...Abstract This paper will discuss a company profile for Berkshire Hathaway. This profile will include a brief history of Berkshire Hathaway's humble beginnings as a textile manufacturer, and subsequent diversification into a successful powerhouse holdings company that has spread it's risk into a variety of industries. These industries include insurance, utilities, building materials, furniture, jewelry, apparel and food companies. This paper will examine Berkshire's recent financial situation over the last 5 years. while touching on the CEO compensation package. The CEO behind this conglomerate, Warren Buffet, is considered to be one of the greatest investors of the 20th Century. Since Buffet took over in 1965, with his 20% majority share of ownership, Berkshire Hathaway, has grown to include over 50 firms under the corporate name. For the last 36 years , "The Oracle of Omaha" as Warren Buffet is known, has lived by a simple philosophy to invest in strong managed companies that produced good products but were inherently undervalued in the market. (Hoover's, 2013) This paper will also discuss Berkshire's competition for their major industries. Company Profile Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company that has subsidiaries in the manufacturing, retail, and service industries and most importantly reinsurance companies. The company itself was founded by Oliver Chase back in 1889 in New Bedford, MA, under the...
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...While the funding of the government also makes a valuable contribution in fostering the charity work, many charities rely on donations from people and organizations as well. Furthermore, knowing that one has sacrificed something such as finances, property or time for the purpose to strengthen the way of living of people in need provides a sense of inner satisfaction and a purpose of life (Anheier, 2014). Many governmental entities are incapable to support certain types of charities. Therefore, these non-profit organizations depend on the funding from the common pubic. Among these charitable organizations, one organization that often comes in mind is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation due to its valuable contribution to the society. This paper will provide an overview about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and highlights the projects it currently supports. Discussion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a charitable organization situated in Seattle, U.S. The foundation came into existence by the efforts of Bill and Melina Gates (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015). The foundation is considered as the largest private foundation across the globe. Additionally, the foundation is regarded as the largest transparently managed private...
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...Matt Olbrantz ENGM 5550 2/08/2011 Interim Assignment #2-Case Study; Warren Buffett It was apparent at a young age that Buffett was destined for success. His parents, grandparents knew he was a gifted as a child and eventually would turn into something great. He had something that no one else had, a savvy for business ethics and profit. It is incredible to me that by the time Buffett finished high school he had $6,000 in savings. And even more incredible to have almost $10,000 by the time he got out of college. Buffett took what he learned as a young boy about selling everyday items like gum and used the same philosophy in making billions in the stock market. As a young boy shades of brilliance were apparent, selling lemonade, bubble gum, then the purchase of pin ball machines for use in barber shops and then selling them for a profit. Buffett began trading stocks at a young age with success. It was obvious Buffett knew what he was doing as an adolescent and I think this set the foundation’s for his strategies later in life. It also shows that he would not invest something he was not familiar with. Who is not familiar with gum, lemonade and pin ball as a kid?? Warren Buffett was first exposed to formal training in investing at Columbia University, where Buffett studied under Prof. Ben Graham. Graham developed a method that identified undervalued stocks and this was Buffett’s cornerstone approach of what is now called “valued investing”...
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...However, statistics show that stocks measured over any ten-year time period for the last 75 years, have yielded a higher return than conservative investments in bonds or bank certificates of deposit (Kelly, 2007). For the mentioned and several other reasons, one still should consider using stocks as an investing tool. Consequently, if you can’t win the very short term, high frequency trading game, you might want to play a different game and invest in stocks longer term oriented. This might lead you to defensive stock investing, an investment method that is not seeking fast profits in the short run but rather continuous growth and eventually high profits in the long run. Probably the most famous and successful defensive stock investor is Warren Buffet. He believes in analyzing the market, recognizing mega trends...
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...frequently nonsensical.” ------------------------------------------------- This report will analysis the statement by Warren Buffett, and it considers the contrasting evidence on the validity of the observation on the Efficient Markets Hypothesis. The report briefly outlines the forms of the Efficient Market Hypothesis, the report also analysis’s the evidence both seminal and recent on the theory relating to the three forms of the hypothesis. It also examines the theoretical role and motivation of analysts in creating market efficiency; lastly it looks at alternative perspectives on the pricing of securities. Introduction In 1984 Warren Buffett penned an article titled “The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville”, based on a speech he had given on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his mentor Ben Graham’s legendary textbook, Security Analysis. In it, Buffett rejected the then growing (and now entrenched) view in academia that markets are ''efficient'' because ''stock prices reflect everything that is known about a company’s prospects and about the state of the economy.'' Warren Buffett argued against EMH, saying the preponderance of value investors among the world's best money managers rebuts the claim of EMH proponents that luck is the reason some investors appear more successful than others. (Hoffman, 2010) This report will either agree with Buffet or somewhat sit on the fence. A market is said to be efficient with respect to an information set if the price ‘fully...
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...Case Question 1 In his 2002 letter to shareholders, Warren Buffett referred to financial derivatives as the "financial weapons of mass destruction" and a ticking "time bomb" waiting to explode. His perspective may well be derived from his own experience with some derivative positions his company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, inherited from the $22 billion purchase of General Reinsurance Corporation in 1998 (Berkshire Hathaway Inc, 2002). Unable to find an agreeable counterparty to buy the General Reinsurance Securities, a subsidiary of General Reinsurance Corporation that deals with derivatives, Buffett decided to close it which required him to unwind the subsidiary's derivative positions. The complexity of the derivatives positions took him years to complete the unwinding and at a pretax loss of $173 million for General Reinsurance Corp in 2002 (Berkshire Hathaway Inc, 2002) and $409 million in cumulative pretax loss as of 2008 (Berkshire Hathaway Inc, 2009). He likens the unwinding process to entering hell, stating that derivatives positions were "easy to enter and almost impossible to get exit" (Berkshire Hathaway Inc, 2004). In 2002, trades in derivatives were growing rapidly in recent years and they pose a "mega-catastrophic risk" that could harm not only their sellers and buyers, but the whole economic system for the following reasons: 1. Mark-to-market accounting (Investopedia 2011) is a legal form of accounting for a venture involved in buying and selling securities...
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...The University of Lethbridge Calgary Campus Faculty of Management Management 4430Y Financial Management Spring 2011 A.P. Palasvirta Office: Markin 4132, Lethbridge Phone: (403) 332-4582 e-mail: oz.palasvirta@uleth.ca Goal of Course Management 4430 is the capstone course in finance and will incorporate concepts you have learned in through your study of corporate, investments, and international. We will utilize the case methodology to focus our analysis. Cases describe a context in which a particular problem is found. Regardless of the particular characteristics of the problem, problem solving follows a general methodology: identification of the problem, describing the context of the problem, analysis of potential alternative solutions, the identification of the best solution, implementation of the best solution , and the creation of controls and contingency plans, if applicable. Text and Other Sources: E-book based on Case Studies in Finance, 6th ed., 2010, McGraw Hill, Toronto, ISBN Prerequisites Management 3412, Fundamentals of Investments Investments, Analysis & Management, 2nd Canadian Ed., 2005, Cleary & Jones, John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd., Mississauga ISBN 0-470-83542-7 Management 3460, Corporate Finance Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 6th Canadian Ed., 2007, Ross, Westerfield, Jordan, & Roberts, McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Toronto ISBN 13: 978-0-07-095910-1 A list of topics for which you should have working knowledge...
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...Wells Fargo Risk Management “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”—Warren Buffet 2014 Jovan Gonzalez University of Texas at San Antonio 2/11/2014 Wells Fargo Risk Management “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”—Warren Buffet 2014 Jovan Gonzalez University of Texas at San Antonio 2/11/2014 Overview When it comes to managing key risks that financial institutions face such as, credit risk, asset/liability interest rate and market risks, Wells Fargo Board of Directors (Board) and senior management are ultimately responsible for managing these risks. Along with the help of different committees such as, The Board’s Credit Committee, who manages the annual credit quality plan, lending policies, credit trends, and high risk portfolios and concentrations. The Finance Committee manages the company’s major financial risks such as, interest rate, and market/price risk with the help of the Corporate Asset/Liability Management Committee (ALCO), who meet periodically with each other. Although there are much more committees that are in charge of overseeing other risks, for the purpose of this paper I’m mainly focusing on credit risk, market risk, and interest rate risk. According to Wells Fargo’s annual report, each Board committee receives reports and information regarding risk issues directly from senior management, who meets directly with the CEO every week to discuss strategic risk issues at the operational level. Wells Fargo also has a Chief...
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...Value investing is the strategy of purchasing an asset which is trading at a significant discount from its determined intrinsic value. It has long been regarded as a low risk method of providing outstanding investment returns (Klarman 2001). The investment strategy was described by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd in their book, Security Analysis (1940, p. 724). Over subsequent decades the investment approach has evolved utilizing varying fundamental methodologies but always maintaining the principle of investing when a discount to intrinsic value exists. Graham and Dodd (1940, p. 368) referred to this principle as the 'margin of safety'. This essay will explore the various methodologies, expand on the 'margin of safety' concept and discover the factors that have led to the success of the exponents of value investing. Bierig’s (2000) assessment of the Graham and Dodd approach indicated that a value investor doesn’t just follow share market fads but instead ‘searches for stocks selling for less than their intrinsic value’ and after purchasing, waits for market recognition that corrects this discrepancy. Athanassakos (2011b) has illustrated that a search for undervalued stocks is the initial process undertaken. He maintains that these stocks tend to be ‘avoided by large institutional investors’ and are not the ‘glamour stocks everyone wants to own’. Graham (1973, p. 211) describes two methods of searching for fundamentally undervalued stocks; companies selling at a low price to...
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...FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT http://mycourses.hult.edu MODULE B 2012-13 INSTRUCTOR Professor Xiaozu Wang EMAIL xiaozu.wang@faculty.hult.edu INSTRUCTOR AVAILABILITY Please contact by email CLASS TIMES & ROOM(S) MIB1: Jan 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 21, 23, 25, 1:30-4:50, Feb. 1, 9:00-12:20, Feb. 7, 1:30-4:50 COURSE AIMS AND DESCRIPTION OF CONTENT This is an introductory course of finance for MIB students. The course aims to provide students with a conceptual framework and a set of technical tools for making corporate investment decisions. The focus will be maximizing the value of the firm and capital budgeting. Some ethical issues will be highlighted throughout the course. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES Key (Assessed) Learning Outcomes: On completion of this course, students should understand and be able to do the following: 1. Estimate the cost of capital for corporate investment decisions; 2. Make corporate investment decisions using discounted cash flow method; 3. Manage working capital and corporate long-term growth. Supplemental Learning Outcomes: While not assessed, it is anticipated that students will develop the following: 4. Understand the importance of corporate governance for achieving long-term corporate financial objectives and valuation; 5. Understand some unique features of Chinese capital markets. TEACHING AND LEARNING The course will be a mixture of lectures, case discussions and individual and group practices. Students are expected to do the following. 1. 2...
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...Student-Nr. W11035726 Total words: 2790 1. A good acquisition program helps the acquirer to identify a target partner. An acquisition program should contain a clearly defined core strategy, the goals of this activity, and a detailed risk management. The identification of the right company depends on the analysis of target market. Companies react when they recognize benefits in some certain markets. It is essential for an acquirer to analyse the market, is there any market in transition that could lead to any competitive advantages or any business capacities that could be useful (Chatterjee). Kraft has to consider which qualifications they seek in the business partner and which one complementary or expand their capacities. (Cavusgil, Knight and Riesenberger, 2008) An analysis of the macro environment of Kraft shows that they have the opportunity to become the world’s largest confectionery. This market prospect allows Kraft to minimize the threats of competitors. It is a strategy to eliminate or to minimize competitors. (Chatterjee) In food and drink manufacturing, the technology is relatively mature. The global food market shows oligopolistic structures and the competition is intense. As a result of that, the market growth almost remains static. (Ramsay, 2000) In addition, different national tastes and preferences may cause also restrictions for international expansion. (Kapferer, 1997; Yip, 1992). A lot of companies consider acquisitions as essential strategies...
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...where efficient, low cost operations can only be carried out after a substantial infrastructure investment and can not be sustained at a low sales volume. In such a case, it would not be surprising to see the established, efficient (and unprofitable) business secure a dominant share of the fragmented industry and earn an extraordinary return on capital once sales volume has increased. Where a marginal sale is ridiculously profitable, advertising costs will serve to entrench the position of the business with the highest volume and the lowest costs. Now you know why you see so many GEICO ads on cable TV. It all began in the family grocery store back in Omaha. Buffett's great grandfather started the store in 1869 and it was in the Buffet family until 1969, till his uncle finally retired. But it's at this store, where he began going around his neighbourhood selling gum. This was before his stint at his father's...
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...“Charismatic CEOs and Succession Planning: Not so Charismatic” This article takes a look at CEO succession planning. It essentially focuses on charismatic CEOs and how they chose their successor. This article argues that the approach most charismatic CEOs take is flawed, hence, their successors tend to struggle. Most charismatic CEOs often do not make succession planning a priority until it is too late. In cases where a company puts a process in place, charismatic CEOs tend to be domineering in their choice of a successor. In other cases, charismatic CEOs die on the job, thereby making the transition shaky. Although this article delves into the open literature for insights, it also uses a case study to drive home the point that charismatic CEOs’ approach to succession planning is flawed. The challenges of succession planning are truer today than ever. Indeed, the abrupt departures of two important charismatic CEOs – Charles Prince of Citygroup and Stanley O’Neal of Merrill Lynch – in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, which fetched these firms colossal losses have made scholars to beam their searchlight on this neglected aspect of corporate governance. The nonchalance with the way some CEOs handle the process of succession planning not only puts their companies in jeopardy, but also signposts a major criterion on which outgoing CEOs and their executive board members will be evaluated. Before we proceed, we will issue a caveat: the practice of succession planning...
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...Course No: C-501 Course Name: Managerial Communication A Report on Business Communication Method of Warren Buffett Prepared For: Mr. Zahid Hassan Khan Associate professor, Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka Prepared By: Md.Tazul Islam Roll:133 Batch:46D Date of Submission: 11-12-2011 Executive Summary: Warren Buffett is considered as one of the most successful investors of the market. A man who started his journey as an investor at the age of 13, continued to cross hurdles of his business carrier. It's annual report season, which includes announcements from the CEO and/or chairman of every public U.S. company. Given that Warren Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is the most successful investor of all time, you might expect that a 23-page communication from him would be jargon-packed and over most people’s heads. In actuality, Buffett's annual letter to shareholders is famously down-to-earth, conversational, and witty. Never mind for now the specific points he makes: how he communicates his message is a lesson for all of us. Warren Buffett writes his letter to shareholders as a letter to his sisters - then crosses out "Dear Doris and Bertie" and replaces it with "To the Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway". It’s not enough that Warren Buffett has become one of the richest men in the world. He’s also a world-class communicator – and nowhere does this gift go on public display more than in his annual letter to shareholders...
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...entrepreneurial teams from bad ones. Provide high rate of return to their investors for the associated risk. Employ experienced and savvy business people to work closely with portfolio companies. Monitor and guide companies into a well managed, fully functional company that can stand on its own, and ready to face public capital market’s scrutiny after an IPO. b) Investment Bank Underwriters: Help entrepreneurs in the actual process of doing IPO, provide advisory financial service, price company offerings, underwrite and introduce shares to investors. c) Sell-Side analysts: Publish research on public companies, Form relationships with and talk to managements of the companies, Follow trends in the industry, Make buy or sell recommendations d) Buy-Side Analysts: same duties as sell-side counterparts. Do industry research, talk to companies and management teams. Come up with earning estimates, do valuation analysis. To rate stock prices of the companies as either ‘buys’ or ‘sells’ and convince portfolio managers. Portfolio managers actually manage money and are ultimately responsible for buying or selling securities. e) Independent accountants audit financial statements of public companies to verify accuracy and freedom from fraud. Auditors are responsible for making a report to the third parties based on the company’s financial statements. They provide an unqualified opinion statement if they were reasonably satisfied which is attached to company’s public filings. f) Regulator-FASB: To...
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