Longer term quant based trades

[newwurldmn]

That is bollocks. Listen, I am not a cheerleader for Buffett. But I also know that the insurance industry is built on top of actuarial estimates and calculations and can hardly be a called a leveraged industry. Some of he longest standing companies in the world are insurance companies. Guess why. . . Ever heard of Lloyd's of London?

I just find it weird how so many now come out of the closet and ridicule the investment acumen of one of the wisest and smartest investors the world ever had. First he got rich because of tax games, now he got rich because of insurance floats, then he is evil because he supports Clinton. Goodness. Why is it so hard to stay objective nowadays? Is FB really fuxxing up everyone's brains?

I AM a huge fan of buffet. I didn't mean it as an insult. He is insanely clever. You think he would be worth 50billion if he maintained the buffet partnership just investing in value stocks with forever holding periods? No.

he built an extremely effective platform to maximize his investment stake (aside: most elite traders who treat their trading as a "business" don't realize this). He figured out that insurance companies get all this float and while everyone else assumed it will all be paid out, he saw it as working capital for his investments and next year there will be more float to invest. That's why he can hold onto a stock forever and still have more money than he has investment opportunities. Friggin genius.

He's also very good at managing insurance risks so that he can maintain his "investment working capital."

Another guy who figured out the same thing was prem watsa. He was an immigrant from India who is a billionaire doing the same thing in Canada.

Oh another part of his platform is his sterling reputation. He's a tough negotiation but his word is his bond and ceos love to sell their businesses to Buffet.

 

[Zzzz1]

agree with quite a bit you said, maybe I just misunderstood your last post.

Though I might add that he already did great before he ever entered the re-insurance and insurance business. And I credit his reputation and honor as well as his eye for value to his success.

I AM a huge fan of buffet. I didn't mean it as an insult. He is insanely clever. You think he would be worth 50billion if he maintained the buffet partnership just investing in value stocks with forever holding periods? No.

he built an extremely effective platform to maximize his investment stake (aside: most elite traders who treat their trading as a "business" don't realize this). He figured out that insurance companies get all this float and while everyone else assumed it will all be paid out, he saw it as working capital for his investments and next year there will be more float to invest. That's why he can hold onto a stock forever and still have more money than he has investment opportunities. Friggin genius.

He's also very good at managing insurance risks so that he can maintain his "investment working capital."

Another guy who figured out the same thing was prem watsa. He was an immigrant from India who is a billionaire doing the same thing in Canada.

Oh another part of his platform is his sterling reputation. He's a tough negotiation but his word is his bond and ceos love to sell their businesses to Buffet.

 

[newwurldmn]

agree with quite a bit you said, maybe I just misunderstood your last post.

Though I might add that he already did great before he ever entered the re-insurance and insurance business. And I credit his reputation and honor as well as his eye for value to his success.

He was worth millions (certainly in todays terms but possibly in 1960's dollars as well) before he bought Berkshire. When he shut down the Buffet partnership he allowed his partners to take ownership in the portfolio stocks. One of which was Berkshire. At the time Berkshire was a textile company that made high quality shirts. He overtook it (corporate raider style) and put all his investments (GEICO was a legacy Bufffet Partnership investment) into it. Interestingly, Berkshire's original operating business was one of his few bad investments.

 

[Deuteronomy_24_7]

He is insanely clever... He figured out that insurance companies get all this float and while everyone else assumed it will all be paid out, he saw it as working capital for his investments

Uhhh, this is what every insurance company does. I'll assume you've never been in the insurance business.

 

[newwurldmn]

Uhhh, this is what every insurance company does. I'll assume you've never been in the insurance business.

Yeah. Today they do after everyone saw the arb. They used to not. Instead they would invest in short term treasuries and other low yielding, safe, liquid instruments.

What work do you do in the insurance business?

 

[Deuteronomy_24_7]

What work do you do in the insurance business?

Director of a Hamilton-based firm. And yourself?

 

[newwurldmn]

Director of a Hamilton-based firm. And yourself?

Then you would know the difference in Berkshires investment philosophy vs some of the other firms.

 

[Deuteronomy_24_7]

And yourself?

 

[Zzzz1]

Is that something high up in the insurance field? Seriously asking as in banking it's 2 grades above grad school new grad.

Director of a Hamilton-based firm. And yourself?

 

[Deuteronomy_24_7]

Is that something high up in the insurance field? Seriously asking as in banking it's 2 grades above grad school new grad.

A real Director. Google is your friend. But you're right about the junk 'Director' title in banking.