2024 Q4 and Annual Report

[backtothebeach]

It's been rather quiet around Berkshire, I wonder if this annual report might bring some bombshell announcement, like Warren retiring from CEO while still being chief capital allocator. Hopefully not and his recent comments about getting slower were just modesty.

 

Looking forward to his comments about the record amount of cash. Hope he elaborates.

[Parsad]

Not likely, but still possible.  Maybe that's why he's built up the cash war chest to buy back shares if the stock falls on the news.  Cheers!

[John Hjorth]

23 hours ago, backtothebeach said:

It's been rather quiet around Berkshire, I wonder if this annual report might bring some bombshell announcement, like Warren retiring from CEO while still being chief capital allocator. Hopefully not and his recent comments about getting slower were just modesty.

 

Looking forward to his comments about the record amount of cash. Hope he elaborates.

 

I share your personal sentiment here, @backtothebeach,

 

No real news announced from Berkshire since in January 2024 about the Flying Pilot J acquisition settlement. *sigh*

 

*Holding my head up, so I don't drop my forehead on the 'sell' button on the keyboard, out of pure boredom*

Edited 23 hours ago by John Hjorth

[73 Reds]

53 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

I share your personal sentiment here, @backtothebeach,

 

No real news announced from Berkshire since in January 2024 about the Flying Pilot J acquisition settlement. *sigh*

 

*Holding my head up, so I don't drop my forehead on the 'sell' button on the keyboard, out of pure boredom*

Last year's letter to shareholders was so downtrodden that it is no surprise that in the year that passed there has been little in the way of news to report.  I am hopeful that Buffett's letter this year will assume a more positive tone.  

[John Hjorth]

20 minutes ago, 73 Reds said:

Last year's letter to shareholders was so downtrodden that it is no surprise that in the year that passed there has been little in the way of news to report.  I am hopeful that Buffett's letter this year will assume a more positive tone.  

 

+1. Intesting stance. Thank you.

[gfp]

I re-read last year's annual letter last night and, wow, I had forgotten just how downbeat it was.  So much for tap-dancing to work!

 

 

[jbwent63]

The last few have been less than thrilling, in part I think due to the large cash warchest that has been accumulated with few interesting investments being made (aside from Pilot and Allegheny) in the past few years.

 

A roadmap for the use of the cash (if any other than a shield against volatility) would be useful as shareholders.

 

Even though the past few years have been less exciting, I know, along with many on this board, I will be hitting the refresh button at the appointed minute to get access to it the moment it is available. Happy reading!

[Munger_Disciple]

11 hours ago, gfp said:

I re-read last year's annual letter last night and, wow, I had forgotten just how downbeat it was.  So much for tap-dancing to work!

 

 

 

The thing the surprised me most about the 2023 AR was how negative was Buffett about BHE (Berkshire can sustain financial surprises but we will not knowingly throw good money after bad) and to a lesser extent about BNSF.

 

Just a couple of years earlier, he said this in the 2021 AR: In truth, Berkshire owns and operates more U.S.-based “infrastructure” assets – classified on our balance sheet as property, plant and equipment – than are owned and operated by any other American corporation. That supremacy has never been our goal. It has, however, become a fact. At yearend, those domestic infrastructure assets were carried on Berkshire’s balance sheet at $158 billion. That number increased last year and will continue to increase. Berkshire always will be building.

 

That's quite a turn of events in just 2 years. It seems Pacificorp was slow to recognize the losses from 2020 wild fires; that's probably why it has a new CEO. 

Edited 10 hours ago by Munger_Disciple

[winjitsu]

Really not much to talk about from the letter. Get the feeling even more now that age is slowing down Buffett, especially with the comment about Greg writing the letters soon. Seems like there's alot less "life" in the words.

[Monsieur_dee]

Great read. Hopefully more questions are answered at the annual meeting.