Over the years, Buffett had expounded his philosophy of investing in his chairperson’s letter to the shareholders in Berkshire Hathaway’s annual report. By 2005, those lengthy letters had accumulated a broad following because of their wisdom and their humorous, self-deprecating tone. The letters emphasized the following elements:
1. Economic reality, not accounting reality. Financial statements prepared by accountants conformed to rules that might not adequately represent the economic reality of a business. Buffett wrote: