Core Insights - Warren Buffett plans to retire at the end of the year after leading Berkshire Hathaway for 60 years, achieving a 19.9% compounded annual gain since 1965 compared to the S&P 500's 10.4% gain [1][2] Berkshire Hathaway's Performance - Berkshire Hathaway has seen an overall gain of 5,550,000% since Buffett took over, while the market gained 39,000% [2] Investment Strategy - Buffett has invested in five Japanese trading houses: Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo, which operate in diverse sectors such as industrial metals, energy, and healthcare [5][6] - These companies share similarities with Berkshire Hathaway's origins and have shown strong financial performance, leading Buffett to express admiration for their management and capital deployment [6][7] - Berkshire's holdings in these Japanese companies represent a small portion of its total portfolio, valued at $1.05 trillion, with the trading houses collectively valued at $28.6 billion, or 2.7% of Berkshire's holdings [7][8] Future Prospects - Berkshire Hathaway is likely to increase its stakes in the Japanese trading houses as the companies relax their ownership ceilings, providing U.S. investors with opportunities for diversification and consistent dividends [8][9] Stock to Avoid - Charter Communications has seen a 21% decline in stock value this year, primarily due to disappointing earnings, reporting revenue of $13.7 billion, a mere 0.6% increase year-over-year, and earnings per share of $9.18, below the expected $9.58 [11][12] - The company struggles with revenue growth, with projections of only 2% growth over the next two years, and its cable service revenue dropped by 9.9% [13] - Charter does not pay dividends, contrasting with Buffett's investment philosophy of favoring dividend-paying stocks [14][15]
5 Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy Hand Over Fist and 1 to Avoid