Just released: our 3 best dividend-focused stocks to buy in December [PREMIUM PICKS]

Our goal here is to highlight some of our past recommendations that we think are of particular interest today, due to a combination of business performance and potentially attractive share valuation.

| 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.

Shot of a senior man drinking coffee and looking thoughtfully out of a window

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.

Premium content from Motley Fool Share Advisor UK

Our monthly Ice Best Buys Now are designed to highlight our team’s three favourite, most timely Buys from our growing list of income-focused Ice recommendations, to help Fools build out their portfolios.

“Best Buys Now” Pick #1:

B&M European Value Retail (LSE: BME)

  • B&M continues to go from strength to strength in the quarter just ended. After falling in Q1 as the business lapped a tough comparative period revenue growth rebounded strongly to 6.3% in Q2.
  • That brought total H1 revenue growth up to a respectable 1.8%. While super-charged pandemic era profitability is ending, the business also remains hugely profitable for a retailer. Operating profits of £249m during the six months to 24 September represent an impressive margin of 10.8%.
  • In a competitive, generally low margin sector that level of profitability points to how adept management have been at maximising same store sales growth and keeping a tight lid on costs.
  • To date this industry-leading profitability has created a virtuous circle as higher profits allow for re-investment in further price competitiveness that leads to even more sales growth from cost-conscious customers.
  • Importantly as an Ice share, B&M provides an attractive level of income with the 2.6% yielding ordinary payout supplemented by semi-regular special dividends. With leverage already low going into the crucial a golden Quarter and management hinting that cash flow should be strong again, we expect another special dividend to be announced early next year.
  • B&M isn’t dirt-cheap at about 16x trailing earnings. But with great growth prospects and huge cash flow that is being both re-invested to generate more growth and returned to investors, we think it’s worth taking a closer look at in December.

“Best Buys Now” Pick #2:

Redacted

Want All 3 “Best Buys Now” Picks? Enter Your Email Address!

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.

The Motley Fool UK has recommended B&M European Value Retail.  Ian Pierce owns shares of B&M European Value Retail.

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

Here’s what £20,000 invested in IAG shares at the start of 2024 would be worth today

IAG shares smashed the FTSE 100 in 2024, and Harvey Jones is kicking himself for squandering this buying opportunity. But…

Read more »

Investing Articles

BP shares are forecast to return 30% in 2025 – and they’re filthy cheap with a P/E of 5.8!

Harvey Jones bought BP shares twice in the autumn and after a bumpy start he expects great things in the…

Read more »

Investing Articles

At a P/E ratio of 8, are shares in this FTSE 100 winner unbelievable value?

3i is a top-performing UK stock that trades at a P/E multiple of 8. Should value investors be snapping up…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Best British growth stocks to consider buying in 2025

We asked our freelance writers to reveal the top growth stocks they’d buy in 2025, which included two 'Fire' recommendations!

Read more »

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

2 shares to consider for turning an empty ISA into a £31,301 a year passive income machine

Earning passive income doesn’t take huge amounts of cash to start with. Investing in great companies consistently over time can…

Read more »

Investing Articles

What £20,000 invested in BT shares at the start of 2024 is worth now…

BT shares enjoyed a solid 2024, Harvey Jones discovers, especially once the bumper dividend is taken into account. So should…

Read more »

Investing Articles

The Lloyds share price could hit 80p in 2025!

The Lloyds share price could push as high as 80p in 2025, according to one highly respected analyst. Dr James…

Read more »

many happy international football fans watching tv
Investing Articles

This FTSE 250 stock offers no passive income but looks 42% undervalued to me!

Our writer has found one stock that he thinks could take off in 2025, even though it doesn’t offer the…

Read more »