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James Beard

After studying Business Economics at the University of Leicester, James completed a Master's degree in Development Economics. He then joined an accountancy firm in London and went on to qualify as a chartered accountant. James finished his career in practice as a Senior Assurance Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Middle East. He has since held various senior finance positions - mainly in SMEs but also in an AIM-listed company - in the energy, engineering and manufacturing sectors, both in the UK and Ireland. He is now a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and joined The Motley Fool in September 2023. James invests primarily in UK stocks through his Stocks and Shares ISA and Self-Invested Personal Pension Plan. He enjoys using his accountancy training to review annual reports and earnings releases in an attempt to identify potentially undervalued companies. He also likes dividend stocks and follows the tried and tested approach of reinvesting all of the income he earns buying more shares. His favourite investment quote comes from Warren Buffett. He once said: “Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks."

Recent Articles

ISA coins
Investing Articles

How much do you need in an ISA to aim for a second income of £11,341?

| James Beard

How could a newbie investor use a Stocks and Shares ISA to provide them with a healthy second income? James…

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ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How much do I need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to earn a £300 monthly passive income?

| James Beard

James Beard considers the passive income potential of a Stocks and Shares ISA and highlights one FTSE 100 stock that’s…

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UK supporters with flag
Investing Articles

After crashing 20% in a year, is this 1 of the best UK shares to buy now?

| James Beard

James Beard thinks some of the best UK shares are hidden among the worst short-term performers. Here’s one that analysts…

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Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

This penny stock could rocket 76% more, says 1 broker

| James Beard

There’s a penny stock that could be hugely undervalued, according to one team of City analysts. James Beard considers whether…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

UK income stocks are a great way of aiming for a £317 monthly passive income

| James Beard

There are loads of UK income stocks to choose from at the moment. And now could be a good time…

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Two elderly people relaxing in the summer sunshine Box Hill near Dorking Surrey England
Investing Articles

How much would an ISA need to be worth for someone to aim for a £10,000 annual passive income?

| James Beard

James Beard investigates what it would take for someone to target a five-figure yearly passive income from buying dividend shares.

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Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

Down 52% with a P/E of 7. This value share might not be on offer for much longer

| James Beard

James Beard thinks this FTSE 100 share offers amazing value. That’s why he has it in his Stocks and Shares…

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

Could Filtronic shares be the next Rolls-Royce?

| James Beard

Since February 2021, Rolls-Royce shares have stood head and shoulders above all others on the FTSE All Share index. But…

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Young Caucasian girl showing and pointing up with fingers number three against yellow background
Investing Articles

FTSE 100: here are my 3 predictions for 2026

| James Beard

With most of his wealth invested in FTSE 100 stocks, James Beard dusts down his crystal ball to make three…

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Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Investing Articles

Could SpaceX add 7%+ to the value of this UK growth share?

| James Beard

There’s plenty of excitement about a possible SpaceX IPO. If it happens, James Beard reckons this British growth share could…

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Landlady greets regular at real ale pub
Investing Articles

Down 9% in 10 years, could this FTSE 100 stock be a once-in-a-decade buying opportunity?

| James Beard

Diageo’s shares are trading close to levels that haven’t been seen for over 10 years. But could 2026 be the…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

With dividends of up to 12.6%, these could be the FTSE 250’s best passive income stocks

| James Beard

The FTSE 250’s stuffed full of high-yielding dividend shares, many of which are offering returns close to 10%. James Beard…

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Group of friends talking by pool side
Dividend Shares

How much do you need in an ISA for a £4,000 monthly second income?

| James Beard

James Beard reveals a FTSE 100 dividend star in the financial sector that could help investors earn a four-figure monthly…

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Silhouette of a bull standing on top of a landscape with the sun setting behind it
Investing Articles

Up 204% in 5 years! Is this epic growth stock still one to consider?

| James Beard

James Beard takes a closer look at a relatively unknown FTSE 100 growth stock that’s outperformed many of the more…

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Female Tesco employee holding produce crate
Dividend Shares

Forget buy-to-let! Consider buying this cheap REIT instead

| James Beard

James Beard explains why he thinks this bargain FTSE 250 real estate investment trust (REIT) could do better than a…

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Young black colleagues high-fiving each other at work
Investing Articles

This 7.5% dividend yield looks like a rare passive income opportunity to me

| James Beard

James Beard looks at why the dividend yield on this REIT’s so high despite it having excellent occupancy levels and…

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Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

A 4.3% dividend yield and an 8.4 P/E ratio: should I consider buying this under-the-radar cheap stock?

| James Beard

With a dirt cheap P/E ratio and attractive yield, could this little-known stock offer long-term growth potential AND a generous…

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Close up of manual worker's equipment at construction site without people.
Investing Articles

Falling 26% in 5 years, is Taylor Wimpey one of the best stocks to consider buying now?

| James Beard

James Beard explains why he thinks one of the worst-performing FTSE 250 shares could be among the best stocks consider…

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Young mixed-race couple sat on the beach looking out over the sea
Investing Articles

How much do you need in a SIPP to aim for a £31,700 pension income?

| James Beard

James Beard explains how a SIPP could be used to provide an income in retirement that’s over twice the State…

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Investing Articles

£5,000 of Lloyds’ shares could generate this much passive income in 2026

| James Beard

The dividend on offer from Lloyds' shares has increased every year since the pandemic. James Beard discusses whether this trend…

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Rainbow foil balloon of the number two on pink background
Investing Articles

2 UK shares to consider buying now at massive discounts

| James Beard

There are loads of opportunities for UK investors to buy cheap shares right now. James Beard looks at two he…

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Burst your bubble thumbtack and balloon background
Investing Articles

With an 8.6% yield, is this FTSE 100 income stock an amazing bargain or a value trap?

| James Beard

The FTSE 100’s home to lots of epic income stocks. But is the yield on the Footsie’s highest too good…

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ISA coins
Investing Articles

Here’s how to invest £20,000 in an ISA for a £1,060 passive income

| James Beard

James Beard reveals how to take full advantage of a Stocks and Shares ISA and quickly start earning a chunky…

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Young female hand showing five fingers.
Investing Articles

Start building a lifelong passive income with just £5 a day!

| James Beard

Saving a fiver every day could unlock a £51,971 passive income stream later in life. James Beard explains how this…

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British Airways cabin crew with mobile device
Investing Articles

Up 29%, this FTSE 100 stock still looks cheap to me

| James Beard

Even though this FTSE 100 stock’s risen nearly 30% since January 2025, James Beard explains why he and analysts think…

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Artillery rocket system aimed to the sky and soldiers at sunset.
Investing Articles

Could the BAE Systems share price soar another 300% in 5 years?

| James Beard

Over the past five years, the BAE Systems share price has risen 323%. But how might the defence contractor’s stock…

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Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Dividend Shares

With a 9% yield, is this FTSE 250 dividend stock a no-brainer buy for passive income?

| James Beard

This FTSE 250 stock offers one of the biggest dividend yields on the London Stock Exchange. But does a 9%…

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Rear view image depicting a senior man in his 70s sitting on a bench leading down to the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs on the coastline of East Sussex, UK. The man is wearing casual clothing - blue denim jeans, a red checked shirt, navy blue gilet. The man is having a rest from hiking and his hiking pole is leaning up against the bench.
Investing Articles

No savings at 40? Here’s how you can aim to retire with £11,973 a year in passive income

| James Beard

It’s never too late to consider the stock market. And with regular investments, a decent passive income might be more…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Prediction: in 1 year, the Lloyds share price and dividend could turn £10,000 into…

| James Beard

James Beard takes a closer look at the Lloyds Banking Group share price and dividend forecasts. But are they too…

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UK supporters with flag
Investing Articles

After crashing up to 63%, are these among the best UK stocks to buy now?

| James Beard

Some of the best shares to buy are hidden among the worst short-term performers. James Beard takes a look at…

Read more »

Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Investing Articles

How much passive income could someone earn by investing £100 a month in a Stocks and Shares ISA?

| James Beard

An ISA's a great way of building a second income stream. James Beard looks at what could be achieved by…

Read more »

Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

Up 170% and 470% in a year, will these 2 red-hot FTSE shares soar again in 2026?

| James Beard

Precious metals prices are continuing their amazing rally sending the shares of these two FTSE 100 miners higher. But how…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

Some UK shares offer tremendous value right now. Here’s what I’m doing…

| James Beard

Warren Buffett once said: “Price is what you pay, value is what you get.” With this in mind, James Beard…

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Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

With a P/E ratio of just 7, is this the best value stock on the FTSE 100 today?

| James Beard

While looking for opportunities in value stocks, James Beard uncovered one that’s trading at a historically low earnings multiple. What’s…

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British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

3 no-brainer UK stocks to consider buying now with just £100?

| James Beard

These three UK stocks are among the most popular with investors right now. But is it a good idea to…

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Nottingham Giltbrook Exterior
Investing Articles

Experts reckon these are 2 growth shares to buy in January

| James Beard

City analysts believe these two growth shares have the potential to surge in 2026 and beyond. But should investors rush…

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House models and one with REIT - standing for real estate investment trust - written on it.
Investing Articles

2 REITs yielding 4.9%+ to consider for passive income in 2026

| James Beard

Some real estate investment trusts (REITs) are offering amazing dividend yields at the moment. James Beard takes a close look…

Read more »

Exterior of BT Group head office - One Braham, London
Investing Articles

Buying 5,000 BT shares generates passive income of…

| James Beard

BT has increased the interim dividend for its current financial year. Is now the time to consider buying the telecom…

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Emma Raducanu for Vodafone billboard animation at Piccadilly Circus, London
Investing Articles

Vodafone shares or BT? Which should I consider buying?

| James Beard

UK telecoms stocks are booming, with Vodafone's shares doing particularly well. James Beard compares the FTSE 100’s two largest in…

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Rainbow foil balloon of the number two on pink background
Investing Articles

I don’t care if the stock market crashes. I’m still buying cheap UK shares

| James Beard

Some commentators are expecting a stock market crash. But should investors ignore these gloomy predictions and carry on investing?

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