How to buy Smith & Nephew (SN) shares

By   |   Verified by Andrew Boyd   |   Updated 9 Nov 2023

Smith & Nephew (LON: SN) develops and manufactures medical equipment, which is sold across the world. They make a wide range of products, including knee, hip, and shoulder replacement systems. Smith & Nephew is also recognised as being a leader in wound management.

They are pioneers in the development of the equipment needed to conduct minimally invasive surgery including several surgical imaging systems that are used globally.

What follows is our guide to buying shares in Smith & Nephew.

Unsure about what share dealer to use?

Where to buy Smith & Nephew shares

eToro

On website

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk

eToro

Highlights

  • Trade and invest in top financial instruments, including a wide selection of stocks.
  • eToro is regulated by CySec, FCA and ASIC
  • Your funds are protected by industry-leading security protocols.
Hargreaves Lansdown

On website

Hargreaves Lansdown

Highlights

  • Offers easy-to-use trading platforms.
  • Invest across 20 international exchanges in shares, funds, bonds and investment trusts.
  • Dealing charges depend on how many trades you make each month.
Lightyear

On website

When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Lightyear

Highlights

  • Invest in over 3,000 international ETFs and stocks in the EU, UK, US, and more.
  • Simple and easy-to-understand pricing. Per order, Lightyear will charge 0.1% (up to $1 max) on US shares, £1 on UK shares, and €1 on EU shares.
  • Earn interest* on uninvested cash, USD (4.50%), EUR (3.25%), GBP (4.5%), and HUF (8.25%)  p.a. gross.
  • No account-keeping fees.


*The interest rates are true as of 12.06.2023
* Finty will be paid a referral fee, including financial promotion if you open an account and deposit funds through some of the links on this page.


Pros

  • No withdrawal fees.
  • US Fractional Shares are available.
  • A low 0.35% foreign exchange fee.

Cons

  • Limited investment products.
Saxo Markets

On website

Saxo Markets

Highlights

  • It only takes five minutes to open your account online.
  • Get ultra-competitive spreads and commissions across all asset classes.
  • Get news, commentary and actionable trade ideas from their team of expert analysts.
Wombat Invest

On website

Wombat Invest

Highlights

  • Simple and straightforward investing app.
  • Allows you to invest in ETFs (Standard ISA or GIA) and Fractional Shares (GIA only).
  • Get a savings account and unlock 4.91 %AER (variable) paid daily.
  • Open an Individual Savings Account and invest up to £20,000 each year.



Disclaimer: When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Pepperstone

On website

80.9% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs

Pepperstone

Highlights

  • Trade gold, silver, oil, and more.
  • Enjoy industry-leading low spreads from 0.0 pips.
  • Regulated by ASIC, BaFin, CMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, and SCB.
Freetrade

On website

Freetrade

Highlights

  • With fractional shares, you can start investing from only £2.
  • Choose from thousands of stocks from the London Stock Exchange, NYSE and NASDAQ.
  • Access to a wide range of ETFs and Investment trusts.

Compare stock trading platforms with Finty. Research fees, commissions, tradable assets, markets, etc.

First time buying?

How to buy Smith & Nephew shares

Step 1: Find a broker

Smith & Nephew is listed on the London Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SNN). If you want to buy their shares, you'll need a broker with access to at least one of these stock exchanges.

When considering your options for a brokerage, you need to consider factors such as their commission structure and the foreign exchange fee the broker charges.

Also, look into market access, tradable instruments and whether or not they have fractional share investment.

If you’re new to investing, being able to open a demo account where you can practice could also be a worthwhile feature.

Step 2: Fund your account

You can fund your account using a bank transfer or a debit card. Some brokers will accept credit cards and/or PayPal as well.

Note that the length of time funds take to settle in your account can vary, depending on the method used.

Step 3: Decide how much to invest

Investing in shares is not a sure bet. Share values fluctuate based on a number of variables and there is no guarantee that you will not lose money. Therefore, you should not invest any more than you can afford to lose without putting yourself in financial difficulty.

Step 4: Choose between buying shares or an ETF

ETFs are a way to share in the growth of a particular sector or theme. For example, there are ETFs for the health industry and precision engineering.

ETFs that include shares of Smith & Nephew include iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA), SPDR(R) Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW), and Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund ETF Shares (VT).

Step 5: Configure your order

A market order is the most basic order type available, allowing you to buy shares at the next available price (which might be slightly higher or lower than what was quoted).

Most brokers offer a type of order that is automatically executed when pre-defined conditions are met. Alternatively, you may be able to configure a recurring order to buy more shares at regular intervals, e.g. every month, and build your position over time.

Step 6: Buy

With your account set up and funded, submit your order to buy shares.

After you buy

What moves Smith & Nephew's share price

Smith & Nephew’s share price may be affected by government spending on health and population-level demographic change. For example, an ageing population — as is the case in a growing number of developed nations — will typically require more medical intervention. New products and services being introduced to address these markets can help their valuation. However, it is a fiercely competitive — and acquisitive — market.

Their main competitors are Orthofix (NASDAQ: OFIX), DePuy Synthes owned by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Globus Medical (NYSE: GMED), and Zimmer Biomet (NYSE: ZBH). You can track the performance of these companies to gauge how Smith & Nephew are performing against the broader market.

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.