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Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

bloomberg.com

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Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#351

Post by next_xibalba »

nabla9 wrote: post #60
next_xibalba wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buffett actually does share a fear of trade deficits, though. His proposed solution, as an alternative to tariffs, were "import certificates"-essentially a marketable credit required to import goods. These would be earned via exports by exporters, be freely priced and traded, and would essentially bind import levels to export levels.

It's really a non-problem. Net capital inflows into the U.S. = U.S. trade deficit. The balance of payments is simply: Sales of assets – Purchases of assets = Purchases of goods – Sales of goods If you balance the trade, it means foreigners must stop investing into the US.

With respect, I’m not sure I’ll take an internet commenter’s Econ 101 dismissal over the word of the greatest investor of all time.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#352

Post by riffraff »

WalterBright wrote: post #273
riffraff wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the inheritors divest from those investments, then they incur enormous income taxes. But isn't this sidestepped buy the "buy, borrow, die" approach, often criticized? https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/archive/2025/03/tax-loop...

The investments remain if they borrow against them. They just become collateral for the loan.

But when they die the basis for the capital gain is the value at the time of death, not the original value, so you basically sidestep capital gains taxation, your children or spouse pay back the loan and get a ton more money than they would otherwise.

I'm not an expert on taxation, but this is something people have been complaining about for a long time.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#353

Post by jeanlucas »

apexalpha wrote: post #82

I’m not sure if it’s originally his but a small talk by him about getting a car made an impression on me and since watching it it’s become a good motivator to stay in shape. This seems like a good moment to share it. https://youtu.be/0fMRHpguTPM?si=75lLHzDynMCKhT9H

That is a very powerful analogy.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#354

Post by Mbwagava »

danielmarkbruce wrote: post #238
tw04 wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I will say that his pragmatism seemed to fall apart pretty quickly when the rubber met the road - unless I’m misinformed (which I may be). Berkshire was a key player in the rail workers strike of 2022 and Warren didn’t seem to want to give an inch to the working man when given the opportunity to do so. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_United_States_railroad_...

The idea that companies should just agree to whatever proposal comes in from a union is preposterous.

[flagged]

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#355

Post by pirate787 »

liamwire wrote: post #246
xboxnolifes wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And no amount of good doctors can make you change your lifestyle. At the end of the day, a ton of doctor advise is ways to change your lifestyle, and that takes personal effort.

Buffet, famously, is known for not having great dietary habits. I agree with you, but he’s not a good example here.

Buffett has never been a drinker. It's possible that abstaining from alcohol is the most important dietary habit

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#356

Post by Mbwagava »

tim333 wrote: post #340
tw04 wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I will say that his pragmatism seemed to fall apart pretty quickly when the rubber met the road - unless I’m misinformed (which I may be). Berkshire was a key player in the rail workers strike of 2022 and Warren didn’t seem to want to give an inch to the working man when given the opportunity to do so. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_United_States_railroad_...

That link mentions a dispute between 12 unions and 6 rail companies one of which is amongst the dozens of companies owned by Berkshire, run by Buffett. I see no mention of Buffett personally getting involved?

...more personally involved than owning a large part of the company and directly running it? How much more personally involved can you get? Otherwise corporations would be above accountability. The whole system falls apart if executives and the board (and ideally, shareholders) can't be considered personally responsible.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#357

Post by brandon272 »

colechristensen wrote: post #279
brandon272 wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The interesting thing about this is that Buffett himself has never really had a reputation for taking care of his body in terms of getting exercise or eating well.

At 94, there have probably been a dozen contradictory versions of what "eating well" meant to a large consensus of people. There should be a lot of skepticism for any particular version of "healthy" is when it comes to diet. "Variety and moderation" is probably good enough advice for most people without specific health conditions.

Yes, but Buffett’s diet has been famously bad and well documented in the media. Cookies and ice cream for breakfast according to one article on LinkedIn by Bill Gates. Daily McDonalds, hamburgers, and a lifelong love of (addiction to?) Coca Cola.

So while the definition of eating well has always changed, I’m not sure it was ever what Buffett reportedly does. And if Buffett’s diet is actually as reported, he is likely an outlier in terms of typical effects of such a diet into old age.

“If I eat 2,700 calories a day, a quarter of that is Coca-Cola. I do it every day.”

https://fortune.com/well/article/warren-buffett-birthday-lon...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/warren-buffetts-upside-down-b...

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#358

Post by danielmarkbruce »

pests wrote: post #294
danielmarkbruce wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"had to look this up because i've been living under rock"

Everyone lives under a rock, just different rocks. I'm sure there is plenty you don't know too.

Yeah but most people don't go around making out that anything they don't know is some esoteric thing that should be laid out in detail for them personally.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#359

Post by danielmarkbruce »

postpawl wrote: post #299
danielmarkbruce wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that companies should just agree to whatever proposal comes in from a union is preposterous.

They were negotiating their way up from zero paid sick days per year.

Compensation packages are just that - a package. Complaining about one individual component in isolation is disingenuous.

Unions sent a couple of the big car makers into bankruptcy. They've sent all kinds of companies into bankruptcy - the idea that anything they are suggesting is good by nature is about the same as suggesting communism is good by nature. Sounds pleasant, doesn't work.

Re: Buffett to step down following six-decade run atop Berkshire

#360

Post by danielmarkbruce »

sofixa wrote: post #331
danielmarkbruce wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that companies should just agree to whatever proposal comes in from a union is preposterous.

The idea that profits are more important than basic humanity is preposterous. The unions wanted sick leave, because under the current system, employees were scheduled weeks in advance with zero margin. If the employee was sick, they had to ask for PTO which would get denied because of lack of notice and any margin (other employees to cover the job)

When a company loses money year after year it goes bankrupt. The company disappears. The workers lose their jobs.

It is important for a company to earn a profit. You'll find companies like google and facebook, who are making fat profits.... pay fat salaries to their workers.

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