Bell Potter’s top stock picks for 2022

It’s something of a magic number, three. Regarded by various cultures as mystical, three is thought to symbolise harmony, wisdom and understanding. And in ancient Rome and other dynastic empires, it formed the basis of a political institution (the “triumvirate").

Sticking with the number three, the following document details our analysts' Australian stock picks for 2022. They have mostly nominated three – two in a couple of cases, and nine in one instance – of their top picks across 10 categories.

These categories, spanning nine sectors and one product type, are:

• Banks
• Listed investment companies
• Agriculture and FMCG
• Technology
• Discretionary retail and professional services
• Industrials
• Healthcare
• Resources
• Energy, and
• Strategic minerals.

Without giving too much away (you’ll have to click the link below to learn more), you’ll learn why our analyst TS Lim regards ANZ Bank (ASX: ANZ) and National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) as the strongest of Australia’s “unquestionably strong” financial institutions.

And our exchange-traded fund and LIC specialist, Hayden Nicholson, reveals his three picks of Australian listed vehicles. Qualitas is income-focused, Future Generation with its philanthropic focus, and Wilson Asset Management's Alternatives fund.

One of the perennial favourites of the Growth investor, Technology firms are weighed up by analyst Chris Savage. He discusses an eclectic mix of companies in automotive parts software, enterprise software and location-sharing apps.

Retail is a category that has divided the opinions among market-watchers over the last couple of years especially, but Sam Haddad pulls out three firms in footwear and apparel, plus-size women’s fashionwear, and funeral services.

In Agriculture and FMCG, Jonathan Snape names well-loved Australian dairy goods firm Bega and two milk companies – a2 and Synlait. 

The broadest sector of the lot, Industrials, sees nine top stocks highlighted by analysts Hamish Murray, James Filius, Olivia Hagglund and Sam Brandwood. Their picks range from mining drill rigs to automotive finance, power poles and chemicals companies.

Across Healthcare, Resources and Energy, and Strategic Minerals, analysts David Coates, Stuart Howe, Bradley Watson, Regan Burrows and Joseph House dig out several gems in nickel mining, natural gas, uranium, battery metals and more.