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Back in February, I named and shamed five UK shares festering in my Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). I asked myself whether to bin them for good.
But since I see myself as a long-term contrarian investor – willing to endure the bad times for the good – I decided to hold. Now I’m back for another sniff. Has anything improved?
My table shows how they’ve done over three and 12 months.
| Stock | 3-month return |
One-year return |
| Aston Martin Holdings | -7.7% | -44.5 % |
| Diageo | -6.6% | -24.1 % |
| Glencore | -14.5% | -44.5 % |
| JD Sports Fashion | 4.5% | -36.1% |
| Ocado Group | -4.7% | -37.7% |
| FTSE All-Share | 0.21% | 6.2% |
I’ve included the FTSE All-Share as a benchmark. While that index is up 6.2% over a year, my fetid five are down between 25% and 45%.
Bunch of bad buys
The last three months have been volatile with Donald Trump flip-flopping on global trade tariffs. The FTSE’s gone nowhere but four out of my five laggards have gone backwards. Selling them in February wouldn’t have been a bad call.
James Bond carmaker Aston Martin was hit by tariff talk focused on the UK motor industry. It’s picked up slightly lately, but the direction’s still down.
As I said then: “I’m only holding because selling my tiny stake isn’t worth the trading charges, and to remind myself never to be this cavalier again.” That still stands. Aston Martin was a daft punt but what about others I took more seriously?
Ocado Group has had good days and bad, but it’s still years away from profitability. Without more overseas contracts, belief will keep fading. Staying loyal is just deepening my losses. I need to rethink this one.
Diageo shares struggle
I’m also losing faith in spirits giant Diageo (LSE: DGE). It’s been hit from all angles: falling sales amid the cost-of-living crunch, inventory issues, the rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and now tariff risks.
This FTSE 100 stalwart’s taken a beating. That’s usually the kind of moment I like to buy in. But its troubles are mounting, and there may be a broader shift in play. The younger generation appears to be drinking less, and Diageo could be at the sharp end of that.
There was a glimmer of hope. Organic Q3 net sales rose 5.9% in the three months to 31 March. But management pinned this on “significant phasing benefits” expected to reverse in Q4. It looks like I’m in for further pain.
Uncertain recovery plays
Mining giant Glencore has fared worst of the lot. Trump’s tariff easing hasn’t helped, as coal and commodity prices fall on weak Chinese demand and global slowdown fears.
Natural resources stocks are cyclical, I reminded myself in February. But so far, holding has been a daft move too.
My final foul-smelling flop is JD Sports Fashion. This one I still believe in. I even averaged down on 20 March. It’s the only one of my stinkers in positive territory over three months.
As for the other four, their struggles may drag on. The only thing stopping me selling is the fear that, once I do, sod’s law will strike and they’ll all take off.
If I didn’t already own them, would I buy them today? Apart from JD Sports, no. And on that basis, it might be time to freshen up.
