UK investors tend to stick to what they know when it comes to buying individual stocks, with domestic names dominating the top 10 most-bought shares among platforms such as interactive investor, Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest.
Where there are overseas stocks, it tends to be the behemoth US names, such as Microsoft, Amazon and Nvidia.
But the world is large and there are far more opportunities outside the large US tech giants that investors may wish to consider adding to their portfolios.
Below, Trustnet asked fund managers for their favourite stock picks covering a range of different styles from value to quality-growth. None of the stocks below are recommendations to buy; investors will need to do their own research before making any decisions.
For the contrarian investor
Dan O’Keefe, lead portfolio manager of Artisan’s global value team, highlighted IQVIA, which manages outsourced clinical trials for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
It is a “high-quality, undervalued company with strong positioning and durable growth driving long-term returns”, he said.
Earnings have risen from about $700m a decade ago to roughly $3bn today, rising from under $6 per share five years ago to around $11 expected this year.
However, shares have pulled back, down % over the past five years. As the Covid pandemic slowed activity, biotechnology companies struggled for funding in the era of higher interest rates and on AI fears, all of which O’Keefe described as transitory.
Share price performance over 5yrs
Source: Google Finance
“IQVIA’s proprietary data and global trial infrastructure remain difficult to replicate and, as these headwinds normalise, the current 17x valuation appears to undervalue the company’s long-term growth prospects,” he said.
A stock for the income-needy
Entergy was the selection of Shane Hurst, portfolio manager of the ClearBridge Global Infrastructure Income fund. The regulated electric utility provides power to US states Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi and could serve a “defensive role” in ISA portfolios.
“As essential service infrastructure, its underlying assets deliver consistent cashflows through all parts of the economic cycle. This stability in underlying cashflows ensures that in times of economic stress its assets provide a defensive exposure,” he said.
“At the same time, Entergy has strong exposure to AI and other network growth, so it has growth aspects too, although importantly, this growth is locked in with long-term contracts.”
The stock is expected to deliver more than 10% earnings per share growth annually over the next five years, with key drivers including decarbonisation initiatives, enhanced storm resiliency and rising demand from AI data centres, although Hurst said Entergy could exceed these growth targets if data centre additions to its load continue.
Entergy has been performing well of late, with the announcement of another capex raise at its latest earnings, along with a strong focus on converting 8GW of turbines into more data centre deals. Shares are up 19.3% in 2026 so far and 120.7% over five years, as the below chart shows.
Share price performance over 5yrs
Source: Google Finance
A quality compounder
Quality-growth has struggled in recent years as an investment style as higher interest rates have lowered the appeal of compounding businesses.
However, Carolyn Bell, deputy portfolio manager of the Stonehage Fleming Global Best Ideas Equity fund, said Safran remains a good choice, noting the stock has recently entered the portfolio.
The French-listed aerospace and defence company is a leader in the design and manufacture of jet engines. “This is currently a very attractive market: there is sales growth from the trend of increased travel and high technological barriers to entry,” said Bell.
“We consider it to be well-managed, with steady investment into research and development, steadily increasing profitability and a CEO and CFO both with engineering backgrounds. The very best part of Safran’s business lies in its maintenance services, which provide ongoing profitable cashflow long after the initial engine sale.”
Shares have risen 131.4% over the past five years, but are off 10.1% so far in 2026, potentially offering a good entry point.
Share price performance over 5yrs
Source: Google Finance
However, she noted that, as it serves the defence industry, it is only appropriate for investors willing to buy both defence and oil-related stocks.
For those that are, “Safran is considered a high-quality business with a strong competitive position, currently experiencing attractive growth”, she said.
A stock that combines it all
Staying in France, Ben Ritchie, co-manager of the Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust, highlighted Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT), a French engineering consultancy business that offers investors an alternative route into the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector.
“Its patented membrane technologies are installed in over 70% of the world’s LNG carriers, giving it strong pricing power, visibility through long‑dated orderbooks and an attractive capital‑light model,” he said.
LNG demand is structural, he added, and its “dominant market share” gives the firm a quality tilt. However, the sector has come to the fore more recently due to rising Asian imports and European energy security needs, making it worthy of consideration for growth investors too.
“Recent catalysts include continued intake of LNG carrier orders and expansion into adjacent technologies such as fuel tanks for LNG‑powered vessels and provision of membranes for the shipment of other chemicals in liquid form such as hydrogen,” said Ritchie.
Lastly, for income seekers, its “asset‑light economics” translates into consistently high margins and historically high and robust dividends, he noted.