• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
FinanceBerkshire Hathaway

Why It’s a Good Idea For Warren Buffett to Become Bank of America’s Top Shareholder

Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
Lucinda Shen
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 28, 2017, 7:08 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Warren Buffett could be very close to trading in his Bank of America preferred shares — and becoming the company’s largest shareholder.

Buffett’s move could be imminent after the Bank of America passed the second round of the annual bank stress tests Wednesday, allowing the firm to raise its dividends up to 48 cents per share annually.

Buffett himself noted in a recent annual letter that if Bank of America (BAC) were to lift its annual dividend above 44 cents a share before 2019, “we would anticipate making a cashless exchange of our preferred into common.”

After all, it would be a more lucrative deal.

The Oracle of Omaha first got involved with the Charlotte-based banking giant back in 2011, when investors began questioning whether Bank of America could deal with legal fees and liabilities stemming from the subprime mortgage crisis. Sensing an opportunity, Buffett swooped in and inked a highly favorable deal. He agreed to invest $5 billion and lend BoA his name; in return, the bank would pay him a hefty 6% annual dividend on his stake of preferred shares. Additionally, he would get warrants to buy 700 million common shares at $7.14 a piece.

So far, that investment has done well for Buffett. He earns about $300 million annually just for holding the stake.

But if Buffett were to swap his preferred shares for those 700 million shares of common shares, he would be looking at higher dividends of $336 million a year. Additionally, it would net him a hefty profit of about $11.9 billion at Bank of America’s stock price as of Wednesday’s close: $24.

The swap would also make Berkshire Hathaway the bank’s largest shareholder. Currently, BlackRock and Vanguard claim the firm’s top spots — with 652 million and 668 million shares respectively.

It would certainly be another vote of confidence for Bank of America, whose stock has still yet to recover from its fall during the financial crisis. Shares are down about 56% since late 2006.

Berkshire Hathaway did not respond to immediate requests for comment from Fortune.

Shares of Bank of America have risen about 1.5% in after hours trading.

About the Author
Lucinda Shen
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Current price of oil as of July 16, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of July 16, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 16, 2026
1 hour ago
Photo: Disney cruise ship.
Travel & LeisureDisney
EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s cruise ship fleet generated $3 billion in the last fiscal year—and the company plans to add 5 more in a $60 billion expansion
By Christian SyltJuly 16, 2026
2 hours ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 16, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 16, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 16, 2026
4 hours ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 16, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 16, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 16, 2026
4 hours ago
Mortgage rates today, July 16, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, July 16, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 16, 2026
4 hours ago
The MacKenzie Scott paradox: How a bull market lets billionaires give away tens of billions without getting poorer
EconomyMacKenzie Scott
The MacKenzie Scott paradox: How a bull market lets billionaires give away tens of billions without getting poorer
By Sydney LakeJuly 16, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
Law
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
By Barbara Ortutay, Alexandra Olson and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
22 hours ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-Suite
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
20 hours ago
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
Innovation
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 15, 2026
23 hours ago
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
Economy
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
By Eleanor PringleJuly 15, 2026
24 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
2 days ago
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
North America
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 14, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.