Dividends4Life: Charlie Munger's 10 Rules for Investment Success

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Charlie Munger's 10 Rules for Investment Success

Posted by D4L | Thursday, February 14, 2008 | | 4 comments »

Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's friend and partner, is quite an investor in his own right. A recent Motley Fool article "Charlie Munger's 10 Rules for Investment Success" details Munger's 10-step investment checklist from his book Poor Charlie's Almanac. Here are the steps:

  1. Measure risk: All investment evaluations should begin by measuring risk, especially reputational.

  2. Be independent: Only in fairy tales are emperors told they're naked.

  3. Prepare ahead: The only way to win is to work, work, work, and hope to have a few insights.

  4. Have intellectual humility: Acknowledging what you don't know is the dawning of wisdom.

  5. Analyze rigorously: Use effective checklists to minimize errors and omissions.

  6. Allocate assets wisely: Proper allocation of capital is an investor's No. 1 job.

  7. Have patience: Resist the natural human bias to act.

  8. Be decisive: When proper circumstances present themselves, act with decisiveness and conviction.

  9. Be ready for change: Accept unremovable complexity.

  10. Stay focused: Keep it simple and remember what you set out to do.
I am sure each of us can relate to one or more of these. I am particularly drawn to #3 and #5, but #8 is tops with me. I am driven to find that jewel in the rough that was missed by the herd. You can't beat the head by following it!


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4 comments

  1. Anonymous // February 14, 2008 at 2:24 PM

    These rules are no good. I need to get rich right now!! Just kidding. What I love about Munger and Buffett is that what they say just makes sense! I might have to pick up Poor Charlie's Almanac. Thanks!

  2. Anonymous // February 14, 2008 at 9:40 PM

    Anon: You can't be poor and pick up his booked. I was shocked at the $150+ price of the book.

    Best Wishes,
    D4L

  3. D // February 20, 2008 at 2:42 PM

    If you enjoy Mungerism's ,you might want to read Charlie's letters to shareholders:

    http://www.wescofinancial.com/page2.html

    I checked WSC's historical prices on bigcharts.com. Over the past 10 years the results of the stock are average.

    Year Stock Price % change
    1977 6.875
    1978 6.5 -5.45%
    1979 8.375 28.85%
    1980 8 -4.48%
    1981 9.375 17.19%
    1982 13.5 44.00%
    1983 17.375 28.70%
    1984 21.75 25.18%
    1985 35.875 64.94%
    1986 37.25 3.83%
    1987 34.25 -8.05%
    1988 41 19.71%
    1989 62.25 51.83%
    1990 47.875 -23.09%
    1991 72.375 51.17%
    1992 83 14.68%
    1993 129.5 56.02%
    1994 115.125 -11.10%
    1995 182 58.09%
    1996 187 2.75%
    1997 300 60.43%
    1998 354.75 18.25%
    1999 245 -30.94%
    2000 281.75 15.00%
    2001 315 11.80%
    2002 309.95 -1.60%
    2003 352 13.57%
    2004 393 11.65%
    2005 385 -2.04%
    2006 460 19.48%
    2007 389 -15.43%

    Annual Average return 17.16%

  4. Anonymous // February 20, 2008 at 9:38 PM

    Dividend Growth: I appreciate the links to Munger's letters.

    17% is really good, but there sure is a lot of volatility.

    Best Wishes,
    D4L

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