A plan to invest £1k today in UK shares could benefit from a likely stock market recovery over the long run. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 contain a number of stocks that currently trade at prices that may not fully reflect their prospects over the coming years.
As such, buying them could lead to impressive returns that improve an investor’s prospects of achieving financial freedom.
Here are four such companies that may be worth buying for the long term based on their future prospects and market positions ahead of a likely stock market rally.
Sound strategies for a £1k investment in UK shares
Company strategies could make a real impact on the success or failure of a plan to invest £1k today in UK shares. After all, the operating landscape for many businesses has changed dramatically in the current year. This means that new growth strategies may be required to adapt to changing market conditions.
As such, FTSE 100 stocks such as Aviva and Vodafone could have appeal over the long run. Vodafone’s recent results highlighted that it is in the process of seeking to simplify its business model in a bid to become more efficient. This may reduce costs. It’s also investing in improving customer loyalty through better service levels. Meanwhile, its investment in digital opportunities could also provide it with a clearer competitive advantage.
Similarly, Aviva’s latest results showed it’s aiming to improve its market position through making use of its competitive advantages in core markets. It’s also likely to increasingly focus efforts on a smaller number of opportunities that may leverage its economic moat in specific markets. This could lead to an improving financial performance over the long run.
Buying FTSE 100 stocks from unpopular sectors
A plan to invest £1k in UK shares that are currently unpopular among investors could also improve an investor’s chances of achieving financial freedom. It may mean that they can buy high-quality companies for less than they are worth. This may lead to strong capital gains in the long run.
As such, British American Tobacco could be a profitable investment in the coming years after facing a challenging performance in recent years. Its high yield, potential to move into non-combustible products and plan to reduce debt may also contribute to improving financial performance.
Meanwhile, Taylor Wimpey’s uncertain financial prospects in the near term may mean that it also offers a wide margin of safety. The positives here are its increasing land bank, substantial cash position and a likely recovery in the housing market due to low interest rates. This may mean its share price decline in 2020 now undervalues its long-term prospects. As such, within a diverse portfolio of UK shares, it may offer impressive return prospects.