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☆ Warren Buffett's love for Japan may be far from over after $8 billion paper profit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has made billions of dollars from its big investments in Japan, and the Oracle of Omaha's love for the land of the rising sun is only growing deeper. The Omaha-based conglomerate priced 263.3 billion Japanese yen of bonds worth $1.7 billion, marking one of its biggest yen bond sales, according to a regulatory filing released Thursday. The cost of the positions was 1.6 trillion yen ($10.35 billion) and the 2023 yearend market value of the five stakes was 2.9 trillion yen ($18.76 billion), Berkshire revealed in its annual report. Meanwhile, the five Japanese trading companies are all dividend payers, yielding from 1% to more than 3%. Buffett even paid a visit to Japan with his designated successor Greg Abel and met with the heads of the Japanese firms last year.

Persons: Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett, Chamath Palihapitiya, Greg Abel Organizations: Berkshire, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo ., Tokyo Stock Exchange Locations: Japan, Omaha, Berkshire, Sumitomo . Berkshire

☆ This analyst predicted the Nikkei would cross 40,000. Here's where he thinks it'll go next
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Koll was referring to the asset and equity bubble Japan saw in the late 80s, which resulted in the Nikkei hitting its 1989 highs. In July last year, Koll told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" he expected the Nikkei to hit 40,000 "over the next 12 months." watch nowWhen asked what drives his optimism, Koll told CNBC on Monday that it was in part due to Japan's ability to be a "capital value-creating superpower." There is no question that Japanese 'salarymen CEOs' created more fundamental economic value than Wall Street's superstar CEOs. He said Japanese CEOs are the "undisputed global champions of delivering on the hard part, true economic value creation."

Persons: Jesper Koll, Koll, CNBC's, Fumio Kishida, Wall, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Organizations: Nikkei, Monex Group, CNBC, Bank, Monex, Wall, Berkshire, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Itochu

☆ Warren Buffett: Berkshire’s boom days may be over as his company approaches $1 trillion in value
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Berkshire Hathaway neared a $1 trillion market valuation Monday after a record-breaking year, but CEO Warren Buffett warned in his annual letter to investors that more skyrocketing performances are likely a thing of the past. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) saw its shares jump nearly 2%, to $429, on Monday morning after closing with a market cap of $905 billion on Friday. Only a handful of companies worldwide has ever reached the $1 trillion milestone, among them tech giants Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. Berkshire has about $167.6 billion in cash and equivalents, breaking last quarter’s record-high $157.2 billion. For the year, operating earnings rose to $37.3 billion, after setting a record of $30.8 billion in 2022.

Persons: Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, ”, Buffett, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Berkshire, Apple, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo Locations: New York, Omaha , Nebraska, Berkshire, Omaha, United States, ”

☆ Warren Buffett says Berkshire may only do slightly better than the average company due to its sheer size
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger at press conference during the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, April 30, 2022. Berkshire Hathaway 's Warren Buffett said his sprawling conglomerate may only slightly outperform the average American company due to its sheer size and the lack of buying opportunities that could make an impact. The 93-year-old Buffett said Berkshire's group of diversified, quality businesses should provide "slightly better" performance than the average U.S. company, but anything more than that is unlikely. 'With our present mix of businesses, Berkshire should do a bit better than the average American corporation and, more important, should also operate with materially less risk of permanent loss of capital," Buffett said. "Anything beyond 'slightly better,' though, is wishful thinking."

Persons: Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, Berkshire Hathaway, Apple —, Buffett, — Organizations: Berkshire, BNSF Railway, Apple, Oracle, Occidental Petroleum, Berkshire ., Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo Locations: Omaha , Nebraska, Omaha, Dairy, Berkshire, Alleghany, U.S

☆ Japanese trading giant Itochu to cut ties with Israeli defense firm over Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong/Tokyo CNN —One of Japan’s biggest trading firms, Itochu, has decided to end its partnership with a major Israeli defense company due to the war in Gaza. The sprawling conglomerate, best known outside Japan for its Family Mart chain of convenience stores, said its aviation unit will cut ties with Elbit Systems, which bills itself as Israel’s largest defense contractor, by the end of February. Itochu Aviation, Elbit Systems and Nippon Aircraft Supply signed a cooperation agreement in March 2023, months before war broke out between Israel and Gaza. Itochu, which reported revenues of $104 billion in 2023, has faced small-scale, student-led protests in Tokyo against its partnership with Elbit since January. Its Family Mart chain has also been the target of calls for boycotts in Muslim-majority Malaysia over the agreement.

Persons: ”, Itochu, Israel, Tsuyoshi Hachimura, Hachimura, Bezhalel Machlis, Hanako Montgomery, Heather Chen Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Elbit Systems, International Court of Justice, United Nations, Japan’s Foreign Ministry, CNN, ICJ, Israel, Itochu Aviation, Nippon Aircraft Supply, Elbit, Japan’s Defense Ministry, Self - Defense Force, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Gaza, Japan, Israel, South Africa, Itochu, Malaysia

☆ Japan's stock market roared back to life in 2023, and investors expect even more gains ahead. How to trade it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Japanese stocks had one of their best years in recent memory, and they could rally even more in 2024. .N225 ALL mountain Big gains for Nikkei in 2023 That momentum has carried into early 2024. What's more, Wall Street sees no signs of Japanese stocks slowing down. In early 2023, Japanese stocks surged after the highest Shunto wage hike in 30 years was passed, at above 3% from above 2% the year prior, according to the Japan Times . Corporate earnings and economic growth Another driver for Japanese stocks this year could be strong corporate earnings and economic growth.

Persons: Warren Buffett, What's, BofA's Masashi Akutsu, Akutsu, Fumio Kishida, Scott Ladner, Ladner, we've, they're, Glovista's Carlos Asilis, there's, Bernstein, Neil Beveridge, Horizon's Ladner Organizations: Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, Nikkei, Japan Times, Horizon Investments, Japan, Japan Hedged Equity, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of America, Toyota, U.S Locations: Japan, That's

"Given the fast-changing landscape, I believe those who move fast (with wage hikes) should become competitive." A demand made this year by Rengo, Japan's largest trade union confederation, for pay hikes of "around 5%" resulted in average wage hikes of 3.58% among major companies. Six out of 10 economists in a Reuters poll expect major firms' pay hikes in 2024 to exceed this year's. The key, however, would be whether wage hikes broaden to smaller firms and those in the regional areas. A report by the BOJ's regional branch managers in October warned wage hikes remained uneven among sectors with many firms undecided on next year's pay increments.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Takeshi Niinami, Fumio, Kazuo Ueda, Hisashi Yamada, Rengo, Atsushi Takeda, Kishida, Keita Kondo, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Kentaro Sugiyama, Sam Holmes, Leika Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Suntory Holdings Ltd, Reuters, Meiji, Life Insurance, Suntory Holdings, Bank, Japan, Hosei University, OECD, UA Zensen, Itochu Economic Research Institute, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Ukraine, Saitama

TOKYO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's vote of confidence in Japanese trading houses is helping Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) overcome long-held investor wariness about its complex global business that covers everything from sausages to natural gas, a top executive said. "Until fairly recently, being an industrial conglomerate had negative connotations," Kobayashi said in an interview. Appointed as the trading house's first chief stakeholder engagement officer in April, Kobayashi is now focused on wooing investors who focus on growth, not just value. Berkshire first announced roughly 5% stakes in August 2020, with Buffett saying the trading houses "have many joint ventures throughout the world and are likely to have more". read moreStill, Mitsubishi is trading at a price-to-book ratio of just a little over 1, or at almost no premium to the value of its assets.

Persons: Warren Buffett's, wariness, Berkshire Hathaway, Kenji Kobayashi, Kobayashi, Itochu, outperforming, Buffett, Benjamin Graham, that's, Anton Bridge, Miho Uranaka, David Dolan, Miral Organizations: Mitsubishi Corp, Berkshire, Reuters, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nikkei, Columbia University, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Berkshire, Japan

☆ Japan's export growth slows as China, global downturn risks loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A worker is seen among newly manufactured cars awaiting export at port in Yokohama, Japan, November 15, 2017. Weak exports have complicated Japan's efforts to spur economic growth with sluggish domestic demand also weighing on the post-pandemic recovery. Japan's export growth slowsJapan's economy weakened in July-September, snapping two straight quarters of expansion on soft consumption and exports, data showed on Wednesday. By destination, exports to China, Japan's largest trading partner, fell 4.0% year-on-year in October, posting 11 straight months of declines. The trade balance came to a deficit of 662.5 billion yen ($4.38 billion), versus the median estimate for a 735.7 billion yen deficit.

Persons: Toru Hanai, Atsushi Takeda, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Satoshi Sugiyama, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, TOKYO, Ministry of Finance, Itochu Economic Research Institute, Thomson Locations: Yokohama, Japan, China, United States, Europe

☆ Japan's Itochu raises profit forecast on strong machinery business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 6 (Reuters) - Japanese trading house Itochu (8001.T) posted a 14.5% drop in six-month net profit on Monday but raised its full-fiscal year profit forecast on stronger expectations for its machinery business and the weaker yen. Itochu increased its net profit forecast for the year ending in March 2024 by 20 billion yen to 800 billion yen ($5.4 billion) after weaker coal and iron ore prices resulted in its half-year net profit falling to 412.90 billion yen. "We have raised our full-year profit forecast for the machinery segment, backed by strong performance of automobile, construction machinery and North America's power business," President and Chief Operating Officer Keita Ishii told a news conference. The full-year profit forecast for Itochu's machinery business -- its second-biggest profit contributor after the metals and minerals segment and which makes ship and car parts and industrial machinery -- was increased by 10 billion yen to 115 billion yen. The company also said it will buy back up to 1.2% of its shares, worth 75 billion yen.

Persons: Toru Hanai, Keita Ishii, Ishii, Katya Golubkova, Yuka Obayashi, Kim Coghill, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Itochu, REUTERS, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, China

☆ Japan's Itochu H1 net profit down 14.5% y/y, sets buy back
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The logo of Itochu Corp is seen outside the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, November 7, 2016. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 6 (Reuters) - Japanese trading house Itochu (8001.T) on Monday posted a 14.5% drop in six-month net profit but raised its full-fiscal year profit forecast on stronger non-resource business development expectations and weaker yen. Itochu's net profit to Sept. 30 was 412.90 billion yen ($2.8 billion), down from the same period last year on weaker coal and iron ore prices. It raised its net profit forecast for the year ending in March 2024 by 20 billion yen to 800 billion yen. The company will buy back up to 1.2% of its shares worth 75 billion yen, it added on Monday.

Persons: Toru Hanai, Katya Golubkova, Kim Coghill Organizations: Itochu, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Charlie Munger praises Warren Buffett’s big bets on Japan on Acquired podcast
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“It was awfully easy money,” Charlie Munger, Buffett’s longtime lieutenant and vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA), said in an interview with the Acquired podcast released this week. The firms backed by Berkshire — Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co., and Sumitomo — are known as “sogo shosha” or general trading companies in Japan. “These trading companies were really entrenched, old companies, and they had all these cheap copper mines and rubber plantations, and so you could borrow [easily],” Munger added. Buffett’s decision to invest in Japan has buoyed optimism about prospects in the world’s third largest economy. The legendary investor has previously cheered “the future of Japan,” casting more attention to the country from other foreign backers.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Warren, Charlie Munger, Buffett’s, Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire —, Munger, Warren Buffett, ”, ” Munger, “, Wang Chuanfu, Omaha ”, China’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Japan’s Nikkei, Berkshire, Berkshire — Itochu, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo, BYD, Hyundai, Apple Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, Berkshire, United States, “, Munger, Asia, South, TSMC, Omaha, Taiwan, China

☆ Warren Buffett at 93: All of the big moves from the still-active investing legend in the past year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Before turning 93 on Wednesday, Warren Buffett made a number of astute moves in the past 12 months that helped push his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway to an all-time high. Buying T-bills Buffett's massive cash hoard swelled to nearly $150 billion at the end of the second quarter. And the only question for next Monday is whether we will buy $10 billion in 3-month or 6-month" T-bills, Buffett told CNBC. Ramping up Japan bet Buffett recently hiked his stakes in five Japanese trading houses — Itochu , Marubeni , Mitsubishi , Mitsui and Sumitomo — to more than 8.5%. Occidental stake tops 25% Buffett also kept buying the dip in Occidental Petroleum , now owning a quarter of the oil giant.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, he's, Buffett, Treasurys, Chamath Palihapitiya, oilman Armand Hammer, NVR, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler, Benjamin Moore Organizations: Buffett, Berkshire, CNBC, Japan, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Social, Occidental, Occidental Petroleum, Clayton Homes, Berkshire Hathaway Energy Locations: Berkshire, Fitch's, U.S, Japan, Occidental, Horton

☆ US LNG projects win higher processing fees as interest rates climb
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Snow covered transfer lines are seen at the Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Lusby, Maryland March 18, 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHOUSTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Long-term buyers of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) are willingly agreeing to higher liquefaction fees at newer export projects, according to analysts and developers familiar with the matter. The U.S. emerged in 2022 as the world's second largest LNG exporter on plentiful supplies of natural gas and relatively low processing costs per metric ton of LNG. But rising interest rates and higher construction costs have pushed up liquefaction fees, also known as tolling fees. Other developers are turning to increased equity investment in new projects to reduce the impact of higher interest rates on finance costs, said Poten's Feer.

Persons: Snow, Gary Cameron, Lyle Hanna, Jason Bennett, Baker Botts, Bennett, it's, Jason Feer, NextDecade, Feer, Poten's Feer, Curtis Williams, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Commonwealth LNG, LNG, U.S, Henry, Poten, Partners, Reuters, of Fossil Energy, Carbon Management, Cheniere Energy, Thomson Locations: Lusby , Maryland, U.S, Ukraine, Rio Grande, Houston

☆ Warren Buffett, who turns 93, is at the top of his game as he pushes Berkshire Hathaway to new heights
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Berkshire shares have roared back to an all-time high on record operating profit, making it the biggest non-tech company by market capitalization. Warren Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, and nearly six decades later as the "Oracle of Omaha" turned 93 Wednesday, his conglomerate is stronger today than it's ever been. Buffett likens the iPhone maker to a consumer products company and has said he is also attracted to its big buyback programs. "It's groundbreaking in the sense that I'm not aware of any prominent investor, hedge manager investing in Japan," Kass said. They touched on every top-of-mind topic for investors from the banking crisis to recession risks and even crypto.

Persons: David Kass, University of Maryland's Robert H, Buffett, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Greg Abel, Kass, Capital's Palihapitiya, Charlie Munger Organizations: University of Maryland's, Smith School of Business, Buffett, Berkshire, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo Locations: Berkshire, Omaha, Japan

"The tankan confirmed our view that Japan's economy is on track for a moderate recovery," said Atsushi Takeda, chief economist at Itochu Economic Research Institute. "While input prices have declined, output prices continue to rise in a sign companies are being able to pass on costs. Big manufacturers expect business conditions to improve three months ahead, while non-manufacturers project a deterioration on worries over high costs, the tankan showed. The tankan showed corporate inflation expectations moderate in June from three months ago, but remaining above the BOJ's target five years down the road. Companies expect inflation to hit 2.6% a year from now, down from a 2.8% projection made in March, and 2.2% in three years, also lower than 2.3% in March.

Persons: Atsushi Takeda, Kazuo Ueda, Leika Kihara, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Big, Bank of Japan's, Itochu Economic Research Institute, Nikkei, Companies, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Japan launches Prime 150 stocks benchmark to help investors identify value
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Japan launched a new stock index on Monday, making it easier for investors to identify corporate value in the equity markets, in a move to strengthen corporate governance reforms in the world's third-largest economy. The new JPX Prime 150 Index is a curated list of the 150 constituent listings on the Tokyo Exchange, which includes the likes of tech giants like Sony Group , Hitachi , Nintendo and Warren Buffet-backed trading houses Marubeni , Itochu and Mitsui & Co . The index excludes automakers such as Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor . "Increasing the value of listed companies is essential for the expansion and revitalization of the market," Takahiro Miura, Japan Exchange Group's market innovation and research director of index business, told CNBC Monday. The Prime 150 index constitutes about half of the Japan stock market and are of similar quality to the S&P 500, Miura said.

Persons: Warren Buffet, Takahiro Miura, Miura Organizations: Tokyo, Sony Group, Hitachi, Nintendo, Mitsui & Co, Toyota Motor, Nissan, Japan Exchange, CNBC Locations: Japan, Itochu

☆ Japan business sentiment improves in second quarter, Bank of Japan's tankan survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tokyo Skytree (R) and Mount Fuji are seen from the I-link Town observatory in Ichikawa city, Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo on July 2, 2023. Japanese business sentiment improved in the second quarter as raw material costs peaked and the removal of pandemic curbs lifted factory output and consumption, a central bank survey showed, a sign the economy was on course for a steady recovery. Companies expect to increase capital expenditure and project inflation to stay above the Bank of Japan's 2% target five years ahead, the quarterly "tankan" showed, offering policymakers hope that conditions for phasing out their massive monetary stimulus may be gradually falling into place. Strong capital expenditure also led to brighter sentiment among machinery makers," said Atsushi Takeda, chief economist at Itochu Economic Research Institute. "The tankan confirmed our view that Japan's economy is on track for a moderate recovery."

Persons: Atsushi Takeda Organizations: Mount, Bank of Japan's, Itochu Economic Research Institute Locations: Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Ichikawa city, Chiba prefecture

☆ Chamath Palihapitiya calls Warren Buffett the 'GOAT' after figuring out his Japanese bet
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Prominent tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya expressed his admiration towards Warren Buffett, calling the "Oracle of Omaha" the greatest of all time after analyzing his latest bet on Japan. The 92-year-old Buffett recently hiked his stakes in five Japanese trading houses — Itochu , Marubeni , Mitsubishi , Mitsui and Sumitomo — to more than 8.5%. These companies, which are roughly akin to a conglomerate structure just like Berkshire, make good investments because they are stable dividend payers and earning growers, Palihapitiya said. The 92-year-old Buffett paid a visit to Japan and met with the heads at these Japanese firms earlier this year. Similar to Berkshire, the Japanese trading firms, also known as sogo shosha, are conglomerates involved in a wide range of products and services, including energy, machinery, chemicals, food, finance and banking.

Persons: Chamath Palihapitiya, Warren Buffett, Palihapitiya, Capital's Palihapitiya, Buffett, What's, he's Organizations: Buffett, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Tokyo Stock Exchange Locations: Omaha, Japan, Berkshire

☆ Japan's Suzuki to make 'flying cars' with SkyDrive
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, June 20 (Reuters) - Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T) said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with SkyDrive Inc to make "flying cars". The companies will use a Suzuki Group factory in central Japan to make electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and aim to begin production by around spring next year, Suzuki said in a statement. SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary to make the aircraft and Suzuki will help with preparations for the manufacturing, including securing talent, the automaker said. Headquartered in the city of Toyota in central Japan, SkyDrive has trading house Itochu Corp (8001.T), tech firm NEC Corp (6701.T) and a unit of energy company Eneos Holdings Inc (5020.T) among its main shareholders. The two companies signed a deal in March last year to team up in research, development and marketing of flying cars.

Persons: Suzuki, SkyDrive, Satoshi Sugiyama, Robert Birsel Organizations: Suzuki Motor Corp, SkyDrive Inc, Suzuki Group, Toyota, Itochu Corp, NEC Corp, Eneos Holdings, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

☆ CNBC Daily Open: China, the dozing dragon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Blinken unexpectedly meets XiU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his China visit by meeting with Xi Jinping, the country's president. Blinken's meeting could pave the way for U.S. President Joe Biden to meet Xi in November. The country's mortgage market's so volatile that HSBC temporarily stopped offering some home loans earlier this month.

Persons: Blinken, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Blinken's, Joe Biden, Xi, Buffett, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Morgan Stanley Organizations: CNBC, Xi U.S, U.S, Juneteenth, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, HSBC, Asia Locations: Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai, China, frayed U.S, America, Itochu, Berkshire, Japan, Asia Pacific

☆ Berkshire Hathaway's holdings in five Japanese companies could go beyond 10%, Jefferies says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway once again increased its stakes in five Japanese trading houses, and Jefferies said watch out for more such buying from the "Oracle of Omaha." Thanh Ha Pham, equity analyst at Jefferies, said Berkshire's holdings in these companies could go even beyond 10% in the future, and collaboration with Berkshire's businesses is another avenue to explore. The 92-year-old Buffett paid a visit to Japan and met with the heads at these Japanese firms earlier this year. Like Berkshire, the Japanese trading firms, also known as sogo shosha, are conglomerates that are involved in a wide range of products and services, including energy, machinery, chemicals, food, finance and banking. "By investing in trading houses, investors obtain a well-diversified business portfolio that is not exposed to any single industry or geography," Pham said.

Persons: Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Jefferies, Thanh Ha Pham, Warren Buffett, Pham, Buffett Organizations: National Indemnity Company, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Jefferies, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Itochu Locations: Omaha, Itochu, Berkshire, Japan

☆ Berkshire Hathaway adds to Japan trading company holdings
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The logo of Marubeni Corp is seen at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, May 10, 2016. Berkshire said its ownership now averages more than 8.5% at the companies and the aggregate value of the investments is the largest of any Berkshire-held public stocks outside the U.S. Known as "sogo shosha," Japanese trading houses trade in a variety of materials, products and food, often serving as intermediaries, and provide logistical support. Nikkei futures slightly pared some losses after the Berkshire announcement. Reporting by Lavanya Ahire in Bengaluru and Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Toru Hanai, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Lavanya, Tom Westbrook, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Marubeni, REUTERS, Berkshire, Nikkei, Billionaire, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Itochu, Berkshire, Bengaluru, Singapore

Berkshire Hathaway on Monday said its wholly-owned subsidiary National Indemnity Company has increased its stake in five Japanese trading firms to average more than 8.5%. Berkshire Hathaway said it intends to hold its Japanese investments for the long term, with CEO Warren Buffett pledging the company will only purchase up to 9.9% of any of the five firms. Buffett visited Japan in April to announce that Berkshire Hathaway would boost its investment in the various Japanese trading houses to 7.4%, after identifying the five businesses as comparable entities to his Omaha-based conglomerate. The five firms are the largest of Japan's so-called sogo-shosha, or general trading companies, and focus on diversified long-term investments that prioritize value and cash flow. Berkshire Hathaway owns no other investments in Japan.

Persons: Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Buffett Organizations: National Indemnity Company, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Berkshire Locations: Berkshire, U.S, Japan, Omaha

☆ Warren Buffett pours more money into Japan’s stock market
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) has added to its holdings in Japan’s five biggest trading houses, likely underpinning strong momentum propelling the nation’s stock market to multi-year highs. Berkshire said Monday its stakes in Itochu (ITOCF), Marubeni (MARUY), Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co (MITSY), and Sumitomo now average more than 8.5%. “The tailwinds for Japanese equities continue to multiply,” said Charu Chanana, market strategist at broker Saxo Markets in Singapore. Known as “sogo shosha,” Japanese trading houses deal in a variety of materials, products and food, often serving as intermediaries, and provide logistical support. The trading firms’ regulatory filings of June 12 showed Berkshire holding 7.4% of Itochu’s stock, 8.3% of Marubeni and Mitsubishi’s stock, 8.1% of Mitsui’s stock and 8.2% of Sumitomo’s stock.

Persons: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Monday’s, ”, Charu Organizations: Berkshire, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo, Nikkei, Saxo Markets, America Berkshire Locations: Singapore, Berkshire, United States

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