3 growth shares to buy for 2017

Are these three of the best growth bargains for the year ahead?

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.

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

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.

I reckon most investors have room in their portfolio for a growth share or two, and I’m looking at three that I think have great potential for the coming year and beyond.

A falling bargain

Shares in BTG (LSE: BTG) have had an erratic year, losing 14% over 12 months to today’s 565p, despite a number of upwards spikes along the way. The firm operates in the specialist healthcare market, and that’s a solid business to be in.

At the first-half stage reported in November, BTG announced a 24% rise in revenue (10% at constant exchange rates), and recorded a modest 4% rise in adjusted operating profit — although adjusted EPS did drop by 5%.

Chief executive Louise Makin said that “the outlook for the full year is strong,” and told us the firm is expanding its Interventional Medicine business with a view to building “leadership positions in selected areas of interventional medicine.

Why the share price fall? Well, growth investors often desert a company when earnings rises slow. But such years are to be expected, and forecasts for the following year suggest earnings growth of 45%. That would give us a P/E of 17 and a PEG ratio of just 0.4 (where less that 0.7 is usually seen as very good).

I see an emotional over-reaction that’s left us with a nice buying opportunity.

A storming rise

My second pick is also in the health business, and it’s NMC Health (LSE: NMC). In this case we’ve seen a very strong year with the share price up 61% to 1,452p — and over five years it’s soared by 575%.

You might balk at buying shares after they’ve climbed so far — you might not want to be holding them when a slow year comes along. But the thing is, even with that track record, NMC shares still look cheap on fundamentals to me.

For 2016, analysts are expecting a 47% rise in EPS, with a further 34% next year. There’s a dividend too, though it’s still early days in the firm’s development and yields are tiny. PEG ratios stand at 0.5 for this year and for next, with a 2017 P/E of 18.

Prospects look great, with the firm having acquiring the Al Zahra Hospital this month and having launched a successful placing.

Resurgent oil?

Finally I’m turning to small oil and gas explorer Indus Gas (LSE: INDI). Indus shares were flying high until September, when they took a tumble as it looked like the wheels might be coming off the tentative oil price recovery.

Full year results were positive overall, but Indus’s cash and debt position was looking a little risky. Although there was an operating profit of $33.15m, capital expenditure was high, there wasn’t much cash on the books, and debt at 31 March stood at $321m with $37.56m due within a year.

But we also heard that “during the next 12 months, we expect a further step change in the growth of the company,” and the analysts do seem to be on board. EPS by March 2107 is expected to rise by 134%, putting the 292p shares on a PEG of just 0.1, with a 2018 PEG of a still very attractive 0.4.

The price of oil does need to recover further and I can see investors remaining cautious, but this year could be transformational for the fortunes of Indus.

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.

Alan Oscroft has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended BTG. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

How I’d use an empty Stocks and Shares ISA to aim for a £1,000 monthly passive income

Here's how using a Stocks and Shares ISA really could help those of us who plan to invest for an…

Read more »

Investing Articles

This FTSE stock is up 20% and set for its best day ever! Time to buy?

This Fool takes a look at the half-year results from Burberry (LON:BRBY) to see if the struggling FTSE stock might…

Read more »

Investing Articles

This latest FTSE 100 dip could be an unmissable opportunity to pick up cut-price stocks

The FTSE 100 has pulled back with the government’s policy choices creating some negative sentiment. But this gives us a…

Read more »

A young woman sitting on a couch looking at a book in a quiet library space.
Investing Articles

As the WH Smith share price falls 4% on annual results, is it still worth considering?

WH Smith took a hit after this morning’s results left shareholders unimpressed. With the share price down 4%, Mark Hartley…

Read more »

Investing Articles

The Aviva share price just jumped 4.5% but still yields 7.02%! Time to buy?

A positive set of results has put fresh life into the Aviva share price. Harvey Jones says it offers bags…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Can a €500m buyback kickstart the Vodafone share price?

The Vodafone share price has been a loser for investors in recent years, and the dividend has been cut. We…

Read more »

Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Growth Shares

3 mistakes I now avoid when choosing which growth stocks to buy

Jon Smith runs through some of the lessons he's learnt the hard way over the years about what to look…

Read more »

Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

Should I follow Warren Buffett and sell my favourite shares?

Billionaire US investor Warren Buffett has been selling tons of Apple shares and other stocks of businesses he thinks are…

Read more »