Why do stocks have value?
The fundamental reason for an asset to have value is in its ability to produce future cash returns to its shareholders, and its price movement also reflects the change of this ability. For example, W. W. Grainger has an incredible history of 54 years of increasing dividends since its listing on the American Stock Exchange in 1971, and its stock price has increased several hundred times. Another example is Freddie Mac, which only pays dividends to senior preferred shares owned by the Department of Treasury since FHFA took it into conservatorship in 2008. Despite earning nearly $12 billion net income last year, it pays no dividend to its common shareholders, as a result, its common share was trading about 0.4x its net income. When the new administration announced its intention to privatize Freddie Mac, its common share price went up 5x, reflecting market’s expectation on the company’s ability to distribute dividends to common shareholders.
NOT FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVICE
The information provided in this blog post, including any mention of specific
securities, digital assets, or investment strategies, is for educational and
informational purposes only. It should not be considered as financial, legal, or
tax advice.