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>My understanding is that this is where Buffett falls short. Or - probably a better way of putting it - this is where "value to the economy" takes on a differen

>My understanding is that this is where Buffett falls short. Or - probably a better way of putting it - this is where "value to the economy" takes on a different meaning to "for the good of society". I guess it's pretty debatable. Insurance companies for example don't inherently do something and certainly have lots of controversy. So you could easily argue they arent good for society. But at the same time, they do exist and do very well and lots of people make use. >The main reason investers like Buffett look for monopolies is that they don't have to innovate or improve efficiency. If anything, the general tendency is for prices to go up while quality goes down. This is all done in the name of "good business". The result is that consumers lose out. https://www.cnbc.com/berkshire-hathaway-portfolio/ https://www.cnbc.com/berkshire-hathaway-portfolio/ Looking at the top 11, where he holds 10% stake or more. None of these are monopolistic. Looking at % of profile. He's obviously a huge apple fan, 40% of his portfolio, but apple isn't monopolistic. They have maybe 25% market share in any of their fields. They are very low amounts of vertical since they outsource manufacturing.

n4r9 3y ago
> Insurance companies for example don't inherently do something They pay out in case of loss... > None of these are monopolistic I researched the top few. Except for liberty media - which looks like a portfolio - they have all engaged in consolidating or anti-competitive behaviours. Perhaps not actual monopolies in the strictest sense, but I never claimed that he actually owned monopolies, and imo the only thing stopping them being actual monopolies is regulation. - DaVita: "DaVita has a history of attempting to buy up competing dialysis clinics in an industry that is already highly concentrated, in large part due to the acquisition activity of DaVita and other large dialysis clinic chains" https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-imposes-strict-limits-davita-incs-future-mergers-following-proposed-acquisition-utah-dialysis - Occidental: "Nearly 50 Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress have urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch a comprehensive investigation into recent mergers and acquisitions by major energy corporations. The call for action comes on the heels of a significant uptick in consolidation within the sector, with oil and gas companies embarking on a $250 billion buying spree in 2023 alone. Leading players such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp, and Occidental Petroleum executed acquisitions totaling $135 billion during the year, leveraging high stock prices to secure access to lower-cost reserves." https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/democrats-call-for-ftc-probe-into-oil-and-gas-mergers-amid-monopoly-concerns/ - Kraft Heinz: "The merger between Kraft Foods and H.G. Heinz further consolidates the global food production into the hands of about a half dozen companies. These six multinational powerhouse corporations can exert enormous power over the retail grocery channel, and by extension control the dynamics of a necessary area for all people: the access to food. These corporations represent an emerging monopoly in an area where competition is needed, arguably, more than just about any other industry in the world." https://www.upi.com/Top_News/Opinion/2015/03/26/The-Kraft-Heinz-merger-the-monopoly-on-food/4591427324041/ I stopped there because we appear to be talking past each other.

n4r9 3y ago

> Insurance companies for example don't inherently do something They pay out in case of loss... > None of these are monopolistic I researched the top few. Except for liberty media - which looks like a portfolio - they have all engaged in consolidating or anti-competitive behaviours. Perhaps not actual monopolies in the strictest sense, but I never claimed that he actually owned monopolies, and imo the only thing stopping them being actual monopolies is regulation. - DaVita: "DaVita has a history of attempting to buy up competing dialysis clinics in an industry that is already highly concentrated, in large part due to the acquisition activity of DaVita and other large dialysis clinic chains" https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-imposes-strict-limits-davita-incs-future-mergers-following-proposed-acquisition-utah-dialysis - Occidental: "Nearly 50 Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress have urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch a comprehensive investigation into recent mergers and acquisitions by major energy corporations. The call for action comes on the heels of a significant uptick in consolidation within the sector, with oil and gas companies embarking on a $250 billion buying spree in 2023 alone. Leading players such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp, and Occidental Petroleum executed acquisitions totaling $135 billion during the year, leveraging high stock prices to secure access to lower-cost reserves." https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/democrats-call-for-ftc-probe-into-oil-and-gas-mergers-amid-monopoly-concerns/ - Kraft Heinz: "The merger between Kraft Foods and H.G. Heinz further consolidates the global food production into the hands of about a half dozen companies. These six multinational powerhouse corporations can exert enormous power over the retail grocery channel, and by extension control the dynamics of a necessary area for all people: the access to food. These corporations represent an emerging monopoly in an area where competition is needed, arguably, more than just about any other industry in the world." https://www.upi.com/Top_News/Opinion/2015/03/26/The-Kraft-Heinz-merger-the-monopoly-on-food/4591427324041/ I stopped there because we appear to be talking past each other.