Tracking Davis Selected Advisers 13F Portfolio – Q4 2022 Update

This article is part of a series that provides an ongoing analysis of the changes made to Davis Selected Advisers’ 13F portfolio on a quarterly basis. It is based on their regulatory 13F Form filed on 2/10/2023. Please visit our Tracking Christopher Davis’ Davis Selected Advisers 13F Portfolio series to get an idea of their investment philosophy and our previous update for the fund’s moves during Q3 2022.

This quarter, Davis Selected Advisers’ 13F portfolio increased ~5% from $14.06B to $14.71B. The number of holdings decreased from 114 to 109. The top three holdings are at ~25% while the top five holdings are close to ~36% of the 13F assets: Berkshire Hathaway, Wells Fargo, Capital One Financial, Meta Platforms, and Alphabet.

Note: Davis Selected Advisors manage several mutual funds and ETFs. The flagship mutual fund is Davis New York Venture Fund (MUTF:NYVTX) with ~$6B in assets. Since its 1969 inception, the fund has generated significant alpha: 11.16% annualized over 54 years compared to ~10% annualized for the S&P 500 index. Also, they advise the Clipper Fund (MUTF:CFIMX) which was incepted in 1984.

Stake Increases:

Capital One Financial (COF): The top-three 6.87% COF stake was a very small position first purchased in 2014. 2017 saw a substantial ~12M share stake built at prices between ~$78 and ~$100. The 2018-2020 timeframe also saw incremental buying as the stake was increased to ~16.2M shares. Last six quarters had seen a ~35% reduction at prices between ~$99 and ~$178. The stock currently trades at ~$117. There was a marginal increase this quarter.

Meta Platforms (META) previously Facebook: META is a large (top five) 5.35% of the portfolio stake first purchased in 2015 at prices between ~$75 and ~$110. The position has wavered. Recent activity follows. There was a ~15% trimming in Q3 2021 at prices between ~$337 and ~$382 while in Q1 2022 there was a ~25% stake increase at prices between ~$187 and ~$339. That was followed with a stake doubling over the last two quarters at prices between ~$89 and ~$183. The stock currently trades at ~$179.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN): The 4.44% of the portfolio position in AMZN was first purchased in 2006. A very large stake was built next year at prices between ~$2 and ~$5. The position has since been substantially reduced over the years. Recent activity follows. Q3 2021 saw a ~15% selling at prices between ~$160 and ~$187. The three quarters through Q2 2022 had also seen minor trimming. There was a ~47% stake increase this quarter at prices between ~$82 and ~$121. The stock currently trades at $99.54.

Teck Resources (TECK): The 3.34% of the portfolio stake in TECK saw a ~30% increase in Q2 2022 at prices between ~$30.50 and ~$45.75. That was followed with a ~17% increase last quarter at prices between ~$26 and ~$37. The stock currently trades at $41.61. There was a minor ~2% increase this quarter.

Markel Corp (MKL): The 2.24% MKL position saw a ~20% stake increase this quarter at prices between ~$1084 and ~$1345. The stock currently trades at ~$1368.

Owens Corning (OC): OC is a ~2% of the portfolio position primarily built during Q2 2022 at prices between ~$74 and ~$98 and it is now at ~$102. This quarter saw a ~7% further increase.

Stake Decreases:

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B): The Berkshire stake is the largest 13F position at ~9% of the portfolio. It has been in the portfolio since their first 13F filing in Q1 1999. Recent activity follows. Last four quarters saw a ~20% trimming at prices between ~$264 and ~$360. The stock is now at ~$314.

Wells Fargo (WFC): WFC is a very long term stake that has been in the portfolio since their first 13F filing in Q1 1999. At the time, it was already a very large stake at ~28M shares. Recent activity follows. Q3 2020 saw a ~45% stake increase at prices between ~$23.50 and ~$26.50. Since then, the activity had been minor. Last four quarters have seen a ~22% trimming. The stock currently trades at ~$48, and the stake is the second largest at 8.65% of the portfolio.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) (GOOGL): GOOG is a top-five 5.28% of the portfolio position first purchased in 2016 at prices between ~$38 and ~$40. The stake has seen periodic selling since. Recent activity follows. Last seven quarters have seen a ~50% selling at prices between ~$87 and ~$150. The stock currently trades at ~$95.

Applied Materials (AMAT): AMAT is a 4.80% long-term stake first purchased in 2011. The position remained very small until 2018 when a ~13M shares stake was built at prices between ~$30 and ~$62. Next year saw a ~15% stake increase at prices between ~$34 and ~$62. Since then, the position has seen selling. Q1 2021 saw a one-third reduction at prices between ~$85 and ~$140. Last seven quarters have also seen minor trimming. The stock is now at ~$117.

U.S. Bancorp (USB): USB position is a fairly large 4.68% of the portfolio stake. A very small position was first purchased in 2010. A substantial ~9.2M stake was built in 2018 at prices between ~$45 and ~$58. Next year saw a ~10% trimming but 2020 saw a stake doubling at prices between ~$31 and ~$59. The stock currently trades at ~$49. Last six quarters have seen a ~15% trimming.

Cigna Corp (CI): The 4.14% of the portfolio CI stake was built in 2020 at prices between ~$142 and ~$220. Next quarter saw a ~50% stake increase at prices between ~$203 and ~$244. That was followed with a ~185% increase in Q3 2021 at prices between ~$218 and ~$246. There was a ~40% stake reduction this quarter at prices between ~$278 and ~$339. The stock currently trades at ~$299.

Viatris Inc. (VTRS): The 4.14% VTRS stake was established in Q1 2021 at prices between ~$14 and ~$19. Next three quarters saw minor increases and that was followed with a ~25% increase in Q1 2022 at prices between ~$10 and ~$15.50. The stock currently trades at ~$12. There was minor trimming in the last three quarters.

Bank of New York Mellon (BK): A huge 110M share stake was built in BK during the 2007-2011 time period at prices between ~$18 and ~$49. The position has since been reduced. The decade through 2020 saw the stake reduced to ~15M shares at prices between ~$21 and ~$58. Last several quarters have also seen minor trimming. The stock currently trades at $51.92, and the stake is at ~4% of the portfolio.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM): A ~43M share stake in JPM was first built in 2004 at an average price in the high-30s. The position size peaked at over 78M shares by 2008. Since then, the stake has wavered. Recent activity follows. Last two years have seen a ~40% selling at prices between ~$113 and ~$172. The stock currently trades at ~$143, and the stake is at 3.90% of the portfolio.

Texas Instruments (TXN): A ~58M share stake in TXN was built in the 2007-08 timeframe at prices between ~$14 and ~$38. The position has since been reduced. Recent activity follows. Last two years have seen a ~18% trimming at prices between ~$149 and ~$201. The stock currently trades at ~$177 and the stake is at 3.20% of the portfolio.

Intel Corporation (INTC): INTC is a ~2% of the portfolio stake built in 2019 at prices between ~$44 and ~$60. Next year saw a ~50% stake increase at prices between ~$44 and ~$69. 2021 had also seen a one-third increase at prices between ~$49 and ~$68. The stock currently trades well below the low end of their purchase price ranges at $28.55. There was a one-third reduction over the last two quarters at prices between ~$25 and ~$41. They realized losses.

JD.com (JD): The JD stake was a very small position first purchased in 2014. The position remained small until 2018 when there was a substantial increase from ~2.5M shares to ~7.2M shares at prices between ~$19 and ~$51. Since then, the position has wavered. Recent activity follows. Q3 2021 saw a ~250% stake increase at prices between ~$62 and ~$83 while in the following quarter there was a ~35% selling at prices between ~$66 and ~$92. Q1 2022 saw a ~18% stake increase at prices between ~$43 and ~$78. This quarter saw the stake reduced by ~47% to a 1.69% portfolio stake at prices between ~$37 and ~$60. The stock currently trades at $52.43.

American Express (AXP), Bank of America (BAC), Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son (NTB), Chubb Ltd. (CB), Coupang Inc. (CPNG), Darling Ingredients (DAR), Hollysys Automation (HOLI), IAC/Interactive (IAC), Loews Corp (L), Microsoft Corp (MSFT), PNC Financial (PNC), and Quest Diagnostics (DGX): These small (less than ~2.50% of the portfolio each) stakes were decreased this quarter.

Note: They have a ~6.6% ownership stake in NTB and a ~8.9% ownership stake in HOLI.

The spreadsheet below highlights changes to Davis Selected Advisers’ 13F holdings in Q4 2022:

Source: John Vincent. Data constructed from Davis Selected Advisers’ 13F filings for Q3 2022 and Q4 2022.

Editor’s Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.