Berkshire Hathaway’s Common Stock Portfolio Substantially Outperformed the S&P 500 in Past Year

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Dr. David Kass
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The 10 largest common stock investments in Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio had a one year weighted return of 44% through February 7, 2020. This was almost double the 23% return from the S&P 500 over this time period.

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The top 10 stocks represent approximately 80% of the total value of Berkshire’s common stock investments.

8 out of the top 10 stocks rose in the past 12 months, with Apple (+ 87%) and Moody’s (+ 66%) having the largest percentage price increases. Only Kraft Heinz (-37%) and Wells Fargo (-1%) declined in price.

Since Berkshire’s portfolio of $220 billion represents about 40% of its $550 billion market capitalization, and Berkshire appreciated by only 13% in the past 12 months, this is an indication of Berkshire being undervalued.

The one year rate of return on Berkshire’s top 10 stock holdings as of February 7, 2020:

(1) Apple (Berkshire’s current investment: $80 billion) + 87%

(2) Bank of America ($33 billion) +23%

(3) Coca-Cola ($24 billion) +20%

(4) American Express ($20 billion) +26%

(5) Wells Fargo ($18 billion) – 1%

(6) Kraft Heinz ($10 billion)  – 37%

(7) JPMorgan Chase ($8 billion) +34%

(8) U.S. Bancorp ($7 billion) +7%

(9) Moody’s ($7 billion) +66%

(10) Goldman Sachs ($4 billion) + 23%

1 year weighted return on the top 10 stocks  +44%

1 year rate of return on S&P 500  +23%

1 year rate of return on Berkshire Hathaway  +13%

Article by Dr. David Kass

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David I Kass Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Finance Ph.D., Harvard University Robert H. Smith School of Business 4412 Van Munching Hall University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-1815 Phone: 301-405-9683 Email: dkass@rhsmith.umd.edu (link sends e-mail) Dr. David Kass has published articles in corporate finance, industrial organization, and health economics. He currently teaches Advanced Financial Management and Business Finance, and is the Faculty Champion for the Accelerated Finance Fellows. Prior to joining the faculty of the Smith School in 2004, he held senior positions with the Federal Government (Federal Trade Commission, General Accounting Office, Department of Defense, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis). Dr. Kass has recently appeared on Bloomberg TV, CNBC, PBS Nightly Business Report, Maryland Public Television, Business News Network TV (Canada), Fox TV, American Public Media's Marketplace Radio, and WYPR Radio (Baltimore), and has been quoted on numerous occasions by Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal, where he has primarily discussed Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. He has also launched a Smith School “Warren Buffett” blog. Dr. Kass has accompanied MBA students on trips to Omaha for private meetings with Warren Buffett, and Finance Fellows to Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meetings. He is an officer of the Harvard Business School Club of Washington, DC, and is a member of the investment and budget committees of a local nonprofit organization. Dr. Kass received a Smith School “Top 15% Teaching Award” for the 2009-2010 academic year.