Why Warren Buffett doesn t like dividends?
Like many business leaders, Buffett feels that investing back into the business provides more long-term value to shareholders than paying them directly because the company's financial success rewards shareholders with higher stock values.
While Berkshire Hathaway itself does not pay a dividend because it prefers to reinvest all of its earnings for growth, Warren Buffett has certainly not been shy about owning shares of dividend-paying stocks. Over half of Berkshire's holdings pay a dividend, and several of them have yields near 4% or higher.
While most investors focus on stocks offering high dividend yields, Buffett advocates for stocks with moderate yields from strong and prosperous companies. As of the end of the second quarter, most of the stocks in Buffett's portfolio were companies with a solid and long track record of increasing and paying dividends.
The Risks to Dividends
In other words, dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to macroeconomic as well as company-specific risks. Another potential downside to investing in dividend-paying stocks is that companies that pay dividends are not usually high-growth leaders.
Reinvesting your dividends
This is part of the reason some investors prefer not to have dividends paid out. They think companies can reinvest the money more efficiently themselves. Similarly, some investors prefer ETFs that don't pay dividends as they've historically provided better returns than those which do.
Warren Buffett and his team are set to rake in nearly $3.5 billion in annual dividend income from just four stocks over the next year.
Coca-Cola has paid shareholders a little more each year for decades -- 61 consecutive years of raises, to be exact. You can see below how that can snowball over time. Warren Buffett's $736 million in annual dividends from Coca-Cola today is almost like getting his initial investment back each year.
Dividend stocks hold a universal appeal, capturing the interest of both everyday investors and billionaires. Take Warren Buffett, for example. He's a strong advocate for dividend stocks and consistently incorporates a wide range of these equities into his investment portfolio each quarter.
- Exxon Mobil XOM.
- Verizon Communications VZ.
- Philip Morris International PM.
- PepsiCo PEP.
- Altria Group MO.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb BMY.
- Medtronic MDT.
- Gilead Sciences GILD.
One downside to investing in stocks for the dividend is an eventual cap on returns. The dividend stock may pay out a sizable rate of return, but even the highest yielding stocks with any sort of stability don't pay out more than ~10% annually in today's low interest rate environment, except in rare circ*mstances.
Why are dividend stocks doing so poorly?
1. Rising Interest Expenses: Many dividend companies are highly indebted. For this reason, rising interest rates can have significant negative impacts on a company's health. As interest payments rise, dividend coverage rates fall, and the risk of future dividend cuts can increase.
Company | Dividend Yield |
---|---|
Civitas Resources Inc (CIVI) | 11.38% |
Pennymac Mortgage Investment Trust (PMT) | 11.35% |
Franklin BSP Realty Trust Inc. (FBRT) | 11.25% |
International Seaways Inc (INSW) | 10.60% |
It is possible to achieve financial freedom by living off dividends forever. That isn't to say it's easy, but it's possible. Those starting from nothing admittedly have a hard road to retirement-enabling passive income.
Companies that don't pay dividends on stocks are typically reinvesting the money that might otherwise go to dividend payments into the expansion and overall growth of the company. This means that, over time, their share prices are likely to appreciate in value.
Of course, if the investment is no longer providing value—or if it stops paying a dividend—then it may be time to sell the shares and move on. You want to diversify. By taking dividends in cash instead of reinvesting them, you can diversify into other assets, rather than adding to a position that you already have.
- Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. ...
- HDFC Bank Ltd. ...
- ICICI Bank Ltd. ...
- Hindustan Unilever Ltd. ...
- ITC Ltd. ...
- State Bank of India. ...
- Infosys Ltd. ...
- Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd.
Golub Capital. Golub Capital (NASDAQ: GBDC) ranks as the juiciest dividend stock that Buffett owns. It currently offers a dividend yield of over 10%. Golub has also delivered solid gains so far in 2023 with an even better total return.
Bill Gates, the 7th richest man worth over 100 billion alone, receives about half a million dollars annually in dividends from his investments. How does he do it? He ensures that his portfolio is diversified and invests in sectors and stocks that are always in demand.
Buffett worked with Christopher Webber on an animated series called "Secret Millionaires Club" with chief Andy Heyward of DiC Entertainment. The series features Buffett and Munger and teaches children healthy financial habits. Buffett was raised as a Presbyterian, but has since described himself as agnostic.
Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), known for its robust capital returns, is another major contributor to Buffett's dividend income. The technology behemoth, with its consistent dividend payouts and aggressive stock buyback program, is expected to add approximately $878.9 million to Berkshire's dividend coffers.
Does Warren Buffett only buy dividend stocks?
Warren Buffett is widely regarded as one of the best investors of all time. When you look at his holdings, the majority of his positions within the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) portfolio are dividend stocks.
Does Tesla pay a dividend? Does it plan to? Tesla has never declared dividends on our common stock. We intend on retaining all future earnings to finance future growth and therefore, do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
In a market that generates a 2% annual yield, you would need to invest $600,000 up front in order to reliably generate $12,000 per year (or $1,000 per month) in dividend payments.
Mark Zuckerberg is set to receive $700 million in annual dividends from Meta Platforms' new payout, which could make him one of the highest earners in California—and one of its largest taxpayers. Meta Platforms surprised Wall Street Thursday by initiating a 50-cent quarterly dividen d, or $2 a share annually.
Stock | Dividend yield |
---|---|
Air Products & Chemicals Inc. (APD) | 3.2% |
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) | 4.2% |
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) | 6.6% |
National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) | 6.2% |