We’ve just been reading through a great interview that Walter and Edwin Schloss did with OID back in 1989. During the interview Walter Schloss explains one of the reasons why he always kept the holdings in his portfolio a secret, saying: Walter Schloss: Apropos of that, while I was at … Read More
Warren Buffett: Sometimes Buying A Basket Of Stocks In An Industry Is Better Than Picking Individual Stocks
During the 2002 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting Warren Buffett provided some great insights into why buying a basket of stocks in an industry is better than picking individual stocks. Here’s an excerpt from the meeting: AUDIENCE MEMBER: Hi, my name is Jennifer Pearlman from Toronto, Canada. Mr. Buffett, in 1998, … Read More
Charlie Munger: Focus Investing – One Way To Beat The Market
One of our favorite investing books is Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Peter Kaufman, and there’s one passage in the book in which Charlie Munger explains how he and Buffett use ‘focus investing’ to beat the market, saying: “Our investment style has been given a name-focus investing-which implies ten holdings, not … Read More
Warren Buffett: You Don’t Want To Buy Stock In The Company That Has To Do Everything Right
Here’s a great recent interview with Warren Buffett speaking to Becky Quick at CNBC. During the interview Buffett, while speaking about Apple, provides some great insights into why investors should not buy stocks in companies that have to do everything right, saying: Apple, I’d love to see them succeed. That’s … Read More
Seth Klarman – Unsuccessful Investors Are Dominated By Emotion
One of the best books ever written on investing is Margin of Safety, by Seth Klarman. There’s one passage in particular in which Klarman discusses behaviors to avoid in order to achieve success in investing, saying: Unsuccessful investors are dominated by emotion. Rather than responding coolly and rationally to market … Read More
John Rogers: ‘Cheap Orphan’ Stocks Appear During High Volatility Markets
Here’s a great interview with John Rogers of Ariel Investments speaking with Business Insider. During the interview Rogers shares some great insights into how ‘Cheap Orphan’ stocks appear in high volatility environments, saying: We try to make volatility our friend. And when we see stocks that are gapping down on … Read More
Aswath Damodaran: Do Not Invest In Companies That Try To Achieve Growth Through Acquisition
Here’s a great article by Aswath Damodaran in which he warns investors who are considering investing in companies that use acquisitions as part of their growth strategy, saying: “If you look at the collective evidence across acquisitions, this is the most value destructive action a company can take.” Here’s an … Read More
Joel Greenblatt – If You Do Good Valuation Work The Market Will Agree With You Eventually
Here’s a great recent interview with Joel Greenblatt at CNBC discussing value investing and the one promise that he makes to his new value investing students at Columbia University, saying: We value businesses like we’re a private equity firm. That’s what stocks are. They’re not pieces of paper that bounce … Read More
Warren Buffett: Stocks – What Else In The World Don’t You Like To Buy Cheaper Than You’re Paying The Day Before?
Here’s a great recent interview with Warren Buffett at CNBC discussing a number of topics including his value investing mindset. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: BECKY QUICK: I know you’re like Dr. Spock. You’re completely emotionless, when it comes to dealing with market moves. But is there any part … Read More
Charles Munger: Here’s Why Investing Is So Much Tougher Today
Here’s a great recent interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick and Charles Munger discussing the difficulty of being an investor today, compared to when he and Warren started. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: Becky Quick: Charlie thank you very much for taking the time to sit down with us today. … Read More
Charles Munger: The Most Important Investing Trick I Learnt From My Grandfather
We’ve just been watching Charlie Munger at the latest Daily Journal meeting in which he recounts the most important investing trick he learnt from his grandfather, saying: I had a grandfather who was very useful to me. My mother’s grandfather. He was a pioneer. He came out to Iowa with … Read More
Seth Klarman: The Proper Wiring for a Long-Term Investor
In Seth Klarmans’ latest shareholder letter he writes successful investing is like being a successful relief pitcher, saying: Consider the plight of a relief pitcher. Historically undervalued, unappreciated, often used interchangeably with other relievers, and, until recently, low on the major league pay scale. Required to be ready throughout most … Read More
Warren Buffett: How’s That For A Strategic Plan?
In the 1984 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett describes his and Munger’s suprising strategic plan for finding their big investment ideas, saying: “Using my academic voice, I have told you in the past of the drag that a mushrooming capital base exerts upon rates of return. Unfortunately, my academic voice is … Read More
Charles Munger: EMT – The Stock Market Ain’t Like Physics, It’s Like A Mob At A Football Game
Here’s a great short video with Charles Munger talking about The Efficient Market Theory saying: “Well I think we’ve had some effect, but they’re still teaching The Efficient Market Theory. Remember the old ideas die hard. And by the way it’s roughly right. It’s just the very hard form which … Read More
James Montier: What’s The Key Lesson Investors Can Learn From Templeton, Soros, Berkowitz and Steinhardt
One of the best books ever written on Behavioral Investing is – The Little Book of Behavioral Investing by James Montier. There’s a great passage in the book in which Montier emphasises the key lesson that investors can learn from the world’s greatest investors saying: Small manageable steps are likely to … Read More
Seth Klarman: How To Increase The Likelihood Of Achieving Sustainable Gains With Limited Downside Risk Over The Long-Run
In his latest Baupost Sharholder Letter, Seth Klarman provides some great advice for investors on how to increase the likelihood of achieving sustainable gains with limited downside risk over the long-run saying: “We believe another key element in portfolio management is curtailing the duration (the weighted average life) of one’s … Read More
Howard Marks: How Can Investors Become Effective Contrarians
We’ve just been re-reading Howard Mark’s 2009 Memo – Touchstones. In the memo Marks provides some great insights into how investors can become more effective contrarians saying: Resisting – and thereby achieving success as a contrarian – isn’t easy. Things combine to make it difficult, including natural herd tendencies and … Read More
Warren Buffett: There Is Only Three Ways A Smart Person Can Go Broke
Over the years Warren Buffett has spoken about the absurdity of borrowing money to buy stocks. Here’s a great short video that encapsulates his thoughts. Our favorite quote from the clip is: (1:47) – “My partner Charlie says there is only three ways a smart person can go broke: liquor, … Read More
Peter Lynch: 13 Filters For Finding The Perfect Stock
One of our favorite investing books is – One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch – It’s an investment classic! In Chapter Eight, Lynch provides thirteen filters for finding the perfect stock saying: Getting the story on a company is a lot easier if you understand the basic business. That’s … Read More
Charles Munger: One Filter That’s Very Useful For Investors
During the 1997 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger were asked their thoughts on calculating intrinsic value. Here’s Munger’s response: I would argue that one filter that’s useful in investing is the simple idea of opportunity cost. If you have one opportunity that you already have available … Read More