Charles Brandes
Charles H. Brandes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1974–2018 |
| Known for | Founder of Brandes Investment Partners; proponent of Benjamin Graham's value investing approach |
Charles H. Brandes is a prominent American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist recognized for his commitment to the Benjamin Graham approach to value investing. He established Brandes Investment Partners in 1974, a firm based in San Diego, California, currently overseeing assets exceeding $28.9 billion, a decrease from $111 billion recorded in 2007. In the 2007 edition of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans, Brandes was positioned at number 165. As of January 2018, Forbes valued his net worth at upwards of $1 billion.
Early life and education
Originating from Pittsburgh, Brandes completed his undergraduate studies in economics at Bucknell University in 1965. He continued with postgraduate education at San Diego State University and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential. During his stockbroker training in San Diego, Brandes had the opportunity to meet Benjamin Graham, acquiring firsthand knowledge of Graham’s value investing philosophy.
Career
By 2007, Brandes' U.S. Value Equity fund had consistently outperformed the S&P 500 across 5-, 10-, and 15-year spans. His Global equity fund demonstrated an average annual return of 19.21% over two decades. Brandes Investment Partners adheres rigorously to the investment doctrines outlined by Graham and Dodd in Security Analysis and The Intelligent Investor. The firm strategically invested in undervalued mortgage and financial institutions, obtaining positions in Countrywide Financial, Washington Mutual, Wachovia, and Bank of America at significant discounts. Additionally, Brandes holds substantial institutional shares in Royal Bank of Scotland and General Motors. The firm is regularly ranked among the Top 10 International Equity Fund Managers worldwide by Nelson's World's Best Money Managers.
Brandes initiated a study on the "Falling Knives" investment tactic, examining a sample of 1,000 companies whose stock prices had plunged by 60% within a year from 1986 to 2002. Although approximately 13% of these companies declared bankruptcy within three years, the overall portfolio yielded an 18% return during that timeframe. He announced his retirement from Brandes Investment Partners effective February 26, 2018. In 2003, he authored Value Investing Today, detailing his investment methodologies.
Philanthropy
The Tanya and Charles Brandes Foundation supports scholarship programs at the Maimonides Upper School of the San Diego Jewish Academy.
Personal life
Brandes has entered into matrimony four times. His second marriage was to Linda King Formo (born 1948) in 1986; they divorced in 2004 without having children. In 2006, he wed Tanya Johnson; their separation was made public in 2018 amid allegations of mutual domestic violence. He lives on a 30-acre estate located in Rancho Santa Fe within San Diego County. In 2020, Brandes remarried through a private Zoom ceremony followed by a public reception held in September 2021.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1943 births
- Living people
- American billionaires
- American financial analysts
- American investors
- American investment advisors
- American financial company founders
- American financiers
- American money managers
- American philanthropists
- American stockbrokers
- Bucknell University alumni
- Businesspeople from San Diego
- CFA charterholders
- Businesspeople from Pittsburgh
- San Diego State University alumni