Today I am looking at three of the FTSE’s hottest growth stocks.
GlaxoSmithKline
I believe pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) should deliver resplendent returns thanks to surging healthcare demand in emerging and developed markets alike.
The company was famously dragged over the coals in China for bribing doctors and hospitals to promote its products, and was eventually fined £297m for the scandal late in 2014. And the fallout of the crisis continues to smack product sales. But there is no doubt the Brentford company, like industry peers AstraZeneca and Hutchison MediTech, will reap the rewards from new markets like China thanks to surging wealth levels and rising populations.
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The City expects the enduring problem of patent losses to push earnings 20% lower in 2015, although an 11% rebound is anticipated for next year. A subsequent P/E rating of 17.7 times for the current period may represent a slight premium to the benchmark of 15 times that indicates reasonable value, but I believe GlaxoSmithKline’s growing position in emerging regions, combined with a hot product pipeline, fully merits this marginally-heady reading.
easyJet
As economic conditions across the continent continue to recover, I believe that budget flyer easyJet (LSE: EZJ) should also enjoy solid earnings growth as traveller numbers head to the skies.
As well as benefitting from rising holidaymaker numbers, the Luton-based business is also seeing increasing demand from business commuters. And easyJet is expanding aggressively to latch onto these encouraging trends — last week announced plans to take on a further 1,140 cabin crew and pilots during the next year as it boosts the number of flights it operates and expands its routes.
With the airline also benefitting from low fuel costs, easyJet is expected to have clocked up yet another earnings increase in the 12 months to September 2015, this time by a chunky 19%. And a further 9% advance is chalked in by the number crunchers for fiscal 2016, resulting in a very attractive P/E ratio of 11.6 times. I reckon the flyer is a great bet for those seeking dependable bottom-line growth at low prices.
Britvic
Like GlaxoSmithKline, I believe that drinks darling Britvic (LSE: BVIC) should reap the rewards of rising product demand across the globe.
The Hertfordshire firm pulled off a coup earlier this month after securing the purchase of Brazilian drinks manufacturer ebba, giving it a chance to build its presence in one of the world’s largest soft drinks markets. Britvic is looking increasingly towards international markets to drive beverage volumes, a strategy the firm is hoping to exploit through further acquisitions and the roll-out of top-brand drinks like Robinsons and J2O in new geographies.
Britvic is anticipated to have enjoyed an 8% earnings advance in the year to September 2015, and an extra 9% rise is forecast for the current year. As a result the business sports a P/E ratio of just 13.9 times, a figure I consider very attractive given the firm’s ambitious growth strategy.
