Value Investing in Asia

It can feel conflicting to be an investor in Asia. A natural question arises: are Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger’s ideas truly transposable to this part of the world?

When I wrestled with this question, I looked first to Berkshire Hathaway’s own portfolio. Berkshire has, in fact, invested in “wonderful companies” in both Japan and China. And if you look closely, you’ll also find that many of Berkshire’s U.S. holdings are active in Asia through subsidiaries, partnerships, or direct operations.

But what about cigar butts—the other side of value investing? One book that caught my attention was There’s Always Something to Do by Peter Cundill, which chronicles the global track record of a master investor who specialized in cigar-butt opportunities. Globally.  His story confirmed that this strategy, too, can travel across borders.

Of course, nobody can hand you a one-size-fits-all guide on how to invest—from Kuching and Sarawak into Asia and beyond. Yet, seeing both Berkshire’s example and Cundill’s record gave me reassurance that I wasn’t barking up the wrong tree.

I therefore recommend the following Kindle book from Peter Cundill.  If you would like to read reviews about the book and may consider buying it, click here.