Graham & Doddsville
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Graham & Doddsville An investment newsletter from the students of Columbia Business School Inside this issue: Issue XVI Fall 2012 Joel Greenblatt P. 1 Joel Greenblatt Loews Loews P. 1 — “Thought Corporation Corporation Process and — Royce & P. 1 Clarity are Key” “Patience is Associates part of our Omaha Dinner P. 3 DNA” Joe Rosenberg and Jim Tisch Loews Corporation is one of the largest diversified hold- ing companies in the United States. Since its founding in 1959, Loews has been rooted in the principles of value investing as a means of generating wealth for its share- holders. CEO Jim Tisch (one of three members of the company’s Office of the President along with his brother Editors Andrew and cousin Jonathan) and Chief Investment Jay Hedstrom, CFA Joel Greenblatt Strategist Joe Rosenberg shared their thoughts and ex- MBA 2013 periences with G&D. Joel Greenblatt is the (Continued on page 14) Jake Lubel Managing Partner of MBA 2013 Gotham Capital, an in- vestment firm he founded Royce & Associates — Sachee Trivedi in 1985, and a Managing Legendary Small Cap Investors MBA 2013 Principal of Gotham As- set Management. Mr. Richard Hunt Greenblatt is the author MBA 2014 of four investing-related books, including the New Stephen Lieu York Times bestseller The MBA 2014 Little Book that Beats the Market and You Can Be a Stock Market Genius. Mr. Visit us at: Greenblatt is the former www.grahamanddodd.com Chairman of Alliant Tech- systems, a Fortune 500 www0.gsb.columbia.edu/students/ Charlie Dreifus, Chuck Royce, Buzz Zaino, Whitney George organizations/cima/ company and the current Chairman of Success Royce & Associates, investment advisor to The Royce Charter Network, a net- Funds, is one of the industry’s most experienced and work of charter schools in highly respected small-cap investment manag- New York City. He is an ers. Founded in 1972, Royce & Associates has produced Adjunct Professor in Fi- outstanding returns over its 40 year history by main- nance at Columbia Busi- taining its value-oriented discipline regardless of market ness School and a gradu- movements and trends. G&D sat down for a group in- ate of the Wharton MBA terview with portfolio managers Chuck Royce, Charlie program. Dreifus, Whitney George, and Buzz Zaino. (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 23) Page 2 Welcome to Graham & Doddsville WeWelcome are pleased back toto anotherpresent yearyou an adjunct member of the Co- nate to be granted a group in- withof Graham Issue XV & Doddsville. of Graham &We lumbia Business School faculty, terview with Chuck Royce, Doddsville,are delighted Columbia to bring Business to you describes his shift from special Whitney George, Charlie School’sthe 16th editionstudent of-led Columbia invest- situations investing to a for- Dreifus, and Buzz Zaino mentBusiness newsletter, School’s costudent-sponsored-led mula-based approach. He de- from Royce & Associates. This byinvestment the Heilbrunn newsletter, Center co for- scribes how the most glaring quartet of legendary small cap Pictured: Bruce Greenwald at Grahamsponsored & Doddby the InvestingHeilbrunn and inefficiencies in the market investors speaks candidly about the Columbia Student Invest- theCenter Columbia for Graham Student & DoddInvest- today are caused by a wide- the similarities and differences of ment Management Conference mentInvesting Management and the Columbia Association. spread focus on very short- their respective investment in February 2012. Student Investment Manage- term performance which isn’t styles – from the importance of The Heilbrunn Center sponsors TOOment Association.ADD likely to abate any time soon. meeting with management to the Applied Value Investing pro- Mr. Greenblatt notes that de- the safety of a clean balance gram, a rigorous academic cur- PleaseNow in feel its freeseventh to contact year, Gra- us if spite the market’s run this sheet. They also detail how riculum for particularly commit- youham have& Doddsville comments is stillor ideas going year, he still believes it is cheap they believe small-cap investing ted students that is taught by aboutstrong. the We newsletter. would like Weto offer based upon the measures that has changed over time, and how some of the industry’s best prac- hopea special you thank enjoy you reading to Anna Graham he follows. it has impacted where they find titioners. &Baghdasaryan Doddsville as and much Joe as Jaspan, we ideas. enjoylast year’s putting editors, it together! for showing Jim Tisch and Joe us the ropes and ensuring that Rosenberg from Loews Cor- This issue also contains pictures -the Editors, product Graham presented & Doddsville to you poration detail some of the from the 2012 “From Graham last year, in three spectacular history behind a few of their to Buffett and Beyond” Dinner, issues, was of the highest qual- best investments. Mr. Tisch which takes place each May in ity. We would also like to expands on the importance Omaha, Nebraska. We thank recognize Graham & permanent capital has had on our featured investors for shar- Doddsville’s founders, Joseph his investment style and the ing their time and insights with Esposito, Abigail Corcoran, and inherent dangers in acquiring our readers. Please feel free to David Kessler. What you are companies. Mr. Rosenberg, contact us if you have comments reading today is a product of who recently celebrated his or ideas about the newsletter as their initiative and inspiration. 50th year on Wall Street, re- we continue to refine this publi- counts how he got started in cation for future editions. We Now on to our distinguished the industry. He also shares hope you enjoy reading this Pictured: Heilbrunn Center and diverse lineup of successful with us his introduction to issue of Graham & Doddsville as Director Louisa Serene Schnei- value investors as well as some Larry Tisch many years ago and much as we have enjoyed put- der at the CSIMA conference in of the interesting topics you what brought him to Loews, ting it together. February 2012. will see them address in the his home since 1973. Louisa skillfully leads the Heil- following pages. Joel Green- - G&Dsville Editors brunn Center, cultivating strong blatt, now in his 17th year as We were also extremely fortu- relationships with some of the world’s most experienced value investors and creating numerous learning opportunities for stu- dents interested in value invest- ing. The classes sponsored by the Heilbrunn Center are among the most heavily demanded and highly rated classes at Columbia Business School. Alex Porter and Jon Friedland of Porter Panelist of Judges at the Pershing Square Orlin with the first and second place Value Investing and Philanthropy finishers at the Moon Lee Prize Challenge which was held in April 2012 Competition which was held in January at the Center for Jewish History 2012 at Columbia Business School Page 3 2012 “From Graham to Buffett and Beyond” Dinner, Omaha Panel: Prof. Greenwald, Mario Gabelli, David Winters, Tom Russo Greenwald making a point Russo explaining Nestle Winters answering a question Russo posing with audience Gabelli with Columbia students and Louisa Schneider Gabelli in a light moment Page 4 Joel Greenblatt (Continued from page 1) year as undergraduates. G&D: Professor Green- “… when I was a When we first joined that blatt, what was your intro- program in our senior un- duction to investing and junior, I read an dergraduate year, I had told who were some investors him about some of the read- who directly or indirectly article in Forbes ing I had done regarding influenced you early in your about Ben Graham. Graham’s belief that formu- career? las could be used to deter- The article outlined mine profitable investments. JG: I went to Wharton, We decided to do a mas- and, as they still do today, how he had this ter’s thesis with another they taught the efficient good friend of mine analyz- market theory. This didn’t formula to beat the ing Graham’s approach. At resonate with me all that the time, we didn’t have Joel Greenblatt well. Then, I think when I market, provided an access to a database of was a junior, I read an arti- explanation of his stock market information. cle in Forbes about Ben Standard and Poor’s used to Graham. The article out- thought process, and put out a Stock Guide with lined how he had this for- some balance sheet and mula to beat the market, described “Mr. income statement informa- provided an explanation of tion on about 5,000 compa- his thought process, and Market” a little bit. I nies monthly. The school described “Mr. Market” a library had about 10 years’ little bit. I read that article read that article and worth of these guides. and a light bulb went off – I a light bulb went off – thought: “boy, this finally Not having access to a data- makes some sense to me.” I thought: ‘boy, this base, we actually went to the library. We wanted to I started reading everything finally makes some go back and test Graham’s I could by Benjamin Gra- formulas, so to speak. So ham. I also read a book sense to me.’ ” we went to the library and called Psychology and the manually went through the Stock Market by David Dre- G&D: You spent some S&P stock guides. We man. He was one of the time with Richard Pzena, started with the A’s and B’s, first people to focus on be- who happened to be the which covered about 750 havioral finance and was first interviewee for Graham companies, and analyzed really ahead of his time. I & Doddsville, while at Whar- eight or nine years’ worth started reading about Buf- ton. Do you have any sto- of financial data.