Bill Ackman's Quest for creating the next 'Berkshire Hathaway'

Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman has upped his game with a revised takeover offer for Howard Hughes Holdings (HHH), signaling his vision to create a “modern-day Berkshire Hathaway.”

Ackman’s latest proposal involves acquiring 10 million newly issued HHH shares at $90 per share, an increase from his previous $85 offer in January. If successful, this would push Pershing Square’s ownership to 48%, cementing his control over the Texas-based real estate giant. Unlike traditional buyouts, this deal won’t require regulatory approvals, a shareholder vote, or financing—meaning it could be completed within weeks.

:rotating_light: What’s the Grand Plan?
Ackman envisions Howard Hughes as a diversified holding company, mirroring Warren Buffett’s legendary strategy with Berkshire Hathaway. He aims to leverage Pershing Square’s expertise to acquire controlling stakes in both private and public companies, expanding beyond real estate. HHH will continue to focus on master-planned communities (MPCs), including developments like The Woodlands (Houston) and Summerlin (Las Vegas)—markets Ackman believes will evolve into major urban centers.

:chart_with_downwards_trend: Market Reaction & Challenges
Despite the grand vision, HHH stock tumbled 8.9% following the announcement, erasing earlier gains. Some analysts argue the deal doesn’t create significant value for current shareholders, leaving the company publicly traded rather than going private. Ackman’s leadership, however, could bring new opportunities, potentially reshaping HHH’s trajectory.

:fire: A Modern-Day Buffett?
Drawing inspiration from Warren Buffett’s early days, Ackman sees HHH as a powerful long-term asset—except instead of starting with a failing textile mill (like Buffett did with Berkshire), he’s starting with a thriving real estate empire. His move raises a big question: Can Bill Ackman replicate Buffett’s magic and turn Howard Hughes into an investment powerhouse?

Also here are the returns it has provided over the years:

What do you think— Is this the next Berkshire Hathaway in the making? :point_down::speech_balloon:

Why even buffett made berkshire? whats the benefit of that? and why indian investors like rakesh jhunjhunwala doesn’t followed this strategy to have a publicly listed holding company?

The names are such magnificent in itself. On the other hand, we have named cities, like Lailunga (Chattisgarh) and Tatti Khana (Telangana) and Mulund (Mumbai).

Truly we (most, not all) got no chill.

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It doesn’t make sense either from a taxation viewpoint, or worth the elephant grade burden of compliance or licenses or unstable regulations.

India is a third world country far down on every list. It’s not appropriate to compare with the crown jewels like the US.

@RahulDeshpande whats the benefit of having a listed holding company vs private holding company? why buffett choose the listed one out of the two?

bcoz i guess taxation is similar for both listed and non-listed