Alekbaylee

Yeah, earnings are due today before market opening.

All Insurance Cos have been going down for the last couple of days (although on low volumes). IMHO, depending on MKL results tonight, the stock can pop up or go further down. Good luck.

Don't even think about it unless you find something much better. Realize that BRK has been chronically undervalued compared to all other S&P500 cos. In the future, it's likely that the value of the cos in the index will no longer be a ceiling for BRK's relative price, but usually a floor if BRK continues to maintain it's superior economics after Warren meets his maker.:) Some are even more optimistic... http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/why-you-should-buy-into-buffetts-berkshire/article1447645/ One thing is sure : if this kind of coverage continues, the stock is going to the roof pretty soon.

SJ, I'm asking myself the same question... :-\

Twacowfca, Some are thinking in the same line : http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/01/29/berkshire-shares-could-rise-another-20.aspx

Got 10.58 at Laurentian Bank (Canada).

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-mountains-re-to-acquire-central-national-82366117.html

It may also start a sell off of other "investor-wise" securities like MKL, LUK and FFH, toward the buying of new baby-BRK.B (post split).

Given all the facts, it is not clear to me why I should my investment dollars in HALL as opposed to BRK which is trading at a historically low P/B value right now with better prospects for next year. A few things I found not so attractive in light of other insurance companies going for a song in the current market. I agree. Just look at WTM which is selling at less than 80% of stated book value at 2009-09-30.

I think employee moral is best when employees are given respect, treated as equals and have a working environment where they feel productive and needed. Fancy offices and lobbies are as fleeting as that $1500 Louis Vuitton suitcase or a Rolex watch. I remember going on a tour of the CN Tower a few years back, and the tourguide was telling us how the Royal Bank building's windows looked gold colored, because there were real flecks of gold included in the production process of the window glass. I nearly vomitted thinking about that and exactly how ostentatious that is. You are correct that for many people, an artifice building or guilded lobby provide some comfort, because they feel that their money is more secure for some reason...thus the fancy buildings most banks and insurance companies built over the last 120 years in North America. But that probably attracts the wrong type of shareholder, employeed or customer into the office. I totally agree. And this "vanity" leads sometimes people to follow the Earl Jones and Madoff of this world...

WTM

http://ca.us.biz.yahoo.com/iw/100105/0573729.html?.v=1

Or may be due to that : Ghosts of Fairfax Financial: Now, Hedge Funds Scurry to Sever Ties with SAC Capital http://www.marketrap.com/article/view_article/91190/ghosts-of-fairfax-financial-now-hedge-funds-scurry-to-sever-ties-with-sac-capital

Same thing happened to me this year, for my auto insurance.

May be completely off, but 50 K is not much considering the share price. Would buy "only" 144 shares at today price.

Very interesting indeed. Looks like he's answering some questions here... “We have never focused on operating returns in the same way that almost all other public companies do,” says Barnard. “There are many times when we have sacrificed operating earnings in order to have a superior long-term value investing strategy.” Watsa quotes figures for a selection of reinsurance companies to back up the claim that a total return approach is best. He says between 2002 and 2008 the reinsurers’ average investment income return was about 4% to 4.5%, which is higher than Fairfax’s figure of 3.4%. However, Fairfax did much better on realised gains. Fairfax had a return of 6.1% from realised gains, compared with the average portfolio, which had realised gains of zero to -0.5%. This means on average Fairfax produced a total return of about 9.5%. “It is very much a contrary path,” says Watsa of his strategy. “By focusing on total return using a value-oriented approach we have been able to build shareholders capital more significantly than the rest of the industry.”

or what?!

That was my first concern as well. In the end I was a bit ambivalent about the ORH buyout but it was well timed for me and wasn't nearly as big as my FFH holding anyway. I would not want to have to find something else to do with my resources at this point, even if they bought us out for 1.25 BV. Hope not! Maybe Prem will use the money from this reorganization to boost the dividend. I think he mentioned that possibility somewhere around the last CC, not? Or is it just me getting greedy? :(

Y'all, Anybody looking at WTM? Selling for less than 80% of stated book value at Sept. 30 (406). I'm buying some. Alek

The key phrase is "when they do more business". Sanjeev pointed out recently that soft markets can last more than a decade. Well the hard market seems here, at least for me. Got my car insurance renewal in the mail this week and it was up nearly 20%. Called them but, unlike in the past, they were firm and say 95% of their clients this year will see their premium go up. I've been with the same company (Eastern Canada) for the last 12 years (car+residential insurance) and have the cleanest record (no accident or claim whatsoever). Called another broker to see if I could get a better cotation, but they couldn't offer any better deal.

Not sure if this is an exception or the beginning of a trend, but Paris Re & PartnerRe have announced their merger. Here's the link in french, couldn't find anything in English... http://fr.news.yahoo.com/4/20090929/tbs-partnerre-paris-re-fusion-7318940.html

It's also thinly traded. Might not be easy to resell when you want.

What strikes me is the short timeframe. The announcement was made the 12th and the offering will close the 18th of August. Less than a week. Shouldn't be long before we hear more about their intent...

I'm with you SFValue. Can't buy anymore but hope Prem and Co is buying back hand over fist.

Looks like insiders are buying... As the stock was trading near its 52-week low, Brouillette Yves, Director at White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd (WTM) has reported buying $195.00K today.Over the last four weeks insiders at White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd (WTM) have bought more than $638.26K: - Barrette Raymond Joseph Rene, Chief Executive Officer: bought $443.27K increasing total holdings by 2% - Brouillette Yves, Director: bought $195.00K increasing total holdings by 187% http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2208390/