How the mistakes hung on the wall of our research department help us to improve investment returns.
Transcript
The “Mistake Wall”
Well over a long period of time we've generated good investment results but that doesn't mean we don't make mistakes. And one of the central tenets of our culture is to learn from our mistakes. And the reason is we're in a profession that's very different than football. We should be getting better with age. We have the opportunity to gain experience, and from experience comes better judgment, from judgment comes investment wisdom. So we try to learn from the mistakes.
And the way we do it is we frame the stock certificates of our biggest investment mistakes and we put a plaque on the bottom and that plaque has the transferrable lesson learned. Because the value of mistakes lies in the lessons you learn from them.
Now some of these mistakes are companies we bought where the value of the business ended up being lower than we thought. That's a classic investment mistake. But some of them were also companies that we should have bought but we never did. So we call these mistakes of omission. We want to learn from those, too.
We also want to study companies that we may have sold that we should have held. Often investors, if they look at their own portfolios, they'll realize sometimes their sells were some of their biggest mistakes. So we have this culture of trying to learn these lessons so that we can improve the process over time.
And one of the most satisfying things about doing this is often years later we'll look back at a particular mistake and we'll realize that we've actually earned a return on that mistake. Although we may have lost money with that investment, the lesson we learned led to improved results and then a better outcome in the long term.
Related Videos
$2 Billion Invested Alongside Shareholders
Our exceptional co-investment ensures that we focus on generating attractive returns, managing risk and minimizing expenses.
Wisdom from Buffett, Munger & Graham
The profound influence these investment icons have had on our firm and philosophy.
Share this Video
This material is authorized for use by existing shareholders. A current Davis Funds prospectus must accompany or precede this material if it is distributed to prospective shareholders. You should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. Read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.
Davis Advisors is committed to communicating with our investment partners as candidly as possible because we believe our investors benefit from understanding our investment philosophy and approach. Our views and opinions include “forward-looking statements” which may or may not be accurate over the long term. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words like “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” or similar expressions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are current as of the date of this report. We disclaim any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. While we believe we have a reasonable basis for our appraisals and we have confidence in our opinions, actual results may differ materially from those we anticipate.
Davis Advisors investment professionals make candid statements and observations regarding economic conditions and current and historical market conditions. However, there is no guarantee that these statements, opinions or forecasts will prove to be correct. All investments involve some degree of risk, and there can be no assurance that Davis Advisors’ investment strategies will be successful. The value of equity investments will vary so that, when sold, an investment could be worth more or less than its original cost.
Broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries may charge Davis Advisors substantial fees for selling its products and providing continuing support to clients and shareholders. For example, broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries may charge: sales commissions; distribution and service fees; and record-keeping fees. In addition, payments or reimbursements may be requested for: marketing support concerning Davis Advisors’ products; placement on a list of offered products; access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives; and participation in conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events, and other dealer-sponsored events. Financial advisors should not consider Davis Advisors’ payment(s) to a financial intermediary as a basis for recommending Davis Advisors.
Shares of the Davis Funds are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not guaranteed by any bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency, and involve investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.
Davis Distributors, LLC, 2949 East Elvira Road, Suite 101, Tucson, AZ 85756, 800-279-0279, davisfunds.com