Bruce Berkowitz Comments on Bank of America

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May 20, 2016

Daniel Schmerin: During 2015, you reduced Bank of America (BAC, Financial) common stock across portfolios. What changed? Do you fear another crisis brewing like 2008?

Bruce Berkowitz (Trades, Portfolio): Nothing has changed. Again, similar to AIG, in fact same story as AIG. We sold based on TBV. If anything has changed, today the financials are more akin to regulated utilities. All “too big to fail” institutions, except for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have fortress-like balance sheets. And it’s harder now for banks to effectively generate a decent return on that fortress-like capital.

Daniel Schmerin: How would you assess Brian Moynihan’s leadership to date?

Bruce Berkowitz (Trades, Portfolio): Brian has done well with the hand he was dealt. It’s not easy to steer such a large organization, but he has been paddling fast. Personally, I think he should spin off Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust. Those gems are certainly not utilities.

From Bruce Berkowitz (Trades, Portfolio)'s Feb. 23, 2016, Fairholme Fund (Trades, Portfolio) conference call.