Core Viewpoint - Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, has experienced its largest underperformance against the S&P 500 in decades, attributed to Buffett's impending retirement and investor sell-offs [2][3]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Since May 2, when Buffett announced the transfer of control to Greg Abel, Berkshire's Class A shares have dropped by 14%, contrasting sharply with the S&P 500's 11% increase [2]. - The gap in performance is one of the largest since 1990, with only the early pandemic period showing worse quarterly results for Berkshire [3]. - Berkshire's Class A shares reached a record price of $812,855 in May, but there is uncertainty about who is selling these high-vote shares [3]. Group 2: Business Operations - Despite the stock sell-off, Berkshire's subsidiaries, including BNSF Railway and several utility companies, reported profit growth in Q2, with overall operating profit increasing by 8% year-over-year when excluding currency fluctuations [3]. - Berkshire's market valuation has risen to a price-to-book ratio of nearly 1.8, the highest since October 2008 [4]. Group 3: Investment Strategy - Buffett has ceased stock buybacks since May 2024, only repurchasing shares when he believes the price is below intrinsic value [5]. - Recent comments from shareholders suggest that the stock may be overvalued, with expectations that a market correction could prompt Buffett to resume buybacks [6]. - Berkshire has been a net seller of stocks for 11 consecutive quarters, with cash levels reaching 30% of total assets by the end of June [6].
巴菲特退休“带崩”！伯克希尔遭遇35年来最严重“滑铁卢”