Legendary investor and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B) CEO Warren Buffett has long relied on simple metaphors to explain complex financial principles, and one of his most enduring comparisons comes from America’s pastime. “In baseball lingo, our performance yardstick is slugging percentage, not batting average,” he wrote in 1992, using the sport’s statistics to illustrate how he evaluates Berkshire Hathaway’s results and, more broadly, how he believes investors should measure success.
The comment appears in one of Buffett’s annual shareholder letters, communications that have become widely studied for their clarity and investment insight. In this context, the baseball analogy serves to distinguish between activities that look productive on the surface and those that actually create long-term value. A high batting average suggests frequent but modest hits, while a strong slugging percentage reflects fewer but more consequential swings — an idea Buffett applies to capital allocation decisions.
Buffett’s authority on this topic stems from decades of disciplined investing in which major successes, rather than frequent small gains, have driven Berkshire Hathaway’s expansion. The conglomerate’s holdings in companies such as Coca-Cola (KO), American Express (AXP), and GEICO have generated returns that far outweigh numerous smaller or shorter-duration investments. The baseball analogy is rooted in Buffett’s belief that identifying a handful of exceptional opportunities and committing to them meaningfully yields better long-term performance than constantly seeking incremental gains.
The immediate context of the quote focuses on Berkshire’s uneven reported earnings, which fluctuate in part because of accounting rules requiring market valuations of its equity holdings to be reflected each year. Buffett has frequently emphasized that these short-term variations do not define the company’s economic strength. Instead, he measures success by the long-term compounding of intrinsic value — his version of slugging percentage — rather than by the frequency of quarterly wins or the avoidance of temporary setbacks.
This framing aligns with his broader investing philosophy, which encourages patience, selectivity, and concentration when high-confidence opportunities arise. In contrast to traders who prioritize high activity and short-term results, Buffett’s approach values decisiveness when conditions are favorable and restraint when they are not. The analogy reinforces his view that swing selection — choosing when to act for highest impact — is more important than how often one takes action.
The relevance of his statement persists across market environments. In periods of heightened uncertainty, investors often gravitate toward strategies designed to smooth returns or avoid volatility. Buffett’s remark suggests that such an approach may sacrifice the potential for significant long-term gains. Conversely, in exuberant markets where frequent trading is rewarded temporarily, the analogy serves as a reminder that long-term compounding, not short-term accuracy, remains the true driver of wealth creation.
By invoking baseball, Buffett underscores a timeless lesson: investment performance should be evaluated on the magnitude and durability of success, not the number of positive outcomes. His perspective reflects decades of experience allocating capital through economic cycles, market disruptions, and industry changes. The principle he conveys remains straightforward but powerful — enduring results come from strategic, high-impact decisions rather than constant activity.
