I’d use the Warren Buffett method to start building wealth in 2024!

Christopher Ruane explains how he plans to apply some of the investing wisdom of Warren Buffett when investing in the stock market next year.

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Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM

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With the end of the year in sight, I am already thinking about what financial objectives I want to achieve in 2024 and how I might try to do that. Whatever specific choices I make, I will be using billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s approach next year as I aim to build wealth over the long term.

Investing the Buffett way

What does such an approach involve? Some people buy penny shares without really understanding their businesses. Others put money into highly speculative shares they think just might hit the big time. Other investors put a little into a very large number of individual shares, hoping at least some of them come good.

That is not how Buffett invests. He does diversify, but tends to concentrate a lot of his investment into five to 10 ideas he thinks are compelling.

Buffett only invests in businesses he understands. Indeed, he typically spends many, many hours reading hundreds of pages of company reports, accounts and financial analysis to help him decide what investments to make.

He also does not buy shares just because of their price. That does not mean Buffet has never bought a penny stock. But the point is that he does not buy a share just because of its price. Instead, he looks at value, namely what is he paying and how it compares to the value he thinks he is getting in return.

Ordinary principles, extraordinary returns

None of the above may sound revolutionary. Yet Buffett is unusual among investors because he has been able to accumulate huge wealth in the stock market over the course of decades.

Indeed, his company Berkshire Hathaway has seen its per-share market value compound at an average of 19.8% annually since 1965. Over that sort of timeframe, a near-20% compound annual gain is exceptional.

Better than the best?

But with Berkshire now worth well over half a trillion pounds, Buffett is deploying huge amounts of capital. That can make it harder for him to invest in some of the opportunities he is used to when he had less money at his disposal.

Buffett has repeatedly said he thinks he could achieve higher returns if he was operating with relatively small sums compared to what he now invests, as was the case at the start of his investing career. Indeed, in 1965, the per-share market value of Berkshire soared 49.5%.

Like many private investors, I am only able to put small amounts of money to work in the stock market. But while that gives me a potential advantage over Buffett, I can still use his simple approach of aiming to buy stakes in great companies when they trade at attractive share prices.

Indeed, that is exactly what I plan to do in 2024!

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

C Ruane has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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