If I were starting out in the share market today, I would want businesses I could understand and feel comfortable holding for years.
I would also favour companies that already have strong positions but still have clear ways to grow.
For those reasons, these three would be high on my list.
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Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)
Goodman develops and owns large-scale property used by some of the world's biggest companies.
Its portfolio includes logistics facilities, warehouses, and data centres, with properties concentrated around major cities where land and access to power can be difficult to secure.
I think that makes Goodman a particularly interesting way for a beginner to gain exposure to some powerful long-term trends.
Online shopping and increasingly complex supply chains have created demand for well-located logistics space. At the same time, cloud computing and artificial intelligence are driving enormous investment in data centres.
Goodman's advantage is that it already owns and controls property in locations where these facilities are needed.
It also has decades of experience developing major projects and works with large global customers that need substantial amounts of space.
For a beginner, I like that the basic investment idea is easy to follow. Businesses need somewhere to store goods and run computing infrastructure, and Goodman is focused on supplying that property in places where it can be difficult to build more.
I think that could keep creating opportunities for a long time.
ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)
ResMed is one of the world's major providers of technology for treating sleep apnoea and other respiratory conditions.
Its devices help people breathe properly while they sleep.
But selling a sleep treatment machine is only the beginning. ResMed can generate recurring revenue by providing replacement products, while its digital technology helps patients and healthcare providers manage treatment.
There is also a large group of people around the world who have sleep apnoea but have either not been diagnosed or are not receiving treatment.
As awareness improves and more people seek help, ResMed has the opportunity to bring more patients into its ecosystem.
For someone new to investing, I think this is a relatively straightforward long-term story. ResMed provides products that address a genuine medical need, has spent decades developing expertise in the field, and can keep growing by helping more people receive treatment.
That is the type of business I would be comfortable learning to invest with.
Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)
Macquarie is much more than an Australian bank.
It operates across asset management, commodities and financial markets, banking, advisory, and investing, with activities spread around the world.
I think that range is one of the reasons it could suit a beginner.
Macquarie has several ways to find opportunities as economic conditions change. Its asset management business can invest in areas such as infrastructure, energy, and real assets. Its commodities operations help businesses manage financial and physical risks, while its banking and advisory businesses provide further sources of earnings.
What interests me is the experience Macquarie has built in areas requiring large amounts of capital and specialist knowledge.
Infrastructure, renewable energy, digital networks, transport, and other major projects will continue requiring investment for decades. Macquarie has positioned itself to participate in many of those opportunities around the world.
The business can be more complicated than the other two, but I think the central idea remains simple. That is that Macquarie has built expertise in allocating capital and finding opportunities across markets.
I would be comfortable backing that capability over a long period.
Foolish takeaway
If I were a beginner, I would not feel any pressure to find the most exciting share on the market.
I would rather start with established businesses whose long-term opportunities I can understand, then give myself time to learn while those companies continue doing what they do well.
Goodman, ResMed, and Macquarie would give me that kind of starting point, which is why I would be happy to buy all three with the intention of holding for years.
