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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

Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Investing Articles

One small-cap stock I think could thrive in a recession

| James Beard

With the UK economy struggling to grow, our writer's found a small-cap stock that he thinks will benefit from an…

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

Why I’d still buy this 24%-yielding passive income stock today!

| James Beard

The yield on this FTSE 250 passive income stock has been pushed higher by some serious allegations. But I'd still…

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Young Black woman using a debit card at an ATM to withdraw money
Investing Articles

Here’s why the Barclays share price fell 3% in 2023

| James Beard

The Barclays share price didn't change by very much in 2023. Our writer looks at the reasons why and considers…

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

Here’s why the BT share price rose 10% in 2023

| James Beard

The BT share price had a solid -- if unspectacular -- 2023. Our writer considers whether this performance is likely…

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Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

Here are the 2024 and 2025 dividend forecasts for HSBC shares

| James Beard

I own HSBC stock for its income rather than capital growth, although that increased 18% in 2023. Here's the dividend…

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Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

Here’s why the Rolls-Royce share price surged 221% in 2023

| James Beard

The Rolls-Royce share price more than trebled in 2023, making it the best performer on the FTSE 100. But our…

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

This FTSE 250 stock could soar 30% in 2024!

| James Beard

Our writer explains why he's expecting big things -- over the next 12 months -- from the stock of the…

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Fans of Warren Buffett taking his photo
Investing Articles

Could I turn £10,000 into £1m by investing in Warren Buffett’s favourite stocks?

| James Beard

If I invested in Warren Buffett's top five stocks, I wonder whether it would be possible to turn £10,000 into…

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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…

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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…

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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…

Read more »

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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