longlake95

Agreed, however, a great example of the perfect combo is Canadian domiciled - US/international operations, think FFH. SJ, sells most of their products in the US. TFII, Canadian based US centric. I’ll pay up for this model. Not much though I’m thrifty.

It’s unfortunate, and that’s the reason Canada will never be as successful as the US. I spent a lot of time down there, and their work ethic is much greater than north of the border. Another reason to have a bulk of your assets at work outside our borders.

That’s the problem Jaygo, you’re the exception. You work hard like I did/do, and you built your net worth. Not afraid of work. Now we have the generation behind us, that’s used to the government propping them up. Yes, I know, not everyone is lazy… but, tell me why, in Canada 40% of Canadians receive more in government benefits then they contribute to system. Talk about long term damage. Rant over.

bought more GIL on the 26th. I'm in the camp that Chamandy is coming back. Probably wrong though.

okay, that makes sense, thanks, so the banks are the middle man... would love to know who the underlying counterparty is...

Viking: I apologize if you covered this in the various threads already, but, don't you find it very interesting that the TRS counter-party is the Canadian banks. I guess they (the banks) really do have a "Chinese wall", when you have the investment research side of the banks basically all pounding the table on FFH now. If the analysts are already onside/or coming on side recently, as to the value in FFH, then who the hell is making the call to be the counter party to the FFH swaps? Just seems very peculiar. LL

I think he is too smart. I prefer the dim-bulb approach.

4.39% CAGR since inception (2002). https://www.hussmanfunds.com/strategic-total-return-fund/

looks like a perfect buy signal in 2021...

ya, I have a basket of floater prefs, where I've parked cash until a good idea comes along. I'm in the camp (probably wrong, lol) that rates are higher for longer, so these floaters are a good place to be. Incidentally, based on a $25 par, many of these prefs are 8% money for the issuer(s). So, if rates do stay higher for longer, maybe they take some of them out and issue lower rate prefs.

That’s really neat. I miss Charlie.

parked more $$$ in FFH.PR.D, yielding 9.6%, goes ex-divvy this Friday.

I'll try to find the my source on this (read this a longtime ago) : but I'm fairly sure when Buffett bought ocean side house in Laguna, he promptly put a mortgage on it, and put the proceeds right back into BRK. He just carried that little mortgage around, cuz it was dirt cheap $$$ and posed no financial harm.

15% FFH + 5% FIH +0.5% FFH.PR.D = 20.5% or so…

+1

Agreed. I think the biggest lesson for me the last 20 years, has been to constantly re-assess if your thesis has under-shot or over-shot as the fundamentals play out over time. If you’ve under-shot like I did with HPS.a, where the business has blossomed mightly ahead of my thesis, JUST SIT ON YOURS HANDS. Continually re-assess. Easy to say, hard to do. But sure is fun. Confirmation bias can really kill your returns.

Ya, it’s been quite the ride. Bought in 2020. Trying to water the flowers and pull the weeds here - letting winners run. Sitting on my hands, mostly, very interested to hear their commentary on current business conditions and the backlog. I think they earn +$6 this year. LL

trimmed a little HPS.a

Welcome Charlie

I've owned BRK for just over 2 decades. Yes, it's been a fine performer. Sure, it hasn't shot the lights out - but neither did MSFT from 2000 to 2010. You had to time it just right to benefit from the massive tech run - who knew? Not my game. BRK is like an equity-bond that yields 10%, with very little risk. Additionally, you get an upside kicker, when the market goes to hell in a hand basket, you lose less, and stand to make much more as they deploy capital during the storm(s). I sleep well owning BRK. I don't think every S&P 500 ETF holder can say the same. Certified fan-boy.

Great letter. What a shot across the bow, warning that we’d (the politicians and the masses) better figure this electric/energy grid situation. If you can’t incentivize private business (and individuals, buying energy bonds) to put the huge sums required, how in the world does government do it-effectively. They don’t. I have zero faith the politicians will get it right. Standby for much higher power rates ahead. really liked the write up on the Japanese trading houses.

Prem has said publicly several times about deploying $5B in India in the next several years. With a notoriously bureaucratic government in India, maybe this sale is a "goodwill gesture" to show engagement. Allowing for bigger and better opportunities looking ahead. We'll see...

I'm in the same camp. Just OWN the hard-to-come-by assets, basically forever. Munger's "sit on your ass" philosophy. But, maybe there's more to the story.... Maybe a worthy question for Prem & Co at the FIH AGM...

Nope, maybe that’s why it’s at 3x earnings.

Probably should selling HPS.a moving like a sloth.