Buffett Does It. Most Value Investors Don’t | Robert Hagstrom on the Real Key to Compounding
Buffett Does It. Most Value Investors Don’t | Robert Hagstrom on the Real Key to Compounding  
Podcast: Excess Returns
Published On: Sat Jun 21 2025
Description: Robert Hagstrom returns to discuss the investing principle he believes most value investors still misunderstand—despite decades of evidence from Warren Buffett. In this conversation, we explore why focus investing works, what traditional value investors got wrong about the Magnificent Seven, and how the industry's obsession with low P/E ratios and short-term tracking error leads to missed opportunities. Hagstrom also reflects on lessons from working with Bill Miller and explains why evolving your investment approach is essential for long-term success.In this episode, we discuss:How Hagstrom fell into money management by accidentWhat Buffett’s 1983 letter taught him about investingThe dangers of rigid value investing frameworksWhy most active managers fail over timeThe key to compounding that investors overlookDrawdowns, tracking error, and the psychology of focus investingWhy private equity’s appeal is mostly an illusionWhat Buffett’s surprise CEO handoff really means for Berkshire Hathaway