Reblog: Learning From Jamie Dimon
There are a number of letters that I look forward to reading each year. Some of them are well known and Buffett’s are, of course, a classic example. There are also others that have added enormous value to my thinking over the years, and that have opened my eyes to many new and varied investment opportunities. They have also helped me spot emerging themes, new ideas, thought processes and mental models. I mentioned Buffett because his 2011 letter is a case in point. In that Buffett recommended reading Jamie Dimon’s annual letters. And it’s little wonder; Buffett has said this about Dimon in the past…
“I think he knows more about markets than probably anybody you could find in the world.”
Jamie Dimon, the son of a stockbroker, has been at the helm of JP Morgan [and it’s predecessor firm ‘Bank One’] since March 2000. In that time the tangible book value has compounded at 11.8%pa vs 5.2%pa for the S&P500. Not surprisingly, the stock price has followed, delivering a 12.4%pa return vs the S&P500’s 5.2%pa over that period. A cumulative gain of 691% versus 147% for the S&P500. Not bad considering the multitude of challenges that have faced global banks over that period, including the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
