Buying crashing UK shares today may not necessarily lead to high returns in the coming months. Risks such as Brexit and coronavirus could negatively impact on FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 valuations, as well as investor sentiment.
However, investors seeking to build a retirement nest egg in the long run could benefit from investing £3k, or any other amount, today in cheap stocks that offer recovery potential. Over time, they may improve your chances of retiring early.
With that in mind, here are two such companies that could be worth adding to your ISA now.
Persimmon: a cheap stock compared to other UK shares
Persimmon’s (LSE: PSN) share price performance has disappointed this year, but a recent rebound means it’s outperformed many other UK shares. For example, it’s currently down around 10% since the start of the year. But the reopening of its sales sites and construction activity appears to provide investors with confidence in its long-term prospects.
The company’s recent trading update highlighted that its forward order book is 15% higher now than it was at the same time last year. Meanwhile, its cash position of £830m provides evidence it’s in a strong financial position to come through the present operational challenges faced by the housing sector.
Clearly, a weak economic outlook could lead to further financial disappointment for UK shares such as Persimmon. However, with its focus on sustainable growth and factors such as low interest rates potentially improving its prospects, now could be the right time to buy shares in the company for their long-term recovery potential.
ITV: recovery potential after a tough period
ITV’s (LSE: ITV) stock price performance this year has lagged that of many other UK shares. It’s down by around 60% since the start of the year, with its recent results highlighting the challenges it’s facing. For example, total advertising revenue in the first half of the year declined by 21% compared to the same period of the prior year.
In response, the company is seeking to reduce costs and become more efficient. This may help to offset a period of weaker sales growth. Meanwhile, a gradual return to filming could also help to alleviate pressure on its programme schedule.
Although the weak economic outlook may continue to negatively impact on UK shares such as ITV, the company’s low stock price suggests that investors may have factored this in. With it recently reporting good growth in subscribers to its streaming services, it may be in a position to benefit from changing consumer trends over the coming years.
As such, while it trades on what appears to be a low price level, now could be just the right time to buy a slice of it in an ISA.