A buyer of ExxonMobil shares in 2020 bought at a fifth of the all-time high price the stock traded at in recent weeks. That buyer now earns a current yield of over 13%.
Related Brief 1h ago
portfolio concentration Sixty Percent of Berkshire Hathaway’s $320 Billion Stock Portfolio Rests on Nine Companies
Sixty percent of Berkshire Hathaway’s $320 billion stock portfolio is now concentrated in just nine companies, a strategic shift under Greg Abel that signals a move toward durable, core positions over broad diversification. While Warren Buffett built the portfolio with deep conviction in select businesses, Abel’s first shareholder letter formalizes that focus—elevating nine holdings as the anchors of Berkshire’s equity strategy. Apple alone makes up 18.5% of the portfolio, a position Buffett began scaling back in 2023 but which Abel now appears ready to maintain or even expand. “I’m very happy to have it be our largest holding,” Buffett said in a recent interview, suggesting the selling phase may be over. At 31 times forward earnings, Apple trades near fair value, supported by strong iPhone sales in China and an upcoming AI-driven Siri upgrade expected to spur a major refresh cycle. American Express, at 15% of the portfolio, has evolved from a charge-card issuer into a growing lender, with net interest income accounting for a quarter of revenue and card fees rising 17% annually since 2019. Trading at 18 times earnings, it offers attractive valuation relative to its mid-teens EPS growth targets. Coca-Cola, a decades-long holding at 9.8% of the portfolio, leverages unmatched brand power to maintain margins while peers struggle, delivering 7% to 9% annual EPS growth at a forward P/E of 24. Moody’s, at 3.4%, benefits from a global duopoly in credit ratings and a fast-expanding analytics segment, though its 27 times earnings valuation reflects fair, not cheap, pricing. The final 13.4% is split across five Japanese trading houses—Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Marubeni, and Sumitomo—each held at between 9.7% and 10.8%. These firms mirror Berkshire’s own structure, operating diverse businesses and reinvesting cash flows. Their shares have surged, with Marubeni up 173% over the past year, though valuations have diverged: Itochu and Sumitomo now trade at the lowest enterprise value-to-EBITDA multiples in the group, making them the most compelling entry points for new investors. Itochu’s focus on high-return capital investments, including full ownership of FamilyMart, sets it apart from peers more tied to volatile resource markets. Itochu and Sumitomo trade at lower enterprise value-to-EBITDA ratios than their peers, making them the two best options for investors interested in the Japanese trading houses.
This result is the outcome of stock market volatility, which can mark down shares to a bargain price. When investors buy shares as a stake in a business whose underlying value remains unchanged, a tumbling share price does not matter because shareholders have no obligation to act on the market's daily price.
Related Brief 19h ago
equities Berkshire Hathaway's Google Investment Yields $1.29 Billion Profit
Berkshire Hathaway has netted $1.29 billion in profit from its position in Google's Alphabet stock. The investment arm of Warren Buffett established the position of 17.85 million Class A shares in the third quarter of 2025, paying an average price of roughly $243.22 per share. The total cost of the entry was $4.34 billion. Alphabet stock traded at $315.50 on April 9, 2026, bringing the current value of the position to $5.63 billion. This represents an estimated return on investment of 29% over the last six to seven months.
ExxonMobil has raised its dividend per share annually for decades. While the current yield for new buyers is 2.6%, the yield for those who bought during the 2020 crash is significantly higher because the dividend is paid on the original purchase price.
Related Brief 3d ago
value investing Quebecor's 60% Rally is Backed by Free Cash Flow and National Expansion
Quebecor shares have climbed nearly 60% over the past twelve months, recently reaching C$60. The rally is supported by a 14.3% increase in free cash flow to C$1.4 billion. This growth is driven by wireless service revenue, which climbed 9.5%, the strongest quarterly performance since the acquisition of Freedom Mobile. The company is now eroding the market share of Canada's Big Three wireless incumbents on a national scale. Quebecor shares are trading at C$60.
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