Image source: Getty Images Dividend stocks are a great way to build long-term wealth and these three all have one special attribute. So what makes them so special? Only a dozen FTSE 100 companies have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, and sometimes longer. It’s a hugely impressive achievement, as it means generating the cash to fund shareholder payouts through thick and thin, decade after decade. These three really jumped out at me. Halma is an income hero Halma (LSE: HLMA) is the first. Many investors wouldn’t even spot it as a dividend stock because the trailing…
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Image source: Getty Images A lot of so-called passive income strategies actually involve a lot of work, but dividend shares are a rare exception. They really are a way of earning money while you sleep. The average long-term return from the FTSE 100 is around 6.8% a year. And this means the amount you need to invest to target a £1,000 monthly income might be less than you think. How much do you need? The biggest thing when trying to figure out how much is needed to target £12,000 a year is how long do you have? It’s a simple…
Image source: Getty Images What’s a good passive income target? One gov.uk estimate (from January 2025) puts the average post-tax salary of British workers at £23,184 a year or £1,932 a month. An amount that high would create a second income, the sort that could replace a normal wage and open up the possibilities that come with true financial freedom – early retirement, cutting back on hours or simply a comforting rainy day fund. One way to build such an income stream is through a Stocks and Shares ISA. The tax benefits in these accounts are generous (you don’t pay…
Image source: Getty Images Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR.) shares have surged — up 1,556% — in the last three years. An investor who put £10,000 in at the low point has seen the stake balloon to over £150,000 in double quick time. How on earth did a FTSE 100 stalwart achieve such rapid gains? And could the stock do it again? The first element to such a rapid rise is timing. The share price didn’t sink to a 67p low by accident, it came after the mini-Budget under a certain Ms Truss. I remember it well. No one could believe a…
Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 100 is packed with generous income stocks, and some yield as much as 8% or 9%. The trick is finding dividends that look sturdy enough to hold up over time. I was flicking through AJ Bell’s latest dividend dashboard this morning and three names jumped out because they all offered the same special thing. So what is it? Legal & General for income The first is Legal & General Group (LSE: LGEN), which has the highest trailing yield on the blue-chip index at 9%. High yields can be hard to sustain and this looks…
Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 250 remains packed with brilliant discounts as we move into the festive season. The stock market volatility we’ve experienced in recent weeks has seen even more top companies move into bargain basement territory. Take the following FTSE 250 shares: QinetiQ (LSE:QQ.), Softcat (LSE:SCT), and TBC Bank (LSE:TBCG). Each now trades on a rock-bottom earnings multiple following heavy price falls. Could they rebound in December? Defence bargain UK defence shares like QinetiQ have fallen sharply in recent days. The prospect of peace in Ukraine would be welcome after years of bloodshed. But it could have…
Image source: Getty Images My portfolio is packed with high-performing exchange-traded funds (ETFs). They help me diversify my portfolio, but they haven’t compromised the returns I’ve made. Many UK funds regularly deliver spectacular returns that smash the broader stock market average. Take the following ETFs: L&G Gold Mining ETF (LSE:AUCP) and iShares Digital Security ETF (LSE:LOCK). These funds have enjoyed an excellent average annual return of 16.2% during the last five years. The question is, can these popular products continue delivering excellent returns? Striking gold Gold’s stunning price surge has grabbed significant media attention in 2025. But the yellow metal’s…
Image source: Getty Images Have you ever considered loading a Stocks and Shares ISA with high-yield dividend shares for passive income? Millions of Britons do. I own a wide range of global dividend stocks. At the moment, I revinvest the dividends I receive to grow my portfolio. When I retire, I plan to use my cash rewards to supplement my State Pension income. But how large will my Stocks and Shares ISA need to be to generate a £3,000 second income every month? First steps The good news is I don’t have to factor any cash grabs from the taxman…
Image source: Getty Images National Grid’s (LSE: NG) share price is trading around levels not seen since May 2024. This was when it announced a seven-for-24 rights issue, after which it fell. It fell again after the 10 June conclusion of the exchange, aimed at securing £7bn in new funding. This was a normal market reaction, given the new shares in circulation. But with a retracement now back up to the pre-rights-issue price, can there be any value left in the stock? What’s hidden in the H1 numbers? The latest spike in price followed the 6 November release of National…
Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 100 doesn’t look frothy, but with warnings of a tech bubble in the US and the index nearing 10,000, it wouldn’t take much to spark a sharp pullback. But rather than fear a crash, I see it as a chance – and there are two stocks I’ll buy immediately should one materialise. Gold and silver play The first stock on my watchlist is Mexican gold and silver miner Fresnillo (LSE: FRES). In 2025 alone, it’s surged an astonishing 280%. A quick look at the fundamentals explains why. In its H1 results back in August,…