(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Phillips 66 has agreed to repurchase 35 million shares of Phillips 66 common stock from a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway for $93.725 per share. This $3.3 billion repurchase is expected to close on Feb. 14, 2018.
The shares had been purchased at an average price of $78.31 a share, and Berkshire’s return on its investment, excluding dividends, was roughly 20%. Currently, Phillips 66 is paying an annual dividend of 2.99%.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to return capital to our shareholders in such a meaningful way,” said Greg Garland, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. “This transaction benefits all of our shareholders, as it is immediately accretive to earnings per share and positive for valuation. While this highlights our dedication to shareholder distributions, our strategy remains unchanged. We are committed to running our assets safely and reliably, growing our Midstream and Chemicals businesses, enhancing our Refining and Marketing returns, and rewarding our shareholders through a secure, competitive and growing dividend along with continued share repurchases.”
This is hardly the end of Berkshire’s investment in Phillips 66.
“Phillips 66 is a great company with a diversified downstream portfolio and a strong management team,” commented Warren Buffett. “This transaction was solely motivated by our desire to eliminate the regulatory requirements that come with ownership levels above 10 percent. We remain one of Phillips 66’s largest shareholders and plan to continue to hold the stock for the long term.”
At closing of this transaction, Phillips 66 will have 466.5 million shares outstanding of which Berkshire will have an equity ownership interest in 45.7 million shares.
2018 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.