"Warren Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B), has been the single greatest investment of our lifetimes," says Alexander Green, noting, "His compounded annual gain from 1966 to 2007 was 21.1% vs. 10.3% or the S&P 500."

In the Oxford Insight, the investment director explains, "It is now time to buy the 'ultimate no-brainer'." Here's his assessment.

"Despite this strong long-term performance, Buffett experienced a rare earnings letdown during the second quarter of this year.

"Although revenue increased 10% to $29.3 billion, insurance related write-downs hurt the company's bottom line. Still, the shortfall was far from cataclysmic. For the quarter, earnings fell 7.6% to $2.88 billion.

"Despite the shortfall, the company still maintains a top-notch credit rating and has over $28 billion in cash, a war chest for the world's greatest investor. How has Buffett been so successful? He takes a disciplined value approach to investing. And he sticks with it.

Continue reading Oxford Club bet on Buffett: A 'no-brainer'

Oxford Club bet on Buffett: A 'no-brainer' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The latest annual rate of inflation measured from last July to this July was 5.6%, the largest annual gain since way back in January 1991," observes Alexander Green.

Here, the investment director for the industry-leading The Oxford Club suggests that investors consider the iShares Lehman TIPS Bond Fund (ASE: TIP), noting, "This is a great way to buy a diversified portfolio of inflation-adjusted Treasuries and track them quite easily."

"The latest consumer price index figures were a bit of a shock; the annual rate of inflation measured from last July to this July was 5.6%, the largest annual gain since way back in January 1991.

"Despite these horrendous inflation figures, gold, mining shares and other inflation-sensitive indicators did nothing - or even fell. What gives?

"Remember that the market is always looking forward, not back. Investors are always more concerned with what lies ahead than what happened in the recent past. Next month or next year may be a different story entirely.

"That's why every investor should have a hedge in his portfolio, like inflation-adjusted Treasuries. These bonds are unique in the investment world. They are the only investment guaranteed to beat inflation. And they are great portfolio diversifiers. They don't march in step with either stocks or bonds.

Continue reading Inflation-adjusted gains: A good "TIP"

Inflation-adjusted gains: A good "TIP" originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is based on an article written by Alexander Green, Investment Director of The Oxford Club. My thanks to Mr. Green for his straightforward insight.

Let me begin by stating that my only argument against the oil industry has been their "the only game in town" attitude. Never have I complained that oil companies show too much profit. I have never accused the oil industry of gouging or unjust profiteering. With that stated, let us continue:

Oil companies DO NOT set gasoline prices at the pump. Those prices are dictated entirely by supply and demand economics. The single biggest driving force in the economics of crude oil today is the increasing demand by growing industrialized nations, China being the biggest by far. Even the United States Supreme Court declared that they find no evidence that oil companies are manipulating oil prices in any undue manner. This issue will, of course, remain in hot public debate.

Continue reading "Big oil" is not the problem: Alexander Green's perspective

"Big oil" is not the problem: Alexander Green's perspective originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Apr 2007 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.