ASX growth shares can be a little more volatile than the market as a whole. They often experience considerable swings in value created largely by market sentiment. However, I believe it’s important to focus more on business fundamentals rather than short-term share price movements. This is because in the short term, a company’s share price is often not representative of the value of its underlying business. However, I believe this changes over longer-term holding periods.

With this in mind, following are 2 ASX growth shares I currently own but would be happy to double down on next week, based on today’s prices.

The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price

Despite Nearmap being one of the 10 most shorted shares in June, I would still place this ASX growth share on my buy list. The Nearmap share price has soared more than 150% since its March lows. This is despite it recently pulling back along with the rest of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) amid concerns over a second wave of coronavirus.  

In fact, the Nearmap share price has been on a crazy rollercoaster over the last two years. However, its business has been growing strongly. Both here in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), as well as in North America (NA). The company’s NA market includes both the United States and Canada. Not only has Nearmap’s subscription base been growing at an 11% compound annual growth rate, but its average revenue per subscription (ARPS) has also been growing at a compound annual growth rate of 22% in NA and 12% for the more mature ANZ region. Combining these for its most recent half, the group achieved growth in its annualised contract value of 23% over the prior corresponding period. 

In addition, the company has recently launched ‘Nearmap AI’ which should help to drive ARPS growth in the future. It also has a massive total addressable market (TAM). Nearmap’s TAM is estimated to be around $1.6 billion to $2.75 billion. Moreover, these figures only represent markets the company currently operates in. On this note, Nearmap’s CEO Rob Newman has expressed a desire to become a global leader and believes the company’s unique business model has the potential to scale to multiple geographies around the world.

I believe Nearmap’s business model has proven itself in ANZ and shown scalability in the NA market. Additionally it is on track to reach cash flow breakeven by the end of June 2020. Nearmap’s closing cash balance is expected to be between $32 million and $35 million by the financial year’s end. I believe the company will continue to grow in its current markets and push into new ones. In my eyes, this makes today’s Nearmap share price a very compelling buy. 

The Medical Developments International Ltd (ASX: MVP) share price

You’ve probably heard of Medical Developments’ flagship product, the ‘green whistle’. The green whistle is used by medical practitioners, paramedics, life savers and others to administer emergency pain relief. It contains the drug Penthrox and is advocated by many as superior to other pain relief medications. This is thanks to it being fast-acting, non-addictive and able to be self-administered. Uptake of the green whistle has exploded, with the number of countries around the world selling it rapidly increasing over the past decade. This is reflected in the company’s sales which have increased 42% for its UK market and 35% for the European market for H1FY20.

However the Medical Developments business doesn’t start and end with the green whistle. In fact, the green whistle only accounts for a little over half its revenue. A stat which may soon change. The remaining majority of the company’s revenue comes from its medical devices segment, followed by a much smaller veterinary segment. The medical devices segment includes space chambers, masks and other devices and was the company’s fastest growing segment in H1FY20. Total sales in this segment grew 49% compared to the prior corresponding period, with US sales up 49% and UK/Europe sales climbing by 73%.

Medical Developments also noted an increase in R&D investment. I believe this should also bode well for this ASX growth share’s future. While I don’t think today’s prices are necessarily ‘cheap’, thanks to its future growth prospects as it increases sales and enters more markets, I would be happy making a long term investment in Medical Developments next week.

More reading

• These were the best performing shares on the ASX 200 last week
• Got $20,000? These are the ASX shares I’d buy during COVID-19
• 3 ASX shares I’d buy if the market hits 23 March levels again
• Leading fund manager names 4 ASX stocks set to benefit from a faster re-opening of the Australian economy
• ASX 200 falls 1.9%, big 4 ASX banks retreat

Michael Tonon owns shares of Medical Developments International Limited and Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Medical Developments International Limited and Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Medical Developments International Limited and Nearmap Ltd. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Warren Buffett has an exceptional track record of outperforming the share market over a long time period. Buffett’s investing strategy aims to buy high-quality companies when they offer wide margins of safety, and hold them over the long term.

As such, it could be a useful strategy for investors to adopt as a means of benefitting from the recent market volatility. It may not produce high returns in the short run, but could significantly improve your financial prospects over the coming years.

Warren Buffett’s investing strategy

One of the most notable aspects of Warren Buffett’s investing strategy is its simplicity. He does not use a plethora of complicated formulas in deciding when or where to invest. He simply seeks to buy stocks when they are trading at attractive prices. This method allowed him to buy a range of companies following the last global recession in 2008/09. Many of those holdings produced high returns as the world economy recovered.

With many stocks currently trading on low valuations, using a value investing strategy could improve your long-term returns. It may enable you to take advantage of the cyclicality of the stock market, and generate high returns during its likely recovery.

Economic moats

As well as seeking to buy stocks when they offer wide margins of safety, Warren Buffett also seeks to purchase companies with economic moats. An economic moat is essentially a competitive advantage that one company has over its sector peers. Examples include a lower cost base, a unique product or strong customer loyalty. These help to protect a company’s financial performance during a downturn and deliver relatively high profitability during economic growth.

At the present time, a number of companies with wide economic moats are trading on low valuations. Therefore, investors have a significant amount of choice. Choice in building a diverse portfolio of companies that produce relatively high returns in the long term.

Holding period

Warren Buffett’s investment strategy also seeks to hold stocks for the long term. In fact, his favoured holding period is apparently ‘forever’.

This attitude could be beneficial given the current outlook for the world economy. A global recession seems highly likely this year. And it could take place over a sustained time period depending on monetary policy, fiscal policy and whether there is a second wave of the coronavirus.

As such, investors who are able to take a long-term view of their holdings could be among those who generate the highest returns. They may be able to overcome short-term market volatility to benefit from the eventual recoveries of their holdings.

Although this may not lead to a portfolio size which rivals Warren Buffett’s, it could, nevertheless, boost your returns in the long run.

More reading

• These were the best performing shares on the ASX 200 last week
• These were the worst performing shares on the ASX 200 last week
• Why the Nearmap share price and one other are on my buy list
• 2 defensive ASX shares to protect your portfolio
• 3 ASX dividend kings to buy and hold forever

Motley Fool contributor Peter Stephens has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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I think that defensive ASX shares could be the best way to protect your portfolio.

Businesses with robust business models should hopefully not see much of a hit to their earnings during this COVID-19 period. If the earnings don’t fall much then theoretically the share prices shouldn’t drop too much compared to a riskier cyclical share.

I believe the best defensive ASX shares are the ones that won’t see much of a change in demand for their product or service.

Here are two of the most defensive ASX shares:

Share 1: APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA Group is one of the biggest infrastructure businesses on the ASX.

It owns a vast network of 15,000km of natural gas pipelines around Australia with a presence in every mainland state and the Northern Territory. It also owns or has interests in gas storage facilities, gas-fired power stations and renewable energy generation (wind and solar farms). APA owns, or manages and operates, a portfolio of assets worth more than $21 billion and delivers half the nation’s natural gas usage.

APA delivers an essential service for Australia. The nation needs its natural gas.

I think APA is a defensive ASX share because the demand for gas remains robust. The energy infrastructure giant recently said that there hasn’t been a material change because of COVID-19. It also has $1.2 billion of available liquidity to get through this period if needed.

The business has grown its distribution every year for a decade and a half. It offers a FY20 distribution yield of 4.4%. The distribution can keep growing because APA funds it from its annual cashflow. That cashflow is growing because APA continues to complete new energy projects.

Share 2: Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

I think Rural Funds is another great defensive ASX share. It’s a farmland real estate investment trust (REIT).

COVID-19 caused many other REITs to be sold off. Shopping centres like Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) were hurt as shoppers stayed away and shops were shut. Office property REITs like DEXUS Property Group (ASX: DXS) were sold down as workers stayed home.

But Rural Funds hasn’t faced the same problems. Its agricultural tenants continue to grow produce at the farms. Some of its tenants include Olam, Select Harvests Limited (ASX: SHV) and Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE).

I think Rural Funds is a really good defensive ASX share for several reasons. It has high-quality tenants like the ones I just mentioned. Rural Funds’ farms are diversified geographically and by farm type – it owns cattle, cotton, vineyard, almond and macadamia properties.

One of the best reasons to like Rural Funds is that it has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of more than 10 years. That means the rental income is locked in for more than a decade.

That rental income is rising as each rental contract has built-in rental indexation. The rental indexation is either a fixed 2.5% increase or linked to CPI inflation, with market reviews. This helps the management of the defensive ASX share forecast that the distribution can grow by 4% per annum. I think that’s a good growth rate, it’s comfortably higher than inflation.

Another factor helping distribution growth is productivity investing. Rural Funds retains around 20% of its annual cash rental profit. The official term its cash rental profit is ‘adjusted funds from operations’ (AFFO). Rural Funds re-invests 20% of AFFO into productivity improvements at its farms for its tenants benefit. This increases the value of the farms and grows rental income.

Occasionally the defensive ASX share will acquire a new farm that will add to earnings. It has been focusing on buying cattle properties in the last couple of years.

It currently offers a FY21 distribution yield of 5.7%.

Foolish takeaway

I think both businesses are defensive ASX shares. At the current prices I’m more drawn to Rural Funds because of its consistent growth and higher distribution yield. However, I’d be happy to have both businesses in my portfolio for reliable income.

More reading

• The pros and cons of investing in high yield dividend shares
• 12 top ASX dividend shares to buy in June 2020
• 3 high yield ASX dividend shares for income
• Not keen on Westpac? Then buy these top ASX dividend shares instead
• 2 strong ASX dividend shares to bolster your income

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares of RURALFUNDS STAPLED. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended RURALFUNDS STAPLED and Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of APA Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Scentre Group. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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