MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Add some muscle to your money by cashing in on new wellness trends
Many of us will be encouraged by the recent declaration that '70 is the new 50'. This assertion did not come from a cosmetics firm or health spa, but from the respected International Monetary Fund.
Based on improvements in physical and mental health, the agency argues that people in their seventies today are as intellectually sharp and as strong as fifty-somethings were just a quarter of a century ago.
And it looks set to continue, not least because people are increasingly conscious of their fitness and nutrition. Under-30s are in the vanguard but they are not alone.
A recent survey suggests that consumers of all ages would rather spend their cash on wellbeing than almost anything else.
Longer lifespans are great, but they do present society with challenges on elder care – and make it even more important to build our investment portfolios so we can enjoy the extra years.
Here are three shares that should profit from current trends.
Gym Group
More than 11 million Britons are members of a gym, and this is good news for low-cost chain The Gym Group. Founded by former squash champion John Treharne in 2007, it started with one outlet in West London and today has almost 250 dotted across the country.
Treharne had a strategy in mind from the start – low-cost, no-frills gyms that offer clean, well-equipped spaces, friendly staff and flexible membership. The formula continues to this day.
Members can join from as little as £14.99 per month and average prices are less than half those of fancier clubs and chains.
Times have changed since 2007, however. Fitness fads have evolved and most new members come via social media sites.
When Will Orr joined as chief executive in 2023, the business had rather lost its way – investors were frustrated and the shares had fallen to below £1.
Orr developed a plan for growth, focused on retaining members, attracting new ones and expanding the chain, while keeping a weather eye on profits.
Results for 2024 were encouraging. Sales rose 11 per cent to £226 million, underlying profits were 24 per cent ahead at £48 million and membership numbers increased 7 per cent to almost 1 million. Crucially, the financial returns are rising on new and existing gyms.
Orr aims to open around 50 more gyms over the next three years, funded from cash within the business.
Brokers are supportive too, expecting strong growth in sales and profits this year and next.
That makes the shares seem undervalued at £1.40.
Encouragingly, Orr spent £30,000 of his own cash on stock just last month, buying 22,000 shares at £1.37. Follow his lead.
Camellia
Extensive research has shown that tea, in moderation, can reduce the risk of heart disease, manage blood sugar levels and boost immunity against disease.
Welcome news for a nation of tea drinkers, and also for Camellia, the world's largest independent producer. Based in Kent, each year Camellia handles more than 100,000 tons of tea leaves from plantations in India, Bangladesh and East Africa.
They can be found in almost every UK cuppa but are also sold around the world.
The group also specialises in avocados and macadamia nuts, both of which have been credited with health benefits.
Camellia's avocado estates are in Kenya, where production has soared to more than 15 million tons in recent years.
And American and Japanese consumers are big fans of macadamia nuts, using them for salads and confectionery.
Results for 2024 were encouraging. A new chief executive, Byron Coombs, has been selling non-core businesses, bolstering the balance sheet and focusing on growth.
Dividends have been reinstated, with expectations of steady increases to come.
Profits fell year-on-year but a plan to enhance value for shareholders is due to be unveiled later this month.
Camellia is built for the long term and its choice of crops plays into global health trends. At £46, the shares should deliver sustainable rewards for patient investors.
Traded on: Aim Ticker: CAM Contact: camellia.plc.uk
Target Healthcare
One consequence of improvements in health is longer life expectancy. In 2013 the UK boasted 10.4 million over-65s. Today, there are around 13 million.
But many will be affected by conditions such as dementia and frailty in later years. Target Healthcare caters to these senior citizens, helping them to enjoy their old age rather than suffer through it.
The company was founded by Kenneth MacKenzie when he discovered that most care homes did not offer private bathrooms. Appalled, he set up Target. Today there are 94 sites, with 6,400 bedrooms, almost every one of which has ensuite facilities.
Target owns the properties and leases them to care home operators, mostly small businesses.
MacKenzie takes welfare seriously and results suggest he is doing a good job. Rents are rising, profits are growing and brokers expect a dividend of 5.88p for the year to June, which is rising steadily. Target shares have risen more than 25 per cent to 99p since Midas recommended them 18 months ago, but the price is still low as assets have been independently valued at £1.12 a share.
MacKenzie is keen to expand his business. Recent bid activity in the sector proves that predators are circling too. At 99p the stock is a buy – and the near 6 per cent yield is an added attraction.
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Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEIGHBOURS of a KFC drive thru have warned Britons of the "awful" reality - with disgusting smells, litter and reckless delivery drivers. It comes as the fast food chain has announced a £1.5 billion expansion plan, with 500 new stores set to hit the UK over the next five years. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 The drive thru opened in 2017 after years of protests from locals Credit: Ian Whittaker 10 Neighbours of the store complained of rubbish littering their street Credit: Ian Whittaker 10 One resident, Tim, has refused to eat there in protest Credit: Ian Whittaker 10 Some residents have found the smell 'overwhelming'. Pictured: Dean Ferguson Credit: Ian Whittaker They hope to rival the growth of other chicken shop chains like Popeyes and Wingstop. 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The proposals were submitted twice, facing significant backlash throughout, before they were approved by Bromley Council, setting a regrettable precedent that 'if you just persevere you can do anything' according to retired city worker and local Tim. Once approved, Tim said that they completely changed the site - chopping trees down, filling in a pond, and covering the site in tarmac. He now refuses to visit the site in protest. Tim said: 'I don't mind a KFC but I refuse to use that one.' Beloved chicken chain that's 'way better' than Popeyes announces it's now adding 20 new locations to lineup When his daughter and her now-husband stayed at his house, they were under strict instructions not to visit that particular store. His frustration with that specific branch, which is located off a roundabout at the top of Cavendish Way, stems from the litter and smells. Tim said that he has seen people drive onto their street to eat the food before throwing their rubbish out of the window, sometimes littering his drive. While the store 'said they would send someone out to keep the road clean', Tim said, 'they haven't done that.' Catherine Carol, who lives opposite Tim, has experienced similar issues. She said: 'It's bloody awful. I came home yesterday and there's a load of rubbish on the street by my house - they don't clear up after themselves. 'We have got masses of boxes around here. It's disgusting.' In addition to the rubbish, she said the KFC has made it difficult to enjoy the summer weather, with residents of Cavendish Way's gardens facing the drive thru. She said: 'In the summer you can smell the grease and oil.' From when the store opens at 10.30am, until it closes at 11pm, residents are subjected to the smell of oil, grease, and fried chicken, as the wind carries the smell into their gardens. It left Catherine saying: 'I wish it wasn't there.' Neighbour Dean Ferguson, 62, has found the smell particularly difficult to deal with. He said: 'The noxious smells you get drafting across at peak times can overwhelm you.' Like Tim, he has seen people parking on their road to eat the fast food before 'launch[ing] it out the side of the car.' He added: 'It's really disgusting, people don't seem to care.' This is an issue he foresaw when the proposals were initially submitted, as he was one of the many residents to object to the plans. 10 Resident Devin Parmar, thinks the expansion will be good for the country Credit: Ian Whittaker 10 Some residents aren't bothered by the smell. Pictured: Philip Charsley Credit: Ian Whittaker 10 A retirement village faces the KFC, affecting resident Derek Avent Credit: Ian Whittaker He said: 'I did object to it several years ago. I could see what was going to happen.' Even when it isn't open, 83-year-old Derek Avent said: 'There's a 24-hour smell that just doesn't go away.' Derek lives in the retirement village on the opposite side of the KFC. He said that his ground floor flat is ruined by the smell, particularly on summer days when he opens his window. Derek added: 'On a sunny day like today when I open the window it's all I can smell, and it's bad.' Another issue Derek highlighted is the increased traffic caused on quite a small road. Delivery drivers are a particular concern for retirement home residents as he said: 'All you see going there are just guys on bikes with the big boxes for delivery orders, and they have no care for motorists or people walking nearby.' Dean said that traffic is especially bad during peak times, like on a Friday, which can 'create quite a bit of congestion.' Not all residents are as put off by the fast food chain though, as Devin Parmar, 41, said: 'It's actually a selling point - I like the smell.' He added that 'it's really convenient' and that ultimately he is 'glad it's there.' Devin did acknowledge the risk of increased litter with the chain's expansion, however, he said: 'that's more on people throwing rubbish on the floor, not throwing it in a bin.' As long as KFC provides adequate bins and accounts for successful waste management as part of the expansion, Devin thinks it will be a good thing, and the members of the community should learn to take care of their litter. With the news that the store expansion could create 7,000 jobs, Devin said it was nice to see 'a chain… actually investing in the UK which is a good thing' especially 'at a time where people are complaining about cost of living and unemployment rates.' Philip Charsley, 60, shared a similarly positive mindset. He said: 'To be honest I haven't had any problems with it. While he admitted you do 'occasionally get a smell', he said 'it's no worse than somebody that's having a barbecue.' His main issue with the chain is that 'it's just not good food' as he would rather cook from scratch than indulge in the deep fried food. While most residents seemed to agree that its former occupants were better, they were also more apprehensive about what could replace the KFC if it ever shut down. Tim initially expressed a hope that 'it might close down' as he noted it's 'never really that busy.' However, he said: 'The worry now is if that does fail, what do you get next? A McDonalds or a Burger King? I just don't want those sorts of places.' Slightly further down the road is a McDonalds drive thru that Philip says 'causes major traffic issues,' leaving him grateful that the KFC is not very busy. 10 Houses on Cavendish Way back on to the drive thru Credit: Tony Kershaw 10 Motorists will park on the road and throw their rubbish out of the window Credit: Tony Kershaw 10 Residents want KFC to prioritise waste management during the expansion Credit: Tony Kershaw Long-term residents seem more put-out by the addition to their suburban neighbourhood, while Philip and Devin, who moved to the area four and six years ago respectively, were more positive. With an average Tripadvisor rating of 1.7, visitors to West Wickham's KFC complain of rude staff, soggy fries, and incorrect orders. While the new initiative could provide new job opportunities, residents of West Wickham empathise with Britons across the country who might be feeling apprehensive about the chain's expansion. Despite Devin's positive attitude, he did acknowledge that 'litter and pest issues will be the main concern for residents across the country as it could cause issues in each of the bubbles near each location.' A spokesperson for Bromley Council said: "Permission was granted for this development over a decade ago, which followed the usual process for determining Planning applications and considered all representations, including from residents, received at that time. "We have had few complaints relating to this property, but residents can raise any concerns, which will be investigated through our Planning or Public Protection Enforcement teams as required." We have approached KFC for comment.
