In this article, we discuss the 10 best value stocks in Warren Buffett’s portfolio. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of Buffett’s history, investment philosophy, and hedge fund performance, go directly to 5 Best Value Stocks in Warren Buffett’s Portfolio.
Billionaire Warren Buffett is an American business tycoon, legendary value investor, and philanthropist, who is known for his conglomerate holding company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-A), which he manages alongside Charlie Munger, who is the vice chairman of the company and the closest associate of Buffett.
Buffett manages his investments via his hedge fund, Berkshire Hathaway, which managed about $293.4 billion in 13F securities in the third quarter, gaining approximately $57 billion as compared to the prior-year quarter. Buffett’s portfolio is largely concentrated in the information technology, finance, and consumer staples sectors. The billionaire is known for following the Benjamin Graham school of thought, focusing primarily on value stocks.
The legendary investor recommends low-cost index funds for a majority of investors, as some active managers charge heavy management and performance fees, and he doesn’t believe they can beat the market on a consistent basis. In his opinion, amatuer and passive investors are better off betting on an S&P 500 index fund for the long-term, since it would generate returns over the course of a decade that are higher than the returns from a basket of diversified hedge funds after the hedge fund managers are paid their share of the management fees.
Since Buffett is a long-term investor, he advises people who are starting out their investment journey to buy the stock dips, since the market is eventually going to rise again.
The most notable stocks in Warren Buffett’s Q3 portfolio include Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), in addition to others mentioned in detail below.
Our Methodology
We used the Q3 portfolio of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to select his top 10 value stocks. We chose stocks that had the lowest price to earnings ratio in the billionaire’s portfolio, and ranked the securities according to Buffett’s stake value in each holding.
Best Value Stocks in Warren Buffett’s Portfolio
10. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC)
Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $31,329,000
Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 0.01%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 88
P/E Ratio: 11.98
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) posted its Q3 earnings on October 14. EPS in the quarter totaled $1.22, exceeding estimates by $0.28. Revenue over the period equaled $18.83 billion, outperforming analysts’ consensus estimates by $542.17 million.
Warren Buffett holds 675,054 shares in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), an American multinational financial services corporation, as of September this year. Buffett’s stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) amounts to $31.32 million, and it accounts for 0.01% of the billionaire’s Q3 portfolio. With a P/E ratio of 11.98, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is one of the best value stocks in Warren Buffett’s portfolio.
On December 9, UBS analyst Erika Najarian called Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) one of her “highest conviction Buy ideas”, assuming coverage of the stock with a Buy rating and a $65 price target. The analyst sees rising rates and execution of its expense plan driving return on average tangible common shareholders’ equity as attractive catalysts.
A total of 88 hedge funds were bullish on Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) at the end of the third quarter, holding stakes worth $6.18 billion. This is comparable to 94 funds holding stakes valued at over $7 billion in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) in the previous quarter.
Boykin Curry’s Eagle Capital Management is the largest Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) stakeholder as of the third quarter, holding 33.74 million shares worth $1.56 billion.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a notable stock from Warren Buffett’s Q3 portfolio, in addition to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).
Here is what Davis Global Fund has to say about Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) in its Q3 2021 investor letter:
“…This second chart highlights that financials remain the cheapest part of the market today and continue to be extremely attractive. Strong capital ratios, conservative lending practices, already record low interest rates and now a strengthening economy, all paired with low valuations, bode well for future returns.
Take our top financials holding in Wells Fargo, for instance. Wells Fargo is trading at 1.3x tangible book value, while we expect return on equity (ROE) to be in the mid-to-high teens over time. Even in this low-rate environment, the current multiple is only 12x 2021 owner earnings, and our IRR estimate is 12–13%. Wells Fargo has performed well this year, up 51% year-to-date, yet still looks very attractive, which speaks to how undervalued it was and why it is so important to be patient when investing in high-quality companies trading at low valuations. Rather than invest on the basis of unpredictable near-term catalysts, we prefer to be patient as earnings and cash build up, even if the stock price does not immediately reflect the economic reality. We continue to like our positions in financials.”
9. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA)
Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $416,768,000
Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 0.14%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
P/E Ratio: 12.63
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA), a pharmaceutical company from Israel specializing in generics and biopharmaceutical medicines, reported its Q3 results on October 27. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) posted an EPS of $0.59, missing estimates by $0.06. The Q3 revenue totaled $3.89 billion, down 2.29% year-over-year, missing estimates by $163.2 million.
Warren Buffett holds a $416.76 million position in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) as of September 2021, which accounts for 0.14% of the billionaire’s total Q3 portfolio.
Abrams Capital Management is one of the leading stakeholders of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) from the third quarter, owning over 24 million shares valued at $234.2 million.
Hedge funds increased their stakes in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) in the third quarter, with 22 funds holding stakes valued at $950.6 million in the company, as compared to the same number of funds being bullish on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) in the preceding quarter, with a total stake value of $947.1 million.
Raymond James analyst Elliot Wilbur on October 27 downgraded Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) to Market Perform from Outperform without a price target, stating that near-term fundamentals are coming up short, as compared to the performance expectations from the company.
8. Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL)
Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $565,672,000
Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 0.19%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27
P/E Ratio: 12.45
Billionaire Warren Buffett holds 6.35 million shares in Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) as of September this year, worth $565.6 million, accounting for 0.19% of his total Q3 13F portfolio. Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) is a Texas-based financial services holding company that specializes in life insurance, annuity, and supplemental health insurance products.
Credit Suisse analyst Andrew Kligerman on October 19 lowered the price target on Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) to $130 from $135 and kept an Outperform rating on the shares, stating that despite the COVID-19 pressures on the stock, Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) is trading at an attractive valuation. Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) is one of the top value stocks according to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.
Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) announced Q3 earnings on October 20, posting an EPS of $1.78, missing estimates by $0.11. The quarterly revenue jumped 6.93% to $1.28 billion, outperforming estimates by $15.97 million.
Insider Monkey tracks the movement of 867 elite hedge funds as of the third quarter, and a total of 27 funds of them reported owning stakes in Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL), worth $775.77 million. This is compared to 28 funds being bullish on Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) in the prior quarter, with a total stake value of approximately $795 million.
In addition to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), elite hedge funds are piling into Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL).
7. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)
Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $3,162,600,000
Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 1.07%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77
P/E Ratio: 8.45
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) stock represents 1.07% of Berkshire Hathaway’s Q3 portfolio, with the hedge fund holding a $3.16 billion position in the company. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is an American multinational automaker, with four core automobile brands including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), a notable value stock from Buffett’s Q3 portfolio, is also actively working on electric vehicles, gearing up to compete with the EV market leader, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA).
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), on October 27, announced its third quarter results, posting earnings per share of $1.52, beating estimates by $0.55. The revenue fell by 24.52% year-over-year, amounting to $26.78 billion, missing estimates by $1.10 billion.
On November 15, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives kept an Outperform rating and a price target of $85 on General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)’s shares. The analyst stated that the vertical integration capabilities of General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) and conversion of its massive customer base to electric vehicles over the coming years represents a transformational opportunity for the company looking ahead.
Harris Associates is one of the leading General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) stakeholders from Q3, holding a $1.82 billion stake in the company, out of a total of 77 funds that were bullish on the stock in the third quarter.
Here is what Miller Value Partners has to say about General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) in its Q3 2021 investor letter:
“Another name we’ve recently purchased and have grown incredibly excited about: General Motors (GM). GM is interesting on many levels. We see it as an attractive investment opportunity and it might be a microcosm of current markets, both past and prospective.
Tesla trounced GM over the last decade. Tesla rose 15,797% crushing GM’s 238% increase, which lagged the S&P 500’s 365%. Tesla came out of nowhere creating what many said was the best car ever made. A decade ago, no one saw that coming, including GM. GM’s historical strength led to arrogance. It completely dismissed the threat of any newcomer.
Where are we now? Expectations are entirely different. Tesla’s current price embeds 18 years of growth while GM embeds under one year (see a pattern in what we like?!). Tesla’s expectations look even loftier when you consider that in that 18th year, Tesla would be projected to earn $1.35 trillion revenues at very high, Ferrari-type margins. The largest automakers today generate roughly $250 billion revenues at less than half those margins.
Tesla’s priced to go where no man (or woman!) has gone before. It’s impossible for Tesla to meet these expectations with auto manufacturing alone. It requires something more. Bulls believe Tesla can dominate an autonomous driving future and make significant money on software subscriptions. We don’t have a view on this other than that Tesla needs to do so to be attractive at the current price.
Market expectations for GM, on the other hand, are muted. There appears to be no innovation or growth priced into the stock. Yet GM plans to launch 30 EV (electric vehicles) models globally by 2025 (Tesla has launched a total of 4). GM’s new electric vehicles, like the Hummer and Cadillac Lyric, are extremely impressive. It’s revamping its manufacturing production to be modular, allowing greater speed and adaptability. The entire culture has transformed from a stodgy, bureaucratic old manufacturer to a speedier, more innovative software-enabled automaker. GM currently employs 25,000 software engineers.
GM believes it can double revenues by 2030, and improve margins through software and services. GM currently earns $2 billion of high margin software and services revenue, which is more than Tesla. Cruise, GM’s majority owned autonomous company, recently detailed why it sees the potential for $50B in revenues within 6-8 years of its 2023 launch of the Origin vehicle. BrightDrop, its autonomous commercial vehicle unit, looks promising as well with the potential for $10 billion in revenues. We don’t think this optionality is reflected in the current price. Investors started to see the potential after GM’s recent analyst day. We can easily get values for GM more than double its current price of $58.
The contrast between GM and Tesla illustrates what we see more broadly in the market, which is why we see more opportunity in classic value names than in the secular growth names. After a decade of dominance, expectations for innovative and disruptive companies are quite high. Many classic value companies were caught flat-footed, but have invested heavily to catch up. Muted expectations don’t reflect their improved prospects.”
6. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK)
Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $3,751,012,000
Percentage of Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F Portfolio: 1.27%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46
P/E Ratio: 14.48
Warren Buffett owned 72.35 million shares in The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK), worth $3.75 billion by the end of the third quarter, accounting for 1.27% of the total investment portfolio at Berkshire Hathaway. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) is a financial services holding company, offering a range of services including corporate banking, investment banking, global wealth management, financial analysis, and private equity.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) announced on October 19 its Q3 earnings. EPS in the period totaled $1.04, exceeding estimates by $0.04. The $4.04 billion revenue jumped 4.89% year-over-year, outperforming estimates by $88.43 million.
Morgan Stanley analyst Betsy Graseck on December 6 downgraded The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) to Underweight from Equal Weight with a $59 price target, citing the stock’s valuation, low loan exposure, and negative operating leverage as reasons for the downgrade.
First Eagle Investment Management is one of the largest stakeholders of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) in Q3, with 16.1 million shares worth over $837 million. Overall, 46 hedge funds monitored by Insider Monkey were bullish on The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) in the third quarter, down from 52 funds in the preceding quarter.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) is a notable stock from Warren Buffett’s Q3 portfolio, just like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).
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Disclosure: None. 10 Best Value Stocks in Warren Buffett’s Portfolio is originally published on Insider Monkey.
