Here are all the quirky 'Buffett-isms' in Berkshire Hathaway's annual letter
On business strategy
On vegetables
"Long ago [Charlie Munger and I] discovered a fundamental truth: There’s nothing like eating carrots and broccoli when you’re really hungry – and want to stay that way."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On his favorite meal
"The new company [Kraft Heinz] has annual sales of $27 billion and can supply you Heinz ketchup or mustard to go with your Oscar Mayer hot dogs that come from the Kraft side. Add a Coke, and you will be enjoying my favorite meal."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On World War IV
"No one knows what 'the day after' will look like. I think, however, that Einstein’s 1949 appraisal remains apt: 'I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.'"
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On doubling your chances
"Woody Allen once explained that the advantage of being bi-sexual is that it doubles your chance of finding a date on Saturday night. In like manner – well, not exactly like manner – our appetite for either operating businesses or passive investments doubles our chances of finding sensible uses for Berkshire’s endless gusher of cash."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On (bad) accounting
"When CEOs or investment bankers tout pre-depreciation figures such as EBITDA as a valuation guide, watch their noses lengthen while they speak."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On God...
"Pascal, it may be recalled, argued that if there were only a tiny probability that God truly existed, it made sense to behave as if He did because the rewards could be infinite whereas the lack of belief risked eternal misery."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
...and on Noah
"Likewise, if there is only a 1% chance the planet is heading toward a truly major disaster and delay means passing a point of no return, inaction now is foolhardy. Call this Noah’s Law: If an ark may be essential for survival, begin building it today, no matter how cloudless the skies appear."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
On America's future
"For 240 years it’s been a terrible mistake to bet against America, and now is no time to start. America’s golden goose of commerce and innovation will continue to lay more and larger eggs."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
BONUS: Warren Buffett also quotes a "Mungerism" regarding his hands off style and hating bureaucracy
"If you want to guarantee yourself a lifetime of misery, be sure to marry someone with the intent of changing their behavior."
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
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