Warren Buffett's rules to live by

The "Oracle of Omaha" became one of the world's richest people by following some basic principles.

Rules That Warren Buffett Lives By: Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest stock investor. He's also a bit of a philosopher. He pares down his investment ideas into simple, memorable sound bites. Do you know what his homespun sayings really mean? Does his philosophy hold up in today's difficult environment? Find out below. "Rule No. 1: Never Lose Money. Rule No. 2: Never Forget Rule No. 1." Buffett personally lost about $23 billion in the financial crisis of 2008, and his company, Berkshire Hathaway, lost its revered AAA ratings. So how can he tell us to never lose money? He's referring to the mindset of a sensible investor. Don't be frivolous. Don't gamble. Don't go into an investment with a cavalier attitude that it's OK to lose. Be informed. Do your homework. Buffett invests only in companies he thoroughly researches and understands. He doesn't go into an investment prepared to lose, and neither should you. Buffett believes the most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. A successful investor doesn't focus on being with or against the crowd. The stock market will swing up and down. But in good times and bad, Buffett stays focused on his goals. So should we. (This esteemed investor rarely changes his long-term investing strategy no matter what the market does. "If The Business Does Well, the Stock Eventually Follows" The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham convinced Buffett that investing in a stock equates to owning a piece of the business. So when he searches for a stock to invest in, Buffett seeks out businesses that exhibit favorable long-term prospects. Does the company have a consistent operating history? Does it have a dominant business franchise? Is the business generating high and sustainable profit margins? If the company's share price is trading below expectations for its future growth, then it's a stock Buffett may want to own. Buffett never buys anything unless he can write down his reasons why he'll pay a specific price per share for a particular company. Do you do the same? "It's Far Better to Buy a Wonderful Company at a Fair Price Than a Fair Company at a Wonderful Price" Buffett is a value investor who likes to buy quality stocks at rock-bottom prices. His real goal is to build more and more operating power for Berkshire Hathaway by owning stocks that will generate solid profits and capital appreciation for years to come. When the markets reeled during the recent financial crisis, Buffett was stockpiling great long-term investments by investing billions in names like General Electric and Goldman Sachs. To pick stocks well, investors must set down criteria for uncovering good businesses, and stick to their discipline. You might, for example, seek companies that offer a durable product or service and also have solid operating earnings and the germ for future profits. You might establish a minimum market capitalization you're willing to accept, and a maximum P/E ratio or debt level. Finding the right company at the right price -- with a margin for safety against unknown market risk -- is the ultimate goal. Remember, the price you pay for a stock isn't the same as the value you get. Successful investors know the difference. "Our Favorite Holding Period Is Forever" How long should you hold a stock? Buffett says if you don't feel comfortable owning a stock for 10 years, you shouldn't own it for 10 minutes. Even during the period he called the "Financial Pearl Harbor," Buffett loyally held on to the bulk of his portfolio. Unless a company has suffered a sea change in prospects, such as impossible labor problems or product obsolescence, a long holding period will keep an investor from acting too human. That is, being too fearful or too greedy can cause investors to sell stocks at the bottom or buy at the peak -- and destroy portfolio appreciation for the long run. You may think the recent financial meltdown changed things, but don't be fooled: those unfussy sayings from the Oracle of Omaha still RULE!

The Buffett Philosophy: Warren Buffett is a proponent of value investing, which looks to find stocks that are undervalued compared to their intrinsic value. Financial metrics like price/book (P/B), price/earnings (P/E), return on equity (ROE) and dividend yield carry the most weight on the Buffett scales. In addition, he seeks out companies that have what he calls "economic moats" - high barriers to entry for a competitor who may wish to invade the market and erode profit margins.

Baby Buffett Portfolio: His 6 Best Long-Term Picks:
1. Nike, Inc.: The Nike (NYSE:NKE) name is synonymous with high-performance shoes, but the company has expanded far beyond just footwear and is now a leader in apparel, sporting goods, and just about anything else for the athletically inclined. Nike is No.1 in just about every market it participates in, leading to high profit margins. Nike also has a strong balance sheet, with nearly $4 billion in cash and barely any debt to speak of. This company is also making big inroads in China and other developing economies, and has one of the strongest and most recognizable brands in the world.
2. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.: Buffett really believes in this company - so much so that put $34 billion on it on November 3. This freight railroad operator either owns or leases nearly 50,000 route miles of track in the United States and Canada. Burlington Northern (NYSE:BNI) transports nearly everything that makes an economy go, from consumer goods and autos to lumber, petroleum and coal. Railroad operators like BNI are considered "early cycle" beneficiaries of a strengthening economy; when activity picks up after a recession, transport companies tend to be among the first to see higher orders, sales and earnings growth. Burlington Northern also sports a below-market average P/E and a handy 2% dividend yield.
3. ConocoPhillips: ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is an integrated energy company participates in all parts of the oil and gas industry, doing everything from drilling to refining to end sales of refined products like gasoline, natural gas and petrochemicals for industrial use. Company shares were more than halved in the past 18 months, as the global recession punished energy prices, and refining margins fell to their lowest levels in over a decade. But a rebound in crude oil and some prudent decisions by management to scale back spending have helped to put a floor under the stock, which trades for barely 12 times earnings while paying a nearly 4% dividend yield.
4. Costco: This operator of discount warehouses has been the definition of "slow and steady" for decades. Operating under a strict philosophy of capping profit margins so that customers get lower prices whenever Costco (Nasdaq:COST) does, the company has built a loyal following that borders on religious. Members pay an annual fee to Costco for the right to shop at the stores, and most Costco cardholders will tell you that they can save more money than the membership cost in a single visit. Those membership fees, meanwhile, drop like a rock to Costco's bottom line as net income. Costco sells mostly grocery items, produce and consumer goods, but you can find just about anything in a Costco warehouse, including clothes, electronics, seasonal goods, jewelry and home improvement items.
5. The Coca-Cola Company: Buffett has owned the eponymous soft drink maker for decades, and it has been one of his most successful holdings. Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) continues to grow around the world, following a unique strategy of selling mainly syrup and concentrate to bottlers and restaurants, which then formulate the finished products that you see in grocery stores and restaurants. While the U.S. market is somewhat saturated, the leading brand and high profit margins make Coca-Cola a cash cow - a source of dependable earnings, year in and year out. In addition, the company generates the lion's share of sales overseas, and sports strong product growth rates in emerging markets like India, where sales grew more than 25% in the past year. Adding to the value proposition for this stock is a 3% dividend yield.
6. Procter & Gamble: It's a safe parlor bet to say there's at least one Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) product in every home in America. The company is a consumer products Goliath, with brands like Tide, Bounty, Pampers, Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Olay, Crest, Oral-B, Down, Downy and Duracell (whew!). P&G's long-term strategy is to only compete in markets where it has a No.1 or No.2 market share, and pare off products when it can't obtain that leadership position. Having a top market share allows PG to easily raise product prices when the cost to produce items rises. PG also has a 3% dividend yield and a low P/E multiple of 13 times earnings - below the stock market average.

The Bottom Line: There's no shame in being a coattail investor, especially when that coat belongs to Warren Buffett. While all stock investing comes with some risk, a basket of these six stocks is a diversified way to participate in an economy that is by all accounts growing after the worst recession in decades. These market leaders have high barriers to competition, are fairly priced and, regardless of what short-term stock prices say, should deliver long-term value to shareholders. As Buffett himself said, in the short term the market is a voting machine, in the long term, it is a weighing machine. Buffett has an uncanny ability to pick the stocks with the greatest potential for growth, ensuring that the profit scale will always tip in his favor.

Think Like Warren Buffett: Back in 1999, Robert G. Hagstrom wrote a book about the legendary investor Warren Buffett, entitled "The Warren Buffett Portfolio". What's so great about the book, and what makes it different from the countless other books and articles written about the "Oracle of Omaha" is that it offers the reader valuable insight into how Buffett actually thinks about investments. In other words, the book delves into the psychological mindset that has made Buffett so fabulously wealthy. (For more on Warren Buffett and his current holdings, check out Coattail Investor.) Although investors could benefit from reading the entire book, we've selected a bite-sized sampling of the tips and suggestions regarding the investor mindset and ways that an investor can improve their stock selection that will help you get inside Buffett's head.

1. Think of Stocks as a Business: Many investors think of stocks and the stock market in general as nothing more than little pieces of paper being traded back and forth among investors, which might help prevent investors from becoming too emotional over a given position but it doesn't necessarily allow them to make the best possible investment decisions. That's why Buffett has stated he believes stockholders should think of themselves as "part owners" of the business in which they are investing. By thinking that way, both Hagstrom and Buffett argue that investors will tend to avoid making off-the-cuff investment decisions, and become more focused on the longer term. Furthermore, longer-term "owners" also tend to analyze situations in greater detail and then put a great eal of thought into buy and sell decisions. Hagstrom says this increased thought and analysis tends to lead to improved investment returns. (To read more about Buffett's ideologies, check out Warren Buffett: How He Does It and What Is Warren Buffett's Investing Style?)
2. Increase the Size of Your Investment: While it rarely - if ever - makes sense for investors to "put all of their eggs in one basket," putting all your eggs in too many baskets may not be a good thing either. Buffett contends that over-diversification can hamper returns as much as a lack of diversification. That's why he doesn't invest in mutual funds. It's also why he prefers to make significant investments in just a handful of companies. (To learn more about diversification, read Introduction To Diversification, The Importance Of Diversification and The Dangers Of Over-Diversification.) Buffett is a firm believer that an investor must first do his or her homework before investing in any security. But after that due diligence process is completed, an investor should feel comfortable enough to dedicate a sizable portion of assets to that stock. They should also feel comfortable in winnowing down their overall investment portfolio to a handful of good companies with excellent growth prospects. Buffett's stance on taking time to properly allocate your funds is furthered with his comment that it's not just about the best company, but how you feel about the company. If the best business you own presents the least financial risk and has the most favorable long-term prospects, why would you put money into your 20th favorite business rather than add money to the top choices?
3. Reduce Portfolio Turnover: Rapidly trading in and out of stocks can potentially make an individual a lot of money, but according to Buffett this trader is actually hampering his or her investment returns. That's because portfolio turnover increases the amount of taxes that must be paid on capital gains and boosts the total amount of commission dollars that must be paid in a given year. The "Oracle" contends that what makes sense in business also makes sense in stocks: An investor should ordinarily hold a small piece of an outstanding business with the same tenacity that an owner would exhibit if he owned all of that business. Investors must think long term. By having that mindset, they can avoid paying huge commission fees and lofty short-term capital gains taxes. They'll also be more apt to ride out any short-term fluctuations in the business, and to ultimately reap the rewards of increased earnings and/or dividends over time.
4. Develop Alternative Benchmarks: While stock prices may be the ultimate barometer of the success or failure of a given investment choice, Buffett does not focus on this metric. Instead, he analyzes and pores over the underlying economics of a given business or group of businesses. If a company is doing what it takes to grow itself on a profitable basis, then the share price will ultimately take care of itself. Successful investors must look at the companies they own and study their true earnings potential. If the fundamentals are solid and the company is enhancing shareholder value by generating consistent bottom-line growth, the share price, in the long term, should reflect that. (To learn how to judge fundamentals on your own, see What Are Fundamentals?)
5. Learn to Think in Probabilities: Bridge is a card game in which the most successful players are able to judge mathematical probabilities to beat their opponents. Perhaps not surprisingly, Buffett loves and actively plays the game, and he takes the strategies beyond the game into the investing world. Buffett suggests that investors focus on the economics of the companies they own (in other words the underlying businesses), and then try to weigh the probability that certain events will or will not transpire, much like a Bridge player checking the probabilities of his opponents' hands. He adds that by focusing on the economic aspect of the equation and not the stock price, an investor will be more accurate in his or her ability to judge probability. Thinking in probabilities has its advantages. For example, an investor that ponders the probability that a company will report a certain rate of earnings growth over a period of five or 10 years is much more apt to ride out short-term fluctuations in the share price. By extension, this means that his investment returns are likely to be superior and that he will also realize fewer transaction and/or capital gains costs.
6. Recognize the Psychological Aspects of Investing: Very simply, this means that individuals must understand that there is a psychological mindset that the successful investor tends to have. More specifically, the successful investor will focus on probabilities and economic issues and let decisions be ruled by rational, as opposed to emotional, thinking. More than anything, investors' own emotions can be their worst enemy. Buffett contends that the key to overcoming emotions is being able to "retain your belief in the real fundamentals of the business and to not get too concerned about the stock market." Investors should realize that there is a certain psychological mindset that they should have if they want to be successful and try to implement that mindset. (To learn more about investor behaviors, read Understanding Investor Behavior, When Fear And Greed Take Over and Master Your Trading Mindtraps.)
7. Ignore Market Forecasts: There is an old saying that the Dow "climbs a wall of worry". In other words, in spite of the negativity in the marketplace, and those who perpetually contend that a recession is "just around the corner", the markets have fared quite well over time. Therefore, doomsayers should be ignored. On the other side of the coin, there are just as many eternal optimists who argue that the stock market is headed perpetually higher. These should be ignored as well. In all this confusion, Buffett suggests that investors should focus their efforts of isolating and investing in shares that are not currently being accurately valued by the market. The logic here is that as the stock market begins to realize the company's intrinsic value (through higher prices and greater demand), the investor will stand to make a lot of money.
8. Wait for the Fat Pitch: Hagstrom's book uses the model of legendary baseball player Ted Williams as an example of a wise investor. Williams would wait for a specific pitch (in an area of the plate where he knew he had a high probability of making contact with the ball) before swinging. It is said that this discipline enabled Williams to have a higher lifetime batting average than the average player. Buffett, in the same way, suggests that all investors act as if they owned a lifetime decision card with only 20 investment choice punches in it. The logic is that this should prevent them from making mediocre investment choices and hopefully, by extension, enhance the overall returns of their respective portfolios.

Bottom Line: "The Warren Buffett Portfolio" is a timeless book that offers valuable insight into the psychological mindset of the legendary investor Warren Buffett. Of course, if learning how to invest like Warren Buffett were as easy as reading a book, everyone would be rich! But if you take that time and effort to implement some of Buffett's proven strategies, you could be on your way to better stock selection and greater returns.

Warren Buffett's Worst Mistakes: Warren Buffett is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors of all time. Yet, as Buffett is willing to admit, even the best investors make mistakes. Buffett's legendary annual letters to his Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) shareholders tell the tales of his biggest investing mistakes. There is much to be learned from Buffett's decades of investing experience, so I have selected three of Buffett's biggest mistakes to analyze.

1. Mistake: Buying at the wrong price: In 2008, Buffett bought a large stake in the stock of Conoco Phillips (COP) as a play on future energy prices. I think many might agree that an increase in oil prices is likely over the long term and that Conoco Phillips will likely benefit. However, this turned out to be a bad investment, because Buffett bought in at too high of a price, resulting in a multibillion-dollar loss to Berkshire. The difference between a great company and a great investment is the price at which you buy stock, and this time around Buffett was "dead wrong." Since crude oil prices were well over $100 a barrel at the time, oil company stocks were way up.
Lesson Learned: It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of big rallies and buy in at a prices that you should not have -- in retrospect. Investors who control their emotions can perform a more objective analysis. A more detached investor might have recognized that the price of crude oil has always exhibited tremendous volatility and that oil companies have long been subject to boom and bust cycles. Buffett says: "When investing, pessimism is your friend, euphoria the enemy."

2. Mistake: Confusing revenue growth with a successful business: Buffett bought preferred stock in U.S. Air (LCC) in 1989 -- no doubt attracted by the high revenue growth it had achieved up until that point. The investment quickly turned sour on Buffett, as U.S. Air did not achieve enough revenues to pay the dividends due on his stock. With luck on his side, Buffett was later able to unload his shares at a profit. Despite this good fortune, Buffett realizes that this investment return was guided by lady luck and the burst of optimism for the industry.
Lesson Learned: As Buffett points out in his 2007 letter to Berkshire shareholders, sometimes businesses look good in terms of revenue growth but require large capital investments all along the way to enable this growth. This is the case with airlines, which generally require additional aircraft to significantly expand revenues. The trouble with these capital-intensive business models is that by the time they achieve a large base of earnings, they are heavily laden with debt. This can leave little left for shareholders and makes the company highly vulnerable to bankruptcy if business declines.
Buffett says: "Investors have poured money into a bottomless pit, attracted by growth when they should have been repelled by it."

3. Mistake: Investing in a company without a sustainable competitive advantage: In 1993, Buffett bought a shoe company called Dexter Shoes. Buffett's investment in Dexter Shoes turned into a disaster because he saw a durable competitive advantage in Dexter that quickly disappeared. According to Buffett, "What I had assessed as durable competitive advantage vanished within a few years." Buffett claims that this investment was the worst he has ever made, resulting in a loss to shareholders of $3.5 billion. Lesson Learned: Companies can only earn high profits when they have some sort of a sustainable competitive advantage over other firms in their business area. Wal-Mart (WMT) has incredibly low prices. Honda (HMC) has high-quality vehicles. As long as these companies can deliver on these things better than anyone else, they can maintain high profit margins. If not, the high profits attract many competitors that will slowly eat away at the business and take all the profits for themselves. Buffett says: "A truly great business must have an enduring "moat" that protects excellent returns on invested capital."
The Bottom Line: While making mistakes with money is always painful, paying a few "school fees" now and then doesn't have to be a total loss. If you analyze your mistakes and learn from them, you might very well make the money back next time. All investors, even Warren Buffett, must acknowledge that mistakes will be made along the way.