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I’m fascinated by loading up on these prime FTSE 250 shares right now. Right here’s why.
Vistry Group
The outlook for the housing market stays very unsure in 2024. Mortgage charges are edging greater once more as swap charges enhance, placing stress on purchaser funds. The financial image in Britain can also be fairly glum.
However business information has largely been fairly encouraging in current weeks. Newest buying and selling numbers from Persimmon right now (12 March), as an example, present a sustained pick-up in homebuyer demand for the reason that finish of final 12 months.
The Footsie agency’s weekly gross sales per outlet averaged 0.41 in 2023’s fourth quarter, up from 0.28 in the identical 2022 interval. And the gross sales charge continued rising within the first 10 weeks of 2024, to 0.59 from 0.54 a 12 months earlier.
I feel now may very well be a superb time to extend my stake within the housebuilding sector. And Vistry Group (LSE:VTY) is close to the highest of my buying record.
Why this explicit firm? I like its choice to focus more and more on partnerships with native authorities and housing associations going forwards. This has the potential to supercharge gross sales volumes and, by extension, revenue margins over the long run.
I’m additionally inspired by the depth of its order e book that gives strong earnings visibility. This stood at £4.5bn as of December, up from £4bn a 12 months earlier.
The FTSE 250 agency trades on a ahead price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.9 occasions for 2023. That is simply above the index’s common of round 12 occasions. And it may result in contemporary share worth weak spot if the business’s current restoration runs out of steam.
As I say, I already maintain shares in British housebuilders. So I’ll fastidiously contemplate growing my place earlier than pulling the set off. However I’d positively open a place in Vistry if I didn’t have already got pores and skin within the recreation.
Video games Workshop
Fantasy gaming big Video games Workshop (LSE:GAW) is having fun with contemporary share worth momentum in current days. I’m an current investor right here too, and am trying to enhance my stake after I subsequent have money to speculate.
Gross sales right here have boomed over the previous decade because the tabletop gaming revolution has continued. Strains like its Warhammer 40,000 system — largely thought of to be the pastime’s gold customary — are promoting in more and more massive volumes all around the globe.
Analysts predict demand for these video games methods and related miniatures to stay white scorching too. Analysis home Aritzon expects the board recreation market to broaden at an annualised charge of 11.8% between 2023 and 2028, with technique and war-based video games “anticipated to grow at the fastest rate in the forecast period.”
My solely concern is that the FTSE 250 agency could fail to maintain up with demand. Certainly, its brand-new Warhammer: The Previous World product bought out inside hours of occurring sale in January, whereas its Leviathan set skilled an analogous surge in orders final summer time.
However the firm plans to construct a fourth manufacturing facility at its Nottingham website to handle these issues and drive future progress. All issues thought of, Video games Workshop is one among my favorite shares to think about shopping for proper now.