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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

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

Will Vodafone shares reach £1.50 in 2024?

| James Beard

Our writer thinks there's an outside chance that Vodafone shares will reach 150p before the end of 2024. But the…

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Sun setting over a traditional British neighbourhood.
Investing Articles

Why I’m convinced this income stock is the best 6%-yielder on the FTSE 100

| James Beard

Our writer explains why this high-yielding income stock, with its strong balance sheet and conservative management, is his FTSE 100…

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

I’d buy 854 shares of this FTSE 250 stock to aim for £196 a month of passive income in 2024!

| James Beard

With a dividend yield in excess of 20%, there's a FTSE 250 stock that's sitting at the top of my…

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Young Asian man shopping in a supermarket
Investing Articles

Could Tesco shares hit 365p in 2024?

| James Beard

Tesco shares have risen 27% since the start of 2023. If this is repeated in 2024, they would reach 365p.…

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2024 year number handwritten on a sandy beach at sunrise
Investing Articles

Will 2024 be a better year for the FTSE 100’s Christmas turkey?

| James Beard

Anglo American's shares have fallen 31% since Christmas 2022, making them the worst FTSE 100 performer this year. But will…

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Stack of one pound coins falling over
Investing Articles

The 2024 dividend forecasts for the 2 FTSE 100 stocks under £1

| James Beard

There are two FTSE 100 stocks that trade for less than £1. With both in his ISA, our writer's keen…

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Buffett at the BRK AGM
Investing Articles

The most valuable Warren Buffett quote of all time

| James Beard

Warren Buffett is well known for his pithy and sometimes inspirational quotes. But there's one in particular that should never…

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Fans of Warren Buffett taking his photo
Investing Articles

No savings? I’d use these 4 Warren Buffett tips to build significant wealth

| James Beard

If I didn't have any savings, I'd be looking to follow the advice of Warren Buffett. Here's four things I…

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A front-view shot of a multi-ethnic family with two children walking down a city street on a cold December night.
Investing Articles

The yield on this FTSE 250 stock has just shot up to 6%! Should I buy for passive income?

| James Beard

There's one share that's now yielding 50% more than the FTSE 250 average. But does this make it a must-buy…

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Road trip. Father and son travelling together by car
Investing Articles

Could Tesla shares turn £10,000 into £53,410 by 2033?

| James Beard

Some influential people believe Tesla shares could soar to $1,275 within 10 years. Is this likely, or typical of the…

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

Don’t worry about a stock market crash, I’d buy cheap dividend shares now

| James Beard

It's easier to identify good dividend shares than predict how the stock market will perform. So why waste time worrying…

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Bournemouth at night with a fireworks display from the pier
Investing Articles

Will these two downtrodden FTSE 100 stocks reach £1 again?

| James Beard

Two of my FTSE 100 stocks have fallen out of favour with investors in recent years. But how likely is…

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Group of four young adults toasting with Flying Horse cans in Brazil
Investing Articles

If I could buy 2 cheap shares in December, I’d pick these

| James Beard

Identifying cheap shares can be difficult. But there are two stocks in the FTSE 100 that look significantly undervalued to…

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Businesswoman analyses profitability of working company with digital virtual screen
Investing Articles

Lloyds shares may be cheap, but I think other banking stocks offer better value

| James Beard

Lloyds shares appear cheap compared to historical levels. But the valuations of other FTSE 100 banks look more attractive to…

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Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

Warren Buffett’s indicator tells me the UK stock market’s the cheapest it’s been for 15 years!

| James Beard

In 2001, Warren Buffett devised an indicator to assess whether a market is fairly valued. It tells me UK equities…

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many happy international football fans watching tv
Investing Articles

I’d buy 1,593 shares of this FTSE 250 stock to aim for £312 a month of passive income!

| James Beard

There's one FTSE 250 stock that's fallen 42% over the past five years. But I think now could be a…

Read more »

Santa Clara offices of NVIDIA
Investing Articles

Could buying these 3 AI shares be like investing in Tesla in 2010?

| James Beard

I wonder if investing in these three AI stocks could match the meteoric rise in the value of Tesla shares…

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Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

A BP case study: time to end FTSE 100 share buybacks?

| James Beard

Nearly 40% of FTSE 100 companies have decided to buy their own shares in 2023. Using BP as an example,…

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

Are Lloyds shares good for passive income?

| James Beard

A good passive income stock is one that pays above average, reliable and steadily increasing dividends. I wonder how shares…

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Young woman holding up three fingers
Investing Articles

3 amazing — but dirty — FTSE 250 shares that are great for passive income!

| James Beard

Ethical investors hate the idea of putting their money into these FTSE 250 energy stocks. But their massive yields make…

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

Is it buy one, get one free with this FTSE 100 dividend stock?

| James Beard

If this Footsie dividend stock were to double in value, it's the same as buying one and getting one free.…

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Close up view of Electric Car charging and field background
Investing Articles

Could investing in Rivian at $16, be like buying Tesla stock 10 years ago?

| James Beard

Since November 2013, Tesla stock has risen 2,180% and would have turned $10,000 into $218,000. Could Rivian shares do this…

Read more »

Young Caucasian man making doubtful face at camera
Investing Articles

With 8% yields, can these two FTSE 100 dividend shares stay cheap?

| James Beard

These two FTSE 100 dividend shares -- from the same sector -- are currently yielding a chunky 8%. Are these…

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Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

Is it too late to buy the FTSE 100’s best-performing stock of the past 12 months?

| James Beard

This FTSE 100 stock has beaten all others in the index over the past year. But does this mean I’ve…

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Two white male workmen working on site at an oil rig
Investing Articles

BP shares just got 15% cheaper. Should I buy?

| James Beard

BP shares have disappointed over the past few weeks. Our writer looks at the oil price to understand why, and…

Read more »

Young Black man sat in front of laptop while wearing headphones
Investing Articles

Is now the time to jump on the bandwagon and buy ASOS shares?

| James Beard

Despite falling 44% since November 2022, ASOS shares remain popular with Some larger investors. I wonder what's the appeal of…

Read more »

Number three written on white chat bubble on blue background
Investing Articles

3 magnificent dividend stocks to generate passive income

| James Beard

As an income investor, I'm always looking for quality dividend stocks to add to my portfolio. I've found three that…

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Young mixed-race woman jumping for joy in a park with confetti falling around her
Investing Articles

Could this FTSE 250 housebuilder be a growth AND income stock?

| James Beard

The FTSE 250's largest housebuilder has released its latest trading update. Our writer takes a look and considers whether it's…

Read more »

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

With a P/E ratio of 2 and a yield of 10%, is Vodafone the FTSE 100’s best bargain?

| James Beard

Vodafone’s stock is valued at just twice earnings and yielding over 10%. On paper it could be the FTSE 100’s…

Read more »

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

Have Barclays shares just become a must-buy bargain?

| James Beard

The price of Barclays shares tumbled after the bank released its third-quarter results. Our writer examines whether they're now in…

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View of Tower Bridge in Autumn
Investing Articles

What’s the point of Lloyds shares?

| James Beard

With Lloyds shares trading close to their 52-week low, our writer is starting to question whether he should sell his…

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Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

£10,000 to invest? I’d use the Warren Buffett approach to target £5,830 of passive income a year!

| James Beard

It might take a while, but I think following the Warren Buffett approach to investing could turn a lump sum…

Read more »

Mixed-race female couple enjoying themselves on a walk
Investing Articles

Why I still want this zero income stock in my Stocks and Shares ISA

| James Beard

Most of the holdings in my Stocks and Shares ISA are in companies that pay generous dividends. But I'm still…

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Burst your bubble thumbtack and balloon background
Investing Articles

Is this 9.3%-yielding income stock a value trap?

| James Beard

I'm keen to learn more about a FTSE 100 income stock that offers a near double-digit yield. Could it be…

Read more »

Young female couple boarding their plane at the airport to go on holiday.
Investing Articles

Here’s the 2-year dividend forecast for easyJet!

| James Beard

easyJet has updated its policy for rewarding shareholders. Our writer considers what this means for the airline's dividend forecast.

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Group of young friends toasting each other with beers in a pub
Investing Articles

If I’d invested £1,000 in the FTSE 100 after Black Monday, here’s how much passive income I’d have now!

| James Beard

On the 36th anniversary of Black Monday, I wonder how much income would be generated today, from £1,000 invested in…

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Union Jack flag triangular bunting hanging in a street
Investing Articles

8,725,000 reasons to buy Aston Martin shares now?

| James Beard

Insiders recently bought nearly 9m Aston Martin shares worth over £22m. Have I left it too late to buy a…

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Young mixed-race woman jumping for joy in a park with confetti falling around her
Investing Articles

How I’d aim to turn £2,481 of savings into £266 of passive income a month!

| James Beard

Interest rates are rising but James Beard explains why he thinks the stock market is still the best way of…

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Burst your bubble thumbtack and balloon background
Investing Articles

My easyJet shares are falling but I’m not letting go!

| James Beard

easyJet shares fell 7% after the airline released its 2023 preliminary results. But here's why I don't regret buying the…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man pulling an aggrieved face while looking at a screen
Investing Articles

St James’s Place shares are down 16% today. What’s going on?

| James Beard

St James's Place shares continue to come under pressure. Has the time come to pick up a bargain, or is…

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