Dear co-investor,
We end a year that has been marked, as you know, by (very) high volatility in equity markets, caused by global political and economic uncertainties. As we have stressed in previous letters, this environment has led investors to seek out companies with more stable businesses or those that are currently more popular. The result is that these companies are becoming more and more expensive relative to smaller or more cyclical businesses.
This trend has slightly reversed in the last quarter of 2019, giving a boost to those who, like us, invest in stocks with a high margin of safety and which are precisely the least popular in this context of uncertainty. Perhaps the progress made in the trade negotiations between the United States and China, or the likely Brexit outcome in the United Kingdom, explains this recent change in investors’ sentiment.
However, valuation divergences are still very pronounced, and we remain convinced that our portfolio is best suited to generate attractive and sustainable returns over the long term, as evidenced by its high upside potential. We are aware that it is sometimes difficult to deal with this volatility. That is why we are very grateful for your confidence. We are sure that patience will eventually pay off.
