Berkshire Hathaway Part I

In the latest episode of Acquired, hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal explore the transformative journey of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. They delve into Buffett's early years, from selling gum door-to-door to his infatuation with compounding wealth, and his tutelage under Benjamin Graham, which instilled a value investing philosophy. Despite initial success, Buffett's reluctance to embrace technology investments led to missed opportunities, such as Intel. However, his acquisition of National Indemnity marked a pivotal moment, revealing the power of combining insurance with operating businesses to utilize float as an investment tool. The episode also touches on Buffett's decision to wind down his partnership in 1969 despite record returns, highlighting his disciplined approach and fear of not being able to sustain performance. Throughout, the hosts underscore Buffett's singular focus on ethical wealth accumulation and his evolution from a Graham disciple to a unique investor, capable of creating a conglomerate with a purpose.

• Warren Buffett displayed an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, engaging in various business activities such as selling gum, soda, and magazines door-to-door.
• He was meticulous and had a penchant for counting and analyzing things, including mundane details like license plates and occurrences of letters in newspaper articles.
• Buffett's early ventures demonstrate his understanding of profit margins and the value of buying low and selling high.

"I ran up mount sigh wearing them the other morning."

This quote exemplifies Buffett's loyalty to brands he believes in, as he mentions using Brooks running shoes, a company owned by Berkshire Hathaway, for his personal exercise routine, reflecting his practice of investing in businesses he understands and trusts.

• At age ten, Buffett was introduced to the stock market and the concept of wealth when he visited New York with his father, Howard Buffett, and met Sidney Weinberg of Goldman Sachs.
• He was struck by the opulence of the New York Stock Exchange and the realization that wealth could offer independence and the ability to work for oneself.
• Buffett's early stock purchase of Cities Service preferred shares taught him valuable lessons about investment patience and the emotional aspect of investing.

"What stock do you like, Warren?"

This quote from Sidney Weinberg to a young Warren Buffett highlights the early exposure Buffett had to the world of finance and investing, which would shape his future career and investment philosophy.

• Buffett expanded his entrepreneurial efforts during his high school years in Washington, D.C., by running a paper route for the Washington Post and selling additional products to his customers.
• He showed an understanding of customer needs and timing by tracking magazine subscription expirations to optimize his sales.
• By age 15, Buffett had saved a substantial amount of money from his business endeavors, showcasing his ability to generate and save capital from a young age.

"I had gone to the library and taken out a book called 1000 Ways to make $1,000."

Buffett's quote about his research into making money reveals his early interest in and commitment to learning about different ways to generate income, a trait that would become a hallmark of his investment career.

• Buffett learned key investment lessons from his early experience with Cities Service shares, including the importance of not being swayed by short-term price fluctuations and the importance of managing other people's emotions in investment decisions.
• He also purchased a tenant farm in Nebraska as a teenager, demonstrating his understanding of passive income and investment in tangible assets.

"He claims that purchasing Berkshire Hathaway cost him $200 billion in opportunity cost."

This quote refers to Warren Buffett's reflection on the cost of his investment mistakes, emphasizing the importance of considering opportunity costs in investment decisions and Buffett's ability to learn from his experiences.

• Buffett attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School, though he was reluctant to pursue higher education, feeling he already possessed the knowledge needed for his business endeavors.
• His father, Howard Buffett, influenced his decision to attend Wharton, demonstrating the role of family expectations in shaping Buffett's early life choices.

"I realized wealth could make me independent, then I could do what I wanted with my life."

Buffett's quote captures his motivation for accumulating wealth: not for the sake of opulence, but for the independence and autonomy it would afford him in his personal and professional life.

• Warren Buffett's early educational and career decisions were heavily influenced by his desire to be close to family and his focus on accelerating his education to quickly start his business career.
• He initially attended the Wharton School but transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to be closer to home and to graduate in three years.
• Despite his academic success, Buffett faced rejection from Harvard Business School, which he attributed to the school's preference for traditional career paths over investing during the post-Depression era.
• Buffett eventually attended Columbia Business School, where he was influenced by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd, pioneers of value investing.

"After two years, his dad loses his congressional seat and the family moves back to Nebraska. And Warren uses this excuse to say, hey, why don't I transfer to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln? Be back closer to home."

This quote explains Buffett's decision to transfer universities, highlighting his prioritization of family proximity and his strategic approach to education.

• Warren Buffett was not interested in the social aspects of college life; he was focused on making money and believed he was smarter than his professors.
• He worked managing newspaper circulation and loaded up on courses to finish his degree early.
• Buffett's early investment strategy included a focus on value investing and a desire to work with his idol, Benjamin Graham.

"I don't think he was like, loving the social scene of college. I mean, he wasn't a drinker. He wasn't going on lots of dates. He had his eye on the prize, and for him, that was making money."

This quote summarizes Buffett's college experience, emphasizing his focus on financial success over social activities.

• Buffett's rejection from Harvard Business School was a turning point that led him to Columbia, where he could study directly under Benjamin Graham.
• The rejection may have been influenced by the era's investing culture, which viewed independent investing as unrespectable compared to corporate careers.

"He goes and he does his interview. He's sure he's going to get in and he gets rejected, which Harvard Business School would forever, forever be regretting totally now."

This quote reflects on Buffett's rejection from Harvard and the irony that the institution would later regret not admitting such a successful investor.

• Buffett was deeply influenced by Graham's book "The Intelligent Investor," which advocated for systematic, fundamental analysis of stocks.
• Graham and Dodd's approach to investing was revolutionary at the time, introducing concepts like discounted cash flow and viewing stocks as parts of businesses.
• Buffett's admiration for Graham led him to Columbia, where he was able to study under his hero and learn about the investment philosophy that would shape his career.

"And the intelligent investor is like the Danny Kahneman thinking fast and slow version of its case studies. It's distilled down for public consumption."

This quote explains the accessibility and impact of Graham's "The Intelligent Investor," comparing it to another influential book that makes complex ideas understandable for a wider audience.

• Buffett's early business ventures included managing newspaper circulation and buying his first business at age 15.
• After college, he worked at his father's brokerage firm, where he was unhappy with the commission-based work but learned valuable lessons about the investment industry.
• Buffett's persistence eventually earned him a position at Graham Newman, where he excelled and was offered a partnership.

"So at Lincoln, he goes to the Lincoln Journal newspaper, and he gets a job managing the country circulation, which means he now has 50 paper boys reporting to him all across the countryside in Nebraska."

This quote illustrates Buffett's early foray into management and entrepreneurship, showing his inclination towards business from a young age.

• Buffett's investigation into GEICO, a company partly owned by Graham, was a pivotal moment in his understanding of the insurance business and the concept of float.
• He realized the potential of using float, or the money held by insurance companies from premiums before paying claims, as an interest-free loan for investments.
• Buffett's experience with GEICO influenced his investment philosophy and would later become a significant part of his business empire.

"So Warren just starts peppering him with questions. Laurimer is super impressed. He's like, who is this 19 year old kid? They talk for 4 hours that Saturday morning, and Davey tells Warren all about how Geico works, how the insurance industry works, tells him about this magical thing called float."

This quote captures the moment Buffett learned about the insurance industry's use of float, which would become a cornerstone of his investment strategy.

• After his time at Graham Newman, Buffett returned to Omaha, initially planning to retire early but was persuaded by friends and family to manage their money.
• He created the Buffett Partnerships with a unique structure that aligned his interests with his investors, taking no management fees but earning a share of the profits above a certain threshold.
• Buffett's personal investment in the partnerships' success and his low-cost operation model set the stage for the growth of his investment empire.

"So he starts setting up these little vehicles around Omaha with family first, like immediate family, and then a few close friends to manage their money in addition to his own money that he's managing."

This quote describes the beginnings of the Buffett Partnerships, which were the precursors to his later success with Berkshire Hathaway.

• Warren Buffett's initial investment into partnerships was minimal, only contributing $100 per partnership.
• Buffett's personal capital was managed separately from the partnership funds.
• The goal was to generate returns for friends and family, not to create a fee-generating scheme.
• Buffett later consolidated investments and included his family's money as well.

"He does not really put in any of his own money. He only puts in $100 into each partnership." "And then later when he consolidates it all, he puts in all of his family's money as well."

These quotes highlight Buffett's strategy of starting with minimal personal investment in partnerships and later consolidating family funds into the investments. This approach was more about helping friends and family than earning fees.

• Buffett returned to Omaha and began raising capital for his investment ventures.
• The Davis family, after being impressed by Buffett, invested $100,000 in his venture.
• This investment led to an introduction to Charlie Munger, who would later become Buffett's business partner.
• Buffett and Munger did not meet until three years after the initial introduction.

"One family he gets introduced to is the Davis family in Omaha... They decide to invest $100,000 in this venture."

This quote indicates the beginning of Buffett's relationship with the Davis family, who would play a significant role in introducing him to Charlie Munger.

• Buffett established specific terms for investing with him, notably a once-a-year opportunity for investors to add or withdraw funds.
• This policy allowed Buffett to manage the funds without interference or disclosure of his investment actions.

"He is open for business one day of the year to his clients. And that day is December 31."

This quote outlines the unique terms Buffett set for his investment partnerships, emphasizing his desire for autonomy in investment decisions.

• Buffett's investment strategy resulted in significant paper profits, allowing him to increase his equity ownership in the partnerships.
• His approach involved investing in undervalued companies and actively engaging in corporate governance to unlock value.
• Buffett's early investments, such as Sanborn Map, demonstrated his ability to generate substantial returns through strategic interventions.

"His fees are, on paper, $83,000, which is what? Like almost half of what his net worth was when he started this thing."

This quote reflects the success of Buffett's investment strategy, highlighting the substantial fees he earned relative to his net worth.

• Buffett's investment philosophy emphasized value over popularity and a focus on minimizing the risk of permanent capital loss.
• He was transparent with his investors about the limitations of maintaining his margin over the Dow.
• Buffett communicated regularly and candidly with his partners through annual letters.

"I cannot promise results to our partners. What I can and do promise is that, a, our investments will be chosen on the basis of value, not popularity."

This quote captures the essence of Buffett's investment philosophy, promising diligent selection based on value and risk management.

• Buffett's acquisition of Berkshire Hathaway was driven by a perceived undervaluation but turned into a significant challenge.
• Despite the company's poor prospects, Buffett was reluctant to shut down the mills due to reputational concerns and potential community impact.
• Berkshire Hathaway's acquisition is considered Buffett's biggest mistake, as he later realized the company had no potential for a turnaround.

"So I bought my cigar butt, and I tried to smoke it... Berkshire didn't have any more puffs, so all you had was a soggy cigar butt in your mouth."

This metaphor used by Buffett illustrates his regret in acquiring Berkshire Hathaway, acknowledging it as a valueless investment.

• Buffett's purchase of National Indemnity represented a strategic shift for Berkshire Hathaway, transforming it into an insurance-focused enterprise.
• The acquisition was executed swiftly and on favorable terms for the seller, Jack Ringwalt.
• National Indemnity's business model focused on insuring high-risk, esoteric risks, which provided long-term float for investment.

"We will not go into businesses where technology, which is way over my head, is crucial to the investment decision."

Buffett's decision to avoid technology investments, despite being introduced to Intel's early investment opportunity, demonstrates his conservative approach and preference for businesses he fully understood.

• Warren Buffett is known for his meticulous and obsessive approach to business.
• His focus on compounding capital and ethical investment practices has led to significant success.
• Buffett's investment strategies have evolved over time, learning from each deal he makes.

"He's obsessed, which Warren wanted anyway. So it's great puzzle piece."

The quote reflects Buffett's intense focus and dedication to his business ventures, which is a key component of his success.

• Buffett's major insight was combining insurance businesses with other operating companies.
• This allowed for the investment of float from insurance operations into other businesses.
• The strategy created a flywheel effect, where more insurance businesses and operations could generate more float, leading to more investments and cash flow.

"This is brilliant, because this now enables Warren, through this insight, to start building up a two-sided flywheel of more and more insurance businesses and operations that generate more and more float."

The quote highlights the genius of Buffett's insight into using the insurance business model to fuel investments in other areas, significantly enhancing capital growth.

• Berkshire Hathaway transitioned from a textile mill business to a diversified holding company.
• Unlike other conglomerates, Berkshire had a purpose and synergy through capital allocation.
• The operations of the businesses within Berkshire were kept separate, but the capital management was centralized.

"So this is the beginning of Berkshire morphing from a series of textile mills into a holding company that has all these incredible cash flow flywheels happening inside of it."

The quote summarizes the transformation of Berkshire Hathaway into a holding company with multiple sources of cash flow, which was a significant change from its original business.

• Buffett's expertise in capital allocation was enhanced by his insurance business strategy.
• His approach provided a margin of safety, allowing him to make investments with lower risk.
• The use of float from insurance policyholders gave Buffett a unique advantage in capital allocation.

"Yeah. So he can go buy businesses and graft them onto this flywheel, and he has this margin of safety where even if he does make great investments and great purchases, but even when he doesn't, he's still benefiting from it because he's adding on to this capital."

The quote explains how Buffett's strategy provided both a safety net and a growth mechanism, enabling him to benefit even when individual investments did not pan out as expected.

• Buffett experienced a period of doubt and considered retiring from active investment management.
• Despite his success, he worried about maintaining high returns and the changing investment environment.
• Ultimately, Buffett decided to wind down the partnership and distribute the assets to partners.

"The only way to slow down is to stop."

The quote captures Buffett's mindset at the time he decided to retire from the partnership, reflecting his all-or-nothing approach to investment management.

• Buffett's investment performance with the partnerships was outstanding, with returns significantly outpacing the Dow.
• His approach to investment was disciplined and based on probabilistic thinking and independent decision-making.
• Despite the success, Buffett remained humble and focused on his investment principles.

"Through 1967 and 1968, the Dow does well in 67. It's at 19% return that year. We're starting to kind of see some go-go action going on in the market. 1968 is a little cooler, but it's 7.7% across those years. Warren did 36% in the Buffett partnerships in 67, then had its best year ever with a 59% return in 1968."

The quote provides a comparison of Buffett's returns with the broader market, showcasing his exceptional performance and investment acumen.