Warren Buffett's Berkshire Compounded at 19.7% a Year for 61 Years, a 6,099,294% Cumulative Gain. Can Investors Still Learn From That Playbook Today?
2026-10-06 12:15
•Reuben Gregg Brewer •The Motley Fool
• •••• Axe Cap view
Buffett’s Long Game: Still Worth Playing?
Berkshire’s extraordinary returns remind us that patient, selective investing beats quick gains.
Warren Buffett’s 61-year run at Berkshire Hathaway, compounding at nearly 20% a year, is legendary. What stands out is not just the returns but the recipe: buy strong businesses at fair prices and hold them patiently. Look at Coca-Cola and American Express—companies that keep delivering and fit Buffett’s criteria. For South Africans, this isn’t about chasing the latest market hype but about backing resilient, well-managed firms. Take Naspers or Prosus, for example—they’ve shown staying power despite volatility, mirroring the spirit of Buffett’s value approach. Still, times change. Rising interest rates and geopolitical tensions can unsettle even the sturdiest companies and the rand. If inflation or currency shocks pick up, holding onto assets like these might test patience. But the lesson remains clear: emotional discipline trumps intelligence every time. this is just our opinion and not financial advice
Focus on high-quality, cash-generating South African companies like Naspers and Prosus for the long term. Use USD/ZAR only to hedge major currency risks. Avoid chasing short-term momentum stocks.
- Naspers
- Prosus
- USD/ZAR
- Rand volatility from global shocks
- Rising South African inflation affecting company earnings
7/10
Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after 61 years, during which the stock gained over 6 million percent compared to the S&P 500's 46,000% gain. The article examines whether investors can still benefit from Buffett's investment philosophy of buying well-run businesses at attractive prices and holding them long-term, emphasizing that emotional discipline and selectivity are more important than intelligence in investing.
Our take is based on reporting first published by The Motley Fool.