We’re in the final days before the April 5 ISA deadline, and investors are adding some of the UK’s most popular companies to their stocks and shares ISAs. But there is one vital point to note. We don’t have to rush into stock purchase decisions before the end of the week.

No, the ISA deadline is simply the last day we can deposit cash up to the annual limit of £20,000 for 2025-2026. Once it is in our account, we can spend some time deciding what we want to buy with it. There is no specific deadline for making actual investment decisions

We might be able to get some clues by seeing what people bought in March. And the latest update from Interactive Investor shows some of my favorite stocks among the top 10. Two of them are on my shortlist and their share prices have moved very differently over the five years.

The bank is in retreat

NatWest Group (LSE:NWG) is one, up 150% over the last five years. However, at the time of writing, NatWest shares are down 23% from their 52-week high in early February. So while FTSE100 itself might not have crashed – meaning a fall of 20% or more – NatWest’s share price has already done so.

It is Iran, oil, inflation and all the rest of the consequences that conflict in the Middle East threatens. Things like this always hit the financial sector because it underlies almost everything. However, to me, NatWest’s valuation still looked economical, even after this rapid five-year rise, let alone the recent decline.

NatWest currently has a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 7.7, or about half the long-term Footsie average. The decline in share prices raised the forecast dividend yield to 6%.

Now the dividend is not guaranteed. I see the period ahead to be full of volatility for this and other financial companies. But should you consider buying on dips and holding a long-term Stocks and Shares ISA? I think so.

Build for the long haul

It would be nice to be able to say that Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.) is also sinking after a mighty five-year run. But the truth is that year after year we have seen events conspiring against the home construction industry. And just when inflation started to drop seriously and further interest rate cuts were predicted… well, fellow builder Belfry perhaps he said it best.

In the results of March 24, we heard: “The ongoing conflict in the Middle East increases the risk of both inflationary cost pressures and the impact on customer demand, and we have already seen volatility return to the mortgage market“

So yes, once again there are short-term risks for companies like Taylor Wimpey. But the UK’s long-term demand for modern housing continues unabated… even if it has stretched the patience of even long-term investors over the past decade or more.

And the forecast dividend yield – although not guaranteed – has now increased to 8.8%. Keep taking cash while waiting for better times? Taylor Wimpey is also worth considering.