cicerone imposter wrote:tim, Most companies do not pay dividends simply because they do not have profi.
I disagree, c.i., many firms ceased paying dividends in relatively recent times in response to increased volatility in the equities market. It was seen as better for corporate health and stock-value growth to retain profits rather than distribute those profits to the shareholders. The thinking was the shareholders would find more value in higher stock price than in profit participation. The "Double Taxation" of dividend interest was a strong factor. Post-tax shareholder revenue was not competitive with shareholder profits to be obtained by ever-increasing stock prices. In a declining or relatively unresponsive market, dividend income paid does far more good for a shareholder than the unrealizeable gain and realized loss of lowered stock value.
I don't want to ramble; I can really get going on this ... but there are lots of reasons I favor the Republican Proposal. And lots of Democratic arguments I consider specious at best. But in the long run, the Republican Product is the least objectionable offering on the table. It is not perfect, I simply see it as having fewer flaws.
timber