When making an investment I feel it is always best to take a long term view if you can. Investing over a period of a few months is not advisable and very few shares will realise their true value during such a short amount of time.
As legendary investor Benjamin Graham once said, "In the short run the market is a voting machine, but in the long run it is a weighing machine."
According to Paul Taylor from Fidelity Australian Equities Fund via LiveWire Markets, there are two shares on the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) which he believes are candidates for a buy and hold investment spanning the next five to 10 years.
SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)
I would have to wholeheartedly agree with Mr Taylor with this pick. SEEK is an outstanding Australian company with an equally outstanding management team led by chief executive and co-founder Andrew Bassat. Not content with just a 33% slice of the Australian market, SEEK is positioning itself for worldwide domination.
The company is closing in fast on the $1 billion annual revenue milestone thanks in part to the stunning growth of its international operations. In FY 2016 half-year revenue in this segment grew 34% from $222 million to $298 million, eclipsing the $152 million domestic revenue during the half.
In a recent announcement the company stated that it has exciting long-term growth plans and will continue its trend of re-investment for future growth. This gives me the confidence to believe this growth can continue for many years to come, making it an ideal buy and hold investment.
Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)
Mr Taylor's second pick was Suncorp, stating his belief that the insurer provides Australian investors with both growth and yield. Suncorp is a company that I am very bullish on at the moment and class it as a better option than rival insurer QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE).
As well as its shares trading at a discount to the market, they are also expected to provide a fantastic fully franked estimated 5.9% dividend in FY 2017, according to CommSec. Not only is this a market-beating yield, but I feel there is the possibility of it growing in the future.
I think both the changes to its operating model and a new intervention strategy designed to restore performance are positioning Suncorp for long-term growth in my opinion. Management expects these changes to deliver cost efficiencies and enhance the company's profitability in the future and I feel confident it will deliver on its promises.
