10_Gems_Buffett_2018_letter

10 Gems from Buffett’s 2018 Annual letter

Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice” – Yoda

In a world where investors are drowning in information but starving for wisdom, we are incredibly lucky to receive an annual doze of distilled investing wisdom straight from one of the greatest masters of the craft, that too free!
They say the greatest education is watching the masters at work. One such master piece comes in the form of Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders. I honestly believe there is much more wisdom packed in those 20 odd pages than that can be found in many books put together.

I poured over Buffett’s latest annual letter. Here are 10 nuggets / gems of wisdom which I could find. I have made no attempt to write my thoughts / commentary on these gems as this would be a futile exercise diluting the distilled wisdom delivered with a perfect choice of words.
So sit back, read these gems slowly, pause and reflect on each one of them. Hope you find them as useful as I found them to be.

In our search for new stand-alone businesses, the key qualities we seek are durable competitive strengths;able and high-grade management; good returns on the net tangible assets required to operate the business;opportunities for internal growth at attractive returns; and, finally, a sensible purchase price

 Our aversion to leverage has dampened our returns over the years. But Charlie and I sleep well. Both of us believe it is insane to risk what you have and need in order to obtain what you don’t need.

The less the prudence with which others conduct their affairs, the greater the prudence with which we must conduct our own.

Betting on people can sometimes be more certain than betting on physical assets.

Charlie and I view the marketable common stocks that Berkshire owns as interests in businesses, not as ticker symbols to be bought or sold based on their “chart” patterns, the “target” prices of analysts or the opinions of media pundits.

There is simply no telling how far stocks can fall in a short period. Even if your borrowings are small and your positions aren’t immediately threatened by the plunging market, your mind may well become rattled by scary headlines and breathless commentary. And an unsettled mind will not make good decisions.

Performance comes, performance goes. Fees never falter.

Though markets are generally rational, they occasionally do crazy things. Seizing the opportunities then offered does not require great intelligence, a degree in economics or a familiarity with Wall Street jargon such as alpha and beta.

What investors then need instead is an ability to both disregard mob fears or enthusiasms and to focus on a few simple fundamentals. A willingness to look unimaginative for a sustained period – or even to look foolish – is also essential.

Stick with big, “easy” decisions and eschew activity

Knowledge comes from learning, wisdom comes from living. Let us strive to apply this investing knowledge.
Happy investing!!!
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