Anyone Buy Stock Direct From Computershare? (brokers, fees, dividend, commissions)

[michiganmoon]

I am curious if anyone has any experience buying stock direct from companies using the service computershare.com?

A lot of big companies sell their stock direct through them like ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, Union Pacific, etc...

Some of the companies charge no fees for buying and dividend reinvesting.

Are you happy with the service if you used it?

I am also curious anyone's opinions with buying shares direct using the Bank of New York BNY Mellon or Wells Fargo Shareowners or similar.

I would use it for buying small monthly amounts of stock and reinvesting the dividends if the company charges nothing for buying...this is a long-term investment strategy.

[eskercurve]

My employer used to have a program whereby they would give us a certain dollar amount and give us the number of shares that would buy to the nearest share. To maintain the account it was free, and I bought more of my company's shares, again for free, through computershare.

The user interface is cumbesome but can be done. I never had any complaints. I sold about six months ago after two years gaining dividends (and boy am I kicking myself now but hey it was free money to begin with).

[haywood16]

Yes, I use it to buy DRIP stocks.

[oneslip]

DRIP's

[james777]

You are correct when you say that some of the companies charge no fees for buying and dividend reinvesting. Years ago when these plans became popular, most transactions were free. Today most companies charge at least one fee, and many charge several. Look carefully at each plan you are interested in. As low as brokerage commissions are today, and the fact that one can reinvest dividends free of charge at most brokerages, it might just be easier and cheaper to do this using a discount brokerage account.

[Lowexpectations]

Computershare sucks service wise when you try to take assets from them but this is speaking from an institution to institution standpoint

[cfa-ish]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

I am curious if anyone has any experience buying stock direct from companies using the service computershare.com?

A lot of big companies sell their stock direct through them like ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, Union Pacific, etc...

Some of the companies charge no fees for buying and dividend reinvesting.

Are you happy with the service if you used it?

I am also curious anyone's opinions with buying shares direct using the Bank of New York BNY Mellon or Wells Fargo Shareowners or similar.

I would use it for buying small monthly amounts of stock and reinvesting the dividends if the company charges nothing for buying...this is a long-term investment strategy.

I used BNY Mellon and Wells Fargo Shareowners for DRIPs. I think BNY Mellon offloaded their business to Computershare.
It's a mixed bag. Computershare charges $15/trade. Service is alright. You can see the lots and transaction dates online. Same with WF. If you need more services than that, they have nada.
Yes, big companies do sell their stocks like this (called DRIP - dividend reinvestment plans.)
Computershare charges a fee (e.g. a quarter per $10) for reinvesting certain stocks, not for others.

However....
Call your broker. Almost every broker offers synthetic DRIP, which does the same thing. It is not a real DRIP which is often sponsored by the companies, but works the same way and with no fees.

[cb73]

I've used Computershare since the 90's (it was called Equishare then I think). I've never had a problem with them, but you need to do your research.

Every company page lists exactly what their fees are--some are no fee, some have fees that in my opinion are too high.

I do both the occasional stock purchases and the monthly purchase plan and have never had a problem. Stock sales have been done very quickly also.

[godman]

This post was started last year, but for anyone who is reading.
We have invested through computershare in more than 11 stocks.
Some stocks need you to have atleast one stock, to start , so went and bought those from oneshare or frame a stock to get started.
Look at Computershare No fee plan.

I believe in the fact that Brokers make you broke.

[Thinking-man]

I was forced into using computershare when my previous company started transferring all employee shares in there......I hate them with a passion....lol i recently sold a bunch of shares...and for each transaction, they charged me 39 bucks or so.