Today I’m looking at three of the best defensive stocks out there.
Power player
Arguably National Grid (LSE: NG) is one of the safest selections for those seeking dependable long-term earnings growth.
Electricity is one of those commodities we simply can’t do without, needless to say, giving network operator National Grid the kind of revenues visibility others can only dream of. And while the country’s network of pylons and power lines requires vast dollops of capital to remain up and running, Ofgem’s RIIO price controls are stopping the firm from overspending.
On top of this, it’s also steadily expanding its asset base here in the UK and in the US to underpin future growth. Indeed, the leccy leviathan is seeking to expand assets by between 5% and 7% per year.
While the City expects National Grid to punch a fractional earnings rise in the year to March 2017, this still results in a very-decent P/E ratio of 14.6 times. I believe this is great value for a share with such a robust bottom-line outlook.
Screw star
I’m convinced bolt and fastener specialist Trifast (LSE: TRI) has what it takes to punch stunning earnings growth in the years ahead.
Trifast saw revenues gallop 14.9% higher during April-September, to £89.7m, its status as a critical supplier to the world’s largest electronics and automotive manufacturers paying off handsomely. The East Sussex business saw sales to multinational OEMs alone rise 8.9% during the period.
And Trifast’s vast international presence — the firm has strong footholds across Europe, the US and Asia — helps protect it from weakness in one or two markets, not to mention the impact of Brexit looking ahead. The firm sources more than two-thirds of sales outside Britain.
The business is anticipated to print a 7% earnings rise in the year to March 2017, creating a P/E rating of 16.8 times. And I expect ongoing expansion into foreign territories to keep driving profits higher.
Box office smash
The enduring magic of the silver screen also makes Cineworld (LSE: CINE), at least in my opinion, one of the more secure growth picks during the current decade and beyond.
Moviegoers’ love of the blockbuster shows no signs of waning, helping Cineworld print an 8.5% rise in box office revenues (at constant currencies) during the year to November 10. And latest spending data from Barclaycard bodes well for Cineworld’s future revenues, the finance house advising that British cinema spending jumped by a record 20.9% year-on-year in October.
Titles like Marvel’s Doctor Strange and Disney’s Finding Dory have helped takings to keep rising in recent weeks, and a steady stream of top-tier releases slated for 2017 and beyond certainly provides Cineworld with excellent medium-term earnings visibility.
And the chain is also expanding aggressively across the UK and Eastern Europe to bolster its revenues prospects even further.
Cineworld is anticipated to enjoy a 4% earnings rise in 2016, resulting in a P/E rating of 16.6 times. I reckon this is splendid value given the firm’s rising footprint on both sides of the continent.