Posted on 03/05/2005 12:53:33 PM PST by BurbankKarl
Investor Warren Buffett took the blame in his annual report for a fall in his Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s 2004 earnings.
"My hope was to make to make several multi-billion dollar acquisitions that would add new and significant streams of earnings to the many we already have," Mr. Buffett, head of the Omaha, Neb., insurance and investment vehicle wrote in his 26-page annual report. "But I struck out."
The source of Mr. Buffett's guilty complex comes from the company's change in book value -- assets minus liabilities -- a measure he likes to use to gauge Berkshire's performance. Last year, the company made a book-value gain of 10.5%, falling short of the S&P 500's 10.9%, a performance Mr. Buffett said was "lackluster." (Buffett's letter)
A key problem was the lack of "attractive securities to buy," he said. Mr. Buffett has been lamenting the lack of stocks of good value to buy in large enough volumes to put some of Berkshire's mounting cash hoard to work. By the end of 2004, Berkshire had cash and cash equivalents of more than $40 billion, up from some $31 billion in 2003.
Mr. Buffett said that despite the lack of attractive investments 2004 was a "remarkable" year for the stock market in the respect that the S&P 500 Index fetched a better return than at nearly any earlier point. "Last year's 'normal' return was anything but," he wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Berkshire's apparel and footwear sector, which includes underwear-maker Fruit of the Loom, also improved with pretax earnings rising to $325 million from $289 million a year earlier. Fruit of the Loom's unit sales increased 14%.
Mr. Buffett used Fruit of the Loom's surge in sales of women's and girls' underwear to poke fun at his octogenarian Berkshire partner, Charlie Munger. "Charlie, who is far more knowledgeable than I am on this subject, assures me that women are not wearing more underwear," Mr. Buffett wrote. "With this expert input, I can only conclude that our market share in the women's category must be growing rapidly."
Berkshire's apparel and footwear sector, which includes underwear-maker Fruit of the Loom, also improved with pretax earnings rising to $325 million from $289 million a year earlier. Fruit of the Loom's unit sales increased 14%.
Mr. Buffett used Fruit of the Loom's surge in sales of women's and girls' underwear to poke fun at his octogenarian Berkshire partner, Charlie Munger. "Charlie, who is far more knowledgeable than I am on this subject, assures me that women are not wearing more underwear," Mr. Buffett wrote. "With this expert input, I can only conclude that our market share in the women's category must be growing rapidly."
Gee, I wonder if the Gillette deal in 2005 made up for 2004?!
He also managed to structure the deal to pay the least amount of taxes, something he wants us little people to do instead.
Suck a rotten lemon, Buffett. 2004 was my very own company's best year, ever.
You sell ammo?
Part of Buffet's problem is that he hate dividends and dividend declaration in stocks and mutual funds.
Well, Warren, the world changed on you and the other left wingers a couple of years ago when the Senate passed GW's tax changes re dividends.
Now a lot of us will not buy a stock, index fund, etf or mutual fund if there are no dividends and good dividends not the 1 cent bs being declared.
Another excuse maker of the Dimocrat Party. This guy rips off investors on a regular basis like his buddy Soros. Dims lover the big buck corporate raiders and currency manipulators.
"He also managed to structure the deal to pay the least amount of taxes, something he wants us little people to do instead"
Yes he likes to complain about tax cuts. I wonder if he structures his compensation as wages or investment income?
I bet like Terrazya, he has a 10% tax rate and doesn't pay a dime in payroll taxes.
Hey Grampa, they've got a new Art Bell ETF out that is made up of "Alternative Energy" issues. I think it's pure "sucker bait!" Also, now they're saying that since the DJIA and the DJTA both hit their 2005 highs yesterday that this is a long awaited and big BS!!! (Bull Signal) Back up that there Bronco to the loading dock again! Don't be a loser like Buffett and Soros in 2004, Ha Ha Ha !!! (they did say the bull may not have much staying power, but I'm gonna find out and ride it till I'm bucked off!)
In the meantime, one can invest in these exchange trusts, PBT, SJT, SBR which deal in real petroleum products and natural gas.
Go to the link below to see how they have perfomed:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=PBT&t=5y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=SJT,SBR
That links is for 5 year performance and look at the 1, 2 and 3 performance.
Also, unlike Buffetbutt, these petroleuam trusts pay dividends out that range from 7% or higher per year. Dividends are paid monthly.
Now THAT's some GOOD info, there Grampa!!!
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