Although the market hit all-time highs just last week, the latest market weakness suggests that stocks will continue to struggle to push higher. It’s even possible that, if markets fail to break meaningfully higher, we could see a sizeable selloff.
In a market drawdown, stocks that have had the biggest moves higher could likely see the biggest declines. So investors who are looking for a safe place to invest should look for companies with a strong defensive position today.
One such defensive play is Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B).
After gradually selling off stocks in recent quarters, the company has almost 30% of its holdings in cash. That cash continues to generate a meaningful yield. And it can be deployed to buy great companies during a bigger market selloff.
Berkshire’s earnings continue to remain strong, with operating earnings up 71% in the past year.
Action to take: Berkshire’s basket of businesses are well run by industry experts, making the company one of the few successful conglomerates.
Berkshire shares are fairly valued at 24 times forward earnings, but as some of that cash is put to use to expand or acquire businesses, Berkshire’s long-term growth is likely to continue.
Berkshire famously doesn’t pay a dividend, opting the tax efficiency of retaining earnings.
For traders, shares are more of a slow-and-steady gainer. But the June $525 calls, last trading for about $8.85, could see mid-double-digit returns on a continued gentle rally through the middle of the year.
Disclosure: The author of this article has a position in the company mentioned here, but does not intend to trade after the next 72 hours. The author receives no compensation from any company mentioned in this article.