Berkshire’s Performance vs the S&P 500 2
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A GEICO booth in <strong>the</strong> shopping area will be staffed by a number of <strong>the</strong> company’s top counselors from<br />
around <strong>the</strong> country. At last year’s meeting, we set a record for policy sales, up 21% from 2015. I predict we will<br />
be up again this year.<br />
So stop by for a quote. In most cases, GEICO will be able to give you a shareholder discount (usually<br />
8%). This special offer is permitted by 44 of <strong>the</strong> 51 jurisdictions in which we operate. (One supplemental point:<br />
The discount is not additive if you qualify for ano<strong>the</strong>r discount, such as that available to certain groups.) Bring<br />
<strong>the</strong> details of your existing insurance and check out our price. We can save many of you real money. Spend <strong>the</strong><br />
savings on o<strong>the</strong>r Berkshire products.<br />
Be sure to visit <strong>the</strong> Bookworm. This Omaha-based retailer will carry about 35 books and DVDs, among<br />
<strong>the</strong>m a couple of new titles. The best book I read last year was Shoe Dog, by Nike’s Phil Knight. Phil is a very<br />
wise, intelligent and competitive fellow who is also a gifted storyteller. The Bookworm will have piles of Shoe<br />
Dog as well as several investment classics by Jack Bogle.<br />
The Bookworm will once again offer our history of <strong>the</strong> highlights (and lowlights) of <strong>Berkshire’s</strong> first 50<br />
years. Non-attendees of <strong>the</strong> meeting can find <strong>the</strong> book on eBay. Just type in: Berkshire Hathaway Inc.<br />
Celebrating 50 years of a Profitable Partnership (2 nd Edition).<br />
An attachment to <strong>the</strong> proxy material that is enclosed with this report explains how you can obtain <strong>the</strong><br />
credential you will need for admission to both <strong>the</strong> meeting and o<strong>the</strong>r events. Keep in mind that airlines have<br />
sometimes jacked up prices for <strong>the</strong> Berkshire weekend – though I must admit I have developed some tolerance,<br />
bordering on enthusiasm, for that practice now that Berkshire has made large investments in America’s four<br />
major carriers. Never<strong>the</strong>less, if you are coming from far away, compare <strong>the</strong> cost of flying to Kansas City <strong>vs</strong>.<br />
Omaha. The drive between <strong>the</strong> two cities is about 2 1 / 2 hours, and it may be that Kansas City can save you<br />
significant money. The savings for a couple could run to $1,000 or more. Spend that money with us.<br />
At Nebraska Furniture Mart, located on a 77-acre site on 72 nd Street between Dodge and Pacific, we will<br />
again be having “Berkshire Weekend” discount pricing. To obtain <strong>the</strong> Berkshire discount at NFM, you must<br />
make your purchases between Tuesday, May 2 nd and Monday, May 8 th inclusive, and must also present your<br />
meeting credential. The period’s special pricing will even apply to <strong>the</strong> products of several prestigious<br />
manufacturers that normally have ironclad rules against discounting but which, in <strong>the</strong> spirit of our shareholder<br />
weekend, have made an exception for you. We appreciate <strong>the</strong>ir cooperation. During “Berkshire Weekend,” NFM<br />
will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8<br />
p.m. on Sunday. From 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, NFM is hosting a picnic to which you are all invited.<br />
This year we have good news for shareholders in <strong>the</strong> Kansas City and Dallas metro markets who can’t<br />
attend <strong>the</strong> meeting or perhaps prefer <strong>the</strong> webcast. From May 2 nd through May 8 th , shareholders who present<br />
meeting credentials or o<strong>the</strong>r evidence of <strong>the</strong>ir Berkshire ownership (such as brokerage statements) to <strong>the</strong>ir local<br />
NFM store will receive <strong>the</strong> same discounts enjoyed by those visiting <strong>the</strong> Omaha store.<br />
At Borsheims, we will again have two shareholder-only events. The first will be a cocktail reception<br />
from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 5 th . The second, <strong>the</strong> main gala, will be held on Sunday, May 7 th , from 9<br />
a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday, we will remain open until 6 p.m. Remember, <strong>the</strong> more you buy, <strong>the</strong> more you save<br />
(or so my daughter tells me when we visit <strong>the</strong> store).<br />
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