Month: August 2018

Categories
Acquisitions Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Enters Metairie, Louisiana Market

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices United Properties has entered the percolating Metairie, Louisiana market and added one of the region’s most productive agents and teams, Shaun McCarthy and his McCarthy Group, REALTORS.

The agreement gives United Properties a third office beyond its Baton Rouge headquarters and Central city location. McCarthy and the McCarthy Group, REALTORS team will continue operating from their existing Metairie office at 530 Metairie Road as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices United Properties.

Combined, the company has 86 agents.

“We’ve had our eye on the Metairie market for a long time,” said Jonathan Starns, brokerage founder and co-owner. “Yet to do so and add the most productive and respected office in the region, we feel we’ve hit a grand-slam home run.”

“We are proud and excited to join forces with Shaun and his team,” added Chase Muller, brokerage founder and co-owner. “The group is skilled, experienced and the best for its clients. They have a terrific service ethic and will represent our brokerage and our brand well.”

McCarthy, a native of the region, brings to the brand more than 25 years of local real estate experience. He said the United Properties alliance, combined with the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand and its marketing and technology might, will help his team grow business to new heights.

“Jonathan Starns and Chase Muller are strong and respected operators; we’re happy to be part of their team,” McCarthy said. “In addition, our new brand carries the name of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., one of the world’s most respected corporations. The network’s digital-advertising platform, created in conjunction with VaynerMedia, generates huge attention; and its real estate technology is top of class with exciting innovations on the drawing board. With all these resources at our fingertips, it’s up to us to do what we do best – sell real estate and make our Metairie-area clients happy.”

As part of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, McCarthy and his team gain access to the brand’s Global Network Platform, a powerful tool suite driving lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production/distribution and more. The brand also provides international listing syndication, relocation referrals, professional education and the exclusive Luxury Collection marketing program for high-end, resort-style listings.

Muller sees continued growth across the United Properties enterprise. “Our company thrives on attracting the finest and most experienced professionals in the marketplace, and then standing on our heads to ensure our clients achieve their real estate goals and aspirations,” he said. “We believe United Properties and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand present a compelling option for local real estate consumers and professionals alike.”

Gino Blefari, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, applauded United Properties’ union with McCarthy and his team, and its entrance to the Metairie market. “Jonathan Starns and Chase Muller reinforced the significance of their company name by uniting one of the most successful teams in the state of Louisiana,” Blefari said. “I commend Shaun McCarthy for making this commitment to the future growth of his skilled and successful team.”

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Utilities Rack Up Millions in Benefits as Western Energy Imbalance Market Surpasses $400 million

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s utilities NV Energy and PacifiCorp racked up over $16 million in benefits in the 2nd quarter through their participation in the Western Energy Imbalance Market.

In 2014, Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s PacifiCorp agreed to become the first participant in a new Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) as a way to balance electricity in-flows and out-flows on a regional basis and bring millions of dollars in benefits to participating utilities.

The Western Energy Imbalance Market total benefits have now surpassed $400 million.

For the 2nd quarter, Berkshire Hathaway’s NV Energy showed benefits of $5.34 million and Berkshire’s PacifiCorp achieved benefits of $11.67 million.

The Western EIM’s state-of-art technology automatically finds and delivers the lowest cost energy to serve more than 42 million consumers in eight western states, and extending to the border with Canada. In addition to optimizing diverse resources from a larger pool for lower costs, the EIM favors carbon-free generation, an added environmental benefit.

The market is poised to grow, with the Balancing Authority of Northern California/Sacramento Municipal Utility District (BANC/SMUD) set to begin participating in April 2019. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Salt River Project of Phoenix, and Seattle City Light will follow in April 2020.

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Insurance

Berkshire Provides $2 Billion Loan to Seritage Growth Properties

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Seritage Growth Properties a national owner of 249 properties totaling over 39 million square feet of gross leasable area, announced today that the Company has entered into a $2.0 billion term loan facility (the “Term Loan Facility”) with Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company of Nebraska.

“This new financing is a transformational step in the evolution of our Company, which we started three years ago, and positions us to further accelerate our role as a leading retail and mixed-use developer across the country,” said Benjamin Schall, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We very much appreciate Berkshire Hathaway’s confidence in our team and platform, and are energized by our growing opportunities to create lasting value for our shareholders, partners and local communities.”

The $2.0 billion Term Loan Facility, which matures on July 31, 2023, provides for an initial funding of $1.6 billion at closing (the “Initial Funding”) and includes a committed $400 million incremental funding facility (the “Incremental Funding Facility”). Funded amounts under the Term Loan Facility bear interest at a fixed annual rate of 7.00%, while amounts available under Incremental Funding Facility will be subject to a 1.00% annual fee until drawn.

The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the Initial Funding to fully repay its outstanding mortgage loan and unsecured term loan. Net proceeds from the Initial Funding, combined with existing balance sheet cash and the release of cash reserves held by the previous lender as of June 30, 2018, provide the Company with over $600 million of cash liquidity, in addition to access to the $400 million Incremental Funding Facility.

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Commentary Warren Buffett

Commentary: Buffett Not the Only Billionaire into Restaurant Brands International

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

One of Warren Buffett’s best deals in recent years was his 2014 financing of Burger King’s acquisition of Canadian Restaurant Chain Tim Hortons.

The deal was financed by Berkshire Hathaway, and Berkshire’s role gave the conglomerate ownership and control over 4.18% of the outstanding Common Shares and 14.37% of the total number of votes attached to all outstanding voting shares of the newly created Restaurant Brands International.

The company has continued to grow, and in 2017 gobbled up Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for $1.8 billion.

What made the deal one of Buffett’s best was Berkshire’s right to purchase 8,438,225 common shares of Restaurant Brands for a penny a share. The warrants came attached to 68,530,939 Class A 9.00% Cumulative Compounding Perpetual Preferred Shares that Berkshire acquired during the financing.

Berkshire has been sitting in the catbird seat, and with Restaurant Brands’ stock currently at $62.77 a share, Buffett is ahead a remarkable 620,770%.

It’s a reminder that Buffett is not just a great stock picker, he’s one the greatest dealmakers.

Restaurant Brands International, which trades under the symbol QSR, was trading in the $40s when the company was formed, and is still drawing interest at prices fifty percent higher than that.

Billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin has amassed 4.6 million shares of Restaurant Brands’ stock.

Griffin has been ranked as the 52nd richest person in America, and his Citadel LLC has developed a reputation for astute investments.

Griffin got his investing start in 1987, when as a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard University, he started trading from his dorm room with a fax machine, a personal computer, and a telephone.

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.