Take Advantage Of The ‘Summer Dip’ With The FTSE 100, AstraZeneca plc & Vodafone Group plc

Now could be a great time to buy AstraZeneca plc (LON: AZN), Vodafone Group plc (LON: VOD) and the FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX).

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FTSE100

‘Sell in May and don’t come back until St. Ledger’s day’ is a well-known saying in investing circles. Indeed, data from recent decades seems to back it up: the stock market rarely embarks on a sustained summer rally and usually falls between May and September. This has been the case in 2014, with the FTSE 100 falling by 1% over the last three months.

This means that the index is flat for the year so far, although it still appears to offer good value for money when compared to its American cousin, the S&P 500. While it trades on a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of 18.5, our FTSE 100 has a P/E of just 13.4. So, while many commentators have been getting excited about our ‘summer dip’ in terms of it being the beginning of a prolonged market correction, it could turn out to be little more than a mild, mundane and entirely predictable summer pullback.

Should you invest £1,000 in AstraZeneca 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 AstraZeneca made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Great Value

As a result of falls in the last few months, many top-notch FTSE 100 stocks are now even better value than they were in May. Two fine examples are AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) and Vodafone (LSE: VOD). The former has fallen by 1.5% during the last three months, while the latter is down 7% over the same time period. This means that both companies now offer above-average yields of 4% and 5.7% respectively, which highlights their attractive valuations at current price levels.

Looking Ahead

However, there is a lot more to AstraZeneca and Vodafone that attractive prices. For example, AstraZeneca continues to make huge improvements to its drug pipeline and is gradually overcoming a sizeable patent cliff that has caused the company’s top and bottom lines to fall in recent years. Similarly, Vodafone is pursuing a sound strategy of buying undervalued assets in Europe. Although it may take many years for this strategy to come good, it looks set to put Vodafone on a long term path to strong growth and stability, which is great news for shareholders.

Certainly, the ‘summer dip’ may not yet be over. The FTSE 100, including AstraZeneca and Vodafone, may fall further. However, they seem to offer top notch value for money at present and appear to have bright futures. Indeed, with the UK economy continuing to pick up pace, and with interest rates looking less likely to move higher as a result of lower than expected inflation, a purple patch could be just around the corner. As a result, it could be worth coming back a little before St. Ledger’s day!

But here’s another bargain investment that looks absurdly dirt-cheap:

Like buying £1 for 31p

This seems ridiculous, but we almost never see shares looking this cheap. Yet this Share Advisor pick has a price/book ratio of 0.31. In plain English, this means that investors effectively get in on a business that holds £1 of assets for every 31p 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 10%, 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

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.

Peter Stephens owns shares of AstraZeneca. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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