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☆ These Asian firms in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway portfolio have surged, with one soaring 30%
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-29 | by ( Sheila Chiang | In Sheilachiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of the five trading firms in Warren Buffett-backed Berkshire Hathaway 's portfolio — Itochu Corp , Marubeni Corp , Mitsubishi Corp , Mitsui & Co , and Sumitomo Corp — have surged, with one rising as much 30% in 2024. These five names are also the biggest of Japan's so-called sogo-shosha, or general trading companies, in which Berkshire placed big bets in 2020 and subsequently increased stakes in later years. Japan's trading houses, which trade in a wide range of products and materials, played a big role in Japan's economic growth. Though it holds Japanese and Chinese equities, it mostly invests in American companies, with Apple, American Express, Bank of America Corp. and Coca-Cola Co forming the bulk of its portfolio. Here are the Asian companies which Berkshire has invested in:

Persons: Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett Organizations: Berkshire, Itochu, Marubeni Corp, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo Corp —, Apple, American Express, Bank of America Corp Locations: U.S, Omaha , Nebraska, Berkshire

☆ Check out the 17-slide pitch deck energy storage company Skeleton Technologies used to raise $114 million in a mix of debt and equity funding from Siemens and Marubeni
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Estonian energy tech company Skeleton Technologies has raised 108 million euros (around $114 million) from multinational Siemens and Japanese conglomerate Marubeni. Skeleton, which was founded back in 2009 in Tallinn, manufactures fast-charging energy storage systems for transport, maritime, the grid, and medical equipment. Its secret sauce is its own material, Curved Graphene, which increases how much energy can be stored in its supercapacitors. The fresh funds, which bring Skeleton's total raised to over 300 million euros (around $316 million), is a mixture of equity and debt. Marubeni, meanwhile, distributes Skeleton's products in Asia and helps it secure customers in the region.

Persons: Taavi Madiberk, Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, Skeleton's, Madiberk Organizations: Technologies, Siemens, Strategic, Siemens Financial Services, Marubeni Corporation, North America Locations: Tallinn, Germany, Asia, North

☆ Factbox: China's incumbent and upcoming LNG traders
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Chen Aizhu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker is tugged towards a thermal power station in Futtsu, east of Tokyo, Japan November 13, 2017. Below is a list of China's main gas traders and their operations globally, according to information from company sources and traders. In May, PCI became the first Chinese firm to gain long-term access to gas storage at a European gas terminal. CNOOC also plans to create a London desk in the coming year or two, following PCI and Unipec. Sumitomo Corp (8053.T), which has a desk to trade piped gas in London is considering expanding into LNG trading, said a company spokesperson.

Persons: Issei Kato, Keith Martin, Wang Bingsi, CNOOC, Norinco, ENN, Chen Aizhu, Yuka Obayashi, Florence Tan, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, PetroChina International, PCI, London, Gazprom, China National Offshore Oil Company, Gas Co, ENN, LNG, Beijing Gas, Zhejiang Energy, Zhejiang Energy Zhejiang Energy, Exxon Mobil, Mexico, China Gas Holding, China Gas, JOVO Energy, Privately, SOUTH, Mitsubishi Corp, Marubeni Corp, Tokyo Gas, Korea's SK E, Sumitomo Corp, Thomson Locations: Futtsu, Tokyo, Japan, London, Singapore, Beijing, Dubai, Houston, Sinopec, China, Jiangsu province, ENN, U.S, Hebei, Shenzhen, CNOOC, Zhejiang Energy Zhejiang, Zhejiang, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, HK, Guangxi province, Yantai, Shandong province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA, Asia

☆ 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

☆ Japan stocks are on fire this year. Here are 3 reasons why the rally could have 'staying power'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Since then, Japanese equities have rallied. Even so, Strategas Securities' Chris Verrone has remained optimistic on Japanese equities, saying this week that the rally is not yet overbought. Meanwhile, JPMorgan chief market strategist Marko Kolanovic said in a note, also on Tuesday, that the rally in Japan still has "staying power." For international investors, those remarks signaled that Japanese companies may be more transparent with shareholders in the future. Investors can also take a company-specific approach, according to Diamond Hill's Mohanraj, who favors Japanese companies that boast differentiated products.

☆ Panasonic plans multiple new battery factories in North America by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Holdings Corp (6752.T) aims to ramp up production of battery cells used in electric vehicles by building at least two new factories in North America, it said on Thursday. Panasonic plans to build at least two new factories for 4680 battery production in North America by 2030, a spokesperson confirmed to Reuters. Panasonic has yet to decide where in North America it will add the production capacity, said the company's Group Chief Executive Officer Yuki Kusumi. Panasonic and trading house Marubeni Corp (8002.T) will build out a delivery network in Japan that will use small electric vans, the Nikkei newspaper said later on Thursday. Panasonic will also set up two other new sites to deepen its battery know-how in Japan over the next two years.

Japan's insistence on continuing to rely on gas may delay reaching global climate change goals, especially as its energy companies reap large profits from their investments in the sector, climate activists say. "But I think Japanese companies will generally hesitate to be involved in gas projects in the future, especially those with long lead times. Japan's support for gas clashes with findings that new investments in gas, which is mainly composed of the greenhouse gas methane and produces CO2 emissions when burned for energy, would undermine climate goals. But, gas investments have been lucrative for Japan's energy companies resulting in record profits. But, Japan's stated intention to lower its carbon emissions may mean these gas investments carry some risk.

OMAHA, Nebraska, May 6 (Reuters) - Warren Buffet on Saturday said he is more comfortable with Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) deploying capital in Japan than Taiwan, reflecting the growing tensions between the United States and China. The billionaire investor contrasted Berkshire's recently increased investments in five Japanese trading houses with its recent U-turn on a multi-billion dollar investment in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, or TSMC (2330.TW). "It's a marvelous company," Buffett said at Berkshire’s annual meeting, referring to Taiwan Semiconductor. But "I would feel better about capital that we've got deployed in Japan than in Taiwan.... That's the reality." Tensions between the U.S. and China have simmered in recent months, with some investors worried that China might invade Taiwan.

☆ Why Warren Buffett is so keen on Japan's versions of Berkshire Hathaway
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Tim Hornyak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

But Warren Buffett added a spark in April when he visited Japan to announce that Berkshire Hathaway boosted its investment in Japanese trading houses to 7.4%. Buffett said the five — Itochu Corp., Marubeni Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui, and Sumitomo Corp. — are comparable to Berkshire itself. Samurai roots for Buffett's Japanese stocks The five trading firms that Berkshire has invested in are the biggest of Japan's so-called sogo-shosha, or general trading companies. Today, Japan's trading companies derive most of their revenue from non-trade activities. Shosha: The Big Five Mitsubishi The largest of Japan's trading companies is Mitsubishi Corp. , set up in 1954.

☆ Warren Buffett's trip to Tokyo is seen as a 'stamp of approval' for investing in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Berkshire Hathaway's stakes in all five trading houses is now 7.4%. Buffett's trip is a "stamp of approval" — especially for domestic investors in Japan, according to Monex Group's Jesper Koll. He emphasized Buffett's trip has the potential to boost confidence among Japanese investors as the nation continues to grapple with low consumption. "The real focus is confidence for Japanese investors, and that's where Warren Buffett's visit was very, very important," Koll said. The trading houses have helped grow the Japanese economy and contributed to the globalization of its business.

☆ Japanese trading houses rise as Warren Buffett says he plans on buying more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan in 2011. Shares of Japanese trading houses rose in Tuesday afternoon trade after Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway , said he plans to increase his holdings. In an interview with Nikkei, Buffett said he is considering additional investment in five major Japanese trading houses, adding that he was "very proud" of his existing investments in them. Shares of Mitsubishi Corp. rose 2.7% in Japan's afternoon trade, Mitsui & Co. gained 2.6%, Itochu Corp climbed 2.5% and Marubeni Corp. advanced 3.7%. Buffett told Nikkei that he is planning to meet with the companies later in the week "to really just have a discussion around their businesses and emphasize our support," according to the report.

☆ Factbox: Warren Buffett's investments in financial firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, pauses while playing bridge as part of the company annual meeting weekend in Omaha, Nebraska U.S. May 6, 2018. Here is history on Buffett's involvement with banks and current holdings in his investment portfolio. The investment gave Berkshire preferred stock that paid a 10% along with warrants to pay $5 billion for 43.5 million Goldman shares at $115 each. Berkshire has financial services investments in other countries. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EV batteries getting second life on California power grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view of the SEPV Sierra solar and storage facility owned by startup, B2U Storage Solutions, in Lancaster, California, U.S. in this handout photo taken in 2022. B2U Storage Solutions/Handout via REUTERSFeb 7 (Reuters) - Hundreds of used electric vehicle battery packs are enjoying a second life at a California facility connected to the state's power grid, according to a company pioneering technology it says will dramatically lower the cost of storing carbon-free energy. B2U Storage Solutions Inc, a Los Angeles-based startup, said it has 25 megawatt-hours of storage capacity made up of 1,300 former EV batteries tied to a solar energy facility in Lancaster, California. B2U's technology allows the EV battery packs to be bundled together without having to be taken apart first. "Second life and re-use helps the overall lifecycle be more energy efficient, given all the efforts that go into making that battery," Hall said in an interview.

☆ Warren Buffett's energy bets in Japanese companies are turning out to be huge winners, with some up 100% since his initial investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett's investments in five Japanese companies are emerging as winners in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. A Bloomberg analysis points out that share prices in Mitsubishi and Mitsui have respectively climbed 100% and 130% since Buffett's initial investments in 2020. Buffett is the third-largest shareholder in Mitsui & Co. and a leading investor in Mitsubishi Corp., Itochu Corp., Sumitomo Corp., and Marubeni Corp. Meanwhile, share prices of Mitsubishi and Mitsui – the two most profitable sogo shosha – have climbed 100% and 130%, respectively, since Buffett's initial investment in 2020. Buffett's investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, made its first disclosure of the investment in the sogo shosha in August 2020, with 5% stakes in each then worth a total of $6 billion, said Bloomberg.

☆ Buffett's Berkshire boosts stakes in Japan's five biggest trading houses
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N), run by billionaire Warren Buffett, has raised its stakes in each of Japan's five biggest trading houses by at least 1 percentage point to more than 6%, regulatory filings showed on Monday, sending shares higher. The move is line with Berkshire's statement in 2020 that its investments in the Japanese trading houses were for the long term and the stakes could rise to 9.9%. The news boosted shares of the five trading houses, led by Mitsubishi and Marubeni, which were up more than 2% in morning trade, while the benchmark Nikkei (.N225) index was nearly flat. Berkshire's increased investments in the trading houses come as it this month bought more than $4.1 billion of stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (2330.TW), a rare significant foray into the technology sector by the conglomerate. Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway hikes stakes in Japan's five leading trading houses to over 6%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has raised its stakes in Japan's five leading trading houses by at least 1 percentage point to more than 6%, regulatory filings showed on Monday. The conglomerate's stakes rose to 6.6% from 5% in Mitsubishi Corp. , to 6.6% from 5% in Mitsui & Co ., to 6.2% from 5% in Itochu Corp ., to 6.8% from 5.1% in Marubeni Corp. and to 6.6% from 5% in Sumitomo Corp ., filings showed. Marubeni and Mitsubishi shares jumped more than 2% after the news on Monday. Sumitomo and Itochu shares rose about 1%. Shares of Mitsui have climbed more than 40% this year, while Sumitomo and Marubeni have both risen about 30%.

☆ Indonesia, ADB launch first coal power plant retirement deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] A man stands on an escalator ahead of the G20 summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, November 13, 2022. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar UlfianaNUSA DUA, Indonesia, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indonesia, the Asian Development Bank and a private power firm are teaming up to refinance and prematurely retire a coal-fired power plant, the first such project under a groundbreaking carbon emissions reduction programme, they announced on Monday. The Manila-based multilateral lender and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati announced the MOU with independent power producer Cirebon Electric Power in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit. ADB also said a number financial firms and philanthropic groups have expressed interest in participating in the transaction. The ADB officials said they expect the Cirebon deal to give private investors more confidence to explore future participation, and that the development finance institution's leadership may help shield them from any negative public perceptions regarding new investments in coal financing.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Indonesia, ADB launch first coal power plant retirement deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] A man stands on an escalator ahead of the G20 summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, November 13, 2022. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar UlfianaNUSA DUA, Indonesia, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indonesia, the Asian Development Bank and a private power firm are teaming up to refinance and retire early the first coal-fired power plant under a groundbreaking new carbon emissions reduction project that moves from concept to reality on Monday. The Manila-based lender and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati are set to announce the MOU with independent power producer Cirebon Electric Power on Monday in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit. "With this announcement, we're taking the first steps in what was an ambitious project and making it real," he added. ADB also said a number financial firms and philanthropic groups have expressed interest in participating in the transaction.

☆ Mitsubishi raises profit forecast on higher coal, LNG prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) on Tuesday raised its full-year net profit forecast by 21% to a record 1.03 trillion yen ($7 billion), amid strength in metals and energy segments thanks to higher prices of coking coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Like global energy companies, Japanese trading houses have benefited from surging oil, gas and coal prices this year in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Mitsubishi boosted its profit outlook for the year to March 31 to over 1 trillion yen from its May estimate of 850 billion yen. The latest forecast was in line with a mean estimate of 1.08 trillion yen in a poll of 10 analysts by Refinitiv. For the April-September first half, net profit nearly doubled to a record 720 billion yen, helped by a rally in coking coal and LNG as well as a one-off gain from selling a real estate management company.

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