Annualgain

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

With BRK.B getting split, could Berkshire finally be added to the S&P 500?

Finding Opportunity in Buffett's Burlington Northern Buy

I agree with PON. Rail has its advantages, but only for certain kinds of goods. Rail has always been cheaper when measuring cost per mile, but its on-time performance has been lousy compared to trucks and airfreight. If a manufacturer has to idle its plant or a retailer has to leave shelves empty because of the poor service that rail has always provided, saving a few cents per mile is just not worth it.

Since 1910 market share has gone to the highway and away from the railway. Airfreight has also taken share as manufacturers get better at using just-in-time inventory.

However, the more commodity-like a good is, the more it make sense to use rail. That's why coal represents about 25% of rail volumes, and grains/ag are another large chunk. These goods will never leave the railways.

High value, high margin goods are just the opposite. You don't see many MacBooks delivered via rail.

Good luck with your market share play, Mr. Kaminis.

Bruce Berkowitz Adds to Hertz, Trims American Express Holding

On the 9/30/09 call last night, I got the impression that Charlie Hernandez thinks PFE is recreating itself in JNJ's image. Diversified, multiple platforms, decentralized management. Anyone else get that feeling?

Those Calling for the Death of Value Investing Are Wrong

Once the big banks get removed from the S&P 500, and their losses are excluded from the S&P 500 earnings calculation, the PE of the S&P will be a lot lower than the 19-20 it stands at right now.

Harley Davidson: Don't Get Too Excited About Buffett's Investment

Buffet's pipes:

sinekpartners.typepad....