I think introducing the Stocks and Shares ISA is one of the best things a UK government has done for investors for as long as I can remember. And it’s helped create around £1,000 ISA millionaires in the UK already. I reckon there are some great FTSE 100 buys right now that could significantly boost your own millionaire potential.
The Covid-19 stock market crash has hit housebuilders hard. But I’ve long said the downturn in housing-related stocks is seriously overdone. And I’m seeing buys among estate agents too. And no, I’m not talking about that massive growth disappointment Purplebricks. I’m thinking of Rightmove (LSE: RMV).
It’s easy to just point out that we’re still in the grip of a chronic housing shortage. And that housebuilders are already reporting big boosts to their order books. But during a squeeze, even good FTSE 100 companies can go under, so how is Rightmove doing? We should have first-half results from Rightmove on 7 August. Until then, we have the firm’s update from the end of June.
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Financial security
Rightmove confirms the spike in buying interest since the lockdown has been partially lifted. But it also highlights some extra burdens faced by agents. The company says it “takes three months on average for housing transactions to complete which impacts the cash flows of our agents.” To that end, it’s been offering big discounts to its agents, and that will hit Rightmove’s own profitability.
While unable to provide any guidance, Rightmove confirmed it has access to the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, but says it now does not expect to need to use it. Liquidity seems solid and I see no real chance of Rightmove struggling. And analysts are already forecasting a big rebound in 2021. Definitely an attractive FTSE 100 stock in my view.
FTSE 100 retail stocks
The high street might seem too risky, but I rate Next (LSE: NXT) as one of the FTSE 100’s best.
The Next share price is down 28% year-to-date, from a 50% drop at the worst of the crisis. I rate that still as a strong buy even now. Online shopping accounted for more than half of Next’s sales last year, and that’s a big strength. It’ll be more this year for sure, and not just because of the high street lockdown. Online sales have been booming since people can’t get out on foot.
Still, total sales should be down heavily for the year, and analysts are expecting a big dip in profits. That could spell big trouble for a Footsie company carrying significant debt, but Next looks very safe on that front. April is some time ago now. But even then, when the Covid crash was at its worst, Next told us it was unlikely to need to draw on its additional lending facilities. It also predicted that it “will end the year with less net financial debt than at the end of last year.”
A stock market crash can weed out the weakest, and that can give the strongest a kick start for future recovery. I view the FTSE 100 companies that come through this crisis in comfortable financial shape as having the potential to soar in the next few years. I firmly put Rightmove and Next among them.
