Written by: Aaron Katsman | June 1, 2008
Aaron Katsman
IsraelNewsletter.com
A few weeks ago, Zack Miller and myself were interviewed by CNBC’s Squawk Box. The purpose of the interview was to discuss Israel’s accomplishments over the past 60 years. During the interview, we focused on Israeli companies that are publicly traded in the United States, as well as up-and-coming technologies that could potentially make a global impact over the next two to four years.
Investment Destination
Over the last four years, Israel has become a very popular destination for foreign investors. Global giants like General Electric, Microsoft, IBM and Johnson and Johnson are only a few of the companies that have made large investments in Israel by buying local companies. In fact, Warren Buffet, perhaps the world’s most famous and successful investor, made his largest non-U.S. investment when he purchased Iscar, an Israeli company, for $4.4 billion. Buffett has since referred to the purchase as a “dream investment.” (Continue »)
Written by: Zack Miller | May 4, 2008
As Israel turns 60 this week, here are a quick few economic stats on the State of Israel:
- Forecast GDP growth in 2008 recently cut to 3.2%. 2007 GDP was 5.3%.
- 7.2 million citizens, per capita income reached about $21,000 in 2007
- In a recent study the IVC Research Center eports that the capital available for investment in the hands of Israeli VCs is now at $2 billion, making conditions ripe for the number of investments we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks. In 2007, Israeli venture capital funds raised a total of $1.1 billion (including venture lending), 21% more than in 2006.
- The Central Bureau of Statistics announced last week that Israel’s unemployment fell to a seasonally adjusted 6.7% in Q4/07, compared with 7.2% in the preceding quarter and 7.8% in Q4/06. This is the lowest rate of unemployment in Israel since the early 1990s and the first time it has fallen below the 7% level
- Spending by foreign tourists in Israel totaled US$2.4 billion last year, 16.5% more than in 2006. (Central Bureau of Statistics)
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffett said on Saturday that the company’s acquisition last year of the Israeli firm Iscar has worked out better than expected. Buffett said that he had very high expectations when Berkshire struck the deal, and that the metal-cutting-tool maker has “exceeded that in every way.” “It’s been a dream acquisition,” he said.
- Israel has more companies traded on Nasdaq than any other country other than US. Here is a list of Israeli stocks traded in the U.S.
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Written by: Zack Miller | February 7, 2008
In an article on Bloomberg today, billionaire investor Warren Buffett allayed concerns about a credit crunch, though he didn’t have the same calming effect when discussing the decline in the U.S. dollar.
Funds are available and can be borrowed inexpensively, said Buffett when addressing a crowd in Toronto. And without policy change, the U.S. dollar is likely to continue to fall during the next decade, said the master investor.
While Buffett isn’t making outright bets on currencies, he does hold the Brazilian real. Buffet is looking to make international investments via his investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A), in part to hedge his exposure to the U.S. currency.
The company made its first non-U.S. acquisition in 2006, when it paid $4 billion for 80 percent of Israel-based Iscar Metalworking Cos., a family-owned maker of industrial tools, said the same Bloomberg article.
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Written by: Israel Investor Newsletter | January 2, 2008
NEW! Introducing Israel Opportunity Investor, our monthly subscription-only newsletter. Stay ahead of the game and make smart decisions in Israel stocks. Go here to learn more.
