Here’s what Stocks & Shares ISA investors are buying today!

ISA investors are piling into these UK and US stocks. But which could be the best buy right now? Royston Wild gives his verdict.

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I’m always looking for fresh investment ideas. And while I’m keen not to follow the herd, I like to see what other Stocks & Shares ISA investors are buying (or selling) to find opportunities.

Trading platform interactive investor has just released its list of top 10 shares, funds and trusts that were bought by ISA investors in the week to 14 June. It contains several top-quality stocks that I’d be keen to add to my own portfolio when I next have cash to invest.

PositionStockWeekly change
1Legal & General Group (LSE:LGEN)Up 6
2Nvidia CorpUp 1
3Helium OneNew entrant
4Eurasia MiningNew entrant
5Phoenix Group HoldingsUp 5
6National GridDown 5
7Rolls-Royce HoldingsUp 2
8BPDown 6
9GameStop CorpDown 3
10Vodafone GroupDown 5

As the table suggests, I think Legal & General could be the hottest of the bunch. Here’s why I think it could be a top stock to buy right now.

Should you invest £1,000 in Legal & General right now?

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Great value

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3Legal & General Group Plc PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALLwww.fool.co.uk

Legal & General’s place at the top of the table isn’t surprising to me. If I didn’t already hold a large stake in the FTSE 100 company I’d be buying it for my own portfolio today.

The financial services company has slumped on news that dividends will rise at a slower pace than usual between 2025 and 2027. Fresh capital-generation targets some have called ‘soft’ have also prompted many investors to exit or reduce their stakes.

Like interactive investor’s ISA customers, I consider this an excellent dip-buying opportunity. Today, Legal & General shares trade on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 9.5 times. They also now carry a huge 9.4% dividend yield.

A top FTSE buy

As a major provider of retirement and wealth products, the business has significant opportunities to grow earnings and dividends in the coming decades. The world’s population is rapidly ageing — the UN thinks the number of over-65s will rise to 1bn by 2030, and keep rising to hit 1.6bn in 2050 — providing financial services providers like this with a booming potential customer base.

There are many UK, US and European stocks I can buy to capitalise on this trend. But I like Legal & General specifically because of its cash-rich balance sheet.

The firm’s Solvency II capital ratio remains well north of 200%. And it is targeting cumulative Solvency II operational surplus generation of £5bn-£6bn in the three years to 2027. I believe it will have the balance sheet strength to invest heavily for growth while also continuing to pay market-beating dividends.

Tasty forecasts

City analysts believe group earnings will soar 225% year on year in 2024. They are also forecasting growth of 10% and 9% in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

Of course, broker forecasts cannot be guaranteed. Legal & General may print disappointing profits if interest rates fail to fall markedly. It also faces significant competition in each of its markets (including from Phoenix Group, which is also on that top 10 list of ISA buys above).

But on balance, I believe the Footsie firm has exceptional investment potential, in both the near-term and beyond.

Should you buy Legal & General shares today?

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Of course, the decade ahead looks hazardous. What with inflation recently hitting 40-year highs, a ‘cost of living crisis’ and threat of a new Cold War, knowing where to invest has never been trickier.

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Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Royston Wild has positions in Legal & General Group Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Nvidia, Rolls-Royce Plc, and Vodafone Group Public. 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.

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