There was a time, not so long ago, when I succumbed to the feverish dance of the market – buying and selling with the fleeting hope of quick gain. It was a foolish pursuit, I now see, a chasing of shadows. I began to observe, with a growing disquiet, that those holdings I allowed to endure, to weather the storms, yielded a fruit far more substantial than any snatched profit. A shift occurred within me, a quiet turning towards the long vigil. This is the chronicle of that conversion, and the five holdings I deem worthy of its permanence.
Do I divest? Occasionally. When the initial premise, the very rationale for investment, dissolves like mist, a reckoning becomes necessary. But these five… these five represent something different. They are not merely assets; they are observations, hypotheses cast in the form of equity. And I do not anticipate their falsification.
1. Amazon
When I considered the architecture of a lasting portfolio, a fortress against the prevailing winds, Amazon was the first stone laid. The founder, a man of relentless ambition, instilled a culture of perpetual dissatisfaction – a conviction that ‘Day 1’ is not a destination, but a state of being. This is no mere corporate slogan; it is a bulwark against complacency, a constant probing for the weaknesses in the edifice. It is, in a world of decaying certainties, a rare and precious quality.
Amazon Web Services – AWS – is the most visible manifestation of this ‘Day 1’ ethos. A leviathan of cloud computing, it generated ninety-three billion in sales during the first nine months of the recent year, accounting for nearly sixty percent of the company’s operating income. This is not simply a business; it is a digital infrastructure, a foundational layer upon which much of the modern world now rests.
The potential horizons of Amazon extend beyond the immediately visible. The launch of a satellite internet service, a bold attempt to bridge the digital divide, is but one indication. The pursuit of consumer robotics, a field fraught with challenges, suggests a willingness to venture into the unknown. These are not mere gambles; they are explorations, driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of innovation.
2. Apple
Apple, in my estimation, constitutes the largest single component of this enduring portfolio. I have not sold a share in years, and I carry the regret of past divestments like a lingering illness. I have no intention of repeating that error. It is a company that understands, with a clarity few others possess, the human desire for beauty, simplicity, and seamless integration.
Warren Buffett, a man not given to hyperbole, was correct in his assessment: Apple is, perhaps, the finest business in the world. It has constructed an ecosystem of products and services, centered around the phenomenally successful iPhone, that is remarkably resilient and deeply ingrained in the lives of its users. It is a fortress built not of steel and stone, but of loyalty and habit.
The future form of Apple’s business remains shrouded in uncertainty, as it should. But I suspect the company will be a dominant force in the emerging market for augmented reality glasses. And I fully anticipate that it will reap substantial rewards from the rollout of 6G wireless networks, which promise to unlock capabilities previously confined to the realm of science fiction – holographic communication, instantaneous data transfer, and a blurring of the lines between the physical and the digital.
3. Berkshire Hathaway
Having mentioned Buffett, it is fitting to turn to the company he built, Berkshire Hathaway. Even though he has relinquished the role of CEO, it remains, in my eyes, an extension of his character, a reflection of his values. It is a conglomerate built not on fleeting trends, but on enduring principles – prudence, discipline, and a relentless focus on long-term value.
Why do I retain confidence in Berkshire Hathaway, even with Buffett no longer at the helm? For one thing, his philosophy – a commitment to rational investing, a disdain for speculation, and a preference for businesses with durable competitive advantages – remains firmly embedded within the organization. Listen to the new CEO, Greg Abel, and you will hear echoes of Buffett’s voice.
Berkshire’s diversification has not – and likely will not – diminish. Its portfolio of internally owned businesses and stakes in other publicly traded companies provides a buffer against the inevitable shocks and disruptions of the market. It is a fortress built not of a single wall, but of a network of interconnected defenses.
4. Intuitive Surgical
The populations of the world are aging, and with that comes an inevitable increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and the demand for surgical interventions. Intuitive Surgical, a pioneer in robotic surgical systems, is uniquely positioned to benefit from this demographic trend. But even more critical, I suspect, will be the relentless march of technological progress.
The company estimates that approximately eight million procedures are currently candidates for its surgical robots, based on existing products and regulatory clearances. But that number jumps to twenty-two million when one considers products under development. I predict that number will continue to rise as robotic surgical systems become more precise, more versatile, and more accessible.
5. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
A biotechnology stock might seem an unusual inclusion in a portfolio designed for permanence. But Vertex Pharmaceuticals is not merely another biotech company. It has achieved something rare and remarkable: a near-monopoly in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, a debilitating genetic disorder.
The launch of Alyftrek, its most potent and convenient CF therapy yet, cemented Vertex’s leadership in this field. But the company has not rested on its laurels. It has expanded beyond CF, with the development of gene-editing therapies and non-opioid pain medications. It is a company that understands the power of scientific innovation to alleviate suffering and improve the human condition.
I anticipate regulatory approval for povetacicept in the treatment of IgA nephropathy, a kidney disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people. And I am optimistic about the prospects for its therapies for APOL1-mediated kidney disease and Type 1 diabetes. But most importantly, I believe that Vertex will continue to apply its scientific expertise to tackle the most challenging diseases, to push the boundaries of medical knowledge, and to offer hope to those who have been denied it for too long.
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2026-01-19 12:53