The Gurus can teach us many things. A huge financial loss can be experiential fire. In the alchemical process of smelting inner wealth from outer loss, that fire can transform a mere billionaire into a wise Guru.
Charles Brandes, for example, demonstrates that it’s not just about money, it’s about character. Not many investors can survive and thrive after free-falling a drop of more than $100 billion in assets under management, but Brandes did, and he is still one of America’s richest. According to Forbes, as of March 2013, Brandes Investment Partners managed around $27.2 billion, a far cry from the firm’s $120 billion six years ago.
Today the Brandes Investment portfolio, led by Guru Charles Brandes, lists 169 stocks, 11 of them new, with a total value of $7.98 billion and a quarter-over-quarter turnover of 5%. The top three sector weights in the portfolio are technology at 24%, financial services at 19.1% and communication services at 13.9%. Charles Brandes’s 12-month average return is 16.89%; he’s averaged 6.4% since inception.
The Brandes portfolio shows these high-impact decreases as of the second quarter of 2013.
Boston Scientific Inc. (BSX): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.54%
Up 104% over 12 months, Boston Scientific Inc. has a market cap of $15.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $11.54. The P/B ratio is 2.30.
Boston Scientific Inc. is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties. The company's products are used in interventional cardiology, endoscopy, peripheral interventions, urology/women's health, neuromodulation, electrophysiology and others.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 96.31%, selling 16,285,728 shares at an average price of $8.48, for a gain of 35.6%. His current shares remaining are 624,088.
Charles Brandes has averaged a gained of 97% on 465,173 shares bought at an average price of $5.84 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a gain of 23% on 72,937,900 shares sold at an average price of $9.36 per share.
News Corporation (NWSA, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.19%
Up 8% over 12 months, News Corporation has a market cap of $6.46 billion; its shares were traded at around $17.05 with a P/S of 0.70.
News Corporation is a diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content to consumers. The company comprises businesses across a range of media, including news and information services, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education, and sports programming and pay TV distribution.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 53.87%, selling 3,044,640 shares at an average price of $15.52, for a gain of 10%.
TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.09%
Up 53% over 12 months, TE Connectivity Ltd. has a market cap of $21.75 billion; its shares were traded at around $52.49. The P/B ratio is 2.80. The dividend yield is 1.76%.
TE Connectivity Ltd. is a company that designs and manufactures electronic products that connect and protect the flow of power and data.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 18.75%, selling 2,202,757 shares at an average price of $43.79, for a gain of 20.1%. His current shares remaining are 9,546,231.
In five years of pure gains, Charles Brandes has averaged a gained of 49% on 16,574,638 shares bought at an average price of $35.33 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a gain of 38% on 7,028,407 shares sold at an average price of $38.23 per share.
His trading history:
Seagate Technology PLC (STX, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 0.93%
Up 30% over 12 months, Seagate Technology PLC has a market cap of $14.62 billion; its shares were traded at around $41.78. The P/B ratio is 4.20. The dividend yield is 3.57%.
Seagate Technology PLC is a provider of electronic data storage products. Its products include hard disk drives, commonly referred to as disk drives, hard drives or HDDs. The company produces a range of electronic data storage products.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 54.54%, selling 2,084,836 shares at an average price of $40.28, gaining 1.6%. His current shares remaining are 1,737,924.
In another remarkable five-year history of only gains, Charles Brandes has averaged a 60% gain on 5,181,044 shares bought at an average price of $25.61 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a 19% gain on 3,443,120 shares sold at an average price of $34.28 per share.
Charles Brandes is the chairman of Brandes Investment Partners. He started the firm in 1974. He manages multiple portfolios including U.S. equity and Global Equity. He has a net worth of $1.1 billion as of September 2013, according to Forbes.
Here is the complete portfolio of Charles Brandes.
iframe height="260" width="660" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" align="middle" src="http://www.gurufocus.com/xmlswf/get_portfolio_bubble_chart.php?GuruName=Charles+Brandes">
Also check out:
1. Charles Brandes's Undervalued Stocks
2. Charles Brandes's Top Growth Companies
3. Charles Brandes's High Yield stocks
4. Stocks that Charles Brandes keeps buying
If you are not yet a Premium Member, try a 7-day Free Trial.
GuruFocus Real Time Picks reports the stock purchases and sales that Gurus have made within the prior 2 weeks. The report time lag can be as short as 2 days after the date of the transaction. This feature is for Premium Members only.
Check out the GuruFocus special feature 52-week low screener to find the stocks hitting new lows but are still held by top investor Gurus and Insiders.
Charles Brandes, for example, demonstrates that it’s not just about money, it’s about character. Not many investors can survive and thrive after free-falling a drop of more than $100 billion in assets under management, but Brandes did, and he is still one of America’s richest. According to Forbes, as of March 2013, Brandes Investment Partners managed around $27.2 billion, a far cry from the firm’s $120 billion six years ago.
Today the Brandes Investment portfolio, led by Guru Charles Brandes, lists 169 stocks, 11 of them new, with a total value of $7.98 billion and a quarter-over-quarter turnover of 5%. The top three sector weights in the portfolio are technology at 24%, financial services at 19.1% and communication services at 13.9%. Charles Brandes’s 12-month average return is 16.89%; he’s averaged 6.4% since inception.
The Brandes portfolio shows these high-impact decreases as of the second quarter of 2013.
Boston Scientific Inc. (BSX): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.54%
Up 104% over 12 months, Boston Scientific Inc. has a market cap of $15.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $11.54. The P/B ratio is 2.30.
Boston Scientific Inc. is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties. The company's products are used in interventional cardiology, endoscopy, peripheral interventions, urology/women's health, neuromodulation, electrophysiology and others.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 96.31%, selling 16,285,728 shares at an average price of $8.48, for a gain of 35.6%. His current shares remaining are 624,088.
Charles Brandes has averaged a gained of 97% on 465,173 shares bought at an average price of $5.84 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a gain of 23% on 72,937,900 shares sold at an average price of $9.36 per share.
News Corporation (NWSA, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.19%
Up 8% over 12 months, News Corporation has a market cap of $6.46 billion; its shares were traded at around $17.05 with a P/S of 0.70.
News Corporation is a diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content to consumers. The company comprises businesses across a range of media, including news and information services, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education, and sports programming and pay TV distribution.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 53.87%, selling 3,044,640 shares at an average price of $15.52, for a gain of 10%.
TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 1.09%
Up 53% over 12 months, TE Connectivity Ltd. has a market cap of $21.75 billion; its shares were traded at around $52.49. The P/B ratio is 2.80. The dividend yield is 1.76%.
TE Connectivity Ltd. is a company that designs and manufactures electronic products that connect and protect the flow of power and data.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 18.75%, selling 2,202,757 shares at an average price of $43.79, for a gain of 20.1%. His current shares remaining are 9,546,231.
In five years of pure gains, Charles Brandes has averaged a gained of 49% on 16,574,638 shares bought at an average price of $35.33 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a gain of 38% on 7,028,407 shares sold at an average price of $38.23 per share.
His trading history:
Seagate Technology PLC (STX, Financial): Reduced
Impact to Portfolio: - 0.93%
Up 30% over 12 months, Seagate Technology PLC has a market cap of $14.62 billion; its shares were traded at around $41.78. The P/B ratio is 4.20. The dividend yield is 3.57%.
Seagate Technology PLC is a provider of electronic data storage products. Its products include hard disk drives, commonly referred to as disk drives, hard drives or HDDs. The company produces a range of electronic data storage products.
Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:
Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Charles Brandes reduced his position by 54.54%, selling 2,084,836 shares at an average price of $40.28, gaining 1.6%. His current shares remaining are 1,737,924.
In another remarkable five-year history of only gains, Charles Brandes has averaged a 60% gain on 5,181,044 shares bought at an average price of $25.61 per share. On shares sold, he has averaged a 19% gain on 3,443,120 shares sold at an average price of $34.28 per share.
Charles Brandes is the chairman of Brandes Investment Partners. He started the firm in 1974. He manages multiple portfolios including U.S. equity and Global Equity. He has a net worth of $1.1 billion as of September 2013, according to Forbes.
Here is the complete portfolio of Charles Brandes.
iframe height="260" width="660" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" align="middle" src="http://www.gurufocus.com/xmlswf/get_portfolio_bubble_chart.php?GuruName=Charles+Brandes">
Also check out:
1. Charles Brandes's Undervalued Stocks
2. Charles Brandes's Top Growth Companies
3. Charles Brandes's High Yield stocks
4. Stocks that Charles Brandes keeps buying
If you are not yet a Premium Member, try a 7-day Free Trial.
GuruFocus Real Time Picks reports the stock purchases and sales that Gurus have made within the prior 2 weeks. The report time lag can be as short as 2 days after the date of the transaction. This feature is for Premium Members only.
Check out the GuruFocus special feature 52-week low screener to find the stocks hitting new lows but are still held by top investor Gurus and Insiders.