In an environment with tax-free yields of 14%, a business returning 14% on invested capital will be a relatively unattractive investment, particularly if it retains some earnings, and its shareholder must pay tax on any dividends or capital gains. Buffett concludes that “with interest rates on passive investments at late 1981 levels, a typical American business is no longer worth one hundred cents on the dollar to owners who are individuals… Of course, some high-return businesses still remain attractive, even under present conditions. But American equity capital, in aggregate, produces no value-added for individual investors.”