Why Berkshire Hathaway (and other shares) do not pay a dividend

Berkshire Hathaway is a great example of why not paying a dividend helps in the long run.

| More on:
a woman

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

There are two main ways that regular investors can benefit from the share market, being capital growth and dividends.

Depending on the time scale, geographical location and shares, some calculations put dividends as contributing around half of the total returns of the share market over the long-term.

The above statistic doesn't necessarily mean that non-dividend paying stocks are worse though.

In accounting terms, to pay a dividend a company must have previously generated profits. Investing in profitable shares is obviously better on average than choosing loss-making shares. That's probably a correlation rather than causation with dividends though.

The best investor in the world, Warren Buffett, has shown that it can be very beneficial to retain profits rather than paying it out at Berkshire Hathaway.

Berkshire Hathaway can hold onto the cash and compound it for shareholders at a strong rate, historically at around 20% per annum over the long-term. Berkshire shareholders would struggle to create returns that strongly in their own names.

If Berkshire shareholders do want to access money then they can sell a small portion of shares and create their own income. Berkshire shares could go up 10% and an investor could choose to sell 3% or 5% of their shares and still have a higher capital value than a year ago.

This is the same concept for every individual share on the market. They can either payout 100% of their profit each year or maintain some to invest for growth. Some shares maintain a significant amount of their profit to re-invest, such as Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF), Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPM).

Some ASX shares don't pay any dividends. Some examples are a2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M), Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY) and Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT). If those companies can earn 20%, 30% or 40% on the cash they keep by investing into their assets then it makes sense to keep the cash.

As with the Berkshire Hathaway example, the only way to access the capital growth is to sell some shares if you need some money.

Foolish takeaway

The main danger with management keeping all the cash is that it can turn into 'empire building'. The management conceivably could waste the cash by investing in projects that don't work out. Paying a dividend can make management think more carefully about capital allocation.

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares of Challenger Limited and Ramsay Health Care Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Challenger Limited and TPG Telecom Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on ⏸️ Investing

Close up of baby looking puzzled
Retail Shares

What has happened to the Baby Bunting (ASX:BBN) share price this year?

It's been a volatile year so far for the Aussie nursery retailer. We take a closer look

Read more »

woman holds sign saying 'we need change' at climate change protest
ETFs

3 ASX ETFs that invest in companies fighting climate change

If you want to shift some of your investments into more ethical companies, exchange-traded funds can offer a good option

Read more »

a jewellery store attendant stands at a cabinet displaying opulent necklaces and earrings featuring diamonds and precious stones.
⏸️ Investing

The Michael Hill (ASX: MHJ) share price poised for growth

Investors will be keeping an eye on the Michael Hill International Limited (ASX: MHJ) share price today. The keen interest…

Read more »

ASX shares buy unstoppable asx share price represented by man in superman cape pointing skyward
⏸️ Investing

The Atomos (ASX:AMS) share price is up 15% in a week

The Atomos (ASX: AMS) share price has surged 15% this week. Let's look at what's ahead as the company build…

Read more »

Two people in suits arm wrestle on a black and white chess board.
Retail Shares

How does the Temple & Webster (ASX:TPW) share price stack up against Nick Scali (ASX:NCK)?

How does the Temple & Webster (ASX: TPW) share price stack up against rival furniture retailer Nick Scali Limited (ASX:…

Read more »

A medical researcher works on a bichip, indicating share price movement in ASX tech companies
Healthcare Shares

The Aroa (ASX:ARX) share price has surged 60% since its IPO

The Aroa (ASX:ARX) share price has surged 60% since the Polynovo (ASX: PNV) competitor listed on the ASX in July.…

Read more »

asx investor daydreaming about US shares
⏸️ How to Invest

How to buy US shares from Australia right now

If you have been wondering how to buy US shares from Australia to gain exposure from the highly topical market,…

Read more »

⏸️ Investing

Why Fox (NASDAQ:FOX) might hurt News Corp (ASX:NWS) shareholders

News Corporation (ASX: NWS) might be facing some existential threats from its American cousins over the riots on 6 January

Read more »