We’re about two weeks into February, and the FTSE 100 has scarcely been in better health. The UK has so far avoided a recession and price pressures are easing. I’m personally wondering how long that bull rally will last as the US turns hawkish. But based on analyst ratings and company fundamentals, I think these three FTSE 100 stocks still stand a decent chance at returning big share-price gains this year.
Lloyds
It might seem overly bullish to back Lloyds (LSE:LLOY) shares. Bank stocks have enjoyed a good 12 months on the back of rising interest rates and relatively resilient demand, and Lloyds is no different, with shares jumping nearly 14% since the start of 2022.
Still, things look good for Lloyds to press ahead. A higher, longer peak for interest rates looks likely, improving interest-linked revenues for banks like Lloyds. And when they start to fall, demand for housing should return as mortgage rates drop too.
Barclays recently gave the bank 40% upside at 75p, Jeffries just upgraded its price target even higher at 77p, and it’s also Credit Suisse’s top pick.
It should be noted that conditions could easily worsen for the bank, particularly if house prices come down, or rising interest rates combined with worsening economic conditions mean firms and households struggle to repay their loans.
But a forecast dividend yield this year of 5.9% is well above the Footsie average forecast of 3.5%, increasing my chances of a happy return.
Tesco
Shares in Tesco (LSE:TSCO) are up 7.5% in the first six weeks of the year amid surprisingly good earnings.
But thanks to a disappointing 2022 where its shares fell 25%, the stock still looks cheap. A price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11.3 is low for the retailer, which has trended around an average of 14, and below a FTSE 100 average of 13.9 in December.
The FTSE 100 retail giant saw sales growth last year even as the volume of purchases dipped. The group looks like it’s been able to pass cost increases onto customers, who may be over the worst of their stinginess.
That’s because inflation looks like it’s peaking, and the UK potentially dodging a recession may keep households from feeling quite as tight a pinch as expected. That said, if household income falls further, then this could weigh on Tesco’s shares.
AstraZeneca
Even as the rest of the FTSE 100 barrels ahead to record highs, it’s been an unusually sanguine start to the year for pharmaceutical titan AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN).
The FTSE 100’s second-largest company has nearly tripled its price in the last five years, but is down 0.3% in the year to date.
Disappointing test results in the future would present a risk to the share price, however. And while the group has a mammoth P/E multiple of 20, its fundamentals still make it look appealing. The company expects strong top-line growth through 2025, which could return a nice boost around earnings season and bump up dividends, forecast at $3.06 per share this year.
Bank of America meanwhile said it expects the healthcare group to return meaningful sales growth for the first time in a decade.
As investors look closer to find weak spots in the market, these giants of the FTSE 100 stand a decent chance of barrelling on. For my own portfolio, I’d consider Lloyds above all, and bide my time on Tesco and AstraZeneca.
