I’m always on the hunt for stocks to add to my ISA. I’ve made better use of it in 2024 than in years gone by. But I still have a chunk of my allowance left.
So I want to go shopping. If I had some spare cash today, these would be at the top of my list for stocks to consider buying. I like the look of ( ) shares at the moment.
They already hold a place in my portfolio. But down 8.4% in 2024, I’m keen to top up.
That means the stock’s down 6.9% over the last 12 months. But I reckon now would be a shrewd time to add it to my holdings.
The shares look dirt cheap. They trade on just 6.6 .
For context, the , which Safestore is a constituent of, trades on an average of 12 times earnings. Alongside that, the stock has a 3.8% .
Again, it outperforms the wider index here, with the average yield on the FTSE 250 3.3%. Its payout’s increased by more than 300% in a decade.
Now that’s impressive. Dividends are never guaranteed, but I’m optimistic the business will keep rewarding shareholders handsomely in the upcoming years. What could keep the Safestore share price in a rut? Well, high interest rates are a big problem.
They increase debt servicing costs. In turn, Safestore has to push up its rental prices. In the last couple of years, its occupancy rates have wavered as a result.
But despite short-term challenges, I’m adopting a long-term outlook. And I’m bullish. Even with challenging conditions, Safestore has posted a relatively strong performance in recent times.
I’m also excited by its ongoing expansion into Europe. Moving over to the , I’m also tracking ( ). Where Safestore has struggled, LSEG has prospered.
The stock’s up 6.7% year to date. There are plenty of reasons to like the stock.
While it may not look like a conventional pick, I actually like the business for the exposure it provides to artificial intelligence (AI). Its recent deal with has seen the two firms enter a 10-year partnership that will boost LSEG’s AI capabilities. We all know just how much growth potential the AI sector has.
So that’s rather exciting. On top of that, I was encouraged by its recent half-year update to investors. Sales were up 5.
4% year over year. Its capital markets division saw an impressive 17.4% growth.
Looking ahead, the business said: “ ”. It faces some risks. One is that a weak UK economy may deter companies from going public.
As it makes money from listing fees, this would harm its revenues. But as a business with a dominant market position and strong growth potential, as well as its AI exposure, I reckon LSEG’s one for me to take a closer look at..
