WARREN BUFFETT’S POOR RISK ADJUSTED RETURNS
by ilene - October 14th, 2010 2:52 pm
WARREN BUFFETT’S POOR RISK ADJUSTED RETURNS
Courtesy of The Pragmatic Capitalist
Here’s something I’d never seen done before – an analysis of Warren Buffett’s risk adjusted returns. Insider Monkey has run an interesting analysis on the Buffett portfolio calculating his alpha since 1977. The conclusion – as Buffett has aged and grown in size his returns have become substantially worse on a risk adjusted basis:
“Warren Buffett had a phenomenal annual alpha of 19% between 1956 and 1968. Our current analysis shows that his alpha was more than 30% between 1977 and 1981. During the 80′s and 90′s, his annual alpha declined but was still better than 12%. For the ten years leading to mid-2003, his annual alpha stayed around 12% per year. Since then, it started a steep decline; by the end of 2004 it was (still a respectable) 6% per year. Between 2005 and 2008 Buffett’s alpha averaged only 3% per year. Finally, in the ten years ending in 2009, it went virtually to zero. (For regression results and Buffett’s style drift, visit Insider Monkey)”
Is Warren Buffett another casualty of the tough investment environment? Looks like we can chalk this up under the “many myths of Warren Buffett” file.
Lack Of Stock Dispersion Hits All Time Record
by ilene - August 11th, 2010 12:34 pm
Lack Of Stock Dispersion Hits All Time Record As Most Stocks Now Trade As One
Courtesy of Tyler Durden
Fundamental analysis is no longer relevant as Alpha has just done one more revolution in its grave: today 1 Year Implied Correlation hit a new all time record, at 79.84 (out of 100 maximum possible), meaning the inverse of the metric, stock dispersion, or the measurement of the variation in individual stock prices, or broadly speaking alpha, is now completely irrelevant. As we have been saying for a year, "investing" is now all about a levered beta bet, using the maximum possible leverage, and sacrifices to Moloch, that the market does not turn before price targets are hit. At this rate we anticipate the next broad or acute selloff will take us to 100 in implied correlation, at which point there will be no benefit whatsoever to trading individual stocks: the entire market will be one big ETF.
As a clarification: the data comes from the CBOE S&P 500 Implied Correlation Index is a widely disseminated, market-based estimate of the average correlation of the stocks that comprise the S&P 500 Index. Using SPX options prices, together with the prices of options on the 50 largest stocks in the SPX. Tied to January 2011 Option Maturities.
h/t Credit Trader