Down over 30% this year, could these 3 UK shares bounce back in 2026?
I like a bargain as much as the next investor â and some UK shares look like bargains to me right now, even though the UK stock market overall has performed fairly well this year.
Here are three British shares that have each lost over 30% of their value this year. Might they bounce back in the coming year?
Greggs
Food-to-go chain Greggs (LSE: GRG) has had a torrid 2025 to date. The 38% decline in the share price underlines that.
On the plus side, that fall has helped push the Greggs dividend yield up to 4%.
It also means that the FTSE 250 share now sells for just 12 times earnings. To me, that looks like a tasty price for a company with a proven, profitable business model and network of thousands of shops.
Perhaps other investors are also thinking that the fall in the share price may have been overdone as it has jumped by 22% since late last month.
Still, despite that positive momentum, the share remains badly down compared to the start of the year.
Weak like-for-like sales growth and poor demand planning in a warm early summer have dampened some investorsâ enthusiasm for the sausage roll purveyor.
But as a long-term investor, I remain confident about Greggsâ business formula and have no plans to sell my shares.
Diageo
Another of the UK shares that I have been buying for my portfolio this year is drinks giant Diageo (LSE: DGE).
The force behind everything from Guinness to Johnnie Walker is down 34%.
Johnnie Walkerâs tagline of âkeep walkingâ comes to mind. Will Diageo shares keep walking down? Or is the loss of one-third of this FTSE 100 companyâs value in less than a year a step too far?
Personally I am banking on a recovery, Having built my stake in the firm, I have no plans to sell it. I like Diageoâs profitability, its strong brands and extensive global distribution network.
The share price fall suggests that not all investors share my enthusiasm. Tariff disputes and weakening premium white spirits demand are a short-term risk.
Longer term, younger consumersâ growing lack of enthusiasm for alcoholic beverages is a risk to both revenues and profits at Diageo.
However, I remain upbeat about the future and have no plans to sell my shares in the firm.
Judges Scientific
Like Diageo, Judges Scientific (LSE: JDG) has seen its share price fall 34% so far this year.
Does that make the specialist measurement instrument maker cheap? Not necessarily.
Indeed, the company currently sells for 35 times earnings. So, although the share has fallen sharply this year, Judges still commands what many investors may regard as a premium valuation.
Is that justifiable?
Some of the risks include ongoing weak demand in the Chinese market and subdued spending by US academic institutions.
Still, I like the companyâs proven business model of buying up small and medium-sized companies at attractive prices and adding the benefits of centralised management.
If the market warms to that story again, it could be good news for the Judges Scientific share price. At its current valuation, though, I am not ready to invest just yet.
The post Down over 30% this year, could these 3 UK shares bounce back in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.
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C Ruane has positions in Diageo Plc and Greggs Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Diageo Plc, Greggs Plc, and Judges Scientific Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.
