We recently published a list of 10 Best UK Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN) stands against other best UK stocks to invest in.
Like most of the world, the United Kingdom is also facing slower economic growth in 2025, fuelled by an unpredictable trading environment and high taxes. According to KPMG, there are some upsides to the UK economy this year, including solid household savings and robust public spending. However, American tariffs could limit UK GDP growth to only 0.8% during 2025 and 2026. In the short term, inflation will likely come back due to growing labor costs and skyrocketing energy prices. Nonetheless, KPMG forecasts that inflation will simmer down to the Bank of England’s target of 2% by the middle of next year.
What came as a surprise was the UK economy going up by 0.1% in Q4 2024, a welcome reprieve from the sodden economic outlook painted by market experts. This made Britain the top performer in Europe during the fourth quarter, as Italy remained flat and German and French economies shrunk. However, the UK economy fell short of the 0.6% growth in the United States. In light of these economic developments, Scott Gardner, investment strategist at JP Morgan-owned wealth manager Nutmeg, told Reuters on February 13, 2025:
“A pleasant surprise, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Beneath the surface of these latest figures, domestic demand via consumption and business investment was weaker than expected,”
As per Britain’s Office for National Statistics, wholesalers, film distributors, pubs and bars, industrial manufacturers, and pharma led the growth in December 2024. However, it should be noted that this growth was dependent on monetary support from the government and a brief pile-up in business inventories. In addition, flat spending trends were observed in households, and business investment stumbled by 3.2% in Q4. The Bank of England has now slashed its growth outlook for 2025 to 0.75%, while the National Institute of Economic and Social Research remains optimistic with a 1.5% forecast.
Investor optimism is increasing around the UK, given the rising trade tensions between the United States and Europe. While UK economic growth has lagged in recent years, BofA analysts expect it to pick up pace in 2025, projecting 1.4% growth. Analysts see positive signs like deregulation, capital spending, and potential US trade benefits. Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, told CNBC on March 24, 2025:
“Talk of a U.S. trade deal also surfaced in client conversations, and there was increased optimism that the U.K. may be spared from direct and widespread tariffs,”
It is interesting to note that no matter the macroeconomic conditions, the rich seem to be getting richer.
A close-up of a medical device used for therapeutic solutions in a world-class hospital.
Our Methodology
To collect data for this article, we scanned Insider Monkey’s database of billionaires’ stock holdings and identified the companies headquartered in the UK but listed on American exchanges. From there, we picked the top 10 companies with the highest number of billionaire investors in Q4 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order based on the number of billionaire investors. We have also mentioned the value of billionaire holdings for further insight.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 11
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $302.42 million
LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN) ranks 7th on our list of the best UK stocks to buy. The company manufactures and distributes products and therapies for neurological and cardiac conditions. It offers devices like heart-lung machines and oxygenators, as well as a VNS Therapy System for depression and epilepsy. The company serves perfusionists, neurosurgeons, physicians, and healthcare providers.
On March 18, Barclays analyst Matt Miksic reiterated an Equal Weight rating on LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN) with a $56 price target, in light of the Italian Supreme Court’s decision about the SNIA trial. Now that the uncertainty regarding the court’s decision is over, the company can make proactive decisions about its finances.
The company’s Q4 revenue came in at $321.8 million, up 6.8% on an organic basis compared to the same period last year. US GAAP diluted earnings per share during the fourth quarter were $1.02, and adjusted diluted earnings per share stood at $0.81. For the full year 2024, cash flow from operating activities amounted to $183 million and LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN) recorded an adjusted free cash flow of $162.9 million. For 2025, LIVN expects its revenue to grow 6-7% organically. Adjusted earnings per share are projected to fall between $3.65 and $3.75, while free cash flow will likely lie between $135 million and $155 million.
According to Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 11 billionaires were bullish on LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN). Billionaire Israel Englander’s Millennium Management held the leading position in the company, with over 3 million shares worth $141 million.
Overall, LIVN ranks 7th among the 10 Best UK Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential of UK stocks, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LIVN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.