4 stocks that Fools own for passive income

We believe owning some dividend-paying shares for passive income is crucial to ensuring you have a diversified portfolio.

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table

Image source: Getty Images

Discover some of our contractors’ top picks for generating substantial passive income through investments below!

Alexandria Real Estate

What it does: The company specialises in creating, acquiring, and managing life science campuses in key innovation hubs.

By Oliver Rodzianko. Alexandria Real Estate (NYSE:ARE) is my favourite passive income investment at the moment. It’s renowned for long-term price growth as well as its juicy 4.5% dividend yield.

Also, it’s currently down nearly 50% from its all-time high, so it doubles up as a dividend and a value investment.

The business has stable tenants in leading biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology companies. This provides stable and long-term lease agreements. The life sciences sector is positioned for continued growth amid technology innovation. Therefore, I’m very bullish on it.

That being said, the concentrated focus on the life sciences and technology sectors makes the company susceptible to downturns in these industries. So, it’s wise for me to not rely solely on Alexandria Real Estate for my dividend income.

I bought the shares earlier in the year, and I’ll be adding to my position regularly as long as the valuation remains appealing.

Oliver Rodzianko owns shares in Alexandria Real Estate

HSBC

What it does: HSBC is a global bank operating in over 60 countries, with a special focus on Asia. Across the globe, it serves over 40m customers.

By Charlie Keough. One of my favourite shares for passive income is HSBC (LSE: HSBA). The stock sports a thumping 7.5% yield. That has been steadily rising in the last couple of years.

That includes a 90% increase last year when its payout rose from 31 cents per share to 61 cents. Alongside that, it completed $7bn worth of share buybacks.

HSBC recently offloaded its Canadian unit. With the proceeds raised, the firm plans to pay shareholders a special one-off 21 cents dividend this year. That takes its yield closer to 10%, making it one of the highest on the FTSE 100.

I do have one main concern with HSBC. It’s heavily invested in Asia and this has caused the bank issues lately. The Chinese economy isn’t firing on all cylinders. It has struggled for growth. As such, HSBC has been directly impacted.

But in the long run, I expect its focus on the region to pay dividends (quite literally!). I hope to add to my position in HSBC soon.

Charlie Keough owns shares in HSBC.

MONY Group

What it does: MONY Group operates savings platform Moneysupermarket.com and cashback site Quidco

By Paul Summers. My investment in Moneysupermarket.com owner MONY (LSE: MONY) a few years ago is still to generate a profit. However, I’ve been more than happy to stay invested for the passive income the company churns out.

This stock yields currently yields 5.7%. That’s far more than I’d get from owning a fund that simply tracked the FTSE 250. But it’s not so high that I’m doubting whether the money will eventually hit my account.

To be sure, the mid-cap operates in a hyper-competitive space. There’s a question mark over how much it can grow from here as well. However, a rise in energy switching as deals get more competitive should help. 

Although it may mean losing that lovely income stream, I also wouldn’t be surprised if MONY was subject to a takeover bid or two in the near future.

Paul Summers owns shares in MONY Group

Realty Income

What it does: Realty Income owns and leases a portfolio of real estate assets, primarily focused on retail properties.

By Stephen Wright. I’ve owned shares in Realty Income (NYSE:O) for some time now. And I don’t anticipate selling them any time soon. 

The company is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that leases retail properties to its tenants. The majority of its business comes from the US.

Operating on a triple net lease basis helps reduce the overall costs – and risk – for the firm. It means tenants pay for things like insurance, taxes, and maintenance.

A couple of its largest tenants – the likes of Walgreens Boots Alliance – have found themselves in trouble lately. And that increases the risk of unpaid rent.

Realty Income has a highly diversified portfolio, though. As a result, the overall impact of any individual tenant getting into difficulties is limited.

For the foreseeable future, I’m looking to keep collecting dividends from the company. It’s been remarkably stable in the past and I think the outlook is decent from here.

Stephen Wright owns shares in Realty Income.

The Motley Fool UK has recommended Alexandria Real Estate Equities, HSBC Holdings, and Mony Group 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.

More on Investing Articles

A graph made of neon tubes in a room
Investing Articles

3 dividend shares tipped to increase payouts by 40% (or more) by 2028

Mark Hartley examines the forecasts of three dividend shares expected to make huge jumps in the coming three years. But…

Read more »

BUY AND HOLD spelled in letters on top of a pile of books. Alongside is a piggy bank in glasses. Buy and hold is a popular long term stock and shares strategy.
Investing Articles

A stock market crash could be a massive passive income opportunity

Passive income investors might be drawn towards the huge dividend yields on offer in a stock market crash. But is…

Read more »

Transparent umbrella under heavy rain against water drops splash background.
Investing Articles

Legal & General yields 8.9% — but how secure is the dividend?

Legal & General has increased its dividend per share again and launched a massive share buyback. The City seems lukewarm…

Read more »

UK coloured flags waving above large crowd on a stadium sport match.
Investing Articles

Up 345% with a P/E of just 13.8! I’m betting my favourite FTSE 250 stock keeps smashing it

Harvey Jones celebrates a brilliant recovery play as this beaten-down stock comes roaring back into the FTSE 250. Can its…

Read more »

Array of piggy banks in saturated colours on high colour contrast background
Growth Shares

Is this the best opportunity this year to buy the FTSE 100 dip?

Jon Smith explains the reasons behind the dip in the FTSE 100 in recent weeks, but outlines why it could…

Read more »

Portsmouth, England, June 2018, Portsmouth port in the late evening
Investing Articles

Is the party over for the FTSE 100 – or not?

Christopher Ruane sees reasons to be concerned about the direction of travel for the FTSE 100 in coming months. So,…

Read more »

Solar panels fields on the green hills
Investing Articles

This ultra-high-yield UK stock just cut its dividend by 50%! Time to buy?

Normally a dividend stock cutting its payout in half is a sign to run for the hills. But does the…

Read more »

Investor looking at stock graph on a tablet with their finger hovering over the Buy button
Investing Articles

Seeking stock market bargains? 3 dividend stocks with 5%+ yields to consider

Looking for high-yield dividend heroes? Royston Wild reveals three stock market bargains he thinks are too cheap to ignore right…

Read more »