The UK stock market is full of incredible income stocks, but finding potential bargains isn’t always straightforward. For example, it can be difficult to establish whether a stock is cheap or a value trap. Let’s examine this problem by looking at the FTSE 100 stock currently (30 January) offering the highest yield.
Top of the league
Legal & General (LSE:LGEN) is a familiar name with a long history, selling retirement and wealth management products since 1836. And over the past 10 years or so, it’s paid a generous — and steadily increasing — dividend. Indeed, the amount declared for its 2024 financial year was 59% higher than in 2015.
| Financial year | Dividend (pence) | Share price (pence) | Yield (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31.12.15 | 13.40 | 267.8 | 5.0 |
| 31.12.16 | 14.35 | 247.6 | 5.8 |
| 31.12.17 | 15.35 | 273.3 | 5.6 |
| 31.12.18 | 16.42 | 231.0 | 7.1 |
| 31.12.19 | 17.57 | 303.0 | 5.8 |
| 31.12.20 | 17.57 | 266.2 | 6.6 |
| 31.12.21 | 18.45 | 297.5 | 6.2 |
| 31.12.22 | 19.37 | 249.5 | 7.8 |
| 31.12.23 | 20.34 | 251.1 | 8.1 |
| 31.12.24 | 21.36 | 229.8 | 9.3 |
And the directors have pledged to increase it by a further 2% a year from 2025-2027.
| Financial year | Forecast dividend (pence) | Implied yield (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 31.12.25 | 21.79 | 8.2 |
| 31.12.26 | 22.23 | 8.4 |
| 31.12.27 | 22.74 | 8.6 |
But the group’s share price has been in the doldrums of late. And this means its yield has climbed higher. Today, it’s offering a potential (2027 forecast) return of up to 8.6%.
Could this be a sign that investors are expecting a dividend cut? Or does it suggest they’re demanding a higher return to hold a stock that they perceive to be more risky?
If they do believe these things, I think they’re wrong.
Going up
Admittedly, interpreting the group’s accounts can be difficult. For example, during the six months ended 30 June 2025, it reported basic earnings per share (EPS) of 5.27p yet its core operating EPS was 108% higher. But importantly, they’re both going in the right direction. When its 2025 numbers are finalised, the group’s expecting core EPS — its preferred measure — to have increased at the top end of its 6%-9% year-on-year target.
The group remains the leader in the UK pension risk transfer market. And an ageing population and increased emphasis on taking personal responsibility for retirement planning is behind the group’s plans to have £5.5trn of pension assets on its books by 2034, compared to £3.5trn at the end of 2024.
Also, the operating profit from its asset management arm is expected to rise by at least 150% from 2024-2028. Such is the nature of its business, it’s already secured 60%-70% of its 2028 earnings.
Solid prospects
But there are risks. An increasing number of challenger brands are entering the sector and global stock market volatility has the potential to affect the group’s investment income. Having said that, Legal & General currently has a strong balance sheet and easily meets all of the regulatory requirements for solvency levels.
However, despite my enthusiasm for the stock, I’m not expecting much capital growth. Indeed, the consensus of analysts is that the group’s shares are fairly valued at the moment. But given the group’s growth potential, I’d be disappointed if the stock didn’t rise over the next few years.
Irrespective of what happens to the value of the group’s shares, I’m not predicting a dividend cut, so it looks to me as though the 8%+ yield is around for a little while longer. That’s why I think Legal & General’s a good stock to consider by those looking for passive income opportunities.
My final thought is that not all high-yielding shares are value traps and not all value traps are high-yielding shares. It’s really a case of judging each stock on its relative merits. Fortunately, there are loads of reliable income stocks available at the moment.
