Warren E. Buffett first took control of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a small textile company, in April of 1965. A share changed hands for around $18 at the time. Fifty letters to shareholders later, the same share traded for $226,000, compounding investor capital at just under 21% per year-a multiplier of 12,556 times. This book compiles the full, un-edited versions of 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. In addition to providing an astounding case study on Berkshire's success, Buffett shows an incredible willingness to share his methods and act as a teacher to his many students. There are hundreds of books about Buffett's life, advice, and methods. These are his actual letters -- word for word -- a "lesson plan" of his views on business and investing. You can find most of the letters for free on Berkshire's website, but this compiles them into a well-designed, easily readable format. Features of the book: * 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway (769 pages), including 1965-1976 letters not available on Berkshire's website * Tabulated letter years so you can easily flip to the desired letter * Topics index * Company index * Person index * Charts of: Growth in Berkshire's book value and market price relative to benchmarks, Insurance float and performance, the operating businesses of Berkshire.

Warren E. Buffett first took control of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a small textile company, in April of 1965. A share changed hands for around $18 at the time. Fifty letters to shareholders later, the same share traded for $226,000, compounding investor capital at just under 21% per year-a multiplier of 12,556 times. This book compiles the full, un-edited versions of 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. In addition to providing an astounding case study on Berkshire's success, Buffett shows an incredible willingness to share his methods and act as a teacher to his many students. There are hundreds of books about Buffett's life, advice, and methods. These are his actual letters -- word for word -- a "lesson plan" of his views on business and investing. You can find most of the letters for free on Berkshire's website, but this compiles them into a well-designed, easily readable format. Features of the book: 50 years of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway (769 pages), including 1965-1976 letters not available on Berkshire's website Tabulated letter years so you can easily flip to the desired letter Topics index Company index Person index Charts of: Growth in Berkshire's book value and market price relative to benchmarks, Insurance float and performance, the operating businesses of Berkshire

INVESTING PRINCIPLES FROM THE MASTER Ignore Sound Bites That Rattle Markets Treat Market Pessimism as Your Friend Do the Little Things Right Protect Your Capital When the Facts Turn Upside Down Rely on CEOs Who Nurture Healthy Corporate Cultures Remember That Large, Unfathomable Derivatives Are Still Financial Weapons of Mass Destruction Seek Simplicity and Candor Millions of people download Warren Buffett's shareholder letters, searching for tips from the world's greatest investor. Many miss the best part of his letter: his principles. It is their loss. Following these principles, Buffett has turned Berkshire Hathaway, a struggling textile manufacturer, into one of the most respected companies in the world. Early investors have become billionaires. This essential guide to Buffett's shareholder letters highlights what the pundits aren’t telling you and what you can learn about building long-lasting wealth. Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors in history. His annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders have attained legendary status among Wall Street and Main Street investors. Each informative and entertaining letter offers lessons about life, business, and the art of investing that are essential to creating long-lasting wealth. They are based on Buffett's dogged pursuit of the Golden Rule of ownermanager partnership: Treat shareholders the way you would want to be treated—if you were in their place. In Buffett's Bites, L. J. Rittenhouse, CEO candor expert and former Wall Street banker, serves up an in-depth look at Buffett’s 2008 shareholder letter, highlighting 25 tantalizing nuggets of wisdom. These "bites" afford an inside look at Buffett's unconventional ways that have created Berkshire Hathaway's unrivaled success. With unflinching honesty and insight, the "Oracle of Omaha" talks candidly about today’s turbulent market: what makes a company worth investing in; why you shouldn't panic when experts insist "the sky is falling"; when to re-evaluate your portfolio; and how to invest safely and wisely for the long haul. Each savory bite is enhanced with practical information and a timeless moral that can be applied to your own wealth-building strategies.

The shareholder letters of corporate leaders are a rich source of business and investing wisdom. There is no more authoritative resource on subjects ranging from leadership and management to capital allocation and company culture. But with thousands of shareholder letters written every year, how can investors and students of the corporate world sift this vast swathe to unearth the best insights? Dear Shareholder is the solution! In this masterly new collection, Lawrence A. Cunningham, business expert and acclaimed editor of The Essays of Warren Buffett, presents the finest writers in the genre of the shareholder letter, and the most significant excerpts from their total output. Skillfully curated, edited and arranged, these letters showcase the ultimate in business and investment knowledge from an all-star team. Dear Shareholder holds letters by more than 20 different leaders from 16 companies. These leaders include Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway), Tom Gayner (Markel), Kay Graham and Don Graham (The Washington Post and Graham Holdings), Roberto Goizueta (Coca-Cola), Ginni Rometty (IBM), and Prem Watsa (Fairfax). Topics covered in these letters include the long-term focus, corporate culture and commitment to values, capital allocation, buybacks, dividends, acquisitions, management, business strategy, and executive compensation. As we survey the corporate landscape in search of outstanding companies run by first-rate managers, shareholder letters are a valuable resource. The letters also contain a wealth of knowledge on the core topics of effective business management. Let Dear Shareholder be your guide.

"First class. A great job at collating our philosophy." - Warren Buffett"Very practical." - Charlie Munger"One of the top investment books of all time." - The Motley Fool"A must-read business book." - JP Morgan Private Banking"As much a business management book as a personal finance book." - Publishera's Weekly"One of the best books of the year. Two thumbs up!" - CNN (Financial News)"A serious investment course with entertainment thrown in." - Investora's Chronicle"The book on Buffett - a superb job!" - Forbes"Extraordinary - full of wisdom, humour and common sense." - Money"A classic on value investing and the definitive source on Buffett." - The Financial Times

For the first time the complete financial history of Berkshire Hathaway is available under one cover in chronological format. Beginning at the origins of the predecessor companies in the textile industry, the reader can examine the development of the modern-day conglomerate year-by-year and decade-by-decade, watching as the struggling textile company morphs into what it has become today. This comprehensive analysis distils over 10,000 pages of research material, including Buffett’s Chairman’s letters, Berkshire Hathaway annual reports and SEC filings, annual meeting transcripts, subsidiary financials, and more. The analysis of each year is supplemented with Buffett’s own commentary where relevant, and examines all important acquisitions, investments, and other capital allocation decisions. The appendices contain balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flows, and key ratios dating back to the 1930s, materials brought together for the first time. The structure of the book allows the new student to follow the logic, reasoning, and capital allocation decisions made by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger from the very beginning. Existing Berkshire shareholders and long-time observers will find new information and refreshing analysis, and a convenient reference guide to the decades of financial moves that built the modern-day respected enterprise that is Berkshire Hathaway.