With a massive net worth of $114 billion and a reputation as one of the greatest investors in history, Warren Buffett's words carry immense weight in the financial world. At the age of 92, Buffett's wealth of experience makes him a trusted source of advice for many. One particular piece of timeless wisdom he shared years ago resonates strongly today: Politics has no place in the realm of investing.
During a 2019 conversation with CNBC’s Becky Quick, Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., shared valuable insights regarding the relationship between investing and politics. Highlighting his own extensive investment experience spanning multiple presidencies, Buffett emphasized the importance of maintaining a nonpolitical approach when it comes to making investment decisions.
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With an impressive track record of successfully investing under various administrations, Buffett urged investors not to let political views unduly influence their investment strategies. Drawing from personal anecdotes, he mentioned that even during the 1930s, his father held concerns about the emergence of communism. All his life, he has heard half the country say if the other side wins, "things are going to go to hell."
This is an idea shared by many of today’s investing magnates. For example, Kevin O’Leary shared similar views following the recent controversies surrounding companies like Anheuser-Busch and Target Corp. This approach ultimately has shown remarkable success in the famous Shark’s portfolio. Along with several multi-million dollar exits, Kevin O’Leary’s recent stake in popular retail startup investing platform StartEngine has grown to a value of over $50 million. The company has also raised over $16 million from retail investors in its current equity crowdfunding raise.
When companies choose a side, it often alienates as much as 50%, or more, of their customer base and could cost these companies billions of dollars. This can result in missed opportunities for companies and a smaller potential customer base.
Buffett’s Success
Despite these apprehensions, Buffett has consistently navigated the investment landscape and achieved remarkable success, having invested under 14 out of the 15 presidents he has lived through. His investment prowess has remained consistent, with seven of those presidents being Democrats and the others being Republicans.
Buffett stressed the need for investors to resist the temptation of allowing personal political views to influence their investment strategies. While individuals often manage to keep religion separate from their investment decisions, Buffett acknowledged that politics tends to evoke stronger emotional responses that can cloud rational judgment. He firmly advocates for a nonpolitical stance, urging investors to base their decisions on objective analysis and sound investment principles.
Buffett's emphasis on maintaining a separation between personal beliefs and investment choices was further exemplified during Berkshire Hathaway's 2018 annual shareholder meeting.
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When questioned about doing business with gun owners, Buffett responded, "I don't think that Berkshire should say we're not going to do business with people who own guns. I think that would be ridiculous." He emphasized that he did not wish to impose his personal views on the operations of its various businesses.
To illustrate his point, Buffett presented a hypothetical scenario involving Geico, one of Berkshire Hathaway's subsidiaries. He highlighted the impracticality and unnecessary nature of including a question on the Geico policy form that would discriminate against National Rifle Association (NRA) members. The shareholders in attendance responded with resounding applause, appreciating Buffett's commitment to maintaining a separation between personal beliefs and corporate decisions.
Despite Buffett's personal involvement as a board member of Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization advocating for "common-sense reforms" to reduce gun violence, he made it clear that his participation and political contributions are as a private citizen and not on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway.
One shareholder sought clarification on whether Buffett misspoke when he had asserted that Berkshire Hathaway should not shy away from conducting business with gun owners, considering his involvement with gun safety.
Buffett stood by his previous remarks, reiterating his belief that he should not act as a "nanny" dictating the personal choices of the 370,000 employees and 1 million shareholders under the Berkshire Hathaway umbrella.
"When I do that, I'm speaking as a private citizen. I don't think I'm speaking for Berkshire," Buffett said. He further clarified that Berkshire Hattaway had never made a political contribution.
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