Today I am looking at the growth potential of three London-listed stock giants.
A tasty growth treat
Thanks to the enduring popularity of sausage rolls, doughnuts and cups of tea, I believe that baking chain Greggs (LSE: GRG) is a strong bet to serve up solid revenues growth in the near-term and beyond.
The company announced on Tuesday that like-for-like sales advanced 4.7% in 2015, although takings growth slowed to 2.3% during the final three months of the year. Still, investors should bear in mind that this result comes against strong comparatives during the corresponding 2014 quarter.
And with Greggs having ploughed vast sums into rejuvenating its product ranges, not to mention expanding its store network and embarking on a huge store re-fit programme, I expect the coffee to continue flowing at the firm.
This view is shared by the City, and earnings are expected to rise 6% in 2016, adding to a projected 23% earnings rise for last year. I reckon Greggs is a strong growth contender with strong defensive qualities, qualities that fully merit a slightly-elevated P/E rating of 22.1 times.
Packing plenty of upside
With Britons becoming increasingly bereft of space to store their bits and pieces, I believe Big Yellow Group (LSE: BYG) should also deliver strong returns in the years ahead.
The Bagshot business advised today that like-for-like revenues leapt 10% in the “seasonally weaker” October-December quarter, to £22.3m. Meanwhile the occupancy rate climbed 7% during the period to 3.24 million square feet.
Big Yellow Group has a terrific record when it comes to generating dependable bottom-line expansion, and the abacus bashers expect earnings to keep on rising in the medium term at least. A 14% rise is currently slated for the year to March 2016, and an extra 12% advance is forecast for 2017.
Sure, consequent P/E multiples of 26.4 times and 23.7 times for 2016 and 2017 respectively may appear conventionally expensive, but I believe these readings should continue toppling as a combination of rising consumer spending power and sprinting demand for storage space drives earnings at Big Yellow Group through the roof.
A brilliant banking pick
It comes as little surprise that fears of economic decelerating in emerging regions, combined with concerns over mounting financial penalties, have driven shares in banking colossus HSBC (LSE: HSBA) steadily lower for the past two-and-a-half years. Indeed, the stock is now dealing at a 16% discount to levels seen just a year ago.
While these fears are certainly valid, I believe HSBC’s market-leading presence in developing Asian markets should deliver handsome rewards in the years ahead. The business continues to enjoy surging demand in places like Hong Kong, and I reckon relatively-low product penetration in many of these key markets leaves plenty of scope for sales at the business to keep on climbing.
It is true that earnings performance at HSBC has been turbulent for some years now, and the City does not expect this trend to cease any time soon — the bank is projected to follow a 10% earnings rise in 2015 with a 4% decline this year.
Still, I reckon HSBC’s solid long-term revenues outlook, combined with the fruits of massive cost-shedding across the business, should undergird brilliant bottom-line growth in the coming years. And a prospective P/E rating of 10.2 times makes HSBC a great growth pick at bargain-basement prices, in my opinion.
