Here’s Why Warren Buffett Called Himself “an Idiot”

The Oracle of Omaha called himself an idiot for not investing in the King of e-commerce before. Warren Buffett can atone for the slip up by adding the Cargojet stock and Shopify stock to his empire’s investment portfolio.

| More on:

Warren Buffett is a smart investor, if not the smartest in the world. You can measure his success by the billions he’s amassed in 78 years since he started investing at age 11. The value investor, however, called himself “an idiot” once, which is far-fetched given his enormous fortune.

close-up photo of investor Warren Buffett

Image source: The Motley Fool

Biggest regret

The year 2020 is Buffett’s Waterloo. People made money from the airline industry, but his conglomerate did not. Berkshire Hathaway dumped its entire airline stock holdings. But the bitter experience with airlines is not his biggest regret.

Buffett is lamenting not investing in Amazon.com early on. He admits underestimating the potential of the Jeff Bezos-led company. The humble online bookstore company in 1994 is the King of e-commerce today. Amazon delivers the most massive revenue in the world.

Buffett avoided technology-related stocks before because of a lack of understanding of the products and markets. Based on the SEC filing of Berkshire Hathaway on May 15, 2020, the company holds 533,300 Amazon shares worth US$1.4 billion.

Besides Restaurant Brands International and Suncor Energy, Berkshire should consider adding two more TSX stocks with excellent growth potentials.

Cargo, not passengers

Cargojet (TSX: CJT) is ruling the skies, as air cargo transport services are in high demand. The year-to-date performance is proof of why this airline stock should be on your radar. From $104.51 in early January, the price has risen by 50.85%. As of this writing, Cargojet is trading at $157.66 per share and paying a 0.60% dividend.

This $2.46 billion company posted impressive numbers in Q1 2020. Revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and the gross margin grew by 11.4%, 24.5%, and 52%, respectively, compared with the same period in 2019.

Cargojet is in full throttle with over $29 million in adjusted free cash flow, which was the best-ever free cash flow generation in a quarter. The company is well capitalized and oozing with liquidity. It can meet day-to-day future growth needs, as it flies over these uncertain times.

The growth estimate this year is 98.8% and 74.6% in 2021. Cargojet could end 2020 as one of the top-performing TSX stocks.

Next Amazon

Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP) is an Amazon in the making. As of June 19, 2020, this $140.28 billion e-commerce company is the largest publicly listed company on the TSX. It has been in operation for 16 years with a similar humble beginning.

The founders put up an online store for snowboarding equipment. Today, about 600,000 small- and medium-sized businesses or merchants are peddling their goods and services through Shopify’s multi-channel commerce platform.

In Q1 2020, revenue grew by 47% year over year, which was the same during the previous holiday quarter. Subscriptions also surged by 34%. As a result, Shopify saw its adjusted net income triple year over year, too. Shopify investors are riding high on a 127.57% year-to-date gain. The growth is happening despite the pandemic.

Canada is launching a contact-testing COVID-19 app in early July 2020. According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the federal government is working with Shopify and Blackberry for the development of the said app.

Another slip-up?

Warren Buffett is a fan of the online retail giant but a self-proclaimed idiot for not investing in the stock in the past. He might regret not taking a position in Cargojet and Shopify someday.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Fool contributor Christopher Liew has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Amazon. Tom Gardner owns shares of Shopify. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), CARGOJET INC., Shopify, and Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends BlackBerry, BlackBerry, and RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC and recommends the following options: long January 2021 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2021 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon, and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon.

More on Tech Stocks

Piggy bank on a flying rocket
Tech Stocks

Canada’s Defence Spending Boom: 3 Stocks Poised to Win Big

Canada has a wave of defence spending coming. Here are three top stocks poised to win big from this new…

Read more »

chip glows with a blue AI
Tech Stocks

Revealed: Here’s the Only Canadian Stock I’d Refuse to Sell

Here’s why selling this Canadian stock might not make sense right now.

Read more »

a man relaxes with his feet on a pile of books
Tech Stocks

The TFSA Balance You’ll Probably Need to Retire Well in Canada

Explore how to retire wisely with a Tax-Free Savings Plan for a less taxable retirement and maximize your income.

Read more »

A microchip in a circuit board powers artificial intelligence.
Tech Stocks

The Tech Stock I’d Most Want to Buy If I Were Investing Today

Discover why Celestica is a leading tech stock. Learn about its impressive growth and strategic adaptations in the AI landscape.

Read more »

some REITs give investors exposure to commercial real estate
Dividend Stocks

Dreaming of a TFSA Million? Here’s How Much You’d Need to Set Aside Each Month

A million-dollar TFSA in 10 years takes serious monthly saving, and Altus Group could be one TSX stock to help.

Read more »

man makes the timeout gesture with his hands
Dividend Stocks

Why Your TFSA – Not Your RRSP – Should Be Doing the Heavy Lifting

The TFSA’s real superpower is tax-free compounding, and it gets even stronger when you pair it with a proven long-term…

Read more »

A robotic hand interacting with a visual AI touchscreen display.
Tech Stocks

3 Canadian Growth Stocks Worth Considering for a TFSA This Year

These three TSX growth stocks mix real revenue momentum with improving profits, exactly what TFSA investors want for tax-free compounding.

Read more »

warehouse worker takes inventory in storage room
Tech Stocks

Could Buying This One Stock Actually Put You on a Path to Millionaire Status?

Shopify is growing fast, adding AI tools, and winning bigger brands, but its pricey valuation means investors need patience.

Read more »