Every month, we ask our freelance writers to share their top ideas for shares to buy with investors — here’s what they said for November!
[Just beginning your investing journey? Check out our guide on how to start investing in the UK.]
Prudential
What it does: Prudential is a life insurance and asset management company operating solely in Asia and Africa.
By Andrew Mackie: Following the spin-off of its UK and US businesses, Prudential (LSE: PRU) is now focused entirely on some of the world’s fastest growing markets. This makes complete sense when one considers its growth drivers. Across Asia, for example, despite rising levels of prosperity, insurance penetration is still extremely low. This market is estimated to be worth $1.8trn.
What I particularly like about Prudential is that it is diversified across geography, channel and product. Not only does this provide it with multiple sources of growth but also adds resilience to its business performance. Its distribution network encompasses over 500,000 licensed agents as well as through partnerships with banks (known as bancassurance).
Prudential’s share price has come under severe pressure throughout 2022. It is down 30% year to date. This has been primarily driven by the ongoing closure of the border between Hong Kong and Mainland China. This has hit revenues in its largest market. However, when one considers the explosive growth potential across several of the regions it operates in, today’s depressed share price offers investors an attractive entry point.
Andrew Mackie owns shares in Prudential.
Games Workshop
What it does: Games Workshop designs, manufactures, and sells fantasy miniatures for its Warhammer tabletop gaming experience.
By Zaven Boyrazian. Games Workshop (LSE:GAW) is arguably one of the world’s most recognised tabletop gaming companies. This is the group behind the immensely popular Warhammer franchises, generating the bulk of its revenue through selling miniatures to hobbyists through its global network of retail partners.
Over the last 12 months, the share price hasn’t been the best performer, dropping by over 40%. It seems investors are growing increasingly pessimistic about the short-term performance of this consumer discretionary business. And the latest trading update did show some shrinkage in profits, as consumer spending takes a hit from the cost-of-living crisis.
However, this drag on earnings ultimately stems from a short-term problem. And with the group’s long-term strategy still intact, backed up by an impressive cash war chest of £71m, I can’t help but see the recent share-price drop as a buying opportunity for my portfolio.
Zaven Boyrazian does not own shares in Games Workshop.
Smurfit Kappa Group
What it does: Smurfit Kappa manufactures packaging products for e-tailers, supermarkets, consumers and industrial customers.
By Royston Wild. A slew of positive trading updates from the packaging sector would encourage me to buy Smurfit Kappa Group (LSE: SKG) shares for November.
The FTSE 100 business released financials of its own on Wednesday, 2 November. I think this could help it to record further healthy share-price gains across the month, and beyond.
Industry rival Mondi reported a 55% rise in underlying EBITDA in the third quarter, it reported in October. It commented that “higher average selling prices and overall volume growth more than offset significant cost pressures.”
Shortly before this, DS Smith announced that it expected “very strong” revenues growth in the six months to October. Trading was so strong in fact that the firm lifted its half-year profits forecasts.
Smurfit Kappa’s cheap share price certainly leaves scope for fresh gains if its own financials impress. The packaging powerhouse trades on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 7 times.
Royston Wild own shares in DS Smith.
AstraZeneca
What it does: AstraZeneca is a biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines used by millions of patients worldwide.
By Charlie Carman. AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) has been a top FTSE 100 performer for a decade. An anticipated return to pre-Covid levels of cancer diagnostics should boost sales for the healthcare heavyweight’s range of oncology products, including Tagrisso, Lynparza, and Imfinzi.
Indeed, AstraZeneca is well positioned for an ongoing transformation in global demographics. Demand for pharmaceuticals to treat chronic diseases continues to rise, and the World Health Organisation predicts one in six people will be aged over 60 by 2030.
Disappointingly, the business suffered a recent setback in a trial for a nasal spray version of its Covid-19 vaccine. Initial testing revealed it didn’t provide adequate protection in humans. However, there’s more to the company’s drugs portfolio than coronavirus treatments, and I think growth prospects look bright elsewhere.
AstraZeneca’s share price has fallen nearly 15% since reaching a 52-week high in August. I believe this presents an attractive buying opportunity to increase the position in my shares.
Charlie Carman owns shares in AstraZeneca.
Persimmon
What it does: Persimmon builds houses. And when prices are right, it builds up its land bank to build even more houses on.
By Alan Oscroft. The long-term argument for investing in Persimmon (LSE: PSN) is, I think, straightforward. The UK is in the grip of a chronic housing shortage. And our listed housebuilders enjoy strong barriers to entry.
The short-term argument against buying now is the economy, and the growing fears of house price weakness. After all, the Persimmon share price has fallen 50% over the past 12 months, and we don’t want any of that, do we?
Well, actually, I remember the previous housebuilder slump, and I noticed Persimmon was buying up building land when it was cheap. And after that, the shares entered a long and strong bull run. So what’s happening now? Persimmon has been buying up land again.
But the bottom line for me is a P/E ratio of only about five, and a 19% forecast dividend yield. The short-term risks are real, but I think Persimmon is oversold.
Alan Oscroft owns Persimmon shares.
Renishaw
What it does: Renishaw designs and manufactures high-precision measuring equipment and healthcare technology.
By Stephen Wright. I’ve gone for FTSE 250 stock Renishaw (LSE:RSW) as my best British shares to buy in November. This is a business that’s growing, is well protected, and has a strong balance sheet.
Renishaw makes specialist equipment, which it sells to various end markets, including agriculture, healthcare, and power generation. The company has over 1,800 patents protecting its products.
The company’s balance sheet also looks sound to me. Renishaw has £16.25m in total debt and £141m in cash, which means that I don’t think it’s in much danger with interest rates rising.
Earnings have been growing at an average of 6% annually over the last decade. But the stock has fallen by almost 30% since the start of the year and is now trading at a P/E ratio of 21.
Stephen Wright does not own shares in Renishaw.
Taylor Wimpey
What it does: Taylor Wimpey is one of the UK’s largest housebuilders, selling homes to private customers and local housing associations
By Paul Summers. The share prices of UK housebuilders have come under serious pressure in 2022 over concerns that rapidly rising interest rates and a protracted recession will dampen demand. Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) has been one of the biggest casualties, losing half its value since the beginning of the year.
This may be an opportunity for long-term-focused Fools like me. The FTSE 100 firm is clearly in far better financial health than it was during the Great Financial Crisis. And while dividends can’t be guaranteed, the 10% yield also looks more secure than the payouts on offer from Taylor Wimpey’s rivals.
CEO Jennie Daly’s comments on the company’s outlook will be closely scrutinised when it releases a trading update early in November. With a P/E of just five, however, I suspect a lot of fear is already priced in.
Paul Summers has no position in Taylor Wimpey.
Legal & General
What it does: Legal & General is a British multinational company that provides insurance, savings and investment products.
By Nathan Marks. I’m looking to Legal & General (LSE:LGEN) for my top British shares to buy for November. As one of the UK’s largest pension funds, it’s been grappling with the recent chaos in the bond market.
The Bank of England took emergency intervention in early October. That was to mitigate a material risk to the financial stability of the types of services that Legal & General provides. However, the company said that this episode had a “limited economic impact” on its businesses and still expected a full-year operating profit of 8%.
Market volatility could still worsen, causing further uncertainty in the company’s balance sheet and liquidity. However, the stock looks great all-round value and I think it’s been oversold. Today it trades at a P/E ratio of 6.8 and yields a very attractive 8.2% dividend.
It’s hard for me to ignore this strong business with historically robust demand for its products and services.
Nathan Marks has no position in Legal & General.
International Airlines Group
What it does: International Airlines Group is an Anglo-Spanish multinational group that is host to renowned airlines such as British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Level, and Vueling.
By John Choong. Despite a potential recession on the cards, travel demand still remains robust. As such, I think International Airlines Group (LSE:IAG) shares look lucrative at their current price.
In its most recent trading update, the firm disclosed that demand for travel remains strong and is still recovering to 2019 levels. There also seems to be an uptick in business and upper-class travel, which was echoed by its American competitors. CEOs are of the opinion that consumers are still spending despite inflationary pressures, just less on goods but more on services. Therefore, IAG is expected to benefit as the holiday season approaches.
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that IAG’s high debt-to-equity ratio (107%) isn’t ideal in a high interest rate environment, and is something investors should definitely take note of. The group will have to hope that its free cash flow continues to remain robust through an economic slowdown in the medium term, or risks damaging its bottom line and sending its share price back down.
John Choong has no position in IAG.
