Warren Buffett acquired 49.6% of GEICO Corporation in August 1995 for $2.3 billion, giving shareholders $70 per share compared to the previous $55.75 market price. Buffett was attracted to GEICO because it was the 7th largest auto insurer in the US, had exceptional senior managers, and was the lowest-cost insurance provider. The acquisition proved successful as GEICO's revenue grew significantly in subsequent years.

1. Warren E. Buffet
Financial Management Class - Group 1

2. GEICO Acquisition
August 25, 1995 Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
acquire 49.6 % of GEICO Corporation.
The $2.3 billion deal would give GEICO shareholders $70.00 per
share, up from the $55.75 per share market price before the
announcement. Give 26 % premium than market price.

3. Warren E. Buffet
One of richest individuals in the world (about $7 billion)
MBA from Columbia University, developing the philosophy of
value-based investing. He chided business schools for the
irrelevance of their theories of finance and investing.

4. Questions
What were the key principles that guided Buffet ?
Could these be applied broadly in the late 1990s and into the 21st
century, or were they unique to Buffet and his time ?
Under what assumptions would this acquisition make sense ?
What were Buffett’s probable motives in the acquisition ?
Would the acquisition of GEICO prove to be a success ?
How would it compare to the firm’s other recent investment in
Salomon Brothers, USAir, and Champion International ?

5. Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
1889 – Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing incorporated and become
one of New England’s biggest textile producers. Market
share 25% of country’s cotton textile production.
1955 – Merged with Hathaway Manufacturing. Declining because
inflation, technological change and competition from
foreign competitors.
1965 – Buffet and some partners acquired control of Berkshire
Hathaway.
1985 – Exited the textile business. And purchase
two insurance companies : National
Indemnity Company and National
Fire & Marine Insurance Company.

6. Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
1994 – Berkshire Hathaway described itself as “a holding
company owning subsidiaries engaged in a number of
diverse business activities.”
1995 – Astonished most observers. Closing share prices in 1977 was
$ 89.00. On August 25, 1995 the closing share prices was $
25,400.00. Standard & Poor’s 500 index grew from 107 to
560.

7. Berkshire Hathaway’s Businesses Portofolio
•Insurance Group. The largest component of Berkshire’s portofolio
focused on property and casualty insurance, on both a direct and
reinsurance basis.
• Buffalo News. A daily and Sunday newspaper in upstate New
York.
• Fechheimer. A manufacturer and distributor of uniforms.
• Kirby. A manufacturer and marketer of home cleaning systems
and accessories.
• Nebraska Furniture. A retailer of home furnishings.
• See’s Candies. A manufacturer and distributor of boxed
chocolates and other confectionery products.
• Childcraft and World Book. A publisher and distributor of
encyclopedias and related educational and instructional material.
• Campbell Housefeld. A manufacturer and distributor of air
compressors, air tools, and painting systems.

8. Berkshire Hathaway’s Acquisition Policy
We are eager to hear about businesses that meet all of the
following criteria :
1. Large purchases (at least $10 million of after-tax earnings).
2. Demonstrated consistent earning power (future projections
are of no interest to us, nor are “turnaround” situations).
3. Businesses earning good returns on equity while employing
little or no debt.
4. Management in place (we can’t supply it)
5. Simple businesses (if there’s lots of technology, we won’t
understand it).
6. An offering price (we don’t want to waste our time or that of
the seller by talking, even preliminary, about a transaction
when the price is unknown).

9. Buffet’s Investment Philosophy
1. Economic reality, not accounting reality. Financial statements
prepared by accountants conformed to rules that might not
adequately represent the economic reality of a business.
Accounting was conservative, backward looking, and governed by GAAP
(Generally Accepted Acoounting Priciples). Investment decisions, on the other
hand, should be based on the economic reality of a business where intangible
assets such as patents, trademarks, special managerial know-how, and
reputation might be very valuable.
2. The cost of the lost opportunity. Buffet compared an investment
opportunity against the next best alternative, the so-called “lost
opportunity.”
In his business he choices “either/or” decision rather than “yes/no” decision.
3. Value Creation : time is money. Buffet assessed intrinsic value as
the present value of future expected performance.
4. Measure performance by gain in intrinsic value, not accounting
profit. The gain in intrinsic value was analogous to “economic
profit” and “market value added.”

10. Example 1 : Value Creation
Assume :
• 5-year investment horizon, when you liquidate at “book” or accumulated investment
value
• Initial invetment is $50 million
• No dividends are paid, all cash flows are reinvested
• ROE = 20%
• Cost of equity = 15%
Year 0 1 2 3 4 5
Book Value 50 60 72 86 104 124
Market Value
(or Intrinsic Value) = PV @ 15% of 124 = $61.65
Market/Book = $61.65/50.00 = 1.23
Value created : $1.00 invested becomes $1.23 in market value.

11. Example 2 : Value Destruction
Assume :
• 5-year investment horizon, when you liquidate at “book” or accumulated investment
value
• Initial invetment is $50 million
• No dividends are paid, all cash flows are reinvested
• ROE = 10%
• Cost of equity = 15%
Year 0 1 2 3 4 5
Book Value 50 55 60 67 73 81
Market Value
(or Intrinsic Value) = PV @ 15% of 81 = $40.30
Market/Book = $40.30/50.00 = 0.80
Value destroyed : $1.00 invested becomes $0.80 in market value.

12. Buffet’s Investment Philosophy (Continue)
5. Risk and discount rate. Conventional academic and practitioner
thinking held that the more risk one took, the more one should
get paid. Buffet define risk in different way, he using dictionary
terms, as “the possibility of loss or injury.” His firm used almost no
debt financing. He focused on companies with predictable and
stable earnings.
“ I put a heavy weight on certainty. If you do that, the whole idea of a risk
factor doesn’t make sense to me. Risk comes from not knowing what
you’re doing.”
6. Diversification. Buffet disagree with conventional wisdom that
investors should hold a broad portofolio of stocks in order to shed
company specific risk.
“ Figure businesses out that you understand, and concentrate.
Diversification is protection against ignorance, but if you don’t feel
ignorant, the need for it goes down drastically.”

13. Buffet’s Investment Philosophy (Continue)
7. Investing behavior should be driven by information, analysis,
and self-discipline, not by emotion or “hunch.”
“ Anyone not aware of the fool in the market probably is the fool in the
market.” When we invest in stocks, we invest in businesses. You simply
have to behave according to what is rational rather than according to
what is fashionable. Buffet style : Strategy of patient and long-term
investing,
8. Alignment of agents and owners. Explaining his significant
ownership interest in Berkshire Hathaway, Buffet said. “I am a
better businessman because I am an investor. And I am better
investor because I am a businessman.” Every senior manager
have shares in Berkshire, or were compensated under incentive
plans.

14. GEICO Acquisition History
1976 – Berkshire Hathaway began purchasing shares in GEICO.
1980 – Berkshire Hathaway had accumulated a 33 % shares for
$ 45.7 million
1995 – Stake had grown to 50.4 % of the firm’s shares (because
GEICO had repurchased some of its own shares while
Berkshire had maintained its holdings) and the original
stake of $ 45.7 million had grown in value to $ 1.9 billion.

15. Why GEICO ?
1. The firm was the seventh largest auto insurer in the United
States, underwriting policies for 3.7 million cars.
2. The firm’s senior managers were “extraordinary” and had an
investment style similar to Buffett’s. These managers would
add depth to Berkshire Hathaway’s senior management
bench and provide continuity in case anything happened to
Buffet (age 65) or Munger (age 72).
3. The firm was the lowest-cost insurance provider in the
industry.

16. Conclusion
What were the key principles that guided Buffet ?
A : There are 8 philosphy for Buffet’s investment
Could these be applied broadly in the late 1990s and into the 21st
century, or were they unique to Buffet and his time ?
A : The fact is Buffet still one of richest man in the world. Off course
these can applied until 21st century.
Under what assumptions would this acquisition make sense ?
A : Buffet believe in stable earnings and business growth. And GEICO
shows it.
What were Buffett’s probable motives in the acquisition ?
A : GEICO was the sevent largest auto insurance, have good
management and the lowest cost auto insurance.
Would the acquisition of GEICO prove to be a success ?
A : Yes in the 1994 revenue from insurance was $1.4 billion and in 2004
revenue from GEICO only $9.2 billion (wikipedia.org).