Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway apparently has a large stake in DaVita Healthcare Partners. An earlier entry on this blog discussed accusations that DaVita Healthcare Partners has committed substantial healthcare fraud by charging the taxpayer millions of dollars for medicine that is needlessly thrown away. Apparently the DaVita investment is due to Ted Weschler, one of two deputies to whom Buffett has delegated the investment of some of Berkshire’s funds.
(p. 3D) Weschler is believed to be behind Berkshire’s aggressive move into DaVita Healthcare Partners — a stock he owned when he ran his own hedge fund. Berkshire bought 10.9 million shares last year, becoming Da-Vita’s largest stakeholder with 15.7 percent of the company. DaVita provides kidney dialysis services and is seen as a consistent cash-flow generator. In November, the company closed its $4.7 billion purchase of Healthcare Partners, one of the country’s largest operators of medical groups and physician networks. DaVita shares rose more than 35 percent in the past 12 months.
For the full story, see:
MarketWatch . “Buffett was avid hunter of 6 stocks last year; Wells Fargo, GM and DirecTV top Berkshire’s list.” Omaha World-Herald (Tues., March 12, 2013): 1D & 3D.