Can I buy US shares directly from companies without a broker?

I find myself primarily buying shares to hold long term, and primarily from US companies. My question here is whether there is a way to buy US stocks without having to use a broker and pay brokerage fees.

In the old days of paper certificates this was pretty common. Is it still possible to buy stocks without a broker today?

Yes. Although many large companies sell shares through brokers only, many US firms let investors buy shares through direct stock purchase plans. Many companies also allow you to reinvest your dividends through their own dividend reinvestment plans. Plans are generally managed by a third-party transfer agent such as Computershare or BNY Mellon, but some companies act as their own transfer agents.

Buying stock and reinvesting dividends directly allows you to cut out the cost of commissions and brokerage fees charged by brokers.

Unfortunately, direct stock purchases are normally only available to US residents who have a US social security number or Taxpayer Identification Number.