2 cheap growth stocks to consider for a Stocks and Shares ISA

This pair of growth stocks continues to look attractive to me, even though they’re very much at different ends of the size spectrum.

| 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.

Investor looking at stock graph on a tablet with their finger hovering over the Buy button

Image source: Getty Images

Growth stocks are those that are growing (of course) but specifically those that are doing it faster than the average, whether that’s the overall market or rivals in a particular sector. As such, they generally trade at a higher value than others (sometimes riskily so).

However, not all shares do, which can present lucrative opportunities if the market has mispriced them. Here are two that I think are worth considering in June.

Ashtead Technology

In my opinion, AIM-listed Ashtead Technology‘s (LSE: AT.) worth a look at 450p. The £363m company rents out specialist subsea equipment for both the offshore renewables and oil and gas sectors.

The share price has halved over the past year, leaving it looking very cheap. Based on current forecasts for 2026, the stock’s trading at just 8.5 times forward earnings. That’s very cheap for a quality growth stock.

Indeed, it’s the sort of valuation where I’d expect an imminent decline in revenue or earnings. But Ashtead Technology’s growth trajectory still looks attractive.

2022202320242025 (forecast)2026 (forecast)
Revenue£73m£110m£168m£228m£250m
Earnings per share (EPS)15.7p28.3p36.5p45.3p53.2p

So what’s going on? Well, wind turbines is a growth market for the company, but investors have soured on renewables. Meanwhile, North Sea oil and gas producers are subject to a combined tax rate of up to 78%, including the Energy Profits Levy. This is crippling investment in the sector. So there are risks to consider here.

In reality though, there’s still a need for both types of energy, as well as nuclear. Ashtead Technology’s a global company and doesn’t rely solely on the UK for growth. As the firm points out: “We’re not tied to any one geography or end market”.

Ashtead Technology’s also a serial acquirer, which does mean it could overpay for a company. However, with much of the European renewables and oil and gas sectors currently in the doldrums, it’s possible the firm may be able to add to its equipment rental fleet at attractive valuations.

Alphabet

The second cheap growth stock is Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG). The tech giant owns Google search, Google Cloud, YouTube, and robotaxi firm Waymo.

Since February, the share price has dropped 18%, putting the forward P/E ratio at just 18.5. For a world-class technology company, that’s bordering on dirt cheap.

One worry hanging over the stock right now is the rise of chatbots like Claude and ChatGPT, which are challenging traditional internet search engines.

It’s worth pointing out though that Google says its AI Overviews now has over 1.5bn monthly views and is driving more engagement. Importantly, it recently confirmed that this feature’s generating advertising revenue at a rate comparable to traditional search results.

Another risk is the ongoing anti-monopoly case against Google, which could ultimately lead to a breakup of the tech giant. Of course, we don’t know how this will play out.

But consider that YouTube’s the world’s second-largest search engine (after Google), with over 2.7bn monthly active users. Both ad revenue and subscriptions (YouTube Premium) are growing at 10%-plus.

If YouTube commanded a similar market value to Netflix, it would alone be worth over $500bn. That leaves the rest — search, Gmail, cloud, Waymo robotaxis, Google DeepMind (AI), cybersecurity, quantum computing, and more — worth around $1.5trn. Seen from this angle, the $2trn group looks undervalued to me.

I think Alphabet shares are worth considering for long-term investors at $170.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Ben McPoland has positions in Ashtead Technology Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Alphabet and Ashtead Technology 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.

More on Investing Articles

UK supporters with flag
Investing Articles

Why I think this super-cheap growth stock will lead the charge when the FTSE 100 recovers

Harvey Jones is seriously excited by this FTSE 100 growth stock but he also cautions that it can be very…

Read more »

Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

Rolls-Royce’s share price is rallying again! But for how long?

Rolls-Royce's share price is the FTSE 100's best performer at the start of the new month. The question is, can…

Read more »

Lady taking a bottle of Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise from a supermarket shelf
Investing Articles

Value investors: Unilever shares are down 7% in a day!

Has the stock market’s reaction to Unilever’s deal to sell its food businesses left the reamining company as an undervalued…

Read more »

Close-up of children holding a planet at the beach
Investing Articles

The stock market is changing fundamentally — and most investors haven’t noticed

Andrew Mackie argues the FTSE 100 is being misread — beneath the volatility, investors are rotating into cash-generating businesses, not…

Read more »

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

FTSE 100 shares: the ‘old economy’ trade the market may be misreading

Andrew Mackie argues recent FTSE 100 volatility is masking a deeper shift, as investors rotate into cash-generative 'old economy' winners.

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Down 19% to under £1, here’s why Lloyds shares look a bargain to me anywhere up to £1.80

Lloyds' shares are down a lot in a short time, but the price doesn’t reflect how well the business is…

Read more »

Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

£20,000 invested in Rolls-Royce shares 3 years ago is now worth…

Rolls‑Royce shares are down after a huge surge from 2023, but the numbers suggest this rare dip could be a…

Read more »

ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How big must an ISA be to aim for a £25,000+ a year second income?

Ahead of the 5 April ISA deadline, I double-checked I had fully utilised my tax-free allowance by topping up my…

Read more »