Since 23 March, the FTSE 100 has recovered by almost 15%. However, I still expect the market to remain turbulent in the short term as the global economy reels from the damage caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
Although the FTSE 100 has shown signs of a recovery, there could still be a chance for value investors to purchase shares trading at prices below intrinsic valuations.
For long-term investors who are willing to ride out a few years of likely market wobbles, now could be a great time to buy underpriced shares before any FTSE 100 recovery.
Should you invest £1,000 in ITV right now?
When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if ITV made the list?
ITV
After seeing its share price fall by 52% in the year-to-date, ITV (LSE: ITV) might be undervalued. Its shares are currently trading with an ultra-low price-to-earnings ratio of 5.
The restriction on working means that ITV has had to call a halt to the majority of its worldwide productions. But it has announced that some international filming has resumed, such as the production of The Voice and The Chase in Australia.
Unsurprisingly, Q1 external revenue is down 7%, and advertising demands have reduced across most categories. This drop was significant in April, with demand down by 42%. There is good news for shareholders however, with viewing hours showing a slight increase of 2%.
Falling advertising revenue is likely to be a challenge that faces the industry, with agencies looking at other platforms to advertise on and budgets strained. Clearly, it is something that ITV bosses are focused on.
Besides advertising, other revenue streams include ITV Studios, which earns revenue by creating programmes and formats that it sells internationally. Additionally, ITV has been developing its online streaming efforts. Measures taken include investment in ITV Hub and, along with the BBC, the business has launched Britbox.
When things return to normal and production resumes, I expect the share price to grow. Now could be a chance to snap up the stock before the probable FTSE 100 recovery.
FTSE 100 recovery
I believe that Legal & General (LSE: LGEN) is another stock that could benefit from the potential FTSE 100 recovery.
Currently, the stock is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of just 6. Fears over the coronavirus have seen its share price fall by 41% in the year-to-date.
However, as Royston Wild pointed out, the insurance industry is often resilient in uncertain economic times.
The stock is also paying a prospective dividend yield of 9%. This should be welcome news for income investors who have seen other FTSE 100 companies slashing, cancelling and postponing dividend payments.
In a recent update, the financial giant was upbeat despite the circumstances. It stated that it “remains well placed to deliver strong, attractive growth and returns in our core markets”. The financial giant is also looking to raise debt to “capitalise on new business opportunities”.
Currently, I believe the Legal & General share price is trading at a cheap valuation and could be worth adding to your portfolio before the likely FTSE 100 recovery.
