dividend with value, which in turn might make them very good investments for me.

Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) is a well-known mining company. It’s is a major iron ore miner, so from that respect is tied to steel production and in turn, to some extent, Chinese economic growth. But it is also more than an iron ore miner.

It digs for copper, aluminium, silver, gold, bauxite and diamonds too. At the end of last year, on 21 December, the miner announced it had entered into a binding agreement to acquire the Rincon lithium project for $825m. It says Rincon is one of the largest undeveloped lithium brine projects in the world. This should position it well for expanding electric vehicle manufacturing.

The challenge is for Rio Tinto to keep producing when the prices of commodities fall. It also has to watch for ESG issues, especially on the environmental front (that’s the ‘E’ in ESG). 

Overall with a P/E of 10 and a dividend yield of 9%, there’s a lot I like about this FTSE 100 share.

Two good value FTSE 100 stocks that provide income

Housebuilder Persimmon (LSE: PSN) and insurer Admiral (LSE: ADM) are two other FTSE 100 shares I think could reward me long term. The former has a dividend yield of 10% and a P/E of 11, while Admiral has a dividend yield of 5% and a P/E of 18.

While Persimmon’s business could be hurt by higher interest rates, for now, house prices keep rising. That said, demand may weaken as support schemes like Help to Buy end. But if higher interest rates do dent the housing market, the government may step in to help first-time buyers again in future.

Persimmon is a high-margin, high-return-on-capital business, it has a 24% operating margin and a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 25%. If one looks at Barratt Developments for comparison, it’s 18% and 13%, respectively. That’s quite a difference. I think it comes down to Persimmon’s focus on family homes outside the capital and its better supply chain – for example, it owns its own a timber frame, wall panel and roof cassette manufacturing facility and has built its own brickworks and tileworks facilities. It may also just buy land for future development at better prices.

The third of my FTSE 100 shares

Lastly, just a quick word on Admiral. It’s a steady business. Insurance is needed even when inflation is high so it should do ok whatever the economic backdrop is. On top of that, Admiral has a good brand. But insurance is also a competitive industry where the main differentiator is price. That makes it hard to raise prices. The industry also has to adapt to new rules on not offering cheaper prices to new customers over loyal ones. 

When I look at the fundamentals, Rio Tinto, Persimmon and Admiral are up there among the very best FTSE 100 companies to invest in right now. Rio Tinto and Admiral — as an extra bonus — should also do fairly well in this inflationary environment. 

I’d buy all three for my portfolio.

Andy Ross owns shares in Persimmon. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Admiral Group. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Portrait of elderly man wearing white denim shirt and glasses looking up with hand on chin. Thoughtful senior entrepreneur, studio shot against grey background.
Investing Articles

Are you ignoring the ISA deadline? Here’s what you may be losing forever!

Think the annual ISA deadline's not your business? You could potentially be missing out, even as a very modest investor.…

Read more »

Aerial shot showing an aircraft shadow flying over an idyllic beach
Investing Articles

How much does someone need to put in the stock market to retire and live off passive income?

Put money in the stock market as a way of building dividend income streams big enough to retire on? Christopher…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

£20k invested in a Stocks and Shares ISA on 7 April could pay this much passive income

Looking for dividend stock ideas in April? Our writer highlights a five-share portfolio that could generate £1,428 a year in…

Read more »

Calendar showing the date of 5th April on desk in a house
Investing Articles

£20,000 in a Stocks and Shares ISA? See how it could be used to target a £989 monthly passive income

Christopher Ruane looks beyond the looming contribution deadline for a Stocks and Shares ISA and takes a long-term approach to…

Read more »

Two business people sitting at cafe working on new project using laptop. Young businesswoman taking notes and businessman working on laptop computer.
Investing Articles

Warren Buffett’s firm has 43% of its stock portfolio in 2 names. But…

Warren Buffett’s company looks like it has a concentrated stock portfolio. But as Stephen Wright points out, it’s more diversified…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking up arrow on wooden block cubes
Investing Articles

£20,000 buys this many shares of the FTSE 100’s highest-yielding dividend stock

What's the biggest yielder in the FTSE 100? How many shares in it would £20k buy an investor right now?…

Read more »

Santa Clara offices of NVIDIA
Investing Articles

3 reasons why AI could cause a brutal stock market crash

Artificial intelligence is going to affect all our lives. But will it hasten a massive stock market crash? James Beard…

Read more »

Happy male couple looking at a laptop screen together
Investing Articles

Should I buy the UK’s most ‘profitable’ penny stock? Not so fast…

Mark Hartley breaks down the complex financials of penny stocks, revealing why these risky investments are often hard to value.

Read more »