Burgundy is hosting a series of presentations for my colleagues called, “A Day in the Life.” The purpose of these seminars is to open the lines of communication, educate, and demonstrate the value of the roles that we have at Burgundy – how they contribute to our corporate mission to protect and build client capital while providing excellent service. So far, we have learned about a day in the life of an Investment Analyst, Investment Counsellor and our Manager of Systems and Technology.
Listening to my colleagues, I have been blown away by how each small, seemingly inconsequential task can have a significant impact on the big picture. For example, as a member of the Investment Team, part of my role is to arrange research trips for the Portfolio Managers and Analysts to meet with management of companies. Without these well-run research trips, our Investment Team could not make the same caliber of investment decisions – and good, sound investment decisions are paramount for preserving and growing our clients’ capital over the long term.
Working with the Investment Team, I hear the concept of intrinsic value mentioned often each day. Intrinsic value refers to the price at which we would buy or sell an entire business. In other words, it is a company’s true value, without regard to investment trends, prevailing economic conditions or short-term company setbacks. While we usually focus on the intrinsic value of a business, it can extend beyond our assessment of companies. In fact, I am reminded of my own intrinsic value in the process of working together with my colleagues to do the best work for our clients. I am also reminded of the value of our clients who, through both their own efforts in their personal lives and through their work for foundations and endowments, continue to make a significant impact on our world.
Here at Burgundy we all are so proud to play a part in this big picture. Thank you to our wonderful clients for your work and your inspiration – it is a privilege to work alongside you. And quite often because of this, to quote Warren Buffett, we “skip to work.”
This post is presented for illustrative and discussion purposes only. It is not intended to provide investment advice and does not consider unique objectives, constraints or financial needs. Under no circumstances does this post suggest that you should time the market in any way or make investment decisions based on the content. Select securities may be used as examples to illustrate Burgundy’s investment philosophy. Burgundy funds or portfolios may or may not hold such securities for the whole demonstrated period. Investors are advised that their investments are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. This post is not intended as an offer to invest in any investment strategy presented by Burgundy. The information contained in this post is the opinion of Burgundy Asset Management and/or its employees as of the date of the post and is subject to change without notice. Please refer to the Legal section of this website for additional information.
