Forget Purplebricks Group plc, here’s a high-growth stock that could trounce it in 2018

Purplebricks Group plc (LON: PURP) shares have soared, but here’s one that could do better in 2018.

| 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.

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.

Purplebricks (LSE: PURP) has certainly been a big success for shareholders, with its share price more than quadrupling since its December 2015 float, to 419p. But how much of that represents solid long-term potential and how much is hype?

The former is tricky to evaluate at this stage, but there’s no denying that there’s been plenty of hype — especially as the company’s aggressive TV advertising campaign has propelled it from an unknown to a household name in such a short spell.

Those ads go to lengths to stress that Purplebricks isn’t just some internet thing, but it’s a real group of estate agents. Yet isn’t that doing the opposite of differentiating itself? There’s the no-commission angle too, which is excellent marketing. Yet you still have to pay them, just using a different charging strategy.

Should you invest £1,000 in BT right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if BT made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Anything special?

What I’m really seeing is not a revolutionary new idea, but a new entrant in a long-established and competitive industry. And it isn’t yet profitable.

Purplebricks isn’t expected to report its first pre-tax profit until the year ending April 2019, and then it’s predicted to be just a tiny one. Fundamentals in the year a company turns profitable aren’t very useful, but by 2020 we should be seeing a more sustainable profit level — and that puts the shares on a forward P/E multiple of 34.

That might actually turn out to be good value, but right now we have no way of even guessing, and a lot can change in the next two years.

My current thoughts are that Purplebricks shares are at best fully-valued today, and they could be seriously overvalued.

Higher flyer?

If you want to put your money into a growth prospect, I reckon Ideagen (LSE: IDEA) is well worth a close look. It’s another company whose shares have more than quadrupled in value, over five years in this case, to 105p. 

But this time we’re looking at a track record of strongly rising earnings per share, forecasts for two more years of double-digit growth, and significantly lower P/E ratios — 25 for the current year, dropping to 23 a year later. That’s still above the FTSE 100‘s long-term value of around 14, but I think it’s a fair valuation considering the firm’s growth prospects.

Ideagen describes itself as “a leading supplier of information management software to highly regulated industries.” That’s rather a niche part of the software business and immediately makes me think of a captive clientele and high barriers to entry. And the firm has an impressive list of more than 3,000 customers — including Royal Dutch Shell, BAE Systems, and even the European Central Bank.

Great first half

On Tuesday, Ideagen reported a 43% rise in revenue for the first half of the year, to £17.2m, with recurring revenues accounting for 63% of total revenue — which suggests high visibility of future earnings.

Adjusted EBITDA came in 52% ahead at £4.7m, with adjusted EPS up 38% to 1.73p. If anything, that suggests to me that current forecasts might even be a little on the conservative side.

The interim dividend was lifted by 15% to 0.078p, though with a forecast yield of only 0.2% that doesn’t mean a lot just yet. But I see potential for this £200m company to turn into a mature cash cow when it reaches the stage of needing to invest less in future growth.

AI Revolution Awaits: Uncover Top Stock Picks for Massive Potential Gains!

Buckle up because we're about to dive headfirst into the electrifying world of AI.

Imagine this: you make a single savvy investment in some cutting-edge technology, then kick back and watch as it revolutionises entire industries and potentially even lines your pockets.

If the mere thought of riding this AI wave excites you and the prospect of massive potential returns gets your pulse racing, then you’ve got to check out this Motley Fool Share Advisor report – 'AI Front Runners: 3 Surprising Stocks Riding The AI Wave’!

And here’s the kicker – we’re giving you an exclusive peek at ONE of these top AI stock picks, absolutely free! How’s that for a bit of brilliance?

Get your free AI stock pick

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 of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Royal Dutch Shell. 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

Mature Caucasian woman sat at a table with coffee and laptop while making notes on paper
Investing Articles

Here’s how a 40-year-old could start investing £100 per week to retire early

If a 40-year-old decides to start investing today, here's how they could potentially turn £100 a week into over £500k…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100 is up 60% in 5 years. Here’s why — and a big lesson!

The flagship FTSE 100 index has put in a very strong performance over five years. There's a specific reason for…

Read more »

Investing Articles

How much do investors need in an ISA to earn a £2,500 monthly passive income?

Charlie Carman explores how investors could strive for £30k in tax-free passive income each year from a dividend stock portfolio.

Read more »

Investing Articles

How much would a 45-year-old need to invest in an ISA to earn a £1k monthly passive income at 65?

Harvey Jones looks at how much an investor would need to put away every month to build a steady passive…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 things to do ahead of the new 2025-26 ISA year

It's time for us all to put on our investing boots and get to work on developing our plans for…

Read more »

Older couple walking in park
Investing Articles

Is £150,000 enough to generate £1,000 a month in passive income?

Stephen Wright takes a look at three UK stocks with dividend yields above 8% that passive income investors might be…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Aim to earn a £50k second income in retirement by investing just this much each month

Even with a small monthly investment, it’s possible to earn a £50k second income with a successful investment strategy and…

Read more »

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

Down 22% in a month! Is this my chance to buy shares in this FTSE 100 outperformer?

Shares in InterContinental Hotels Group have outperformed the FTSE 100 over the long term. So is a chance to buy…

Read more »