Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of BRK.ABest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of BRK.ABest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (21) |
Author: Mark   😊 😞
Number: of 21944 
Subject: Re: Barron’s piece on Berkshire
Date: 04/28/25 9:58 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 9
I would be extremely surprised at a dividend any time soon.

I would also be quite surprised. For a few reasons:
1. There are MANY very long-term holders that specifically do not want that part of their portfolio to generate any current income.
2. Included in 1 above, there are many who intend to donate (a la Gottesmann) their entire holding upon death. And they don't want it continually diluted by dividends and associated taxes each year until then.
3. There are precious few investments out there that can produce only capital gains (when the holder chooses to do so) and no unexpected (or expected) current taxable income. Many people who seek that characteristic specifically choose Berkshire for it.
4. It won't solve the cash "problem". Even if a dividend of say 3% were distributed each year, that would only amount to about $30B. Annual operating cash flow is close to that. So maybe $330B cash would drop to $325B cash after a year, to $320B after 2 years, etc.
5. A special one time dividend would wreak havoc for many people. I don't see that happening.

Nothing wrong with "merely good" acquisitions, which is what I expect.

I suspect that WEB looks at it like this - as long as T-bills yield is higher than earnings yield on the S&P500, may as well stick with T-bills for un-deployed cash. When interest rates start going down (probably during next recession), then there are a few choices:
1. Find interesting and fairly valued companies and buy them. Maybe Chubb. Maybe Occidental. Etc.
2. Or buy shares in "merely good" companies. Perhaps add to current positions a bit, and perhaps add some others.
3. Buy the S&P500 as the interim holding (instead of T-bills) and sell [part of] it if something really good, and big, comes along.
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to Mark here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 21,448 posts about Berkshire Hathaway. The article-length ones it recommended most:
BRK: Why Not XOM? · 62 recs · 2024
Second quarter comments · 60 recs · 2023
Berkshire's Profit Contributors · 57 recs · 2023
Summary of 2Q 2026 · 54 recs · 2026
3Q Summary · 53 recs · 2024
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (21) |


Announcements
Berkshire Hathaway FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of BRK.A | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community