Investing in Mothering Sunday

Sam Slator 11/03/2021 in Equities

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. The one day each year when we all remember to say “thank you” for everything our mothers do for us, and the day we try to do something for them.

While we can’t go out for a nice lunch just yet, or treat our mums to a nice spa, I’m sure we’re all experts at ‘staying at home’ fun by now.

But if you are still looking for ideas, we’ve had a look at some holdings in our Elite Rated funds that could fit the bill.

Chocolate

Let’s start with an old favourite, chocolate. Hotel Chocolat is one option. The company has done a good job of defying the UK high street woes and has expanded where others have contracted. But what really sets the company apart is that its chocolate has a sustainable supply chain.

Lindt also comes to mind at this time of year, when gold bunnies are being advertised for Easter… And then there’s the traditional: Cadbury’s and Nestle. Nestle is a top ten holding** in Janus Henderson European Focus and the largest holding* in Threadneedle European Select – and is home to offerings such as Quality Street and Dairy Box.

Handbags and clothing

Depending on your budget, you could go all out at get a designer gift from the likes of Coach. The designer, producer and marketer of luxury goods such as handbags, gloves, scares and jewellery, is a holding** in Ninety One Global Special Situations. The UK version of this fund, Ninety One UK Special Situations, has perhaps a more wallet-friendly option in holding Next*.

And then there’s the online giants of Boohoo and ASOS. Both are holdings in Marlborough Multi Cap Growth fund. Manager Richard Hallett said that, in January, he took a position in ASOS after it bought parts of Sir Philip Green’s retail empire, including Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge, for a knockdown £265m. “This looks like a clever move against a background of strengthening e-retail and diminishing high street retail demand,” he said. “To reduce concentration in this sector, we top sliced out holding in BooHoo. That is not to say that the potential of the Debenham’s deal is not substantial, but we want to avoid the fund being overly concentrated in this sector.”

Take out

Lunch at a nice restaurant is still out of the question at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that a good meal can’t be enjoyed! Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat are all offering to deliver the takeaway of your choice.

Domino’s Pizza is the UK’s largest pizza delivery business with over 1,100 outlets. It’s a holding in Liontrust Special Situations. The managers commented, “The UK pizza delivery market has grown rapidly and through its network expansion, Domino’s has been able to capture a large proportion of this growth. We believe that the company’s online and physical distribution network will continue to represent a substantial barrier to competition. Digital sales are a big driver of growth, now accounting for over 90% of UK delivery sales.”

Make-up

While many of us have spent lockdown with little make-up wearing lounge gear, self-care has continued and, as we begin the gentle reopening, I’m sure more time will be spent in front of the mirror. Make-up and skincare provider L’Oreal is a holding** in Legg Mason IF Martin Currie European Unconstrained.

Another option is Elementis, one of the UK’s largest speciality chemicals and personal care businesses, and a holding in VT Downing Unique Opportunities. Manager Rosemary Banyard told us about one of its unique characteristics: “It has a unique asset in the form of a mine in California,” she said. “This mine has Hectorite, which is a rare, soft, greasy, white clay mineral that is used in products to help them flow better – like lipsticks and nail varnish. This resource has a 50 year life.”

Find out more in this video interview:

For everything else….

And for everything else there’s always Amazon – especially if you’ve left things to the last minute! The global giant has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of global lockdowns and remains a firm favourite with a number of Elite Rated managers. It is a top ten holding in Invesco Global Focus*, T. Rowe Price US Large Cap Growth Equity* and Rathbone Global Opportunities, for example. The latter also owns PayPal, to help you pay for the gifts!

 

*Source: fund factsheet, 31 January 2021
**Source: FE fundinfo, full portfolio holdings as at 31 January 2021

This article is provided for information only. The views of the author and any people quoted are their own and do not constitute financial advice. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any fund or trust, or to adopt a particular investment strategy. However, the knowledge that professional analysts have analysed a fund or trust in depth before assigning them a rating can be a valuable additional filter for anyone looking to make their own decisions.Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. Market and exchange-rate movements may cause the value of investments to go down as well as up. Yields will fluctuate and so income from investments is variable and not guaranteed. You may not get back the amount originally invested. Tax treatment depends of your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. If you are unsure about the suitability of any investment you should seek professional advice.Whilst FundCalibre provides product information, guidance and fund research we cannot know which of these products or funds, if any, are suitable for your particular circumstances and must leave that judgement to you. Before you make any investment decision, make sure you’re comfortable and fully understand the risks. Further information can be found on Elite Rated funds by simply clicking on the name highlighted in the article.