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The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
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Author: WEBspired ✭  😊 😞
Number: of 22354 
Subject: Re: $362.87B
Date: 01/13/24 4:58 AM
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No. of Recommendations: 11
“What are the chances we ever(10 - 20 years) have one class of shares ?”

I respect your preference but I think it is very slim. This issue has been so dear to Warren’s heart and it does reward the most loyal of the long-term (A) shareholders who are typically most aligned with Warren and the Board’s philosophy. Warren has been very up front from day 1 from the birth of the B shares in ‘96 as to their diluted strength of their vote, but I understand his thoughtfulness and philosophy.

Of course, it benefits the most loyal and affluent huge shareholders, but I trust their passion and thoughtfulness on voting issues more than say casual B traders/ speculators and institutional owners like Blackrock/vanguard that may have their own agenda in voting a certain way. It also diminishes the chance of activists trying to make noise and influence the special Berkshire Board and culture.

So even though the vast majority of our shares are B shares, I am in support of Warren’s thoughtfulness and perspective on this issue long-term. His philosophy over the years has selected for very high quality and quite loyal shareholders. For all other purposes and at the meetings, every shareholder is treated exactly the same. More and more Bs will naturally be created as WEB and others continue conversions for philanthropy and larger estates are settled.
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This community has written 21,861 posts about Berkshire Hathaway. The article-length ones it recommended most:
BRK: Why Not XOM? · 62 recs · 2024
Second quarter comments · 60 recs · 2023
Berkshire's Profit Contributors · 58 recs · 2023
Summary of 2Q 2026 · 55 recs · 2026
3Q Summary · 53 recs · 2024
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