3 top FTSE 250 shares I’d buy in a recession

This trio of FTSE 250 shares has caught our writer’s eye as possible purchases for his portfolio. That’s because he thinks they could do well, even in a recession.

| More on:

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.

Middle-aged white man wearing glasses, staring into space over the top of his laptop in a coffee shop

Image source: Getty Images

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.

With a recession, I expect the outlook to get worse for many companies. Customers may spend less and borrowing costs are rising. Although right now my portfolio is weighted towards the FTSE 100, I do own some FTSE 250 shares. Here are three more I would buy today for my portfolio if I had spare cash to invest.

Tritax

Even if consumer spending slows, I expect demand for warehousing to be fairly buoyant. That could be good news for warehouse specialist Tritax Big Box REIT (LSE: BBOX).

The shares have lost 36% of their value over the past year, meaning they now offer a dividend yield of 5.1%. A recession could lead to customers cutting budgets, which might be bad for Tritax. But the business seems to be in good health. In the first half, the contracted annual rent roll rose by 11% and the interim dividend grew 5%.

Tritax has a strong position in a sector I expect to see long-term structural growth. I would buy it for my portfolio today and hold it for the long term.

Games Workshop

One of the economic consequences of a recession can be that people spend less time and money on entertainment away from home, preferring the cheaper option of a night in.

That could be good news for Games Workshop (LSE: GAW). This FTSE 250 business makes money from roleplay games, both physically and online.

I think Games Workshop has a strong competitive advantage that could help it do well. It owns the Warhammer franchise, giving it pricing power and the benefit of a sizeable installed customer base.

I do see risks, such as the company’s concentration of manufacturing. If its main factory has a problem, that could hurt sales and profits.

But with its competitive advantage, 4.5% yield, and the prospect of robust demand, I would buy Games Workshop shares for my portfolio today and hold them during the recession.

City of London Investment Trust

Another of the FTSE 250 shares I would consider adding to my portfolio in a recession is the City of London Investment Trust (LSE: CTY).

Does it seem like a long time since England won the football World Cup? The year that happened (1966) saw the start of a run of annual dividend increases by the investment trust that remains unbroken.

At the moment, City of London has a dividend yield of 5.3%. Past performance is no guarantee of what will happen in future. But I like the trust’s focus on generating income for shareholders by investing mostly in UK companies, particularly large multinationals.

I think that makes sense, especially in a recession when large companies often have stronger experience and resources to ride out the storm than small ones. There is a currency risk to earnings due to a weaker pound hurting the sales prospects of many British exporters. That could reduce the value of some of the trust’s investments.

But I would tuck these shares in my portfolio and hold them through a recession and beyond.

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.

C Ruane has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended City of London Investment Group, Games Workshop, and Tritax Big Box REIT. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Investing For Beginners

Up 31% in a month, could this FTSE 250 stock be getting bought out?

Jon Smith takes a look at speculation that's pushing the share price of a FTSE 250 share higher and considers…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Here’s how I’d follow Warren Buffett to start building passive income in 2025

Ben McPoland highlights one FTSE 250 firm with a strong competitive edge that he thinks can continue rewarding investors with…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Burberry shares: undervalued FTSE gems that are ready to rocket?

Burberry shares soared at the beginning of the week as the takeover rumour mill went into overdrive. Is Paul Summers…

Read more »

US Stock

Here are the latest share price forecasts for S&P 500 giant Amazon

Amazon has generated monster gains for investors over the last decade. And Wall Street analysts believe the S&P 500 stock…

Read more »

Man writing 'now' having crossed out 'later', 'tomorrow' and 'next week'
Investing Articles

2 high-yield FTSE 250 shares I’d buy today — and 1 that I’d avoid

UK markets have felt some volatility after last week’s Budget and the FTSE 250 was no stranger to it. Our…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 reasons the Rolls-Royce share price could soar over the next decade

Sustainable aviation fuel, narrow-body aircraft, and small nuclear reactors could all keep the Rolls-Royce share price climbing over the next…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

Here’s how much income I’d get if I invested my entire £20k ISA in cheap BT shares

BT shares are on the up but still cheap, while the FTSE 100 telecoms stock offers a good yield too.…

Read more »

Investing Articles

2 FTSE dividend shares yielding more than 6% with P/Es of less than 9!

Harvey Jones picks out two brilliant FTSE 100 dividend shares that yield more than 6% but are selling at strangely…

Read more »