What company should Berkshire buy?

[rb]

L Brands Inc (LB) because it appears to be selling for a reasonable price, and you can have the Victoria Secret's Angels strut their stuff at the next annual meeting!  ;)

Well nobody can argue with that on the face of it. But somehow it has an unBerkshirey feel.

[Eye4Valu]

L Brands Inc (LB) because it appears to be selling for a reasonable price, and you can have the Victoria Secret's Angels strut their stuff at the next annual meeting!  ;)

Well nobody can argue with that on the face of it. But somehow it has an unBerkshirey feel.

 

I agree, but it would be entertaining!

[BG2008]

What about GE? Yes, there's a lot of issues.  But they tend to be #1 or 2 in most of their product categories.  Clearly Immelt has been a waste of space for the last 15-20 years.  I remember him speaking to my Mech/Aero engineering class at Cornell in the early 2000s.  I always felt that Welch's shoes were too big to fill.  Maybe 3G's strategy may actually work at GE by streamlining that business.

[rb]

What about GE? Yes, there's a lot of issues.  But they tend to be #1 or 2 in most of their product categories.  Clearly Immelt has been a waste of space for the last 15-20 years.  I remember him speaking to my Mech/Aero engineering class at Cornell in the early 2000s.  I always felt that Welch's shoes were too big to fill.  Maybe 3G's strategy may actually work at GE by streamlining that business.

I'm sorry but that is complete horseshit. Jack Welch is so revered only because the stock has done well. That and great timing - he retired while the stock was on the top. The problems that GE is facing can be traced back to Welch. Meet the numbers, beat the numbers at all costs - Welch. Juice earnings by under funding pensions - Welch. By the way that liability is now 1/4 of GE's market cap. But sure Welch was awesome because he gave a great speech at Cornell.

 

Welch created a rotten culture at GE and that rot has continued to spread. That rot has created spores which now permeate the management ranks at GE. I would love it for Berkshire to buy parts of GE but why would I want to bring that pit of dirty vipers into my pristine home? Maybe they'll pick off some peripheral divisions. But the only way I'd like for Berkshire to swallow big chunks of GE is together with 3G. Where they have the 3G guys go in and fire everyone and start from scratch with management.

[nickenumbers]

Could Berkshire buy CHICK-FIL-A?

 

I know it is private, and he owns Dairy Queen.

 

Just a thought.

[sleepydragon]

Could Berkshire buy CHICK-FIL-A?

 

I know it is private, and he owns Dairy Queen.

 

Just a thought.

 

Chick fill a is a big trump donor. I doubt they like Web.

don’t like chick fil a too,  food doesn’t taste that good anymore. Shake shack is better.

[TorontoRaptorsFan]

He should take a 51%+ ownership stake in Coca-Cola.

[Uccmal]

What about GE? Yes, there's a lot of issues.  But they tend to be #1 or 2 in most of their product categories.  Clearly Immelt has been a waste of space for the last 15-20 years.  I remember him speaking to my Mech/Aero engineering class at Cornell in the early 2000s.  I always felt that Welch's shoes were too big to fill.  Maybe 3G's strategy may actually work at GE by streamlining that business.

I'm sorry but that is complete horseshit. Jack Welch is so revered only because the stock has done well. That and great timing - he retired while the stock was on the top. The problems that GE is facing can be traced back to Welch. Meet the numbers, beat the numbers at all costs - Welch. Juice earnings by under funding pensions - Welch. By the way that liability is now 1/4 of GE's market cap. But sure Welch was awesome because he gave a great speech at Cornell.

 

Welch created a rotten culture at GE and that rot has continued to spread. That rot has created spores which now permeate the management ranks at GE. I would love it for Berkshire to buy parts of GE but why would I want to bring that pit of dirty vipers into my pristine home? Maybe they'll pick off some peripheral divisions. But the only way I'd like for Berkshire to swallow big chunks of GE is together with 3G. Where they have the 3G guys go in and fire everyone and start from scratch with management.

 

I concur with this.  Welch was the waste of space and a borderline crook.  They would use the Capital divisions to manage their numbers every quarter to just beat the estimates by .01 per share.  Now, Immelt did have 15 years to clean it up and could never really get any direction.  Just too big. 

 

My vote goes for Ikea (probably not for sale).  It would go a long way to soaking up the 100 M.  Quite frankly though, BRK should focus on utilities and dividend out any extra cash. 

 

My fear is that, like GE, no one will be able to run Berkshire for long without problems starting at the various subs.  To a degree it reminds me of GE.  Sooner or later it will start to unravel.  There are just too many moving parts.  Warren built it, understood it, had the vision, and the management skills.  Whoever takes over gets parachuted into an operation that is partly in Warren's head. 

[sleepydragon]

i think it’s most likely going to be a private company

[PLynchJr]

The Hershey Company.

[Sharad]

Novo Nordisk (though I don't want him to).

 

Fits every metric I believe Buffett looks at. The cash spit out to shareholders every year is absolutely mind boggling, relative to revenues.

[blainehodder]

Church and Dwight. Won't happen at today's price though.

[ourkid8]

Why 51%? He can swallow the whole company...

 

He should take a 51%+ ownership stake in Coca-Cola.

[Mephistopheles]

+1 on Coca-Cola

 

I bet they do a deal with 3G to take the company out, maybe as a direct takeover or maybe under Kraft, or maybe with Inbev

[Shane]

+1 on Coca-Cola

 

I bet they do a deal with 3G to take the company out, maybe as a direct takeover or maybe under Kraft, or maybe with Inbev

 

Seems like a bit of a conflict of interest given WEB's public support of KO's management compensation.

[GregS]

I was going to say Boston Beer SAM but then I realized $2B barely moves the needle on >$100B dry powder.

[mbreject]

Could Berkshire buy CHICK-FIL-A?

 

I know it is private, and he owns Dairy Queen.

 

Just a thought.

 

I think he tried already. There was an article a few years ago about Warren befriending Truett when the latter was alive in the hopes of buying the chain.

[CassiusKing1]

There was also talk years back about being interested in "In n Out Burger".

[Guest longinvestor]

What about GE? Yes, there's a lot of issues.  But they tend to be #1 or 2 in most of their product categories.  Clearly Immelt has been a waste of space for the last 15-20 years.  I remember him speaking to my Mech/Aero engineering class at Cornell in the early 2000s.  I always felt that Welch's shoes were too big to fill.  Maybe 3G's strategy may actually work at GE by streamlining that business.

I'm sorry but that is complete horseshit. Jack Welch is so revered only because the stock has done well. That and great timing - he retired while the stock was on the top. The problems that GE is facing can be traced back to Welch. Meet the numbers, beat the numbers at all costs - Welch. Juice earnings by under funding pensions - Welch. By the way that liability is now 1/4 of GE's market cap. But sure Welch was awesome because he gave a great speech at Cornell.

 

Welch created a rotten culture at GE and that rot has continued to spread. That rot has created spores which now permeate the management ranks at GE. I would love it for Berkshire to buy parts of GE but why would I want to bring that pit of dirty vipers into my pristine home? Maybe they'll pick off some peripheral divisions. But the only way I'd like for Berkshire to swallow big chunks of GE is together with 3G. Where they have the 3G guys go in and fire everyone and start from scratch with management.

 

+1; I have first hand knowledge of Welch starting the rot. He was a loud mouthed PR guy but as you point out, the management rot was all Welch's creation. While on the subject, Larry Culp of DHR has joined the GE board, ostensibly to fix GE into its new avatar. It is ironic for me since some of the rotten management from GE walked over to DHR, where I worked during Welch's time. All they brought with was pernicious management behaviors. Like how they shit on suppliers. Simply go around and ask small suppliers who have or may have supplied to GE. AFAIK, in addition of the emerging accounting shite that is making the news, GE's contributions by way of management practices since Welch belongs in the toilet. 

[Charlie]

Ferrero

 

Founded in 1946, Ferrero’s most popular treats include Nutella spreads, Kinder chocolates and Tic Tacs. Through those brands, it has grown to become the world’s fourth-largest confectionery maker, (when accounting for all sub-brands) ranking behind Mars Inc., Mondelez (MDLZ, +2.31%), and Nestle.

 

It´s highly addictive.  ;)

 

Great brands, great products.

 

http://fortune.com/2017/05/22/kinder-egg-usa-debut/

[RadMan24]

Thought he should have made a run on DE last year when it was trading in the 70s, but obviously he didn't and, i know it was on his radar cuz he had a stake in it, since sold. Felt like it was close to his agricultural roots, had a successful brand, a decent if not wide moat, a sizable financial arm, good management and was at a cyclical low. It has since doubled, but can't see it going anywhere in the next 25-30yrs. The agriculture economy is essential and its products indispensable. Its global foorprint can only grow from its home base.

 

Agreed, that or Phillips 66. Both are cash cows. He may have offered and been rebuked. Southwest is another option. Carmax could be a bolt-on type acquisition.

[bizaro86]

I like Ferrero, hadn't thought of that. Anther good place to put a bunch of capital would be airplane leasing, although I'm not sure if anyone is cheap in the space.

 

I came to post DIS and saw someone had. Perfect for BRK. Big media Co,  brings cap cities back in the fold. Some of his biggest wins ever (KO) have been big cap "obvious" growth companies on the verge of a change in business model/stepchange in profits. For KO it was international, for DIS it is building a huge international streaming business out of their/fox back catalogue.

 

Plus, DIS is capital constrained. You could put the cash flow from BRK to work building cruise ships, parks, resorts and hotels. The fact they haven't built a new Disney Vacation Club in California for 11 years, is one example of that. (I know they finally have one planned...)

[Gamecock-YT]

I like Ferrero, hadn't thought of that. Anther good place to put a bunch of capital would be airplane leasing, although I'm not sure if anyone is cheap in the space.

 

GECAS might fit the bill.

[DooDiligence]

Novo Nordisk (though I don't want him to).

 

Fits every metric I believe Buffett looks at. The cash spit out to shareholders every year is absolutely mind boggling, relative to revenues.

 

I'd be OK with this if it resulted in exchanging my shares for BRK but as John said, prob not gonna happen because of the foundation ownership.

 

I'm OK with that too.

[Spekulatius]

A lot of private companies would be a good fit for BRK like Chick- fill-a or In n Out burgers (nobody needs to explain Burgers to WEB) but it’s mute, since we do not know if the owners are open to sell.

 

Published are companies are always on sale, sort of. I am better on Andean with GE, because there have been a lot of tangents with BRK and WEB in the past, and they do have moaty business lines. i don’t think and outright takeover is likely, but the purchase of business line or an equity of preferred injection of capital could be very beneficial for both.