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The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
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Author: Munger_Disciple 🐝  😊 😞
Number: of 21938 
Subject: Re: Numbers
Date: 03/02/26 9:56 PM
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No. of Recommendations: 6
@LongTermBRK

Of course float has value, and everyone agrees with that. What I disagreed with is your estimate of value of the float. Float is a liability since it's money owed to policy holders. Thus it is thus almost always invested conservatively by Warren & Greg. If the underwriting is done at a break-even combined ratio of 100%, resulting earnings are kept by the shareholders. Currently T-bills produce 3.5% pre-tax return, no where near the 8% return you presume (I take it after-tax). Assuming float grows at 3%, tax-rate of 20%, and a 10% discount rate, float is worth 0.4X. This is my base case valuation float.

If on the other hand u/w is done (LT) at a 97% combined ratio, float is worth 0.74X. This is the optimistic scenario.

So in my mind, float is worth somewhere between 0.4-0.75X depending on one's assumptions.

Instead of backing up your assertions with facts, you seem to unfortunately resort to unproductive rhetoric.
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This community has written 21,448 posts about Berkshire Hathaway. The article-length ones it recommended most:
BRK: Why Not XOM? · 62 recs · 2024
Second quarter comments · 60 recs · 2023
Berkshire's Profit Contributors · 57 recs · 2023
Summary of 2Q 2026 · 54 recs · 2026
3Q Summary · 53 recs · 2024
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