Codemasters Group Holdings (LSE: CDM) is a UK-based video game developer. It is known for making racing and driving games, with its portfolio including the top selling titles DiRT, GRID and Formula 1. Codemasters’ share price has grown around 65% since January, making it one of the best performing UK growth shares this year. This is matched by the company’s performance, with strong cash generation and lack of debt, as reported in its recent half year results.

The company also has a pipeline of games to be released in the near future and I have no reason to believe that strong sales growth won’t continue.

Overall, the video games industry has seen an increased demand during the pandemic as customers turned to video games as one method of entertainment during lockdowns. The demand isn’t just restricted to the unique circumstances of this year, though, as the industry is projected to experience an average year-on-year growth of 9% until at least 2027.

One concern that I have with Codemasters’ share price is that currently it trades with a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of 56, which can be considered expensive. However, when compared with its competitors, such as Team 17, Frontier Developments and Keywords Studios, possessing P/E ratios of 52, 59 and 47 respectively, I think Codemasters’ shares are competitively priced.

Avon Rubber (LSE: AVON) is a UK-based technology company. Through its two businesses, Avon Protection and Milkrite/InterPuls, it specialises in personal protective equipment and agricultural milking equipment.

Since the start of the year, this UK growth share has seen its share price increase by over 90%, a prediction correctly made by fellow Fool Paul Summers back in May. This is predominantly attributed to strong demand for the products of its Avon Protection business by winning contracts such as the US Army helmet contract worth $93million, US Department of Defence face mask filter contract, worth a potential $127million, and a 10 year contract to supply NATO with the FM50 face mask system. This was reflected in its 2020 first half results, when Avon announced an unprecedented growth in operating profit of 20.6% compared to last year and an increase in the interim dividend of 30% to 9p per share.

Despite a premium P/E ratio of 43, I still think Avon Rubber is an attractive share; however, the true success of this year will be shown in Avon’s full-year results, set to be announced on 18^th November. If recent months are any indication to go by, I expect this year to be a record year for this UK growth share.

Both Codemasters and Avon Rubber have shown a resilience to the pandemic as well as a strong capacity to sustain growth, making them two of the best UK growth shares that I could buy and hold in my portfolio.

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Jordan Simmons has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Avon Rubber, Frontier Developments, and Keywords Studios. 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.

Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) is a UK-based housing developer that has seen its share price drop from a high of 889p in January to 533p per share as of today. During that period, housing developments and sales halted completely during the UK’s national lockdown, increasing market demand as buyers and sellers both waited to complete transactions. This was reflected in strong selling prices and sale completions from when lockdown restrictions were eased in June. Barratt benefited from this, announcing earlier this month an increase in completions of 24% for the period between July and October, compared to the same period last year. In September fellow Fool Peter Stephens also felt that Barratt shares were cheap then, and that was before the announcement of increased completions. I can only see Barratt’s share price continuing to grow long term as tailwinds such as the government’s Lifetime ISA scheme and the overall lack of affordable housing continue to create demand for Barratt’s products.

Financially, Barratt seems like a cheap UK share that I think is too good not to buy right now. It currently possesses a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of 13 and has a healthy balance sheet, carrying a debt to asset ratio of 0.3, meaning the company has low levels of debt and funds the majority of its operations from equity. Although the current dividend is suspended, if it returns early next year at the previous level, this would result in a prospective yield of 8.7%. If this happens (which I think is likely) I could well be grateful for buying the shares now, as often announcements of a dividend increase result in a positive jump in share prices. For all of these reasons, I think Barratt Developments is a cheap UK share that can only recover in price.

Lloyds Banking Group (LSE: LLOY) is another cheap UK share that I think has been overlooked by investors. With a share price of 29p, it’s currently at one of the cheapest prices it has been in a decade, with 88p being the high in 2015. Not surprisingly, it also has a P/E ratio of just 8. A recent positive for Lloyds was that mortgage approvals reached a near 13-year high in August, although this could in part be attributed to built-up demand from lockdown. Even so, I believe Lloyds is in a strong position as the UK’s largest mortgage lender.

One variable that could affect Lloyds’ share price would be if the Bank of England does decide to introduce negative interest rates in November. Even if it did, I still think Lloyds Banking Group is a cheap UK share I’d want in my portfolio, with an aim to keep long term.

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Jordan Simmons has no position in any share mentioned.  The Motley Fool UK has recommended Lloyds Banking Group. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) has had a tough time this year with the sharp drop in demand for oil, as most continue to work remotely and international travel is still limited. The wholesale price of oil, measured as Brent, reduced from $65 per barrel in January to just above $40 dollars where it has stabilised at in recent months. As such, Shell’s margins and ability to generate cash have been affected.

In response, the FTSE 100 giant suspended its share buyback programme and cut its quarterly dividend for the first time since World War II, from 47 cents to 16 cents per share. Inevitably the share price has dropped, reducing from around 2,200p a share in January to 952p today, but now yields a bargain price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 6 with an impressive dividend yield of 5%.

Shell has embarked on a number of initiatives to adapt to lower oil prices long term, some of these being the selling of underperforming assets, the reduction of operational cost and diversification into renewable energy production, all aiming towards Shell’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

At the current share price, I think Royal Dutch Shell presents excellent value for a business heading in the right direction.

Legal and General (LSE: LGEN) was one of a handful of FTSE 100 businesses that kept its dividend despite pressure on businesses to reduce them by the Bank of England earlier this year. This was justified by a strong balance sheet with a dividend covered twice by earnings. At the current price of 199p, the P/E ratio is just over 6 and the dividend yield is an unrivalled 8.7%.

Moving forward the company has proven robust. Its 2020 first half results revealed a marginal loss in operating profit of -2%; however, three out of its five operations delivered growth. This demonstrates its financial robustness at a time when other businesses have experienced steep losses.

Overall Legal and General has proved to be a resilient and well managed business that, at the current share price, presents great value.

GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) is another FTSE 100 company that has proved to have a resilient business model this year, even despite significant outlay as it contributes towards a vaccine for Covid-19. The shares currently trade at 1,430p each, with a P/E ratio of 11.7 and a dividend of 5.5%. The dividend is also secure, covered by one and a half times earnings and its recent second quarter results showed that profit more than doubled from the same time last year.

Currently, GSK is coming to the end of a major restructure which I think will provide for a more solid business in terms of sales and revenue growth long term. 

Overall, Royal Dutch Shell, Legal and General and GlaxoSmithKline have shown their ability to weather the current economic downturn as well as showing promising growth long term. Diversified by operating in separate markets, coupled with their current price and dividend yield, I think their value is too great to miss.

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Jordan Simmons owns shares in Royal Dutch Shell and Legal and General. The Motley Fool UK has recommended GlaxoSmithKline. 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.

With the volatility in global markets created by the Covid-19 pandemic, this gem of a growth stock has already seen record profits, and I think there is plenty of room for this trend to continue into the next 18 months and beyond.

Recently the company announced a pre-tax profit of £278 million at its interim results, up more than 280% from the same time last year. In line with this performance, the company has tripled its interim dividend to 95 cents a share from 27 cents, resulting in a current dividend ratio of 3.4%.

In addition to its recent success due to current economic conditions, Plus500 has also made progress towards being one of the leading CFD providers within the UK, by continuing to improve customer experience by continuously adding financial instruments to its platform, increasing the variety of statistical analysing tools on its software, and by listening to customer feedback to update its interface. These actions are reflected in the record number of new customers, up 317% from this time last year. Customer retention is also good, with 65% of the interim results revenue coming from customers who have traded with Plus500 for over the past 12 months. These factors place Plus500 in a strong position where I can only see customer retention and growth continue to improve.

Short term, with the real prospect of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, the UK’s new lockdown measures and the ever-changing quarantine restrictions for international travel, I see the volatility in markets continuing to be high and I can’t see any let up until at least 2021, as every week assets such as currencies, gold and oil swing to record levels, further fuelling demand for Plus500’s products.

Longer term, with the advent of the smartphone and the increased de-regulation of investment platforms, I see the demand for Plus500’s services increasing as more users become aware of and access CFD providers.

Plus500’s share price is currently trading at around 1,500p per share, down from an all-time high of 2,040p in August 2018, with that year also being a record year for profit. If this year’s current trend continues as it is, which I see no reason for it not too, Plus500 will be on track to make 2020 its record year, at a time when other industries are suffering due to the disruption created by the Covid-19 pandemic. For these reasons I would buy £3,000 of Plus500 shares.

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Jordan Simmons own shares in Plus500. 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.