Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Reportedly Raises $1.9B Through Largest Samurai Bond Sale In 5 Years

BY Benzinga | CORPORATE | 10/10/24 04:49 AM EDT

Berkshire Hathaway has successfully secured 281.8 billion yen, approximately $1.9 billion, via a yen-denominated bond offering. This represents the company’s largest bond sale in Japan’s currency in five years.

What Happened: This issuance of Samurai bonds highlights Warren Buffett‘s increasing interest in Japan’s financial markets. Over the past four years, Berkshire Hathaway has invested in Japan’s top five trading houses, and this bond sale is part of its strategy to expand its exposure to Japanese assets, as per a term sheet reviewed by Reuters on Thursday.

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Berkshire Hathaway will use the funds for general corporate purposes. The company initially announced plans to invest in Japan’s trading houses in 2020, with a goal to hold these stakes long-term and potentially increase ownership to 9.9%.

Berkshire did not immediately respond to?Benzinga's?request for comment.

This year, Berkshire Hathaway has engaged in significant yen bond sales, with the latest issue featuring bonds with maturities ranging from 3 to 30 years. The largest tranche, a 3-year bond, raised 155.4 billion yen, while the 5-year bond secured 58 billion yen.

See Also: Nvidia Poised To Overtake Apple As World’s Most Valuable Company: How Much Jensen Huang’s Company Needs To Gain By Wednesday

Why It Matters: Buffett’s strategic move into Japan’s financial markets aligns with his long-term investment philosophy. In a recent letter to investors, Buffett emphasized the importance of companies that consistently increase dividends. This approach has contributed to Berkshire Hathaway’s impressive returns.

Despite global market volatility, Berkshire Hathaway’s Japanese investments have shown resilience. In early August, the Nikkei 225 index experienced a significant drop but managed to recover most of its losses. This underscores the strength of Buffett’s investments in Japan’s trading giants.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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