We have some exciting news to share! The Motley Fool UK has now become The Twelfth Magpie -- an independent, UK-owned company, led by our long-serving UK management team — Mark Rogers, Chris Nials and Heather Adlington. In practical terms, it’s the same team you know, now fully focused on serving our UK readers and members.

Just as importantly, our approach remains unchanged: long-term, jargon-free, and on your side. This site is our new home, and there will be extra tweaks made across the coming few days as we settle in. So if anything looks a little off, please bear with us!

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Stocks and Shares ISA investments I’d buy for passive income

Rupert Hargreaves takes a look at the companies he would buy in his Stocks and Shares ISA to generate a steady passive income.

| More on:
Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Thanks to the tax benefits of Stocks and Shares ISAs, I think they are the perfect investment wrappers in which to own investments for passive income generation.

And there are a couple of stocks on the market right now I would buy for my portfolio with the overriding goal of producing an income for life.

XXX

Passive income stocks

I am a contrarian investor. That means I try to seek out companies that the rest of the market is ignoring, or selling, for one reason or another. By using this approach, I believe I can find undervalued opportunities with higher than average dividend yields and more potential for capital growth in the long term.

This is also a high-risk approach. More often than not, the market is avoiding a company because there is something wrong with the business. If there is something wrong with the corporation that I fail to understand, I could end up incurring significant losses on my capital.

However, despite this risk, it is a strategy that I have had success with in the past.

With that being the case, I would buy tobacco stocks Imperial Brands (LSE: IMB) and British American Tobacco (LSE: BATS) for my portfolio. Both of these companies look cheap compared to the rest of the market, although it is easy to understand why.

Tobacco sales around the world are in decline. Regulators are always bringing in new rules and regulations to try and control the industry. However, these companies have been able to navigate these challenges quite successfully over the past couple of decades.

Of course, there is no guarantee this trend will continue. Regulators could ban cigarette sales in a key market, which would gut their income overnight. This is a risk I will be keeping an eye on as we advance.

Stocks and Shares ISA credentials

Nevertheless, I think it would be silly to pass up these companies considering their income credentials.

The stocks yield between 7% and 10%, at the time of writing. They also trade at high single-digit price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples. That is around half the market average.

If they surpass profit expectations, the market could revisit the companies and push the shares up to higher valuations. This would be the best outcome for my investment.

Their dividends are also well covered by cash generated by operations, which suggests they have excellent passive income credentials. Their current valuations also suggest these stocks could generate capital growth. These are the key reasons I would buy the equities for my Stocks and Shares ISA today.

They have the potential for capital growth and income generation. When combined with the tax benefits of one of these rappers, I believe I could earn significant profits from these opportunities.

Rupert Hargreaves owns British American Tobacco. The Motley Fool UK has recommended British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Friends and sisters exploring the outdoors together in Cornwall. They are standing with their arms around each other at the coast.
Investing Articles

£503 buys 14 shares in this FTSE 250 stock that returned 23.9% annually for the last 15 years

This FTSE 250 stock has averaged a huge return for 15 years. At today's price, £503 buys 14 shares. But…

Read more »

Black woman using loudspeaker to be heard
Investing Articles

£1,000 buys 25 shares in this FTSE 100 stock that’s returned 29.2% annually for the last 10 years

This FTSE 100 mining stock has returned close to 30% a year for a decade. At 3,995p, £1,000 buys 25…

Read more »

Female student sitting at the steps and using laptop
Investing Articles

Down 47%, is this growth stock finally worth buying in May?

With a £288m order book and a hidden pipeline of defence and nuclear contracts, is this growth stock now too…

Read more »

House models and one with REIT - standing for real estate investment trust - written on it.
Investing Articles

2 REITs yielding 7%+ to consider for passive income in 2026

A REIT backed by the NHS and another backed by Tesco and Sainsbury's with both yielding 7%+. Here's why I'm…

Read more »

Woman riding her old fashioned bicycle along the Beach Esplanade at Aberdeen, Scotland.
Investing Articles

Just 97 shares of this UK dividend stock generate £238 in passive income

A 5.7% yield, £238 in passive income from just 97 shares, and one of the most divisive dividend stocks on…

Read more »

ISA coins
Investing Articles

£10,000 in an ISA generates a second income of…

The London Stock Exchange is home to some of the world's most generous dividends. But how big a second income…

Read more »

Shot of a senior man drinking coffee and looking thoughtfully out of a window
Investing Articles

Expert recommendations: 2 top income stocks yielding 7%+!

With yields of 7.2% and 7.8% respectively, these two income stocks are catching the eyes of institutional analysts. Should investors…

Read more »

Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

3 top income-focused stocks to buy in May 2026, according to experts

Looking for a stock to buy for income in May 2026? Experts have flagged these three UK dividend shares as…

Read more »