Top 5 Investors Of All Time ⌛

Determining the top five investors of all time is a subjective exercise as there are different metrics that can be used to evaluate their performance. However, based on their historical performance and impact on the financial world, here are five investors who are often mentioned among the greatest of all time:

Warren Buffett

Known as the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors in history, with a net worth of over $100 billion. He is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and is famous for his value investing approach, which involves buying undervalued stocks and holding them for the long term.

What are Warren Buffett's top 5 investments?

1. Apple (AAPL): As of Berkshire Hathaway's latest 13F filing, Apple was the company's largest holding, making up over 41% of the portfolio. Berkshire Hathaway has been steadily increasing its stake in Apple over the years and currently holds over 900 million shares.

2. Bank of America (BAC): Berkshire Hathaway has a sizable stake in Bank of America, with over 1 billion shares as of the latest 13F filing. This represents about 14% of the portfolio.

3. Coca-Cola (KO): Coca-Cola is a long-standing holding in Buffett's portfolio, with Berkshire Hathaway owning over 400 million shares, or about 9% of the company.

4. American Express (AXP): Berkshire Hathaway has been invested in American Express for decades, owning over 150 million shares, or about 5% of the company.

5. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B): Buffett is also invested heavily in his own company, Berkshire Hathaway. The company makes up about 20% of the portfolio, with shares of both the A and B class of stock held by the company.

George Soros

George Soros is a billionaire investor, philanthropist, and political activist. He is known for his hedge fund management and his ability to predict market trends. Soros famously made a billion dollars in a single day by shorting the British pound in 1992, a trade that is often referred to as "Black Wednesday."

What are George Soros' top 5 investments?

1. Amazon (AMZN): Soros Fund Management purchased a large stake in Amazon in the second quarter of 2020, which was valued at over $530 million.

2. Alphabet (GOOGL): Soros Fund Management also held a large position in Alphabet, Google's parent company, with a stake worth over $417 million as of the end of the second quarter of 2020.

3. Facebook (FB): The Soros Fund Management owned approximately $280 million worth of Facebook shares at the end of the second quarter of 2020.

4. Netflix (NFLX): Soros Fund Management owned approximately $140 million worth of Netflix shares at the end of the second quarter of 2020.

5. Liberty Broadband (LBRDK): Soros Fund Management had a significant stake in Liberty Broadband, a telecommunications and media holding company, with a position worth approximately $129 million as of the end of the second quarter of 2020.

Benjamin Graham

Benjamin Graham is considered the father of value investing and is known for his book "The Intelligent Investor," which is still widely read today. Graham's investment philosophy focused on finding stocks that were undervalued by the market and had a margin of safety.

What are Benjamin Graham's top 5 investments?

1. Northern Pipeline Company: In the early 1930s, Graham invested in Northern Pipeline Company, a Canadian company that owned a network of oil pipelines. Graham identified the company as undervalued and recommended it to his clients, and the investment paid off handsomely.

2. Net-Net Stocks: Graham developed a strategy of investing in net-net stocks, which were companies whose market value was lower than their net current assets (i.e., cash, inventory, and receivables minus liabilities). Graham believed that these stocks were significantly undervalued and had the potential for high returns. He applied this strategy to a number of companies in the 1930s and 1940s.

3. American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T): In the 1940s, Graham purchased shares of AT&T, the telecommunications giant, when the stock was trading at a discount to its intrinsic value. The investment paid off handsomely as the stock rebounded.

4. GEICO: In the 1950s, Graham invested in Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO), an insurance company that was then struggling financially. Graham saw value in the company's business model and purchased shares, which eventually became a major holding for his investment partnership.

5. Burlington Industries: In the 1970s, Graham invested in Burlington Industries, a textile company that was facing financial difficulties. Graham saw potential in the company's assets and cash flow and purchased shares, which eventually resulted in a significant gain for his investment partnership.

Peter Lynch

Peter Lynch is a former fund manager who ran the Fidelity Magellan Fund from 1977 to 1990. During his tenure, the fund outperformed the S&P 500 index by an average of 13.5% per year. Lynch is known for his common-sense approach to investing, which involved researching companies and investing in what he knew.

What are Peter Lynch's top 5 investments?

1. Ford Motor Company (F): Lynch was a big believer in the American automobile industry and believed that Ford was undervalued in the 1980s. He invested heavily in the company, and the investment paid off handsomely as the stock price rose.

2. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT): Lynch saw potential in the then-up-and-coming discount retailer and invested in Wal-Mart in the early 1980s. The investment paid off handsomely as the company became one of the most successful retailers in the world.

3. PepsiCo Inc. (PEP): Lynch was attracted to PepsiCo's diversified business model, which included not only soft drinks but also snack foods such as Fritos and Doritos. He invested in the company in the early 1980s, and the investment proved successful.

4. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN): Lynch saw the potential of the then-emerging online retailer and invested in Amazon in the 1990s, well before it became the e-commerce giant it is today. The investment was one of the most successful in Lynch's career.

5. The Limited Inc.: Lynch invested in The Limited, a retailer that owned popular brands such as Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, in the 1980s. The investment paid off handsomely as the company's brands became more popular and successful.

John Paulson

John Paulson is a billionaire hedge fund manager who is known for his profitable bets against the housing market in 2007 and 2008. His firm, Paulson & Co., made $15 billion in profits from those trades. Paulson is also known for his philanthropy, having donated over $1 billion to charitable causes.

What are John Paulson's top 5 investments?

1. SPDR Gold Trust (GLD): Paulson is a well-known gold bull and has a significant portion of his portfolio invested in the precious metal. He famously made a large bet on gold through the GLD ETF in the late 2000s, which paid off handsomely as the price of gold rose.

2. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (now Bausch Health Companies Inc., BHC): In 2010, Paulson's hedge fund invested in Valeant, a Canadian pharmaceutical company that was aggressively acquiring other companies. The investment initially paid off as Valeant's stock price rose, but the company later became embroiled in controversy and its stock price plummeted.

3. Shire PLC (now part of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited): In 2014, Paulson's hedge fund invested in Shire, a biopharmaceutical company based in Ireland. The investment paid off handsomely when the company was acquired by Takeda for $62 billion in 2018.

4. Extended Stay America Inc.: In 2013, Paulson's hedge fund took a large position in Extended Stay America, a chain of hotels that caters to extended-stay guests. The investment paid off as the company's stock price rose, and Paulson eventually sold his stake for a significant profit.

5. Sprint Corporation (now part of T-Mobile US Inc.): In 2017, Paulson's hedge fund invested in Sprint, the telecommunications company. The investment paid off when the company was acquired by T-Mobile for $26 billion in 2020.