S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are a good hunting ground for top ideas.
ASX 200 shares are big enough that they can probably survive any economy difficulties. But they're small enough, outside of the ASX 20 at least, to have plenty of growth potential.
Here are three exciting ASX 200 shares I'd buy next week:
A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)
A2 Milk has been one of the best ASX 200 growth shares over the past few years. It has expertly created a portfolio of quality products which is really resonating with consumers in Australia and Asia. It's still seeing excellent growth here and broad.
I'm particularly attracted to A2 Milk because of the ongoing geographical expansion of its distribution. It's steadily growing its footprint in the US. It will soon also be generating earnings from Canada as well.
It's a great ASX 200 share with an impressive profit margin. These are the types of businesses that just keep winning.
InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)
InvoCare is another business which is recognised for having a quality service. The funeral business runs the White Lady Funerals brand, as well as low-cost options.
Many other businesses have almost recovered to their pre-coronavirus highs. But not InvoCare. The ASX 200 funeral operator's share price is still down 23% from 28 February 2020. It's actually down 33% from the July 2019 share price.
Obviously the coronavirus restrictions won't have helped FY20 earnings. But Australia and New Zealand have thankfully barely suffered any COVID-19 deaths. Indeed, it may have reduced other types of deaths (like car crashes and so on). Morbidly, this may just mean delayed revenue rather than lost revenue.
The ASX 200 share is still exposed to the long-term ageing demographic tailwinds. In today's low interest environment, this type of business should be more valuable than before.
Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)
Investing in unloved businesses when there's a clear path for them to return to normal can be a good tactic.
There's a lot of pessimism about the construction sector at the moment. I think that means it's a good time to invest. The current slowdown will only be temporary. When the economy bounces back we'll probably see construction return too.
The ASX 200 share is diversified across different building products, so some areas of the business will be able to make up for the others during this time.
Don't forget about the defensive assets of the industrial property trust and the shares it owns of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL). These provide reliable earnings and cashflow.
Foolish takeaway
Over the next five years I think A2 Milk will be the ASX 200 share (in this article) to make the biggest return. It's trading at a reasonable price for all of the growth that it may generate with its global aspirations. However, at a guess over the next four months (when investors will get to see the upcoming result in the next reporting season), I reckon InvoCare could be the best contrarian pick.
