Microsoft Corporation

Afternoon Session - 2025 Meeting

“big tech companies, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon. With all of those companies now announcing massive capital investment”

RARE Charlie Munger 2017 Daily Journal AFTER Interview

“And all these service companies were just ideally located. And this value investor picked the best service companies. Microsoft.”

Afternoon Session - 2024 Meeting

“Bill Gates did the same thing at Microsoft but what is unusual about Berkshire is that a very significant number of Berkshire shareholders”

2024 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter

“Look at my friend, Bill Gates, who decided that it was far more important to get underway in an exploding industry that would change the world”

Learning from Warren Buffett & Charlie Munger w/ Chris Davis

“watching the changing narratives around Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates or Sam Walton and Walmart”

Warren Buffett I HBO Documentary

“he was really busy with Microsoft. And finally he said, Mom, okay, I'll come for lunch.”

'Not everything that should happen does happen'

“Microsoft has been remarkably, what's the word, willing to cooperate with governing bodies and I mean, they want to do the deal”

Munger: 'Old-fashioned intelligence works pretty well'

“Bill Gates brought me out the latest, maybe not the latest version, but one he thought maybe I could handle”

Afternoon Session - 2023 Meeting

“Microsoft has been remarkably, what's the word, willing to cooperate, willing to cooperate with governing body, and I mean, they want to do the deal and they've met them”

Afternoon Session - 2023 Meeting

“I don't think it's through any shortcoming by either Microsoft or Activision.”

Buffett is buying Activision as a merger arbitrage play

“Microsoft announced they were going to buy Activision for $95 a share. Now, when they announced that, at that point, Activision becomes a different kind of security.”

2022 Annual Meeting Highlight Reel

“on January, I don't know, 17th or 18th, something like that. Microsoft announced they were going to buy Activision for $95 a share.”

Afternoon Session - 2022 Meeting

“Microsoft announced they were going to buy Activision for $95 a share. Now, when they announced that, at that point, Activision becomes a different kind of security.”

Afternoon Session - 2022 Meeting

“on January whatever it was 17th 1890s Microsoft announces it and the stock which had been at 60”

Afternoon Session - 2022 Meeting

“one thing we do know is Microsoft has the money so that takes that one risk out of it”

Warren Buffett (Charlie Rose Returns)

“And Microsoft announced – the first story said weeks later...It was probably 12 weeks later. It said months later...then the – there was a big expose type story run and – but he wasn't buying during a”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2022 — Munger Q&A

“if Berkshire had any inkling about the likely Microsoft bid for Activision Blizzard?”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2022 — Munger Q&A

“the great tech franchises of our day, specifically Microsoft, Apple and Alphabet...I would expect Microsoft and Apple and Alphabet to be strong fifty years from now”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2022 — Munger Q&A

“a man named Bill Gates came along and he decided he's going to give away a free Encyclopedia with every damn bit of his personal computer software”

Part 2 - 2021 Meeting

“Apple and Google and Microsoft and Facebook are terrific examples... Microsoft's business is a way better business we have.”

Part 1 - 2021 Meeting

“and we don't own Google, we don't own Microsoft, but they are incredible companies in terms of what they earn on capital.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2021 — Munger Q&A

“people assume that we're a normal software company like Microsoft or something. We are in fact being a more difficult type of software business than Microsoft.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2021 — Munger Q&A

“Generally speaking, people assume that we're a normal software company like Microsoft or something.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2020 — Munger Q&A

“I can't tell you how the people like Microsoft and Google don't want our branch of the software business.”

Afternoon Session - 2019 Meeting

“we have built powerful platforms such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft in America and Alibaba and Tencent in China”

Buffett: "I was wrong" on Kraft Heinz | February 25, 2019

“I've been amazed at what Amazon has done there, and now Microsoft is doing as well”

Buffett: Stocks are 'ridiculously cheap' if rates don't move | May 6, 2019

“he is the founder and the current technology advisor at Microsoft”

Buffett: Stocks are 'ridiculously cheap' if rates don't move | May 6, 2019

“Bill Gates, who's the co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”

Buffett: Stocks are 'ridiculously cheap' if rates don't move | May 6, 2019

“Bill Gates, who's the co-founder of Microsoft and the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”

Criticizing the cryptocurrency craze | May 7, 2018

“Bill Gates. He is the co-founder of Microsoft. He's also a Berkshire board member.”

Criticizing the cryptocurrency craze | May 7, 2018

“my tech investing is almost entirely the Microsoft stock. I think in terms of things that will have super high returns”

Criticizing the cryptocurrency craze | May 7, 2018

“Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and a Berkshire board member”

Afternoon Session - 2018 Meeting

“I have a question about my Microsoft. You have gotten into the tech world with buying Apple. You have Mr. Gates there. I'm just wondering why you've never bought Microsoft.”

Why has Berkshire never bought Microsoft stock?

“I'm just wondering why you've never bought Microsoft. Well, in the earlier years, it's very clear. The answer is stupidity.”

2018 Annual Meeting Highlight Reel

“I'm just wondering why you've never bought Microsoft.”

2018 Annual Meeting Highlight Reel

“it would be a mistake for Berkshire to buy Microsoft, because if something happened a week later, a month later”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2018 — Munger Q&A

“it's never going to be the kind of thing that Google gets into, or Microsoft, where the sky just rains gold”

Bill Gates + Warren Buffett + Charlie Rose @ Columbia University 2017 Video (Best Quality)

“I was pretty maniacal about Microsoft. And only in my late 30s with some encouragement from my wife, Melinda, did I start to study it”

Bill Gates + Warren Buffett + Charlie Rose @ Columbia University 2017 Video (Best Quality)

“microsoft is leading in some really cool stuff so like i look oh the the way that a business takes information about customers about communication with customers looking at data that mission of really”

Bill Gates + Warren Buffett + Charlie Rose @ Columbia University 2017 Video (Best Quality)

“microsoft is the leader in that and it's a wonderful niche you know it's a multi-hundred billion dollar niche that they're strong in”

Bill Gates + Warren Buffett + Charlie Rose @ Columbia University 2017 Video (Best Quality)

“Because you have an influence on Microsoft. I mean, not just being a stockholder. I enjoy going to be a stockholder.”

Bill Gates + Warren Buffett + Charlie Rose @ Columbia University 2017 Video (Best Quality)

“Microsoft is the leader in that, and it's a wonderful niche, you know, it's a multi-hundred billion dollar niche that they're strong in”

Buying Apple, selling IBM, missing Google | May 8, 2017

“It's Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and who am I leaving out? And Facebook. Right, and Facebook. Those are the five... Those are the wonderful business.”

Buying Apple, selling IBM, missing Google | May 8, 2017

“Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and the head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”

Buying Apple, selling IBM, missing Google | May 8, 2017

“my role in not having Microsoft lead in search or not lead in the phone operating systems. Or in the cloud.”

Buffett buys airlines and Apple | February 27, 2017

“doesn't Microsoft meet all your tests for a wonderful business... I emailed them back as to why I didn't buy Microsoft”

Buffett buys airlines and Apple | February 27, 2017

“in terms of Microsoft's position in the economy. So one day in the Wall Street Journal, I see my email is posted”

Bill and Melinda Gates Interview: Warren Buffett's Friendship & Impact

“i was very busy on microsoft work”

Bill and Melinda Gates Interview: Warren Buffett's Friendship & Impact

“he was really busy with microsoft and uh finally she said you know you know please come”

Bill and Melinda Gates Interview: Warren Buffett's Friendship & Impact

“because bill was in the throes of running microsoft”

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (Columbia Town Hall)

“I was pretty maniacal about Microsoft. And only in my late 30s, with some encouragement from my wife, Melinda, did I start to study it”

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (Columbia Town Hall)

“I had that with Paul Allen in the early days of Microsoft. I had that with Steve Ballmer as Microsoft.”

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (Columbia Town Hall)

“they will be innovating along that line more in the next few years than ever in our history.”

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (Columbia Town Hall)

“Microsoft is leading in some really cool stuff... Microsoft is the leader in that and it's a wonderful niche.”

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (Columbia Town Hall)

“Because you have an influence on Microsoft, I mean not just being a stockholder. I enjoy going over and sharing my thoughts.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2017 — Munger Q&A

“Gates went there very early with Microsoft, and so on, and they took a place that was really a backward place”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“also Microsoft's Bill Gates, who sits on the board of Berkshire”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“Bill Gates, who's the founder of Microsoft, obviously running the foundation and also a board member”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a Berkshire board member”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft are all moving ahead at a great speed in improving this artificial intelligence software.”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“Microsoft is absolutely the leader, and there's so many more things can be done. In the cloud, we have a number of companies, including Amazon, doing a great job, but Microsoft having some special ent”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“Microsoft is one of the leaders to create immense software value.”

Buffett on Trump vs. Clinton, Brexit, and Amazon's Bezos | May 2, 2016

“In terms of Microsoft though, it just last week I believe filed suit with the government saying that it shouldn't have to hand over any”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2016 — Munger Q&A

“If you're Microsoft, you're use to easy money. And this just looks like agony.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2016 — Munger Q&A

“Up came Oracle and Microsoft and all kinds of other people who were formerly not so large.”

2016 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter

“Craig Mundie of Microsoft asserted that pilotless planes would routinely fly passengers by 2030”

The Giving Pledge (5-Year Retrospective)

“the United States created this amazing framework that allowed Microsoft and Berkshire and amazing educations”

The Giving Pledge (5-Year Retrospective)

“when we were at Microsoft, both of us, you could get a report on your desk about sales any day of the week.”

Defending Clayton Homes and Berkshire's IBM stake | May 4, 2015

“I don't think you bought Microsoft. I don't think you ever bought really Apple.”

Defending Clayton Homes and Berkshire's IBM stake | May 4, 2015

“Microsoft's going to prosper, Amazon's going to prosper, you know, oracle's going to prosper, but I think IBM's going to prosper too”

Defending Clayton Homes and Berkshire's IBM stake | May 4, 2015

“This is true with Microsoft. It's true with Apple. It's true with Apple. It's true with Oracle. It's true with Qualcomm. Those companies earn extraordinary returns”

Defending Clayton Homes and Berkshire's IBM stake | May 4, 2015

“Berkshire board member and Microsoft founder, Bill Gates.”

Defending Clayton Homes and Berkshire's IBM stake | May 4, 2015

“John's bringing together partnerships with Microsoft and others. You know, he's amazing, and he's had the job a long time.”

Afternoon Session - 2015 Meeting

“why is it a Microsoft able to build itself into a dominating monolithic company versus a Seas Candy”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2015 — Munger Q&A

“People like Microsoft hate this kind of business. It's too hard.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2015 — Munger Q&A

“A company like Microsoft got in a business somewhat similar to ours when they bought Great Plains Software, Inc. They've succeeded with it”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2015 — Munger Q&A

“Even Microsoft finds it difficult to do anything but have moderate success when they buy some thoroughly proven software system”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“Microsoft founder Bill Gates will both be joining us live right here on the set with Warren Buffett.”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“Microsoft founder Bill Gates is going to join us. He's a member of CNBC's top 25 leaders over the past 25 years. We're going to talk tech, the legacy of Microsoft”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. That's coming up right after the break.”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“Bill Gates. He is the founder of Microsoft and the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“maniacal about not doing anything but working at Microsoft. And so I agreed to come by.”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“Satch is off to an amazing start. And he's drawing on a broad set of people in the company to get them to rethink how can Microsoft move a bit faster”

We'll never want to "go to war" with Coca-Cola | May 5, 2014

“I'm going to retain a lot of Microsoft stock. And, you know, I'm excited about the stuff I'm doing at Microsoft right now.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2014 — Munger Q&A

“You have a business like Microsoft [ticker: MSFT] and you don't need a bunch of RFPs”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“And later, Microsoft chairman and CEO, or Microsoft chairman, I should make that. Bill Gates is going to be joining our conversation”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates will be joining Warren in a very special interview. We'll get his thoughts on everything from philanthropy to the global economy, to the future of Microsoft.”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“Microsoft still does $80 billion a year doing so... the cloud is a gigantic opportunity... Windows 8 really is revolutionary”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, who is on the Board of Directors for Berkshire Hathaway.”

Buffett sees "gradual improvement" in economy | May 6, 2013

“Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, who is a board member at Berkshire Hathaway.”

Afternoon Session - 2013 Meeting

“just in the spirit of full disclosure, I worked for Microsoft.”

Afternoon Session - 2013 Meeting

“There's nothing that precludes both Microsoft, which you mentioned, and IBM being successful. In fact, I hope they both are.”

Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2013 — Munger Q&A

“The people like Oracle and Microsoft, and never wanted to be a mixed businesses too awful”

2009 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter

“Steve Ballmer, of Microsoft, and Jeff Immelt, of GE, can tell you about that problem, suffering as they do from the nosebleed prices at which their stocks traded”

Morning Session - 2008 Meeting

“It could have been Microsoft early on. So unless I know the nature of the business”

2007 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter

“It's far better to have an ever-increasing stream of earnings with virtually no major capital requirements. Ask Microsoft or Google.”

Afternoon Session - 2005 Meeting

“I still wish I'd bought a little Microsoft when I first met him.”

Morning Session - 2005 Meeting

“maybe a merger of some sorts between Berkshire and Microsoft is in the works”

Poor Charlie's Almanack

“The Government's Lawsuit Against Microsoft [April 2000] Someone whose salary is paid by U.S. taxpayers is happy to dramatically weaken the one place where we're winning big?!”

Poor Charlie's Almanack

“whether it's Microsoft or Intel or all kinds of people, including National Cash Register in the early days.”

Poor Charlie's Almanack

“Some of you may find opportunities "surfing" along in the new high-tech fields-the Intels, the Microsoft's, and so on.”

Poor Charlie's Almanack

“My friend, Dr. Nat Myhrvold, who's the chief technology officer at Microsoft, is bothered by this.”

Could Bill Gates do Buffett's job?

“to the extent that he spends less time at Microsoft, and he will probably be, you know, the Gates Foundation will take up”

Morning Session - 2004 Meeting

“He resigned his post as chairman of Microsoft in order to keep the masterpiece that you've assembled”

Morning Session - 2004 Meeting

“to the extent that he spends less time at Microsoft, and he will probably be, you know, the Gates Foundation will take up perhaps more of his time”

Wesco 2001 Annual Meeting — Notes of Charlie Munger's Remarks (Whitney Tilson)

“not as good as Berkshire Hathaway or Microsoft, but there's always someone in life who's done better.”

Afternoon Session - 2000 Meeting

“companies, such as even Microsoft, last week, in response to a lower stock price, simply reissue a bunch of new options”

Afternoon Session - 2000 Meeting

“Jeff Rakes, who's a key Microsoft employee, and I think he's in town this weekend”

Afternoon Session - 2000 Meeting

“how vigorous do you expect him to defend his company's position against the government and state's current antitrust suit?”

Afternoon Session - 2000 Meeting

“what, in your opinion, are the odds that the government and the states will prevail and split his company”

Afternoon Session - 2000 Meeting

“I happen to be quite sympathetic to the Microsoft side of the pending antitrust case.”

Morning Session - 2000 Meeting

“Microsoft did exactly that year after year after year and happened to win big. And it's hard to see, for me at least, to see why Microsoft is sinful because they tried to improve the products all the ”

A Perverse Use of Antitrust Law (2000)

“As best I can judge from the Microsoft antitrust case, the Justice Department believes that any seller of an ever-evolving, many-featured product”

A Perverse Use of Antitrust Law (2000)

“Microsoft may have some peculiarities of culture that many people don't like, but it could well be that good software is now best developed within such a culture.”

A Perverse Use of Antitrust Law (2000)

“Microsoft software would be a lousy product for us and the courts if the company were not always improving it by adding features such as Explorer”

1999 Annual Meeting Highlight Reel

“If I had to bet on anybody, I'd certainly bet on Microsoft, bet heavily if I had to bet, but I don't have to bet.”

"I don't have to bet" on technology companies

“in the case of Microsoft, that 10 years from now, they'll be doing software development”

Afternoon Session - 1999 Meeting

“I looked at General Electric and Microsoft in a couple of the largest government... we did pay more than GE or Microsoft”

Afternoon Session - 1999 Meeting

“in the case of Microsoft, that 10 years from now, they'll be doing software development”

Afternoon Session - 1999 Meeting

“If I had to bet on anybody, I'd certainly bet on Microsoft, bet heavily”

Warren Buffett | Nightline Interview | 1999

“He spent nine hours explaining Microsoft to me. Couldn't have been a better teacher. Couldn't have had a dumber student... I bought a hundred shares when I got all through. That just shows you how man”

What Buffett looks for in an annual report

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

Public education "needs fixing"

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years.”

Will the internet help Berkshire's businesses?

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years.”

Phil Fisher's "scuttlebutt" method

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

"That is a seven or eight foot bar that I can't clear"

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

Operating from a "Norman Rockwell frame of mind"

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

1998 Annual Meeting Highlight Reel

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

Morning Session - 1998 Meeting

“I don't know where Microsoft or Intel. I don't know what that world will look like in 10 years”

America's economy "encourages" adaptation

“something like software, where Microsoft has been leading or on Intel or something. I mean, we have done very well.”

Why Buffett doesn't invest in Intel and Microsoft

“Andy Grove at Intel and Bill Gates at Microsoft. And they certainly seem to have fantastic positions.”

Afternoon Session - 1997 Meeting

“when I met Bill Gates, I didn't buy Microsoft or something. That's not my game.”

Morning Session - 1997 Meeting

“invest in high-octane companies like Intel and Microsoft that are growing at 30%”

Morning Session - 1997 Meeting

“and Bill Gates at Microsoft, and they certainly seem to have fantastic positions in the businesses they're in.”

Afternoon Session - 1997 Meeting

“huge businesses like Microsoft, which really didn't exist on that scale, not so very long ago”

Morning Session - 1997 Meeting

“software, where Microsoft has been leading or on Intel or something. I mean, we have done very well.”

Will Bill Gates join Berkshire's board?

“he'd be a terrific asset, but he really focuses on Microsoft. He has his board meetings, as I remember on Saturday”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“invest in the companies of the two wealthiest men in the world...buy monthly more business. more Berkshire and Microsoft”

Why Buffett is change-averse

“We think Microsoft is a sensational company run by the best of managers, but we don't have any idea what that world is going to look like in 10 or 20 years.”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“I know your answer has been that if you don't understand it... not only Microsoft, but say Pfizer and J&J”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“We think Microsoft is a sensational company run by the best of managers, but we don't have any idea what that world is going to look like in 10 or 20 years.”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“I made the mistake of taking Charlie up to Microsoft in December, and he became friends with Nathan Mervold”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“your close affiliation with Bill Gates, Microsoft, have you ever considered either inviting him to be part of the Berkshire”

Afternoon Session - 1996 Meeting

“he's on the board of some biotech company in which he's got a significant investment. But you will not see him on the boards of, at least I don't believe that you will, of American corporations...he r”

Stanford Law: Worldly Wisdom Revisited — Business: What Lawyers Should Know (1996)

“My friend, Dr. Nat Myhrvold, who is the chief technology officer at Microsoft, is bothered by this.”

Afternoon Session - 1995 Meeting

“I admire about my friend Bill Gates, he's got $4.5 billion of cash in Microsoft, and there are very few management”

Afternoon Session - 1995 Meeting

“Is there a possibility down a road a piece of you doing some type of purchase of Microsoft or acquiring that or is there something you took to work out together?”

Afternoon Session - 1995 Meeting

“I bought a hundred shares one of the day. First day I met Bill and that was the end of it. I just want to be sure I got his reports”

Afternoon Session - 1995 Meeting

“including the possibility of the Microsoft Intuit merger”

Afternoon Session - 1995 Meeting

“including Microsoft, as you mentioned. It may be to their advantage to hook up with the present players.”

Morning Session - 1994 Meeting

“you ought to worry more about, if you own Microsoft, about Bill Gates, I think, or something of the sort.”

USC Lecture: A Lesson on Elementary, Worldly Wisdom (1994)

“people get long runs when they're right on the edge of the wave whether it's Microsoft or Intel or all kinds of people”

USC Lecture: A Lesson on Elementary, Worldly Wisdom (1994)

“Some of you may find opportunities "surfing" along in the new high-tech fields - the Intels, the Microsofts and so on.”