The Business of Value Investing: Six Essential Elements to Buying Companies Like Warren Buffett

While you've probably heard numerous "financial experts" talk about the many ways to make money in the markets, the fact is, there's only one strategy that has truly proven itself over the years. Thanks to the foundation laid out by Benjamin Graham and expanded upon by Warren Buffett and others, value investing—which consists of buying the stock of companies that trade for less than their intrinsic value in order to maximize return while minimizing risk—has helped countless individuals consistently build wealth by avoiding permanent capital loss.

Successful value investors have an ingrained mental framework through which all investment decisions are made. This framework, which stems from Graham's belief that "investment is most intelligent when it is most businesslike," can put you in a better position to improve the overall performance of your portfolio.

Written by Sham Gad—founder of the Gad Partners Funds, a value-focused investment partnership inspired by the 1950s Buffett Partnerships—The Business of Value Investing effectively examines the fundamental tenants of this approach and skillfully illustrates the six essential elements of the entire process. Opening with informative discussions of how value investing focuses more on buying a piece of a business and less on buying a company's stock, this reliable resource quickly moves on to detail exactly what it takes to become a successful value investor.

• Develop a sound investment philosophy
• Have a good search strategy
• Know how to value a business and assess the quality of management
• Have the discipline to say no
• Practice the art of patience
• Have the courage to make a significant investment at the point of maximum pessimism

Along the way, you'll become familiar with specific case studies that illustrate how to approach investing in an intelligent, businesslike fashion. Each one—all of which were actual investments made by the author at one time or another in his career—offers a different way to determine whether a company under investigation is indeed a bargain investment opportunity.

For those willing to put forth the effort and show some patience, the stock market offers the greatest forum for wealth accumulation. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, this reliable resource can help you make the most of your time in today's markets, by following a value-oriented approach to investing that continues to make sense.

About the Author

Hesham M. Gad, an up-and-coming value investor, is the Managing Partner of the Gad Partners Funds. Prior to managing the Gad Partners Fund, he ran the Gad Investment Group from 2002 to 2005, a concentrated value fund that delivered annualized returns of 22 percent. He has written hundreds of investment articles and currently contributes to TheStreet.com and Investopedia.com. Gad holds an MBA in finance from the University of Georgia, during which time he met with Warren Buffett for lunch.