How would I invest a windfall £10,000 in FTSE shares today if it just dropped into my lap? If I was just starting out, diversification would be first on my mind. But, thankfully, I don’t really need to consider that too much now.
Healthy property
I might put some of the money into Primary Health Properties (LSE: PHP). It’s a real estate investment trust (REIT) which rents out healthcare facilities. The shares are down a third over five years.
First-half results on 24 July were headlined “28-year track record of dividend growth set to continue“.
The interim dividend’s up 3% to 3.45p. Forecasts suggest a 7.4% yield for the full year. So doesn’t that alone make the stock worth buying?
Maybe not, as the value of the trust’s property portfolio has fallen again, but only by 1.4% this time. And though the board welcomes the new government’s aim to increase investment in primary care, how much might go to the private sector’s unknown.
Still, even with the property risk, the shares are priced below net asset value. And forecasts have the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio falling as profits rise.
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Building dividends
Taylor Wimpey‘s (LSE: TW.) been high on my watchlist for some time.
The shares have been recovering from their slump, but the forecast dividend yield‘s still at a tasty 6.1%, even after these recent gains.
And with the company’s stated aim “to return c.7.5% of net assets annually, in two equal instalments“, it should hopefully grow as interest rates fall and the housing market gets back up to speed.
We’re not out of the woods yet, mind. And some would say that a P/E of around 14 means the shares might be fully valued now.
I do see a risk of short-term ups and downs here in a volatile market. But I just like the thought that the UK still faces a huge housing shortage.
Go for growth
Tech stocks on the US Nasdaq have wobbled a bit of late. And I do think the artifical intelligence (AI) mania looks a bit overheated, so we could see some cool-off selling.
So would I be mad to think of adding to my holding of Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (LSE: SMT)?
It does own some Nvidia stock, and that will make some people nervous. But it has a whole load of other stuff too, like Moderna and Amazon.com.
The shares have lagged the Nasdaq in 2023 and 2024 after soaring way ahead of it in previous years. And though the discount to net asset value has fallen, it’s still at 9%.
The big risk is that further tech stock falls could hit the share price. And dips could be compounded by the discount widening again.
But where will all these tech companies be in 10 years time? I suspect strongly ahead of where they are now.
My misfortune
Sadly, I don’t have a spare £10k to buy all these right now. But the three are very much in my top 10 list for when I next have some cash to invest. It will depend on which looks the best value at the time.
