As a veteran value and income investor, I’m constantly seeking out cheap shares. Ideally, I’m looking for solid companies with shares trading at low valuations, or businesses paying market-beating dividend yields to patient shareholders. As a result, my family portfolio currently includes around 25 different FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 stocks.
Recently, I’ve found another promising candidate that we don’t own (as yet).
Public property
Digging around in the FTSE 250, I spotted a familiar name whose shares have fallen in 2025, pushing their cash yield into double digits. This company is Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW), one of the UK’s largest listed housebuilders.
Taylor Wimpey was created by bringing together rival groups Taylor Woodrow and George Wimpey in July 2007, just as global stock markets were peaking. The company’s origins go back to George Wimpey’s first partnership in 1880 and Frank Taylor’s first construction project in 1921, so it has a long-established pedigree.
Alas, this merger completed just before the global financial crisis ravaged markets. From May 2007 to December 2008, Taylor Wimpey’s share price collapsed by an astonishing 98%. However, by August 2005, the stock was trading above £2, having made an incredible comeback.
Sliding shares
Thanks to higher UK interest rates, this FTSE 250 stock has been a losing bet since Covid-19 crashed capital markets. Over the past five years, the shares have have lost almost a third (−32.3%) of their value. Also, over the last 12 months, this stock has dropped by 19%.
Then again, the above figures exclude cash dividends, which are very generous from this property stock. As I write, Taylor Wimpey shares trade at 101.9p, valuing the group at £3.6bn — big for the mid-cap index, but too small for the elite FTSE 100.
At these levels, the shares offer a bumper dividend yield approaching 9.2% a year. This is one of the highest cash returns among FTSE 350 stock. That’s why Taylor Wimpey is now on my watchlist of potential buys.
Dividend delight?
Then again, experience has taught me that ultra-high dividend yields can be red flags. As these payouts are not guaranteed, they can be cut or cancelled at short notice. How is Taylor Wimpey’s dividend history? Here goes:
| Year | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total dividend | 4.67p* | 9.46p | 9.58p | 9.4p | 8.58p | 4.14p** |
| Change | (Final dividend only) | −1.3% | +1.9% | +9.6% | — | (Interim dividend only) |
Taylor Wimpey skipped its final dividend for Covid-hit 2020 and has yet to declare a final dividend for 2025. However, the dividend has hardly budged since 2022, following a modest cut last year. Hence, I don’t expect big dividend increases anytime soon.
It’s worth noting that this group had net cash of £326.6m on its balance sheet at mid-2025. However, this figure is down from £564.8m at end-2024 and £677.9m at end-2023. But this decline is largely down to buying more land to build on.
In summary, I like the look of this FTSE 250 stock as a dividend play. However, unless the UK property market improves significantly, I can’t see it turning into a go-go growth stock. Then again, interest rate cuts might deliver a boost to the housing market in 2025.
What other shares look more exciting today?
