Motley Fool Premium
  1. Authors
    2. /
  2. Alan Oscroft
    3. /

Alan Oscroft

Alan is a freelance writer who began writing for The Motley Fool in the late 1990s. He has been a private investor for more 30 years, and has explored a number of strategies, settling on high-yielding blue-chip shares.

Recent Articles

Stack of British pound coins falling on list of share prices
Investing Articles

What if there’s a stock market crash in 2026? Here’s how investors can prepare

| Alan Oscroft

Worries about a possible stock market crash this year are beginning to surface again, as US and UK stock markets…

Read more »

Happy couple showing relief at news
Investing Articles

Here’s what £10,000 invested in Lloyds shares 2 years ago is worth now

| Alan Oscroft

The banking slump drove many scared investors away from Lloyds shares. But contrarians who bought have done rather well.

Read more »

Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

How much do I need in Greggs shares to earn a £1,000 yearly passive income?

| Alan Oscroft

Now the Greggs share price has fallen back from earlier high valuations, it's coming into view for long-term passive income…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Next stop £15, after Rolls-Royce shares soar 10% so far in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls-Royce shares more than doubled in 2025, and they're off to a cracking New Year start. Forecasters are already ramping…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

Which are the best UK stocks to buy right now? Here’s what the experts say…

| Alan Oscroft

Looking for stocks to buy in 2026 to hold for the long term? Me too, and I'm finding experts turning…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Can these FTSE 250 dividend stocks with big yields shine in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Here are two dividend stocks with forecast yields of 8.6% and 6.8% after years of steady payouts, and with earnings…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How can we aim for a penny share fortune in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Should penny share investors be getting excited about the prospects for 2026? With care, we can unearth some attractive candidates.

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade chance to buy these UK income shares cheap?

| Alan Oscroft

The investing focus in 2026 might just be returning to long-term income shares after a roller-coaster decade for the UK…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Prediction: analysts see a 7% dividend yield from this brilliant passive income share

| Alan Oscroft

A fat dividend yield plus a long track record of annual dividend increases surely makes this a 2026 passive income…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100: can it reach 12,000 points in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Growth stocks topped the FTSE 100 success charts in 2025, but I wonder if the focus for 2026 might be…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking up arrow on wooden block cubes
Investing Articles

Prediction: Tesco shares could soon climb another 17%

| Alan Oscroft

After a strong run for Tesco shares, analysts are optimistic for the start of 2026. Well, most of them are,…

Read more »

UK coloured flags waving above large crowd on a stadium sport match.
Investing Articles

Prediction: the Vodafone share price could soar 40% in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

Despite a great 2025, the Vodafone share price is still down 20% over five years. The latest predictions suggest more…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

3 reasons the Lloyds share price could keep climbing in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

Out of 18 analysts, 11 rate Lloyds a Buy, even after the share price has had its best year for…

Read more »

Close-up image depicting a woman in her 70s taking British bank notes from her colourful leather wallet.
Investing Articles

How can we get started building a passive income ISA in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Didn't an ancient Chinese investor say the journey to a passive income fortune begins with a single step? If they…

Read more »

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

The BP share price has been on a roller coaster, but where will it go next?

| Alan Oscroft

Analysts remain upbeat about 2026 prospects for the BP share price, even as an oil glut threatens and the price…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Prediction: move over Rolls-Royce, the BAE share price could climb another 45% in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

The BAE Systems share price has had a cracking run in 2025, but might the optimism be starting to slip…

Read more »

Tesla car at super charger station
Investing Articles

Will 2026 be make-or-break for the Tesla share price?

| Alan Oscroft

So what about the Tesla share price: does it indicate a long-term must-buy tech marvel, or a money pit for…

Read more »

Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT for the best FTSE 100 shares to consider for 2026, and it said…

| Alan Oscroft

Whatever an individual investor's favourite strategy, I reckon there's something for everyone among the shares in the FTSE 100.

Read more »

Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT for 3 top value FTSE 250 stocks for 2026, and it picked…

| Alan Oscroft

If 2026 is the year smaller-cap FTSE 250 stocks head back into the limelight, it could pay to find some…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Prediction: the BT share price could reach as high as £3 in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

Analysts have a wide range of targets on the BT share price, as the telecoms giant has ambitious cash flow…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Could Nvidia shares make me a fortune in 2026, or lose me one?

| Alan Oscroft

Will Nvidia shares head further up in 2026, or are they set for a reversal if AI overvaluation fears ripple…

Read more »

ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

Worked out a Stocks and Shares ISA strategy for 2026 yet? Maybe get started now

| Alan Oscroft

At this time of year, many investors' thoughts start turning to Stocks and Shares ISA investment plans for the coming…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Is the stock market going to crash in 2026? Here’s what I plan to do

| Alan Oscroft

As the stock market heads for the end of a winning year in 2025, should we calmly sit back and…

Read more »

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

Can soaring Barclays shares stun the stock market again in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Barclays shares headed upwards at the start of 2024, and there's been no sign of stopping them. The rise even…

Read more »

Content white businesswoman being congratulated by colleagues at her retirement party
Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT to find 3 shares for a brand new SIPP, and it picked…

| Alan Oscroft

Many UK investors will have an ISA or SIPP on their planning lists for 2026, while others seek new additions…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How high can the Lloyds share price go in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

The Lloyds Bank share price has made some stellar gains in 2025, and some analysts are already forecasting further rises…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Could Rolls-Royce shares climb as high as £20 in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Heading into 2026, analysts are already setting even higher price targets for Rolls-Royce shares on the back of upbeat guidance.

Read more »

Investing Articles

With a huge 9% dividend yield, is this FTSE 250 passive income star simply unmissable?

| Alan Oscroft

This isn't the biggest dividend yield in the FTSE 250, not with a handful soaring above 10%. But it might…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

With a big 8.5% dividend yield, is this FTSE 100 passive income star unmissable?

| Alan Oscroft

We're looking at the biggest forecast dividend yield on the entire FTSE 100 here, so can it beat the market…

Read more »

Business manager working at a pub doing the accountancy and some paperwork using a laptop computer
Investing Articles

Why did the WH Smith share price just slump another 5%?

| Alan Oscroft

The latest news from WH Smith has just pushed the the travel retailer's share price down further in 2025, but…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

£5,000 invested in Tesco shares 5 years ago is now worth this much…

| Alan Oscroft

Tesco share price growth has been just part of the total profit picture, but can our biggest supermarket handle the…

Read more »

Close-up as a woman counts out modern British banknotes.
Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT for the 3 best UK dividend shares for 2026, and this is what it said…

| Alan Oscroft

2025 has been a cracking year for UK dividend shares, and the outlook for 2026 makes me think we could…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Prediction: here’s where the latest forecasts show the Vodafone share price going next

| Alan Oscroft

With the Vodafone turnaround strategy progressing, strong cash flow forecasts could be the key share price driver for the next…

Read more »

Close-up image depicting a woman in her 70s taking British bank notes from her colourful leather wallet.
Investing Articles

Move over Lloyds, are Barclays shares the ones to go for in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

As we head into 2026 with inflation and interest rates set to fall, what does the banking outlook offer for…

Read more »

Investing Articles

These 3 things could make a Stocks and Shares ISA a no-brainer in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

The government and the FCA are doing their bit to try to steer investors towards a Stocks and Shares ISA…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Are Rolls-Royce shares a ticking time bomb after a 95% gain in 2025?

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls-Royce shares have been defying predictions of a fall for years now, while consistently smashing through analyst expectations.

Read more »

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

Back to glory: is Aston Martin poised for growth stock stardom in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Growth stock hopes for Aston Martin quickly evaporated soon after flotation in 2018. But forecasts show losses narrowing sharply.

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

How much higher can Lloyds shares go after climbing 70% in 2025?

| Alan Oscroft

Lloyds Bank shares have rewarded patient investors with some cracking gains this year. But dividend yields aren't looking so great…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

What next after the Boohoo share price exploded 98%?

| Alan Oscroft

With the dust settling on the latest Boohoo Group turnaround plans, should we consider buying before the share price gets…

Read more »

ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How much do you need in an ISA to target a £3,500 monthly passive income?

| Alan Oscroft

Stuffing your cash under the mattress isn't the way to earn passive income, but a Stocks and Shares ISA can…

Read more »