I believe that one of the best areas of the market to make a long-term buy and hold investment is the healthcare sector.
This is due largely to the positive tailwinds the sector is experiencing from ageing populations and increased chronic disease burden.
With that in mind, I have picked out two of my favourite small-cap shares in the space which I think would be great long-term investments. They are as follows:
Nanosonics Ltd. (ASX: NAN)
I think that this infection control specialist is a great option for investors today. Thanks to its increasingly popular trophon EPR product used for cleaning ultrasound probes, I believe Nanosonics is capable of growing its earnings at an explosive rate over the coming years. Despite being regarded as the best in its class, trophon EPR still only has an estimated global market share of just 12%. I believe it is positioned perfectly to gobble up market share over the next decade. Furthermore, the company is aiming to move away from being a one-trick pony and has a couple of other exciting products in development. If they are half as successful as trophon EPR, they will add a lot of value to the company.
Zenitas Healthcare Ltd (ASX: ZNT)
This home care and health services company hasn't been listed on the local market very long but has been a real success story since its IPO. Its shares are currently trading at $1.28, compared to its IPO price of $1.00 just over a year ago. Investors appear to be bullish on its prospects due to the growth through acquisition opportunities it has in a highly fragmented industry and the positive impact of the National Healthcare Reform. The Reform aims to push the burden of healthcare services from hospitals and into primary care. Great news for Zenitas, but perhaps not so for a hospital operator like Healthscope Ltd (ASX: HSO).
