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Building a reliable passive income stream takes patience and a long-term view. That’s why I plan to hold the following five dividend-paying stocks for life.
Each one has a solid track record of rewarding shareholders with regular payouts and steady growth. All of them have been paying dividends for more than 20 years except OSB Group, which has delivered 11 consecutive years of returns, but shows promise of becoming a future dividend hero.
Aviva
Aviva‘s long been one of the most dependable insurers in the UK. With a simple business model focused on life insurance, general insurance, and asset management, it generates steady cash flow and has returned billions to shareholders in recent years. Its dividend yield currently sits around 5.9%, with annual growth of around 7% over the past five years. That kind of consistency is exactly what I look for in a passive income stock.
OSB Group
OSB Group‘s a relatively newer name but one with strong potential. Specialising in buy-to-let and residential mortgages, the bank has carved out a profitable niche in the UK lending market. It offers a dividend yield of around 6.7%, and the payout has grown roughly 5% a year over the last half-decade. While it hasn’t been around as long as the others, its financial performance and payout discipline give me confidence for the long term.
HSBC
When it comes to scale, it’s hard to ignore HSBC, the largest bank in the UK and one of the biggest globally. It’s a cornerstone of many income portfolios, offering a dividend yield near 6%. For four straight years it increased its dividend at a rate of 5.6%. With exposure to Asia and a solid balance sheet, HSBC continues to offer both stability and growth potential.
TP ICAP
TP ICAP is more niche. It’s one of the world’s largest interdealer brokers, acting as an intermediary in financial markets where liquidity is thin and expertise is essential. It’s a rare kind of business with high barriers to entry and dependable income streams. Its dividend also yields around 6%, with four straight years of growth at a rate of almost 9%. For those seeking diversification within the finance sector, TP ICAP adds something a little different.
Legal & General
Legal & General‘s (LSE:LGEN) a financial services giant offering pensions, insurance, and investment management. It has long been regarded as one of the most reliable income shares on the FTSE 100, with a dividend yield often above 8%. Even in challenging times, it’s maintained payouts.
However, recent years haven’t been kind. Revenue and earnings have fallen three years in a row. Net margins are down to just 0.67%, and the stock’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 90 raises serious valuation concerns. Dividends are no longer well covered, and if earnings don’t recover, a cut may be on the cards.
That said, the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.42 suggests the shares aren’t expensive relative to sales, and Legal & General’s long track record of putting shareholders first makes it a stock worth considering.
For me, these five stocks represent the foundation of a portfolio designed to generate income for decades to come. But as always, diversification‘s critical and staying invested for the long haul is what makes passive income truly work.
