- The investor Michael Burry rose to fame by shorting mortgage securities ahead of the 2008 housing meltdown.
- His wager was heavily featured in Michael Lewis' bestselling book "The Big Short," and Christian Bale portrayed Burry in the 2015 film adaptation.
- Burry currently has several active investments in small- and medium-sized Japanese companies, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
- The Japanese stocks he chose have "significant cash or stock holdings" he wants to see used for share buybacks or acquisitions, Bloomberg found.
- Burry recently warned against passive investment being a "bubble" that keeps capital away from growth stocks and consolidates investment in large-cap companies.
- Here are the eight Japanese companies targeted by Burry, ranked in descending order of market cap.
- Visit the Markets Insider homepage for more stories.
The famous investor Michael Burry is targeting small- and medium-cap Japanese companies as he shifts his strategy to international value stocks, according to a new Bloomberg report.
Burry made waves when he bet against mortgage-backed securities ahead of the 2008 housing crisis. The hugely profitable trade was depicted in Michael Lewis' bestseller "The Big Short," which saw a film adaptation in 2015 with Christian Bale playing Burry.
Michael Burry recently warned passive investment is a "bubble" that keeps small-cap companies struggling for cash. The manager is now "100% focused on stock-picking" after exiting investments in farmland and water, Bloomberg reported. He recently disclosed major stakes in US and South Korean value stocks through his hedge fund, Scion Asset Management.
Burry is also specifically focused on Japanese stocks, particularly those with large cash reserves, Bloomberg found. The investor says he's encouraging companies to utilize their holdings, a move that could draw increased interest from international investors.
"I want to see evidence that the company is investing to grow the business, buying back stock, paying dividends, or making accretive acquisitions," Burry wrote in an email to Bloomberg.
Here are eight Japanese companies Burry has stakes in, by descending market cap: