The number of Australians utilising a self-managed super fund (SMSF) structure to secure themselves a financially-independent future continues to grow.
The increase in individuals looking to take control of their retirement funds has been a boon for financial service companies such as AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) and Perpetual Limited (ASX: PPT), who have strong market shares in general financial advice and high net worth (HNW) client advice services respectively.
While some SMSF investors choose to utilise funds management services as well, many others look to take advice, but ultimately make the stock-picking decisions themselves.
Here are four market-leading stocks which currently look to be trading at reasonably attractive levels and importantly all have solid long-term growth potential.
- Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) – The toll road operator has recently announced "financial close" on its acquisition of a 62.5% interest in Queensland Motorways and its acquisition of Cross City Tunnel in Sydney. Having already released proportional toll revenue figures which show 12.6% growth to $1.1 billion over financial year 2014, these two latest asset acquisitions should help keep earnings growing at a strong rate over FY 2015. The defensive nature of Transurban's monopoly assets makes it a wonderful stock for an SMSF portfolio.
- Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (ASX: CCL) – The beverage maker's share price has certainly lost its fizz over the last year and while it may not yet be 'cheap', for long-term investors now could be an appealing time to buy into the Australian and Indonesian bottler of one of the world's most iconic and recognisable brands.
- CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) – Shares in the global biopharma developer and manufacturer have actually underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months. However the outperformance of CSL over the longer term has been nothing short of spectacular. CSL's long-term growth profile continues to look impressive making the current price weakness possibly a good time to snap-up this blue-chip stock.
- Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) – As a niche retailer, Super Retail Group is arguably better placed than its apparel and electronics peers which face higher competition from online retailers and heavier price deflation. The present tight consumer spending habits have depressed the share prices of stocks across the sector; Super Retail is no exception with its share price close to a two-year low. In the long run however, now could turn out to be an opportunistic time to buy.
