Personal Finance News

When folks think of the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) portfolio and its collection of holdings, most of which were selected by Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett, the companies that most readily come to mind are probably American Express (AXP), Coca-Cola (KO) and, more recently, Apple (AAPL).

But a deep dive into Berkshire Hathaway's equity holdings reveals a more complicated picture.

Berkshire Hathaway held positions in 47 separate stocks as of June 30, according to the most recent regulatory filing (Aug. 14) with the Securities and Exchange Commission - down from 48 in the first quarter of this year, as he dumped USG Corp. (USG). But the portfolio of "Buffett stocks" isn't as diversified as the number might suggest. In some cases, BRK.B holds more than one share class in the same company. Some holdings are so small as to be immaterial leftovers from earlier bets the Oracle of Omaha has yet to completely exit.

And perhaps most importantly, Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio is actually pretty concentrated. The top six holdings account for almost 70% of the portfolio's total value. The top 10 positions comprise 80%. Banks and airlines, to cite a couple of sectors, carry quite a load in this portfolio. Then there's the fact that several Buffett stocks actually were picked by portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler.

Here, we examine each and every holding to give investors a better understanding of the entire Berkshire Hathaway portfolio.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T052-S001-berkshire-hathaway-portfolio-buffett-stocks-ranked/index.html

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B, $198.31) Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett hasn't found much to his liking in 2019.

The Oracle of Omaha bought and sold left and right at the end of 2018. He used the fourth quarter's near-bear market to snap up bargains and exit a few underperforming investments, amassing a total of 17 common-stock trades. But thanks to significantly higher prices across 2019, Buffett has dialed things down, making 10 such moves in Q1 and just six in the three months ended June 30.

Nonetheless, we can gleam a few things from what Buffett is doing, so today we will take a look at the most recent changes to Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's own rules require Buffett to open up about these moves. All investment managers with more than $100 million in assets must file a Form 13F every quarter to disclose every change in stock ownership. That's an important level of transparency for anyone well-funded enough to significantly impact a stock with their investment. And in this case, it helps people who appreciate Buffett's insights track what he's doing - some investors view a Berkshire buy as an important seal of approval. (Just remember: A few of Berkshire's holdings are influenced or even outright decided by lieutenants Ted Weschler and Todd Combs.)

Here's what Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway was buying and selling during the second quarter of 2019, based on the most recent 13F that was filed on Aug. 14. The list includes six changes to the equity portfolio, and a notable seventh investment.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T052-S001-7-stocks-warren-buffett-is-buying-or-selling/index.html

When folks think of the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) portfolio and its collection of holdings, most of which were selected by Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett, the companies that most readily come to mind are probably American Express (AXP), Coca-Cola (KO) and, more recently, Apple (AAPL).

But a deep dive into Berkshire Hathaway's equity holdings reveals a more complicated picture.

Berkshire Hathaway held positions in 47 separate stocks as of June 30, according to the most recent regulatory filing (Aug. 14) with the Securities and Exchange Commission - down from 48 in the first quarter of this year, as he dumped USG Corp. (USG). But the portfolio of "Buffett stocks" isn't as diversified as the number might suggest. In some cases, BRK.B holds more than one share class in the same company. Some holdings are so small as to be immaterial leftovers from earlier bets the Oracle of Omaha has yet to completely exit.

And perhaps most importantly, Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio is actually pretty concentrated. The top six holdings account for almost 70% of the portfolio's total value. The top 10 positions comprise 80%. Banks and airlines, to cite a couple of sectors, carry quite a load in this portfolio. Then there's the fact that several Buffett stocks actually were picked by portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler.

Here, we examine each and every holding to give investors a better understanding of the entire Berkshire Hathaway portfolio.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T052-S001-berkshire-hathaway-portfolio-buffett-stocks-ranked/index.html

A warehouse club stocks just about everything, often in bulk and often at bargain prices, making it a great one-stop destination for back-to-school shopping for college students with lots of needs but not a lot of money. Costco is my go-to store since I already have a membership, and Costco's Kirkland Signature is my go-to brand since I know from experience that I can count on the private label's quality and affordability.

But since it's been years - OK, decades - since I was in college, I didn't want to assume I knew what today's students really want or need. (Ramen noodles are so '80s, I'm told.) So I reached out to a handful of current collegians to see what they'd covet most from Costco's Kirkland Signature line of products. Here's what they picked.

SEE ALSO: 16 Worst Things to Buy at Warehouse Clubs

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/college/T050-S001-12-things-every-college-student-needs-from-costco/index.html

If anyone is looking for bargains across product lines including groceries, housewares, small appliances, prescription drugs, auto supplies, sporting goods, clothing and electronics, Walmart is a likely destination. The powerhouse retailer was built from the ground up to be a low-price leader, especially when Walmart supercharged in the 1980s with its Supercenters, marrying full-line supermarkets with selections from nearly every other retail category. Just ask all the mom-and-pop shops Walmart wiped away when it landed its megastores in small towns.

It's tough to beat the low-price behemoth. Or is it? We found 10 items that tend to be less expensive, of better quality or both from retailers other than Walmart. Check out the list.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/spending/T050-S001-the-worst-things-to-buy-at-walmart/index.html

Your career and lifestyle look completely different when you're in your 20s compared with when you're in your 60s: Your financial focus and planning in each decade should follow suit.

Each decade is riddled with its own risks and problems, so it's important to know what to expect. Which decade can you afford to take more risk? Which decade should you really start to plan for retirement? Which decade should you focus on managing debt?

Set yourself up for future financial success by living each decade to its fullest.

Written by Jamie Hopkins, Esq., LLM, MBA, CFP®, RICP®. He serves as Director of Retirement Research at Carson Wealth and is a finance professor of practice at Creighton University's Heider College of Business. His most recent book, "Rewirement: Rewiring The Way You Think About Retirement," details the behavioral finance issues that hold people back from a more financially secure retirement.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/retirement/T047-S014-are-you-on-track-financial-goals-for-every-decade/index.html

It's well past April 15. So, unless you applied for an extension, the stress and frustration of filing your federal tax return should be a distant memory by now. But what if you suddenly realize there's a mistake on your return or a new development that affects the amount of tax you should have paid? What do you do now? Whether the mistake or development is in your favor or the government's, filing an amended tax return is often the next step.

Filing an amended return isn't particularly difficult, but there are a few things you should know about the process before getting started. It also helps to be familiar with some of the more-common occurrences that can trigger the need for an amended return (in addition to just a mistake). That way, you'll know to check your previously filed return if and when they happen. Because every taxpayer should have a basic understanding of what it takes to change their return after it's filed, here are 10 tips on how and when to file an amended tax return.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/taxes/T056-S001-tips-on-how-and-when-to-file-an-amended-tax-return/index.html