Penny stocks can experience periods of higher volatility than other, more expensive UK shares. Trading volumes of these low-cost companies tend to be much smaller than pricier stocks. Therefore, the buying or selling of a significant number of their shares can have a serious impact on the price.
As a long-term investor however, I’m not put off by the prospect of any short-term price volatility. This is because I do proper research to identify quality before buying UK shares of any price. This way I can be confident that, over an extended time horizon, any penny stocks I buy will rise in value just like any other stock. And I can potentially make lots of money in the process.
With this in mind, here are two top penny stocks I’m thinking of buying for my Stocks and Shares ISA today.
A gaming great
Online gambling has gone from strength to strength in recent years. City analysts don’t think this phenomenon is anywhere close to running out of road either, which is great news for Gaming Realms (LSE: GMR).
This UK penny stock designs and licences casino games for mobile devices, putting it in one of the box seats for the next decade. Fortune Business Insights reckons the internet betting market will be worth $158.2bn by 2028. This compares with the $74.2bn it’s been estimated at this year.
Encouragingly, Gaming Realms is making sound progress in the gigantic US marketplace too. It’s been granted supplier licences this year in both Pennsylvania and Michigan. And last month, it launched its Slingo Originals games in Michigan with industry giant BetMGM.
It’s true that Gaming Realms operates in a highly-regulated environment, representing a clear danger to future earnings. But the popularity of its brands and its games, allied with its ambitious expansion in this fast-growing marketplace, should still make its investors handsome returns, in my opinion.
Catch a top penny stock
Fishing has long been a popular British pastime, and the number of people taking up the hobby has boomed since the Covid-19 outbreak last year. The Environment Agency sold a staggering 1.02m individual freshwater rod licences to adults living in England last year. This was up 16% on an annual basis and bodes extremely well for penny stock Angling Direct (LSE: ANG). Sales at the retailer rocketed 27% higher in the 12 months to January.
Angling Direct isn’t just making a splash in its home markets however (turnover here rose 31% last year). Revenues in its core European territories of Germany, France and The Netherlands soared between 29% and 44% in fiscal 2021.
The penny stock’s strong online proposition has also helped to turbocharge revenues growth over the past 12 months. As has its position as a one-stop shop for everything the fisherman needs to cast off.
But competition is fierce and the likes of Amazon pose a severe threat to future profits. However, I still think Angling Direct has the mettle to also generate great shareholder profits in the years ahead.