We have some exciting news to share! The Motley Fool UK has now become The Twelfth Magpie -- an independent, UK-owned company, led by our long-serving UK management team — Mark Rogers, Chris Nials and Heather Adlington. In practical terms, it’s the same team you know, now fully focused on serving our UK readers and members.

Just as importantly, our approach remains unchanged: long-term, jargon-free, and on your side. This site is our new home, and there will be extra tweaks made across the coming few days as we settle in. So if anything looks a little off, please bear with us!

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

3 shares to buy as the FTSE 100 tanks

The FTSE 100’s under pressure today on the back of inflation fears. Here, Edward Sheldon highlights three Footsie stocks he’d buy now.

| More on:

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Twelfth Magpie’s Premium Investing Services. Become a member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn more, and get a free 'Best Buy Now' stock!.

The FTSE 100‘s having a bad day. As I write this, the index is down 1.8% and on track for its worst day since mid-July. It seems the spike in gas prices is spooking investors.

I love days like this. That’s because a large fall across the market tends to throw up great buying opportunities for long-term investors like myself. With that in mind, here’s a look at three FTSE 100 shares I’d buy for my portfolio today.

Should you buy Experian Plc shares today?

Before you decide, please take a moment to review this report first. Despite ongoing uncertainties from US tariffs to global conflicts, Mark Rogers and his team believe many UK shares still trade at substantial discounts, offering savvy investors plenty of potential opportunities to learn about.

That’s why this could be an ideal time to secure this valuable research – Mark’s analysts have scoured the markets to reveal 5 of his favourite long-term ‘Buys’. Please, don’t make any big decisions before seeing them.

This FTSE 100 stock is down 5% today

One stock that strikes me as a buy right now is JD Sports Fashion (LSE: JD). It’s a multichannel retailer that specialises in athletic footwear and sportswear/athleisure.

JD’s recent interim results for the 26 weeks to 1 August showed the company has momentum right now. For the period, revenue was up 53%, while pre-tax profit was up around 770%, a record for H1.

Looking ahead, the group was optimistic about its prospects. “We remain absolutely confident that our inherent strengths in retail dynamics and operations provide us with a robust platform to make further progress,” said chairman Peter Cowgill.

However, inflation’s certainly a risk to consider here. This could hit near-term profits. Supply chain challenges are another risk to consider.

Overall however, I see a lot of appeal in the stock at its current valuation (forward-looking P/E ratio of 20.7). The share price is down nearly 5% today and I think that’s a buying opportunity.

Huge long-term growth potential 

Another FTSE 100 stock I like the look of right now is Smith & Nephew (LSE: SN). It’s a leading medical technology company that specialises in orthopedic implants.

Smith & Nephew’s share price has been hit by a couple of broker price target cuts. On Monday, analysts at Citigroup cut their price target to 1,420p from 1,610p. Meanwhile, on 30 September, analysts at Barclays cut their price target from 1,800p to 1,775p.

But I’m still confident in relation to the medium-to-long-term growth story here. As Covid-19 subsides, elective medical procedures should pick up, increasing revenues. And looking further out, revenues should be boosted by the growing number of over-65s globally.

Of course, if we see further lockdowns, or higher Covid-19 hospitalisation rates, the company’s growth plans could be impacted in the near term.

I’m focusing on the long-term growth story here though and I think the overall risk/reward skew’s attractive.

A FTSE 100 tech company

Finally, I see appeal in Experian (LSE: EXPN) right now. It’s a top financial technology company that specialises in credit data and data analytics.

Experian’s latest trading update for the three months to 30 June, showed the company’s doing well. For the period, total revenue growth was 28% at constant exchange rates, while organic revenue growth was 22%.

Looking ahead, the company’s expected to keep growing at a healthy rate. Currently, City analysts expect revenue growth of 14% for the year ending 31 March, followed by revenue growth of 9% for the following financial year.

It’s worth noting that Experian does have a relatively high valuation. Currently, it sports a forward-looking P/E ratio of about 34. This adds risk to the investment case.

I think this data-focused FTSE 100 company is worth a premium valuation however. With the stock currently more than 10% off its recent highs, I see it as a ‘buy’.

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Edward Sheldon owns shares of Experian, JD Sports Fashion, and Smith & Nephew. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Barclays, Experian, and Smith & Nephew. 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.

More on Investing Articles

Close-up as a woman counts out modern British banknotes.
Investing Articles

How to buy growth stocks at below-market prices

Don’t want to pay market prices for growth stocks? Here's a sneaky strategy investors can use to get deals at…

Read more »

CEO Mark Zuckerberg at F8 2019 event
Investing Articles

Are Meta shares at the start of a comeback?

Shares in Meta Platforms have been held back by the firm’s high-risk approach to AI. But is this the moment…

Read more »

UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

With dividend yields averaging above 7%, are these 2 UK shares worth considering?

Muhammad Cheema looks at two UK shares: ITV and Legal & General. With yields of 6.1% and 8.1%, should investors…

Read more »

Close-up as a woman counts out modern British banknotes.
Investing Articles

How much do you need to invest in dividend stocks to be able to retire?

Some 77% of people in the UK won't have enough income to manage a moderate retirement. Here’s how dividend stocks…

Read more »

Abstract bull climbing indicators on stock chart
Investing Articles

FTSE 250 stock CMC’s shares have rocketed 51%! What’s going on?

CMC Markets' shares have surged by double-digits today after a strong full-year trading update. Is the FTSE 250 company now…

Read more »

A row of satellite radars at night
Investing Articles

Will I buy SpaceX at £100 a share in my SIPP?

Ben McPoland is considering adding SpaceX stock to his SIPP on 12 June. Might this be a no-brainer buy-and-hold opportunity?

Read more »

Young brown woman delighted with what she sees on her screen
Investing Articles

Aberdeen shares are back in the FTSE 100 — is this turnaround stock just getting started?

Following its return to the FTSE 100, Andrew Mackie examines whether Aberdeen's shares could be on the cusp of a…

Read more »

Shot of an young mixed-race woman using her cellphone while out cycling through the city
Investing Articles

Down 65% with a 5.65% yield! Is this dividend share a once-in-a-decade buy? 

Harvey Jones says this dividend share is still posting decent profits at a challenging time. Its low valuation and high…

Read more »