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Comment by leyfa | Hacker News Reader

Revealing my ignorance on this topic: Why would IBM care who owns their stocks, assuming the specific shareholder doesn't try to take influence on the development/direction of the company?

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Buffett only owns companies at a level where he can influence. Usually, what he wants is profit paid as a dividend, but it depends on his level of investment. He usually does not invest for growth -- he thinks IBM is under-valued, so he's taking a position.

They don't. The parent is wrong in suggesting someone 'convinced' Buffet.

Because of the herd mentality around investing who invests in you does matter, but not for this discussion.

I didnt say convinced so you shouldnt really quote it like that. But then I didnt really mean it that way either.

I was thinking more along the lines of Buffet talked with people at IBM and realised that he understood the way they operated.

He never met with the CEO[1] and in fact messed up the name.

It is in the realm of possibility (and quite likely) that he talked with people inside IBM. But I don't think they were really pushing for him to buy it. At least it doesn't appear that way.

[1]http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/11/14/warren-buffett-ibm/

On CNBC this morning, Buffet made it sound as if it was more about liking the value based on the annual report he saw in March. He's been reading IBM's annual report for over 25 years. He did some diligence, and then began establishing a position.

If 25 years is some diligence then I clearly have started off WAY too early.

Buffett is famous for doing exactly that, reading company reports (and other research) for a really long time before investing(I would imagine he must have read IBMs even earlier than 1986).

He would read company reports, even if he had no plans to invest. It is one of his hobbies (not only a job).

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