The Oracle of Omaha
The Oracle of Omaha is a nickname for Warren Buffett, who is arguably one of the greatest investors of all time. He is called the Oracle of Omaha because the investment community very closely follows his investment picks and comments on the market, and he lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska. Billionaire Warren Buffett (who lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska) is known as the Oracle of Omaha, a nickname he earned as one of the world's most successful and closely followed investors. On May 1, 2021, the vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger, unofficially announced that Warren Buffett would be succeeded as CEO by Greg Abel when the 90-year-old Buffett eventually steps down. Warren Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1930 to Howard and Leila Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha’s quote, “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price,” sums up his investment philosophy.
Who Is the Oracle of Omaha?
The Oracle of Omaha is a nickname for Warren Buffett, who is arguably one of the greatest investors of all time. Buffett is the chair and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a company that he became the controlling shareholder of in the mid-1960s.
He is called the Oracle of Omaha because the investment community very closely follows his investment picks and comments on the market, and he lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska.
Understanding the Oracle of Omaha
Warren Buffett is one of the richest men in the world. He built his fortune using a simple yet powerful investment strategy. His investments are long-term positions, accomplished by the purchase of fundamentally sound companies that are trading well below their intrinsic value. Some of his most publicized investments include Coca-Cola, Gillette, and Dairy Queen. As of May 5, 2021, the Oracle of Omaha is estimated to have a net worth of over $100 billion.
In 2006, Warren Buffett pledged to give away over 99% of his fortune. Since then, he has donated over $38.8 billion to charitable causes.
The Oracle of Omaha’s Early Years
Warren Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1930 to Howard and Leila Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha’s father was a stockbroker, which gave him an early introduction to the stock market. Buffett purchased his first stock at age 11; he bought three shares of Cities Service Preferred for $38 per share and sold them at $40 per share. After he sold the stock, it advanced to $200. On reflection, Buffett believes this taught him the virtue of patience.
Buffett demonstrated business prowess from his early teens, running a paper delivery business and completing his own tax returns. The Oracle of Omaha started a pinball machine business while in high school and went on to sell the business for $1,300. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a business degree.
On May 1, 2021, the vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger, unofficially announced that Warren Buffett would be succeeded as CEO by Greg Abel when the 90-year-old Buffett eventually steps down. Abel is CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy and vice vhair in charge of noninsurance operations.
The Oracle of Omaha’s Investment Philosophy
Warren Buffett is a value investor and a follower of the Benjamin Graham school of value investing. Columbia Business School professors, Benjamin Graham and David Dodd, developed their investing concepts, which in 1949 were published in Graham's book, The Intelligent Investor.
As a value investor, Buffett looks to purchase companies that are below their intrinsic worth but have the potential to make money. Buffett attempts to do this by buying companies that are out of favor with the market. He values a company by assessing its fundamentals, such as return on equity and profitability.
For example, Buffett likes a company to have a low debt/equity ratio. He wants earnings growth generated from shareholders' equity as opposed to debt. The Oracle of Omaha’s quote, “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price,” sums up his investment philosophy.
Related terms:
Benjamin Graham
Benjamin Graham was an influential investor who is regarded as the father of value investing. read more
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway is a holding company for a multitude of businesses, run by chair and CEO Warren Buffett. read more
Charlie Munger
Charlie Munger is the vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway Corp., the diversified company chaired by renowned investor Warren Buffett. read more
Graham Number
The Graham number is the upper bound of the price range that a defensive investor should pay for a stock. read more
Intrinsic Value : How Is It Determined?
Intrinsic value is the perceived or calculated value of an asset, investment, or a company and is used in fundamental analysis and the options markets. read more
Investment Strategy
An investment strategy is what guides an investor's decisions based on goals, risk tolerance and future needs for capital. read more
Return on Equity (ROE)
Return on equity (ROE) is a measure of financial performance calculated by dividing net income by shareholders' equity. read more
Who Is George Soros? What Is He Known for?
George Soros is a hedge fund manager who is widely considered to be one of the world's greatest investors. read more
Stockbroker
A stockbroker is an agent or firm that charges a fee or commission for executing buy and sell orders for an investor. read more