Quote:
Originally Posted by tweetiepooh
The big energy companies making huge profits now is OK if (and it's a big IF) they then use that profit to cushion future increases. Maybe the government should hold off on taxing if they get such promises.
|
That is not how the current free market works. As Chris said, they are obligated to make profits for their shareholders. Competitive pricing that drives the real free market may help here but they requires a, err ... free market
---------- Post added at 12:53 ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by heero_yuy
Those profits are used to pay dividends to investors many of which are the large pension funds.
Be careful what you wish for.  |
This report tends to disagree with you
Do dividends pay our pensions?
Quote:
|
Our analysis shows that only a tiny proportion of UK dividends and buybacks accrue to UK pension funds.
|
This report also makes the point I made earlier:
Quote:
When making decisions, businesses should be legally obliged to give as much weight to the interests of their staff and other stakeholders (eg local communities) as they give to the interests of their owners or shareholders.
Given the benefits to the workforce, other stakeholders, the company itself and wider society, it is time the law caught up with the public.
|
Also from:
https://www.standard.co.uk/business/...s-b981319.html
Quote:
Data from the pension industry suggests defined benefit schemes own about 1.6% of BP – so gets just 1.6% of its dividends.
It’s hard to tell how much other pension funds have of BP since they are so diverse, but we do know that all pension schemes have been investing less in UK equities in the last 15 years. Pension funds still get a big chunk of BP divis, but it is probably less than it was.
|