Buffett's bad year: Trading winners and losers

Jacob Pramuk
Updated
Buffett's bad year: Trading winners and losers

Warren Buffett has endured an uncharacteristically rough year.

With one month of trading left in 2015, Class A shares of his Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) have slipped 11 percent, compared to a 1 percent gain for the S&P 500 (INDEX: .SPX). Key holdings American Express (NYSE: AXP) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have plunged 23 and 13 percent this year, respectively.

Still, some of the Oracle of Omaha's holdings could "continue to work" after gains this year, said "Fast Money" trader Tim Seymour. He pointed to Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ) and General Electric (NYSE: GE), which have climbed 20 and 18 percent this year, respectively.

Berkshire and the Dow Jones transportation average (Dow Jones Global Indexes: .DJT) have also traded similarly this year. Dow transports have fallen about 11 percent.

More weakness in transportation stocks could signal struggles in the broader market, added trader Guy Adami.

"I think the next leg is lower in the transports and I think that drags the S&P down with it," he said.

Disclosures:

Tim Seymour

Tim Seymour is long AAPL, BAC, CLF, DIS, F, FCX, GE, GM, GOOGL, INTC, JCP, JPM, KO, LGF, RL, T, TWTR, VRX. Tim's firm is long BABA, BIDU, MCD, NKE, SBUX, YHOO.

Dan Nathan

Long PFE buy-write, Long TWTR & Long March Risk Reversal, Long EEM Dec 35/32 Put Spread, long IWM Dec Put Spread, Long UUP call spread, Long XLU Dec Call Spread, Long PYPL Jan Risk Reversal, Long M Jan16 52.50 / 62.50 call spread, Long INTC Dec Put Spread, Long XLF Dec put spread, Long NTAP risk reversal

Steve Grasso

Steve is Long AAPL, BA, BAC, CC, DD, DECK, EVGN, KBH, MJNA, MBLY, MU, OLN, PFE, PHM, T, TWTR, GDX firm is long IBM, BP, COP, CVX, MAT, OXY, RIG kids own EFA, EFG, EWJ, IJR, SPY

Guy Adami

Guy Adami is long CELG, EXAS, INTC, Guy Adami's wife, Linda Snow, works at Merck.



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