It may seem common sense, but it’s something many share pickers seem to take for granted. If you’re down to your last few grand, it’s important to maximise every last penny. That means buying low and loading your investment portfolio with some truly exceptional dividend payers to bloat income flows and get your spending pot up again.
Stunning value One great way is buying into the FTSE 100’s legion of housebuilders. Take Persimmon (LSE: LON:PSN), for example. At current prices, it carries a forward P/E ratio of 7.4 times, stunning value when stacked up against the broader blue-chip average of a shade above 14 times. And what about the dividend yield? In 2019, this sits at a staggering 12%, some two-and-a-half times better than the Footsie prospective average.
You might be asking what’s the catch? But as an owner of its peers Taylor Wimpey (LON:TW) and Barratt, I can honestly say the possible rewards far outweigh the risks. These firms are finally attuned to the UK economy, sure, but the country’s colossal homes shortage means demand for their newbuilds should keep ripping higher, irrespective of the impact of Brexit in the near-term and beyond.
Being boring It’s critical too, to use your funds wisely if you don’t have much to spend. That means avoiding high-risk stocks which can swallow up your cash, whether that’s betting on a comeback from the likes of Kier Group, to buying long-term sliders (and dividend slashers) such as Centrica (LON:CNA).
It can pay to be boring and Bunzl (LSE: LON:BNZL) is about as boring as it gets. And I, for one, love it. The company provides all the basic everyday stuff that we take for granted, from the disposable cups at your local coffee house and the gloves worn by your dentist, to the toilet paper in your local public convenience.
These are the products that make the world go round, and Bunzl’s big stable of everyday goods allows it to keep growing profits whatever the broader economy is doing. In fact, the Footsie firm estimates almost three quarters of all revenues are sourced from so-called resilient sectors. It’s no surprise annual earnings have relentlessly expanded (along with dividends) for a period that’s as long as your arm, then.
Brand beauty Reckitt Benckiser Group (LSE: RB) isn’t as boring as Bunzl. But it is a very safe place to stash your cash and expect some decent returns in the years ahead.
Its products such as Nurofen painkillers, Dettol disinfectant and Strepsils lozenges can be found in homes all over the globe. It doesn’t matter how much pressure consumer spending power comes under, these brands are beloved by citizens because of their superior quality and the clever marketing by the men and women over at Reckitt. And this means the household goods giant can also be relied upon to increase profits year after year and not to leave a whopping great hole in your investment portfolio.
One final thing. Getting exposure to fast-growing emerging markets should be a goal of every long-term investor, given the rapid population growth and rocketing wealth levels of these regions. And Reckitt is one great way to do just this. The company now sources 40% of all revenues from these far-flung territories versus 25% less than a decade ago.
Royston Wild owns shares of Barratt Developments (LON:BDEV), Bunzl, and Taylor Wimpey. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. 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.
Motley Fool UK 2019