I’m loving FTSE 250 stocks at the moment! I’m buying more shares of these 2

The FTSE 250 has gone on a tear and this Fool thinks there are plenty of buying opportunities. Here he explores two.

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I’m not alone when I say I can’t get enough of the FTSE 250 right now. It has soared 6.5% so far in 2024, including a 2.5% jump last week. Like me, investors are clearly bullish on what the index has to offer.

I think a lot of FTSE 250 stocks can go under the radar. But for an investor like me who wants to buy undervalued shares that other investors are passing over, that’s perfect.

Here are two stocks I own. I should have some spare cash this month and I plan to increase my position in both. I reckon investors should consider buying some shares too.

Should you invest £1,000 in ITV right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if ITV made the list?

See the 6 stocks

ITV

Broadcasting behemoth ITV (LSE: ITV) is up there as one of my favourite FTSE 250 companies. My position in the stock is up 19.4% so far. But I only purchased shares back in April and I view ITV as a long-term investment.

Its share price has shot up 33.3% year to date. Even so, trading on 16 times earnings, I think its shares look like fair value. To go with that, the stock boasts a 6% dividend yield.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3ITV PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALLwww.fool.co.uk

Its share price has taken a hit over the last five years due to the decline of traditional broadcasting. Factors such as rising inflation have seen ITV’s customers cut back on spending. The rise of streaming service providers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime also poses a threat.

But to counteract this, ITV continues to build out its digital capabilities. It has been making good progress with ITVX, its streaming platform. In Q1, digital advertising revenues grew 14%.

Alongside this, the business has been cracking on with its cost saving programme. It targeted £150m in savings between 2019 and 2026. At the end of last year, it had delivered £130m of annualised savings. It expects to deliver the full £150m by 2025, a year ahead of schedule.  

Safestore

I also own Safestore (LSE: SAFE). Unlike ITV, it has had a rather poor start to the year. So far, it’s down 9.8%.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3Safestore Plc PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALLwww.fool.co.uk

But now trading on just 6.6 times earnings, I reckon its shares look too cheap to pass on. That’s way below the index average of 12.

What’s more, it yields 3.8%. That’s by no means the largest payout on the index. But it’s still above the average of 3.3%. Its payout has jumped 300% in the last decade.

Its margins have been squeezed in recent years by inflation and rising debt servicing costs. That has forced Safestore to raise its prices, which has led to occupancy rates falling. Should the Bank of England decide to delay interest rate cuts, this could lead to the Safestore share price falling further.

But we’re starting to see positive signs come out of the housing market as it slowly recovers. The value of Safestore’s property portfolio rose in its latest results. The business also highlighted the impressive progress it continues to make with its expansion plans. The months ahead may be volatile. But I’m still keen to top up my position.

Should you buy ITV now?

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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.

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Charlie Keough has positions in ITV and Safestore Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Amazon, ITV, and Safestore Plc. 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.

Pound coins for sale — 51 pence?

This seems ridiculous, but we almost never see shares looking this cheap. Yet this recent ‘Best Buy Now’ has a price/book ratio of 0.51. In plain English, this means that investors effectively get in on a business that holds £1 of assets for every 51p they invest!

Of course, this is the stock market where money is always at risk — these valuations can change and there are no guarantees. But some risks are a LOT more interesting than others, and at The Motley Fool we believe this company is amongst them.

What’s more, it currently boasts a stellar dividend yield of around 8.5%, and right now it’s possible for investors to jump aboard at near-historic lows. Want to get the name for yourself?

See the full investment case

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