巴菲特致股东的信（1978年）④保险事业的投资

Insurance Investments

We confess considerable optimism regarding our insurance equity investments. Of course, our enthusiasm for stocks is not unconditional. Under some circumstances, common stock investments by insurers make very little sense.

保险事业的投资

我们必须承认对于保险事业的股票投资有点过于乐观，当然我们对于股票的偏爱并非毫无限制，在某些情况下，保险公司投资股票一点意义都没有。

We get excited enough to commit a big percentage of insurance company net worth to equities only when we find (1) businesses we can understand, (2) with favorable long-term prospects, (3) operated by honest and competent people, and (4) priced very attractively. We usually can identify a small number of potential investments meeting requirements (1), (2) and (3), but (4) often prevents action. For example, in 1971 our total common stock position at Berkshire’s insurance subsidiaries amounted to only $10.7 million at cost, and $11.7 million at market. There were equities of identifiably excellent companies available - but very few at interesting prices. (An irresistible footnote: in 1971, pension fund managers invested a record 122% of net funds available in equities - at full prices they couldn’t buy enough of them. In 1974, after the bottom had fallen out, they committed a then record low of 21% to stocks.)

只有当以下条件都符合时，我们才会想要将保险公司大部分的资金投入到股票投资之上：(1)我们可以了解的行业；(2)具有长期竞争力；(3)由才德兼具的人士所经营；(4)吸引人的价格，我们常常可以找到一些符合(1)(2)(3)项条件的投资标的，但第(4)项往往让我们止步，举例来说，1971年伯克希尔所有股票的投资成本累计为1,070万美元，市价则为1,170万美元，市场上确实有不少好股票，只是他们的价格通常也不便宜，(讲到这里，我不得不补充，1971年全体退休基金经理人将可运用资金的122%投资在高价股票之上，甚至还嫌不够，但到了1974年，当股市大幅回调时，他们投资在股票的比例却降到21%的历史新低点)。

The past few years have been a different story for us. At the end of 1975 our insurance subsidiaries held common equities with a market value exactly equal to cost of $39.3 million. At the end of 1978 this position had been increased to equities(including a convertible preferred) with a cost of $129.1 million and a market value of $216.5 million. During the intervening three years we also had realized pre-tax gains from common equities of approximately $24.7 million. Therefore, our overall unrealized and realized pre-tax gains in equities for the three year period came to approximately $112 million. During this same interval the Dow-Jones Industrial Average declined from 852 to 805. It was a marvelous period for the value-oriented equity buyer.

然而过去几年的情况完全相反，1975年底我们旗下保险事业持有的股票市值与3,930万美元的成本相当，到了1978年底股票部位(包含可转换特别股)的投资成本增加为1.291亿美元，市价则为2.165亿美元，在这中间的三年内，我们另外还实现了2,470万美元的资本利得，换句话说，这三年间，我们已实现与未实现的税前资本利得达到1.12亿美元，相较之下道琼斯指数在同一期间却由852点跌至805点，对于价值型投资人来说，这真是一段美好的岁月。

We continue to find for our insurance portfolios small portions of really outstanding businesses that are available, through the auction pricing mechanism of security markets, at prices dramatically cheaper than the valuations inferior businesses command on negotiated sales.

未来我们仍将持续为旗下的保险公司寻找真正优秀的事业，透过证券市场拍卖的价格机制，以比协议买进整家公司更便宜的价钱，取得一小部份的股权。

This program of acquisition of small fractions of businesses (common stocks) at bargain prices, for which little enthusiasm exists, contrasts sharply with general corporate acquisition activity, for which much enthusiasm exists. It seems quite clear to us that either corporations are making very significant mistakes in purchasing entire businesses at prices prevailing in negotiated transactions and takeover bids, or that we eventually are going to make considerable sums of money buying small portions of such businesses at the greatly discounted valuations prevailing in the stock market. (A second footnote: in 1978 pension managers, a group that logically should maintain the longest of investment perspectives, put only 9% of net available funds into equities - breaking the record low figure set in 1974 and tied in 1977.)

这种以划算的价格取得部份所有权(即股票)的计划，虽然不像透过谈判购并整家公司那么有趣，但我们相当清楚，以目前的市场情况，很多公司因为透过协议谈判的方式，犯了明显的错误，相较之下，我们以划算的价格买进不少公司的部份所有权，反而赚了不少钱，(第二次补充，1978年许多退休基金经理人，原本最应该采取长期投资做法的一群人，平均只将9%的资金摆在股票之上，创下比1974年更低的比例)。

We are not concerned with whether the market quickly revalues upward securities that we believe are selling at bargain prices. In fact, we prefer just the opposite since, in most years, we expect to have funds available to be a net buyer of securities. And consistent attractive purchasing is likely to prove to be of more eventual benefit to us than any selling opportunities provided by a short-term run up in stock prices to levels at which we are unwilling to continue buying.

我们并不在乎市场是否会立即反应这些股价被低估的股票，事实上，我们宁愿价格不要反应，因为通常我们不断会有资金流入以供我们进场投资，持续不断以便宜的价格买进最终将证明比趁短期股价上扬出脱持股所赚取的利益更多。

Our policy is to concentrate holdings. We try to avoid buying a little of this or that when we are only lukewarm about the business or its price. When we are convinced as to attractiveness, we believe in buying worthwhile amounts.

我们的投资策略是集中持股，我们试着尽量不要这也买一点，那也买一点，因为那样会使得我们对于被投资的产业漠不关心，当我们觉得价格合理，我们就会一口气大量地买进。

Equity holdings of our insurance companies with a market value of over $8 million on December 31, 1978 were as follows:

下表显示的是在1978年底我们旗下保险事业持有的市值超过8百万美元的证券投资：

In some cases our indirect interest in earning power is becoming quite substantial. For example, note our holdings of 953,750 shares of SAFECO Corp. SAFECO probably is the best run large property and casualty insurance company in the United States. Their underwriting abilities are simply superb, their loss reserving is conservative, and their investment policies make great sense.

在某些情况下，我们间接持股的获利能力变得相当的大，举例来说，像是我们持有的953,750股的SAFECO股票，该公司大概是目前全美最优秀的大型产物意外险公司，他们的核保能力无与伦比，他们的损失准备提列相当保守，而他们的投资策略也相当合理。

SAFECO is a much better insurance operation than our own(although we believe certain segments of ours are much better than average), is better than one we could develop and, similarly, is far better than any in which we might negotiate purchase of a controlling interest. Yet our purchase of SAFECO was made at substantially under book value. We paid less than 100 cents on the dollar for the best company in the business, when far more than 100 cents on the dollar is being paid for mediocre companies in corporate transactions. And there is no way to start a new operation - with necessarily uncertain prospects - at less than 100 cents on the dollar.

SAFECO的保险事业营运绩效远优于我们(虽然我们相信自己旗下部份公司的表现优于其平均)，比起我们自己可以发展的还要好，同时也远优于我们可以透过协议买下具有控制权的任何一家公司，然而我们仍然可以用远低于其帐面价值的价格买到这些股票，我们以折扣的方式买进这家最优良公司的部份股权，相较之下，你可能必须以溢价的方式才能买到一整家表现平庸的公司，更何况先不考量不确定性，没有人可以用打折的方式自行成立一家新事业。

Of course, with a minor interest we do not have the right to direct or even influence management policies of SAFECO. But why should we wish to do this? The record would indicate that they do a better job of managing their operations than we could do ourselves. While there may be less excitement and prestige in sitting back and letting others do the work, we think that is all one loses by accepting a passive participation in excellent management. Because, quite clearly, if one controlled a company run as well as SAFECO, the proper policy also would be to sit back and let management do its job.

当然仅有少数的股权，代表我们无权去指挥或影响SAFECO公司的经营决策，但我们为什么要那样做？过去的记录显示他们营运管理的绩效甚至比我们自己经营还要好，虽然闲坐一旁看别人表现，难免有点无趣且有伤自尊，但我们认为这本来就是被动参与某些优秀的经营阶层所必须牺牲的，因为就算有人有幸得以取得SAFECO的控制权，最好的方式还是坐在一旁让现有管理阶层自由发挥。

Earnings attributable to the shares of SAFECO owned by Berkshire at yearend amounted to $6.1 million during 1978, but only the dividends received (about 18% of earnings) are reflected in our operating earnings. We believe the balance, although not reportable, to be just as real in terms of eventual benefit to us as the amount distributed. In fact, SAFECO’s retained earnings
(or those of other well-run companies if they have opportunities to employ additional capital advantageously) may well eventually have a value to shareholders greater than 100 cents on the dollar.

1978年伯克希尔持有的SAFECO公司股份可分配到的盈余约为610万美元，但最后反应在我们盈余帐上的却只有实际收到的股利收入（约占总盈余的18%），我们相信剩下的部份，虽然报表上看不到，其意义与我们实际收到的那一部份盈余同等重要，事实上，保留在SAFECO公司帐上的盈余（或是其它可以好好运用额外资金的那些好公司）将来一定可以为股东创造出更多的价值。

We are not at all unhappy when our wholly-owned businesses retain all of their earnings if they can utilize internally those funds at attractive rates. Why should we feel differently about retention of earnings by companies in which we hold small equity interests, but where the record indicates even better prospects for profitable employment of capital? (This proposition cuts the other way, of course, in industries with low capital requirements, or if management has a record of plowing capital into projects of low profitability; then earnings should be paid out or used to repurchase shares - often by far the most attractive option for capital utilization.)

我们并不反对旗下百分之百持有的子公司将所赚取的盈余继续保留在帐上，如果他们可以再利用这些资金创造更好的投资报酬，同样地，对于其它持有少数股权的被投资公司，如果他们可以好好地运用这些资金，创造更好的报酬，我们何乐而不为，（这样的前提，也意味着如果某些产业并不需要投入太多的资金或是管理阶层过去有将资金浪掷在低投资报酬率的记录的话，那么盈余就应该分还给股东或是拿来买回库藏股，这是现有资金运用最好的选择）。

The aggregate level of such retained earnings attributable to our equity interests in fine companies is becoming quite substantial. It does not enter into our reported operating earnings, but we feel it well may have equal long-term significance to our shareholders. Our hope is that conditions continue to prevail in securities markets which allow our insurance companies to buy large amounts of underlying earning power for relatively modest outlays. At some point market conditions undoubtedly will again preclude such bargain buying but, in the meantime, we will try to make the most of opportunities.

这些股权投资累积下来未分配的盈余越来越可观，虽然他们并未反应在我们的报表之上，但我们认为他们对于我们股东长远利益的贡献相当重要，我们期望股票市场能够继续维持现状，好让我们为旗下保险公司大量买进更多价廉物美的股票，虽然某些时候市场情况不一定会允许我们这样做，但我们还是会继续试着努力去寻找更多的机会。

Insurance Investments We confess considerable optimism regarding our insurance equity investments. Of course, our enthusiasm for stocks is not unconditional. Under some circumstances, common stock investments by insurers make very little sense.

We continue to find for our insurance portfolios small portions of really outstanding businesses that are available, through the auction pricing mechanism of security markets, at prices dramatically cheaper than the valuations inferior businesses command on negotiated sales.

Our policy is to concentrate holdings. We try to avoid buying a little of this or that when we are only lukewarm about the business or its price. When we are convinced as to attractiveness, we believe in buying worthwhile amounts.

Equity holdings of our insurance companies with a market value of over $8 million on December 31, 1978 were as follows:

Insurance Investments

We confess considerable optimism regarding our insurance equity investments. Of course, our enthusiasm for stocks is not unconditional. Under some circumstances, common stock investments by insurers make very little sense.