Inside the Investments of Warren Buffett


Book Description

Since the 1950s, Warren Buffett and his partners have backed some of the twentieth century's most profitable, trendsetting companies. But how did they know they were making the right investments? What did Buffet and his partners look for in an up-and-coming company, and how can others replicate their approach? A gift to Buffett followers who have long sought a pattern to the investor's success, Inside the Investments of Warren Buffett presents the most detailed analysis to date of Buffet's long-term investment portfolio. Yefei Lu, an experienced investor, starts with Buffett's interest in the Sanborn Map Company in 1958 and tracks nineteen more of his major investments in companies like See's Candies, the Washington Post, GEICO, Coca-Cola, US Air, Wells Fargo, and IBM. Accessing partnership letters, company documents, annual reports, third-party references, and other original sources, Lu pinpoints what is unique about Buffett's timing, instinct, use of outside knowledge, and postinvestment actions, and he identifies what could work well for all investors in companies big and small, domestic and global. His substantial chronology accounts for broader world events and fluctuations in the U.S. stock market, suggesting Buffett's most important trait may be the breadth of his expertise.




Warren Buffett Book of Investing Wisdom


Book Description

Compiled by the son of the cofounder of H&R Block, a collection of business quotes and advice from the most successful investor of the twentieth century, Warren Buffett. Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is widely considered the most successful investor of the twentieth century. Since the early 1950s, Buffett has proved himself to be an astute investor, and he turned Berkshire Hathaway from a struggling small textile business into the tenth-largest public company in the world, valued at more than $600 billion. Buffett is well known for his simple but invaluable principles regarding investing and finances, and countless businessmen and people looking to be smarter with their money and their investments have turned to Buffett for his advice. One of those people is Robert Bloch, son of the cofounder of the tax preparation company H&R Block. The Warren Buffett Book of Investing Wisdom contains 350 quotes that Bloch has personally found to be indispensable to financial success. With the written blessing of Buffett himself, Bloch has selected the best of Buffett, wisdom that will guide you to becoming the most disciplined and rational long-term investor you can be.




Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders


Book Description

Warren E. Buffett first took control of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a small textile company, in April of 1965. A share changed hands for around $18 at the time. Fifty letters to shareholders later, the same share traded for $226,000, compounding investor capital at just under 21% per year-a multiplier of 12,556 times. This book compiles the full, un-edited versions of 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. In addition to providing an astounding case study on Berkshire's success, Buffett shows an incredible willingness to share his methods and act as a teacher to his many students. There are hundreds of books about Buffett's life, advice, and methods. These are his actual letters -- word for word -- a "lesson plan" of his views on business and investing. You can find most of the letters for free on Berkshire's website, but this compiles them into a well-designed, easily readable format. Features of the book: * 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway (769 pages), including 1965-1976 letters not available on Berkshire's website * Tabulated letter years so you can easily flip to the desired letter * Topics index * Company index * Person index * Charts of: Growth in Berkshire's book value and market price relative to benchmarks, Insurance float and performance, the operating businesses of Berkshire.




Warren Buffett's Ground Rules


Book Description

Using the letters Warren Buffett wrote to his partners between 1956 and 1970, a veteran financial advisor presents the renowned guru’s “ground rules” for investing—guidelines that remain startlingly relevant today. In the fourteen years between his time in New York with value-investing guru Benjamin Graham and his start as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett managed Buffett Partnership Limited, his first professional investing partnership. Over the course of that time—a period in which he experienced an unprecedented record of success—Buffett wrote semiannual letters to his small but growing group of partners, sharing his thoughts, approaches, and reflections. Compiled for the first time and with Buffett’s permission, the letters spotlight his contrarian diversification strategy, his almost religious celebration of compounding interest, his preference for conservative rather than conventional decision making, and his goal and tactics for bettering market results by at least 10% annually. Demonstrating Buffett’s intellectual rigor, they provide a framework to the craft of investing that had not existed before: Buffett built upon the quantitative contributions made by his famous teacher, Benjamin Graham, demonstrating how they could be applied and improved. Jeremy Miller reveals how these letters offer us a rare look into Buffett’s mind and offer accessible lessons in control and discipline—effective in bull and bear markets alike, and in all types of investing climates—that are the bedrock of his success. Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules paints a portrait of the sage as a young investor during a time when he developed the long-term value-oriented strategy that helped him build the foundation of his wealth—rules for success every investor needs today.




Buffett


Book Description

Since its hardcover publication in August of 1995, Buffett has appeared on the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, Newsday and Business Week bestseller lists. Starting from scratch, simply by picking stocks and companies for investment, Warren Buffett amassed one of the epochal fortunes of the twentieth century—an astounding net worth of $10 billion, and counting. His awesome investment record has made him a cult figure popularly known for his seeming contradictions: a billionaire who has a modest lifestyle, a phenomenally successful investor who eschews the revolving-door trading of modern Wall Street, a brilliant dealmaker who cultivates a homespun aura. Journalist Roger Lowenstein draws on three years of unprecedented access to Buffett’s family, friends, and colleagues to provide the first definitive, inside account of the life and career of this American original. Buffett explains Buffett’s investment strategy—a long-term philosophy grounded in buying stock in companies that are undervalued on the market and hanging on until their worth invariably surfaces—and shows how it is a reflection of his inner self.




Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett (PB)


Book Description

Bedrock investing principles for profiting in today’s shaky markets If you wanted to create the next earth-shattering consumer product, Steve Jobs would be an ideal role model to follow. If you planned to become a great golfer, you might look to Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus. So, if your goals were to outperform other investors and achieve your life’s financial goals, what should you do? Think, act and invest like the best investor out there: Warren Buffett. While you can’t invest exactly like he does, Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett provides a solid, sensible investing approach based on Buffett’s advice regarding investment strategies. When it comes to investing, Director of Research for the BAM Alliance and CBS News blogger Larry Swedroe has pretty much seen it all—and he’s come to the conclusion that simple is better, that adopting basic investing principles always increases an investor’s chance of success and that Buffett is the perfect model for such investing. In Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett, Swedroe provides the foundational knowledge you need to: Develop a financial plan to help you make rational decisions on a consistent basis Determine the level of risk that’s right for you and allocate your assets accordingly Create a strong portfolio that will weather any economic storm Manage your portfolio—rebalance periodically to maintain proper risk levels The beauty of the Buffett approach is its profound simplicity: follow the basics, keep your cool, and have a sense of humor. The market volatility of recent years has ushered in armies of economists, forecasters and other so-called experts whose job it is to explain how everything works. Somehow, they have managed to muddy the waters even more. The truth is, investing is easier than you think—even in today’s economy. “Complex problems can have simple solutions,” Swedroe writes. Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett helps you go back to the basics—so you can leap in front of the investing pack. Praise for Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett: “You could not spend a more profitable hour than reading Larry Swedroe’s wise and lucid investment guide.” —Burton Malkiel, author, A Random Walk Down Wall Street “If you've been wondering why you've had such a hard time investing well, Playing the Winner's Game will diagnose your ills and treat them in just ninety short, delightful pages.” —William Bernstein, author, A Splendid Exchange and The Investor’s Manifesto “Follow the investment strategy advocated by Larry Swedroe, and free yourself to spend your time on life's treasures—like your family and friends!” —William Reichenstein, professor, Baylor University “As someone who teaches a college investments course, I would not have thought it possible to do what Swedroe has done in such a short concise book.” —Edward R. Wolfe, professor of finance, Western Kentucky University “It's amazing. Larry Swedroe managed to pen a magnificent book not only chock full of actionable advice, but one that's fun to read. Get a copy and treat yourself to a better financial future.” —Harold Evensky, president, Evensky & Katz “Larry Swedroe is the undisputed expert in helping investors manage portfolios the smart way. His new book, Playing the Winner’s Game, combines all facets of wealth management in an inspiring and powerful manner.” —Bill Schultheis, author, The New Coffeehouse Investor




The Warren Buffett Way


Book Description

Warren Buffett is the most famous investor of all time and one of today’s most admired business leaders. He became a billionaire and investment sage by looking at companies as businesses rather than prices on a stock screen. The first two editions of The Warren Buffett Way gave investors their first in-depth look at the innovative investment and business strategies behind Buffett's spectacular success. The new edition updates readers on the latest investments by Buffett. And, more importantly, it draws on the new field of behavioral finance to explain how investors can overcome the common obstacles that prevent them from investing like Buffett. New material includes: How to think like a long-term investor – just like Buffett Why "loss aversion", the tendency of most investors to overweight the pain of losing money, is one of the biggest obstacles that investors must overcome. Why behaving rationally in the face of the ups and downs of the market has been the key to Buffett's investing success Analysis of Buffett's recent acquisition of H.J. Heinz and his investment in IBM stock The greatest challenge to emulating Buffett is not in the selection of the right stocks, Hagstrom writes, but in having the fortitude to stick with sound investments in the face of economic and market uncertainty. The new edition explains the psychological foundations of Buffett's approach, thus giving readers the best roadmap yet for mastering both the principles and behaviors that have made Buffett the greatest investor of our generation.




Buffett Beyond Value


Book Description

A detailed look at how Warren Buffett really invests In this engaging new book, author Prem Jain extracts Warren Buffett's wisdom from his writings, Berkshire Hathaway financial statements, and his letters to shareholders and partners in his partnership firms-thousands of pages written over the last fifty years. Jain uncovers the key elements of Buffett's approach that every investor should be aware of. With Buffett Beyond Value, you'll learn that, contrary to popular belief, Warren Buffett is not a pure value investor, but a unique thinker who combines the principles of both value and growth investing strategies. You'll also discover why understanding CEOs is more important than studying financial metrics; and why you need an appropriate psychological temperament to be a successful investor. Reveals Buffett's multifaceted investment principles Discusses how Buffett thinks differently from others about portfolio diversification, market efficiency, and corporate governance Highlights how you can build a diverse and profitable investment portfolio With this book as your guide, you'll learn how to successfully invest like Warren Buffett.




The Snowball


Book Description

Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Prize 2008 The Snowball is the first and will be the only biography of the world's richest man, Warren Buffett, written with his full cooperation and collaboration. Combining a unique blend of "The Sage of Omaha's" business savvy, life story and philosophy, The Snowball is essential reading for anyone wishing to discover and replicate the secrets of his business and life success. Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest investor. Even as a child he was fascinated by the concept of risk and probability, setting up his first business at the age of six. In 1964 he bought struggling Massachusetts textile firm Berkshire Hathaway and grew it to be the 12th largest corporation in the US purely through the exercise of sound investing principles - a feat never equalled in the annals of business. Despite an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, Buffett leads an intriguingly frugal life taking home a salary of only £50,000 a year. His only indulgence is a private jet, an extravagance he wryly acknowledges by calling it "The Indefensible". In 2006, he made the largest charitable donation on record, with most of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Snowball provides a comprehensive, richly detailed insight one of the world's most extraordinary and much loved public figures.




The Tao of Warren Buffett


Book Description

A collection of the inspiring words and wisdom from America's favorite businessman that reveal his secrets of success from the bestselling authors of Buffettology and The New Buffettology. Like the sayings of the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu, Warren Buffett's worldly wisdom is deceptively simple and enormously powerful in application. In The Tao of Warren Buffett, Mary Buffett—author of three books on Warren Buffett's investment methods—joins noted Buffettologist and international lecturer David Clark to bring you Warren Buffett's smartest, funniest, and most memorable sayings with an eye toward revealing the life philosophy and the investment strategies that have made Warren Buffett, and the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, so enormously wealthy. Warren Buffett's investment achievements are unparalleled. He owes his success to hard work, integrity, and that most elusive commodity of all, common sense. The quotations in this book exemplify Warren's practical strategies and provide useful illustrations for every investor—large or small—and models everyone can follow. The quotes are culled from a variety of sources, including personal conversations, corporate reports, profiles, and interviews. The authors provide short explanations for each quote and use examples from Buffett's own business transactions whenever possible to illustrate his words at work. As Warren says: "You should invest in a business that even a fool can run, because someday a fool will." "No matter how great the talent or effort, some things just take time: You can't produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant." "Our method is very simple. We just try to buy businesses with good-to-superb underlying economics run by honest and able people and buy them at sensible prices. That's all I'm trying to do." The Tao of Warren Buffett inspires, amuses, sharpens the mind, and offers priceless investment savvy that anyone can take to the bank. This irresistibly browsable and entertaining book is destined to become a classic.