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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

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…

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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…

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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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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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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…

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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…

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

Are Tesla and Rivian the best EV growth stocks?

| James Beard

The electric vehicle sector seems like a good place to look for growth stocks. But there are warning signs that…

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Silhouette of a bull standing on top of a landscape with the sun setting behind it
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy Scottish Mortgage shares!

| James Beard

Despite tech stocks being back in fashion, Scottish Mortgage shares have fallen 8% since October 2022. But I think the…

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Young Black woman looking concerned while in front of her laptop
Investing Articles

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

| James Beard

As a shareholder in the telecoms giant, I've a keen interest in the dividend forecast for Vodafone. Unfortunately, some analysts…

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

Could Shell be the first FTSE 100 stock to achieve a £1trn valuation?

| James Beard

James Beard considers whether Shell could be the first FTSE 100 stock to achieve a market cap in excess of…

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Fans of Warren Buffett taking his photo
Investing Articles

Is Mike Ashley the next Warren Buffett?

| James Beard

Mike Ashley has been busy building stakes in a number of companies. Is he trying to emulate Warren Buffett's Berkshire…

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

Down 8% in 3 days! Can I be tempted to buy boohoo shares?

| James Beard

Many investors sold their boohoo shares after the company released its latest results. Our writer considers whether this is a…

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Chalkboard representation of risk versus reward on a pair of scales
Investing Articles

Yes, this FTSE 250 stock really is yielding 21%!

| James Beard

It's rare to come across a FTSE 250 stock that's yielding over 20%. Our writer's found one but he's wary…

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Smart young brown businesswoman working from home on a laptop
Investing Articles

When will the Lloyds share price hit £1?

| James Beard

The Lloyds share price has struggled lately to get above 50p. Our writer asks whether it will reach £1 again,…

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Abstract 3d arrows with rocket
Investing Articles

Will rising oil prices make FTSE 100 shares tank?

| James Beard

Oil prices are rising again. Our writer considers what the impact might be on FTSE 100 shares if this trend…

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Man writing 'now' having crossed out 'later', 'tomorrow' and 'next week'
Investing Articles

I’ve just bagged myself a FTSE 100 bargain!

| James Beard

There are a number of FTSE 100 stocks that are currently in bargain territory. Here's why I've just gone and…

Read more »

many happy international football fans watching tv
Investing Articles

An insider’s buying this AIM stock. Pure genius or misplaced loyalty?

| James Beard

An insider recently bought shares in the fourth most valuable AIM stock. But I wonder whether a better opportunity lies…

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

Trick or treat? This FTSE 100 stock’s yielding over 10%!

| James Beard

With Halloween approaching, our writer asks whether the 10% yield on this FTSE 100 stock is a value trap or…

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