I'm off Friday, April 29, to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. The Batmobile is shined-up and ready to go.
I predict Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger will be brilliant at this Saturday's Q&A, and there will be novelties, like Burlington Northern engineer caps. (Maybe yes, maybe no; if not, there will be plenty of other kitschy offerings.) I predict Richard Hoe will have two or three DQ Dilly Bars as he wanders around the exhibits. (The Dairy Queen goodies are $1 each, and the proceeds go to charity.) Usually, there are some free See's Candies offerings and some M&M Mars stuff, too. Another prediction is my wife and I will buy some things at the exhibits and maybe, too, at Nebraska Furniture Mart or Borsheim's. (In addition to everyday discounts, there are extra-added shareowner discounts.)
Berkshire owns the companies that make Ginsu knives and Benjamin Moore paints as well as Geico Insurance. Yes, shareowner discounts apply there, too. It also holds whacking numbers of shares of American Express and Coca-Cola and many, many other companies — some 100% owned, others partially owned. (During the Q&A, Messrs, Buffett and Munger consume what seem to be large volumes of Diet Coke and pieces of See's Candies. Both men are loyal to BH brands to a fault.)
There's a reception Friday night at Borsheim's — an outside tent handles the overflow — with Buffett-style martinis, roast beef and other walk-around finger food. There's a barbecue at Nebraska Furniture Mart Saturday night and a brunch at Borsheim's on Sunday morning with open bridge tables and other games.
Last year — the first meeting I've missed, owing to a family emergency, for some time — the approximate total attendance was about 35,000. It will be interesting to see how many come this weekend, with a lot of new Burlington Northern shareholders added and a lower B-share price.
I'll be off from blogging next week — a blogcation? — but you can be sure you'll hear more about Berkshire's meeting in the future, both here and in The Investment Edge.
