Mohnish Pabrai’s Q&A at Mendoza College of Business - University of Notre Dame on September 29, 2023
Nov 14, 2023
auto_awesome
Mohnish Pabrai, an investment fund manager, answers various intriguing questions at Mendoza College of Business. Topics discussed include when to sell a stock, starting Pabrai Investment Funds, Berkshire's twelve great decisions, identifying compounders, Charlie's mental models, cloning Chipotle vs. Baja Fresh, Fiat Chrysler, NVR, and the decline of bridge. The insightful conversation also touches on Warren Buffet's recent investments in Japanese trading companies, the auto industry, McDonald's French fries, and the future vision for funneling capital towards social causes.
Hold on to compounders despite overvaluation to benefit from their future growth potential and avoid missing out on significant returns.
Start small and treat your investment fund as a hobby, allowing room for growth and scaling into a proper business.
Deep dives
Not Selling Compounders: Why Long-Term Value Matters
Monish discusses the strategy of not selling compounders, even when they are overvalued. He explains that great businesses with long runways are rare and it can be challenging to determine their intrinsic value accurately. Mistakes in valuation can occur, and there may be unknown factors that could work in favor of these businesses. While it is important to sell when a business is egregiously overvalued, giving benefit of the doubt and maintaining long-term positions in compounders can be beneficial due to their potential for future growth and the risk of missing out on significant returns.
Starting an Investment Fund: The Journey of Monish
Monish shares his experience of starting his own investment fund after initially aspiring to work for Warren Buffett. He explains that his desire to improve as an investor led him to apprentice with Buffett, but when the opportunity did not materialize, he decided to manage funds for friends and treat it like a hobby. Over time, his fund performed well, which motivated him to focus on growing and scaling it as a proper business, eventually leading to the establishment of Pabrai Funds.
Developing a Mental Model Approach: Leveraging Probabilistic Thinking
Monish emphasizes the importance of developing a mental model approach for investing and bridge. He explains the parallels between the two games, as both revolve around evaluating probabilities and making informed decisions. He recommends understanding the quirks of the human brain, such as the association tendency and the reciprocation tendency, which can influence investment decisions. Monish highlights the value of continuous learning, reading books on mental models, and seeking guidance from experienced teachers and coaches in bridge to enhance probabilistic thinking and decision-making skills.
The Future of Philanthropy: Challenges and Lowering Expectations
Monish discusses the future direction of his philanthropic efforts through the Dakshana Foundation. He acknowledges the limitations of finding and scaling impactful causes and projects. While Dakshana's current model of providing educational opportunities has been successful, Monish is uncertain about identifying another highly effective model as the foundation's spending reaches its maximum potential. He mentions that experimenting with various initiatives and potentially lowering expectations might be necessary to continue doing good for society.