Alex Crippen: On Warren Buffett
1. Buffett will still be running Berkshire Hathaway one year from now.
He’s been hiring a few new portfolio managers but makes it very clear he enjoys his job and wants to keep doing it. A sudden downturn in his health is the only thing that would stop him, and all those Cherry Cokes appear to be keeping him chipper.
2. Buffett will bag another ‘elephant’ in 2012.
At the beginning of the year, Buffett told shareholders he was looking for big acquisitions. “Our elephant gun has been reloaded, and my trigger finger is itchy.” Even after spending around $20 billion on Lubrizol and a big IBM stake, Berkshire still has a lot of cash. As he told us on Squawk Box, some “great big strong American companies look very cheap” at the same time he’s getting “zero” on any billions he keeps in his pocket.
3. Buffett won’t lie low.
He’s not getting any more shy as he gets older. Especially since it is an election year, expect to hear more from him on how the super-rich need to be taxed more as part of the country’s deficit reduction efforts.
