Daily Journal, Long Overseen by Charlie Munger, Halves Stake in China's Alibaba

Reuters2022-04-12

April 11 (Reuters) - Daily Journal Corp, the publishing and software company where Warren Buffett's business partner Charlie Munger helps oversee investments and until recently was chairman, on Monday said it halved its investment in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd .

In a regulatory filing, the Los Angeles-based company said it owned 300,000 of Alibaba's American depositary shares ("ADS")worth $32.6 million as of March 31, down from 602,060 shares at the end of 2021.

The reduction essentially reversed Daily Journal's trading activity in last year's fourth quarter, when its Alibaba stake nearly doubled in size.

The price of Alibaba's ADS has fallen 15% this year, and 68% from its October 2020 peak.

Daily Journal did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company publishes newspapers and provides software to courthouses.

Munger, 98, had been Daily Journal's chairman for 45 years before stepping down last month.

Daily Journal said he would remain a director and focus on matters he has worked on, including its securities portfolio.

Munger is better known for his work at Berkshire, where he has been vice chairman since 1978 and helps the 91-year-old Buffett allocate capital.

Long bullish on China, Munger spearheaded Berkshire's approximately 7% stake in electric car maker BYD Co.

At Daily Journal's annual meeting in February, Munger lamented recent deterioration in relations between the United States and China.

"They should like us and we should like them," he said.

Most of the rest of Daily Journal's securities portfolio is in Bank of America Corp, which is also a major Berkshire investment, and Wells Fargo & Co.

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Comments

  • Mazemasu
    2022-04-15
    Mazemasu
    Waiting for bottoming in coming June.
  • JeremyKok
    2022-04-13
    JeremyKok
    Has baba's fundamentals changed?
  • BenjiFuji
    2022-04-12
    BenjiFuji
    What did Munger see about BABA for 1/2 to be chopped off?
  • ocean_wave
    2022-04-12
    ocean_wave
    [OK] 
  • LimLS
    2022-04-12
    LimLS
    Guess there will be more price weakness in the days ahead. Munger is one of the most rational folks around. He cutting his holdings by half means he is expecting more weakness not only in the near future, but also days ahead. He is known to be a long term holder so if the company shows value, he will not cut even if it's has short term weakness. I'm vested as well so this news do not looks good to me... I will love to downplay this news but ignoring news/facts had brought me many pain in the past. Thinking hard now...
  • Simonnov
    2022-04-12
    Simonnov
    Ic
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