John Hjorth

Good one, Jurgis! [ : - ) ]

You're welcome, globalfinancepartners, And yes, you interpret the output correctly. I have uploaded it here, with a "default setup" as the reverse engineered result [best fit from using the tool on 2018Q3 data "marked with the red cells". [buyback threshold for the B share = 209, combined with 10 percent of daily volume.] If you have alternative / other expectations for the buyback threshold for 2018Q4, they are available for you in the spreadsheet, right there too, assuming 10 percent of daily volume while buying back. I've chosen that particular default setup for the sheet, based on that I've been absolutely amazed - almost spooked - about that your in advance prediction for 2018Q3 was totally spot on. - - - o 0 o - - - I'll update the sheet with the last trading day data [that won't change much, though] and also put in there some "bling" [charts and diagrams]. - - - o 0 o - - - And I agree with you : Over time - if the share price stays low for prolonged periods - it could get meaningful for earnings per share going forward. Berkshire is running at a clip now at about USD ~3 B per month in cash generation [mind provoking to think about, actually], so perhaps in the area of USD 4 B in buybacks in a quarter isn't that bad. Naturally, what really matters the most - as also mentioned by compoundsnowly & longinvestor today - is what has happened in 2018Q4 with that available capital of USD 111 B EOP 2018Q3 - how much of it is put to work, and in what?

compoundsnowly, The tool calculates buybacks measured in USD as a function of buyback threshold and percentage of daily volume, based on actual market data. [it can't think! [ : - ) ]] - - - o 0 o - - - PS : I like your board handle!

clutch, There is so much to it. I've had the same thoughts about 1 - 2 years ago. I ended up leaving that line of thinking, - for good. In short, you'll have a better existence & life as an - perhaps - underperforming & stockpicking investor, than being an index investor. Where there sure is material positions in the index of your choice, that you do not like. [Which can actually be much more stressing for you [as a CoBF member] than the average investor.].

rolling & flesh, You are mentally faithful to yourselves [never forget that!] - I certainly hope it stays that way! -I feel confident, that you'll do great going forward!

I just added the poll. -Please take it! [ : - ) ] - - - o 0 o - - - Maximum votes per user: 1, Run the poll for : 90 days, Allow users to change vote: Yes, Result visibility : Show the poll's results to anyone. - - - o 0 o - - - I hope I haven't screwed up anything here.

Cigarbutt, Your posts here on CoBF to me do not contain negativism, but healthy skepticism, based on facts, observations & documentation. And always polite posts & to the point. Personally, I hold a list, where I'm in overdue with qualified replies to your posts. The replies from me will eventually come up, after I have done my own home work, to get better. [NVO comes to mind here.] Please keep them coming, Cigarbutt!

Later today, my local time, I'll add a poll to this topic, so that we can see how the CoBF people have fared during 2018, at least for those who'll take the poll.

Meh [<- sorry, typo!] Me: Minus 3.1 percent, measured in my local obscure currency DKK, pegged to EUR. [My worst year so far.]

Happy New Year to all my fellow CoBF members! - And may your God be with you in 2019, with the best wishes for lots of [<- earned? [ ;- ) ]] tailwinds for your portfolios & stock endeavours in 2019!

Greg, Personally, I think : "Is Mr. Powell really that bad at communication?" [but that's naturally just me. ...] To me, in short, being FED chairman is a Uriah post. [Please don't take that too seriously about who screws who! [ : - ) ]] Also, CNBC - Federal Reserve [June 13th 2018] : Fed’s Powell says he will begin news conferences following each meeting starting in January.

shalab, I actually had to read the quotation of Mr. Dalio three times and think a bit about it before posting this. Taking it verbatim [the second line], it could be understood as Mr. Dalio just wants the FED to divert from its mandate. [And I don't think that it should be understood that way, actually, but that was how I read it while reading it the first time.] After reading it the third time, I think it means, that asset prices effects from FED rate decisions are a logical and natural part of considering the total effects on the economy via the feedback loops to the real economy from the financial markets, and thus such effects should be taken into consideration under the FED's interest rate decisions. [And that is actually also what I get from reading Cardboard's last post in this topic.] The reason for this is there exist feedback loops from asset prices to the activity level in the real economy [i.e.: think real estate]. If this is what Mr. Dalio meant, then I think every CoBF member agree on that. With regard to Mr. Dalio's last sentence: I think that should be read exactly the same way as what I have phrased above about the first two lines. It is a fact [at least to me], that it must easier for the FED to be downward flexible with interest rates, if you already are in an interest rate territory, where being downward flexible with interest rates don't bring in a territory, where interest rates doesn't bring you in a territory, where the FED start screwing up healthy incentives & things by creating a negative price on money. So, in short: Yes, it's "just" a side effect, but to me certainly not a laughable one. - - - o 0 o - - - Edit: And after reading it the fourth time, I just think : "Yes, naturally, Mr. Dalio is just yet another money manager with his personal incentives."

Well, the poll does not tie well with the activity level in the Druckenmiller and Trump were right topic, right? [ : - ) ] Getting back to "normal" interest territory in the US is not a bad thing at all. Yes, it creates volatility etc. [- perhaps even some pain some places -] in some markets right now, but then you avoid a multiplier effect on the pain now instead of it gets worse at a later point in time. [i think Viking has mentioned that earlier somewhere.] It also - gradually - brings back the interest tool in the toolbox of the FED.

With now one trading day left in 2018, based on the reverse engineering of the 2018Q3 market data and data about actual buybacks in 2018Q3, it looks like buybacks for USD ~4 B at an average share price of USD ~201 [at 10 percent of average daily volume, & average buyback price calculated as B share equivalents] for 2018Q4. BRK_-_Calculation_of_maximum_share_buybacks_period_20181001_-_20181228_-_v1_-_20181229.xlsx

Today I spent about 1½ hours looking at Berry Global. It's a wonderful business, as I see it. Very competent capital allocation and M&A integration. You'll do well with this, kab60. Somehow, the topic in the Investment Ideas forum so far has skipped my attention. [- but not any longer.]

Shalab, Thanks. I think I actually haven't expressed any opinion yet in this topic, so far, if you ask me. [About if FOMC has made a mistake with the last rate hike, or not.] So please consider me the glowing doubt on that as of yet. In this topic, personally, I'm [more or less desperately] seeking input in this topic to make a judgement on that - data driven input - for discussion & evaluation. Today, I came across of this: Bloomberg Markets [December 27th 2018] : Traders Face New Landscape With Powell at Microphone After Every Fed Meeting - More flexibility? - perhaps both with regard to communication, & mentally?

Shalab, Interesting discussion technique here. Are you trying to tell me what I think, or what? - Or are you just deeply condescending? [,- on a professional level for an economist [, which I actually happen to be.]]

It's OK, rb [ :- ) ], Here are some facts & data: Facts: Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Press Release [April 3rd 2018] : John C. Williams Named President and CEO of New York Fed. That press release actually verbatim confirms what Eli posted about the election process for the regional Federal Reserve banks. Data : Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Liberty Street Economics [December 4th 2018] : Labor Markets in the Region Are Exceptionally Tight. Presentation. - - - o 0 o - - - [Just as an example. - Data all over the place!]

Thank you, Eli, - for contributing to giving this topic direction, with facts!

Dalal.Holdings, Personally, I respectfully disagree with you [with regard to the belonging of this topic], because this is the key: The question and also the key here is, which available data should we look at right now? This will get this topic in a data driven direction, in my humble opinion, and thereby provide value to CoBF members reading and / or participating in this topic.

Comments: Posted by globalfinancepartners in this topic several months ago - on October 6th 2018, actually: To me, this "hunch" of globalfinancepartners' appears to me almost spooky. It seems to be totally spot on. Please also look up posts by globalfinancepartners since October 6th 2018 in this topic for more confirmation on that particular matter. - - - o 0 o - - - -Maybe globalfinancepartners is psychic, or perhaps he just happens to own a crystal ball, that actually works!

Why are you gents even discussing Berkshire book value per share in relation to what's ongoing in this topic? The rest of the crowd here at CoBF in this topic left that paradigm July 17th 2018.

I just ordered a Christmas gift for all my fellow board members - two halves, actually: "Alexa - get me a half up-day in the US, and a half up-day in Canada!" - Merry Christmas to all of you!

This is getting insane. You'd think we are in the midst of some massive crisis. Or that every listed company in the US is cooking it's books... I know Tepper basically just declared the Fed Put dead, but all the writing on the wall, at least to me, seems to indicate that with a little more pain, a lot of folks are going to start looking to resurrect it. Twitter links & links to Bloomberg articles ... -It would be nice if this could be a data & facts driven discussion.

Attached is my stab of today at reverse engineering of Berkshire 2018Q3 buybacks. BRK_-_Calculation_of_maximum_share_buybacks_period_20180701_-_20180930_-_v1_-_20181223.xlsx