Fairfax Financial

Infobox_Company
company_name = Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited
company_
company_type = Public:
(TSX|FFH, NYSE|FFH)
industry = insurance
foundation = 1985
location = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
key_people = Prem Watsa,
chairman and chief executive
market c
cite web |url=http://zenobank.com/index.php?symbol=FFH&page=quotesearch|title=Company Profile for Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (FFH) |accessdate=2008-10-08]
revenue = profit US$7.5 billion (2007)
net_income = profit US$1.1 billion (2007)
num_employees = 8,200
products = property and casualty insurance
homepage = [http://www.fairfax.ca/ www.fairfax.ca]

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (TSX|FFH NYSE|FFH) is a financial holding company based in Toronto, Ontario, which is engaged in property, casualty, and life insurance and reinsurance, investment management, and insurance claims management. The company operates primarily through several subsidiaries, including Odyssey Re, Northbridge Financial, and Crum & Forster.

As of December 31, 2007, Fairfax had total assets of approximately $27.9 billion, and its revenue for the prior twelve months was approximately $7.5 billion. Over the last 22 years (that is, since present management took over), the company had a compound growth rate of approximately 26% in book value per share. [(Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited 2007 Annual Report - PDF page 6) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/AR2007.pdf "]

Fairfax Financial has over 8,200 employees worldwide, including approximately 5,000 throughout the United States

- original research|date=January 2008

Corporate Governance

Board of Directors

:*Prem Watsa [(BusinessWeek.com - Executive Profile - Prem Watsa/FFH) http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1136292&symbol=FFH.TO "] Chairman and Chief Executive Officer :*Brandon W. Sweitzer Senior Fellow U.S. Chamber of Commerce :*Paul L. Murray President, Pinesmoke Investments :*David L. Johnston President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo :*Alan D. Horn Chairman, Rogers Communications Inc. and President and CEO, Rogers Telecommunications Ltd "(as of April 2008)" :*Robert J. Gunn Corporate Director :*Anthony F. Griffiths Corporate Director

Officers

:*Prem Watsa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer :*Bradley P. Martin Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary :*Greg Taylor Vice President and Chief Financial Officer :*Peter Clarke Vice President and Chief Risk Officer :*Jean Cloutier Vice President and Chief Actuary :*David Bonham Vice President, Financial Reporting :*Ronald Schokking Vice President and Treasurer :*Paul Rivett Vice President and Chief Legal Officer :*Eric P. Salsberg Vice President, Corporate Affairs :*Hank Edmiston Vice President, Regulatory Affairs :*Trevor J. Ambridge Vice President :*M. Jane Williamson Vice President :*John Cassil Vice President "Source: [http://www.fairfax.ca/corporate.htm Fairfax - Corporate Profile] "

History

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. (“Fairfax”) was incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act on March 13, 1951 and continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act in 1976. Fairfax's original name was Markel Service of Canada Ltd., The name was subsequently changed to Markel Financial Holdings Ltd. and, in May 1987, to their current name of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. [(SEC.gov - Fairfax's EDGAR filing 2007-03-09) http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/915191/000090956707000364/o35141exv1.htm "] Fairfax is led by Chairman and CEO Prem Watsa. Watsa controls nearly half of Fairfax; his unorthodox business strategies have been compared to those of Warren Buffett. [(Yahoo! Finance - Company Profile of Fairfax Financial) http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/56/56469.html "] [(Fool.com - 2007-12-05 - How to Dodge the Debt: BRK.A & FFH) http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/12/05/how-to-dodge-the-debt.aspx "] Fairfax is similar to Leucadia National Corporation (NYSE:LUK) and Markel Corp (NYSE:MKL). Leucadia and Markel are well regarded in the value investor community of Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger and David Dodd. Leucadia is known as a "mini Berkshire Hathaway" with an average annual return of over 22%.

Fairfax Financial's investment team at "Hamblin Watsa Investment Council" (HWIC), an affiliate of Fairfax has achieved similar outstanding long term results. From 1985 to the end of 2007, Fairfax Financial had a compound growth rate of approximately 26% in book value per share, it's about 150 times what Fairfax began with in 1985. [(Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited 2007 Annual Report - PDF page 6 and page 162) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/AR2007.pdf "]

V. Prem Watsa was born in 1950 in Hyderabad, India. Watsa eventually trained to be a chemical engineer. He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 1971/1972 with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. Watsa changed his path in 1972, however, moving to London, Ontario, where his older brother resided. Watsa's dad figured prospects were limited in India, so he told him that he, too, should go to Canada. Thereafter Watsa enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Western Ontario and obtained his Master Degree in Business Administration.

Prem Watsa's professional career began in 1974 when he joined Confederation Life Insurance Co. in Toronto, where he quickly moved from his position as an investment and research analyst to one of a stock portfolio manager for pension clients. His first boss at Confed, John Watson, handed him Benjamin Graham's The Intelligent Investor, the classic book of value investing. Watsa was a Vice President of Confederation Life Investment Counsel from 1974 to 1983.

In 1983, with almost ten years of experience under his belt, Watsa signed on with GW Asset Management (Gardiner Watson), a start-up asset management firm in Toronto. He served as Vice President of GW Asset Management from 1983 to 1984. At Gardiner Watson, Watsa met the talented Francis Chou in 1984.

Chou was also born in India and immigrated to Canada in 1976 with only $200 in his pocket. Success and a tidy personal fortune have come to Francis Chou through a remarkable Forrest Gump (character) type of odyssey. Initially, Francis worked as a telephone repair man and technician for seven years at Bell Canada. In the late 1970s, Chou became interested, as a hobby, in investing and discovered Ben Graham and his book Security Analysis, as well as the methodology of Warren Buffett. In July 1981, Francis Chou, who had only his a high school diploma under his belt, set up an investment club with seven co-workers and $51,000 in capital. By 1986, it had grown to about $1.7 million when the original investment club was converted to a mutual fund, Chou Associates. Chou left Bell Canada in 1984 and became a retail analyst at GW Asset Management (after 18 months at GW, Chou joined Prem Watsa at Fairfax Financial as one of its original investors).

In 1984, Prem Watsa left GW Asset Management to found his own asset management firm, Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. (now fully owned by Fairfax) together with his former boss from Confed, Tony Hamblin. Tony was the Chief Investment Officer at Confed. The five founding partners were: Tony Hamblin, Prem Watsa, Roger Lace, Brian Bradstreet and Frances Burke. All former colleagues from Confed are still with him today at HWIC. Francis Chou is an associate at Hamblin Watsa. In terms of results of long-term investments of funds of clients, his company ranked in the top 10% across Canada. In 1985, Prem Watsa took control of Markel Financial, a Canadian-based specialist in trucking insurance. The company was controlled by the Virginia-based Markel family. The company was almost bankrupt, but Watsa figured it just needed a capital injection. Watsa hit it off with Steven Markel, who is still a friend. In May 1987, he re-organized Markel Financial Holdings Limited and re-named it Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited "(FAIRFAX: short for "fair, friendly acquisitions")". Prem Watsa has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (formerly Markel Financial Holdings) since 1985 and as Vice President of Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. (HWIC) since 1985. He is also the Chairman of Odyssey Re Holdings Corp's (ORH) board of directors. Mr. Watsa, directly, and indirectly through 1109519 Ontario Limited, The Sixty Two Investment Company Limited and 810679 Ontario Ltd., owns the controlling equity voting interest of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited("Fairfax"). [(SEC.gov - 2007-02-14 - Form SC 13G/A – Statement of beneficial ownership by individuals)http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/915191/000090956707000216/0000909567-07-000216-index.htm "] He owns roughly 10% of Fairfax, which accounts for 99% of his personal wealth. His 10-for-1 multiple voting shares give him just over 50% ownership. The guiding principles of Fairfax are still intact. Honesty and integrity are essential in all relationships and will never be compromised. They never lost a President or Fairfax officer: [(The 2007 Fairfax Annual Meeting Slide Presentation - PDF page 17) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/2007_AGM_Slide_Presentation.pdf "] Sir John Templeton has had the biggest influence in Watsa's life, as both a friend and business adviser. He visits him at least once a year at his home in the Bahamas. Sir John has been a Fairfax Financial shareholder for a longtime. [(Fairfax Annual Report 1992 - Sir John Templeton - PDF page 7) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/AR1992.pdf "]

Mr. Prem Watsa is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering and a holder of an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business of the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hospital for Children, a member of the Advisory Board for the Richard Ivey School of Business, a member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Ontario Museum Foundation and as well as Chairman of the Investment Committee of St. Paul’s Anglican Church. [(BenGrahamInvesting.ca - Prem Watsa biography) http://www.bengrahaminvesting.ca/Outreach/speakers.htm#Prem%20Watsa "] [(BusinessWeek.com - Executive Profile - Prem Watsa/FFH) http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1136292&symbol=FFH.TO "]

ubprime mortgage bubble

As early as the 2003, in an annual report issued by the company, chief executive Prem Watsa raised concerns about securitized products and talks about the subprime mortgage crisis and the United States housing bubble:

"We have been concerned for some time about the risks in asset-backed bonds, particularly bonds that are backed by home equity loans, automobile loans or credit card debt (we own no asset-backed bonds). It seems to us that securitization (or the creation of these asset-backed bonds eliminates the incentive for the originator of the loan to be credit sensitive... With securitization, the dealer (almost) does not care as these loans can be laid off through securitization. Thus, the loss experienced on these loans after securitization will no longer be comparable to that experienced prior to securitization (called a ‘‘moral’’ hazard)... This is not a small problem. There is $1.0 trillion in asset-backed bonds outstanding as of December 31, 2003 in the U.S.... Who is buying these bonds? Insurance companies, money managers and banks – in the main – all reaching for yield given the excellent ratings for these bonds. What happens if we hit an air pocket? Unlike...": [(Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited 2003 Annual Report - pages 15-16) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/040305ceo.pdf "]

In an interview in the Globe and Mail in 2007, Mr. Watsa said believed that the global credit squeeze is in its "early days," and indicated he believed there may be similarities to the Japanese asset price bubble. [ (Globe & Mail Article - November 2007) http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/GAM.20071123.RFAIRFAXMARKET23/GIStory/ "]

Fairfax - Financial Results

* Assets at December 31 2007: USD 27.9 billion
* Total common shareholders’ equity at December 31 2007: USD 4.1 billion : or $230.01 book value per basic share, representing an increase of 48.7% over common shareholders’ equity of $154.63 per basic share at December 31, 2006 (adjusted for the adoption of the new accounting standards described in note 2 to the consolidated financial statements).
* Dividend: Fairfax almost doubled its annual dividend to $5 a share, reflecting higher earnings and increased cash. The previous annual dividend was $2.75 a share. [(Fairfax.ca - 2008-01-01 - Fairfax almost doubled its annual dividend to $5 a share ) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/Press/fpr2008-01-02-2.pdf "]
* Revenue for 2007: USD 7,483.7 million
* Net earnings for 2007: USD 1,095.8 million "Source: [http://www.fairfax.ca/financial.htm Fairfax - 2007 Annual & 4th Qtr. 2007 Interim Reports] "

Credit Ratings

Fitch Ratings "(as of Tue., May 27, 2008)" [(MarketWatch.com - 2008-05-27 - Fitch upgrades Fairfax to 'BBB-' ) http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7bE7EF1B6F-2422-49D0-9C54-BDF86991A2D4%7d&siteid=yhoof2 "] "Fitch Upgrades Fairfax's IDR to investment grade and Sr. Debt to 'BB+'; Outlook Stable"

*Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. has an issuer default rating of BBB- and a senior debt rating of BB+. Fitch Ratings cited Fairfax's improved financial profile, with reductions in financial leverage, increased cash position, increased interest coverage, improved operating performance, stable runoff operations and continued favorable financial flexibility for the upgrade. The rating outlook on the company is stable.
*Odyssey Re Holdings Corp., Fairfax's subsidiary has an issuer default rating of BBB and a senior debt rating of BBB-.

Hamblin Watsa Investment Council Ltd.(HWIC)

Investment Performance
Fairfax's internal money management firm, Hamblin Watsa, earned 18.5% compounded returns annually, on its stock investments between 1998 and 2007. The investment team is led by Brian Bradstreet, Roger Lace, Sam Mitchell and Chandran Ratnaswami. The fixed income/CDS portfolio managers team has only two members, Brian Bradstreet and Enza LaSelva. The following table shows the the time-weighted performance (excluding hedging) of HWIC "vs" S&P 500 Index and the Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate Bond Index.
"(The credit default swap position is not included in the results shown below)." "Source: [http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/AR2007.pdf - Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. 2007 Annual Report - PDF page 12] " " [http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/2007_AGM_Slide_Presentation.pdf - The 2007 Fairfax Annual Meeting Slide Presentation - PDF page 14] "

HWIC bet against the Housing Bubble

The investment team of HWIC is benefiting from the subprime fallout, like John Paulson’s New York-based Paulson & Co, Andrew Lahde’s California-based Lahde Capital, Julian Robertson’s "Tiger Cubs" (formerly known as "Tiger Management Corp.") [ (Fortune - 2008-01-29 - Tiger's Julian Robertson roars again) http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/28/news/newsmakers/okeefe_tiger.fortune/index.htm "] , and Michael Burry's Scion Capital (White Mountains Insurance Group is a minority investor in Scion Capital LLC), they have used derivatives to bet on the housing bubble. As of September 30, 2007, Fairfax and its subsidiaries own an enormous credit default swap (CDS) book with a $18.5 billion notional amount and an average term to expiry of 4.2 years, on about 25 to 30 companies, the majority of which are bond insurers and mortgage lenders. The CDS book had a cost of $344 million, and a market value of $546 million. The market value of these swaps have fluctuated significantly in the 3rd quarter of 2007 from less than $200 million at the end of June, to $537 million at the end of July to almost $1 billion (twice that value) in August to $544 million at the end of September. Fairfax owns no asset-backed or CDOs. Their corporate bond exposure is minimal. Their equity exposures and equity portfolios are hedged against the market declines of the tune of approximately 80% of their equity portfolios. [ (InsuranceNewsNet.com - 3rd Q.2007 Fairfax Earnings Conf.Call Transcript) http://www.insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?n=1&neID=20071102560.2_b1080963479865c5 "]

ubsidiaries

*Odyssey Re based in Stamford, Connecticut, underwrites treaty and facultative reinsurance as well as specialty insurance business (61.0%-owned by Fairfax [Dec. 31, 2007] ).
*Northbridge Financial based in Toronto, provides property and casualty insurance through its Commonwealth, Federated, Lombard and Markel subsidiaries, primarily in the Canadian market as well as in selected U.S. and international markets (60.2%-owned by Fairfax [Dec. 31, 2007] ).
*Crum & Forster based in Morristown, New Jersey, is a property and casualty insurance company. [ (Crum & Forster based in Morristown, New Jersey, is a property and casualty insurance company) http://www.cfins.com"]
*Falcon Insurance based in Hong Kong, writes property and casualty insurance. [ (Falcon Insurance based in Hong Kong, writes property and casualty insurance) http://www.falconins.com.hk"]
*First Capital based in Singapore, writes property and casualty insurance.
*The U.S. runoff group consists of TIG, International Insurance and the Fairmont entities

*The European runoff group RiverStone Insurance UK and Dublin, Ireland-based nSpire Re [ (The European runoff group consists of RiverStone Insurance UK and Dublin, Ireland-based nSpire Re) http://www.rsml.co.uk"]

*Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. HWIC was founded in 1984 and provides asset management for all of Fairfax's subsidiaries [ (HWIC was founded in 1984 and provides investment management) http://www.hwic.ca/"]
*Cunningham Lindsey provides insurance claims services (90.0%-owned by Fairfax) [ (Cunningham Lindsey provides independent insurance claims services) http://www.cunninghamlindseygroup.com"]
*MFXchange established in 2002, provides technology services for Fairfax and the insurance industry [ (MFXchange, established in 2002 and based in Parsippany, New Jersey) http://www.mfxfairfax.com"]
*Group Re
*ICICI Lombard is a 74/26% joint venture between ICICI Bank Limited, India's second largest bank and Fairfax Financial

Other Investments

*Fairfax Asia:Fairfax Asia Limited ("Fairfax Asia") is the fastest growing insurance line of business within the Fairfax Group.
*ICICI Lombard :ICICI Lombard is the largest private general insurance company in India, with a 12.5% market share. ICICI Bank, which owns the 74% of ICICI Lombard not owned by Fairfax, requested Indian government approval to sell a 5.9% stake in itself (ICICI Financial Services Ltd.) for $600 million to a group of private equity investors. ICICI Bank was looking at valuing ICICI Holdings at $10 billion. [ (BusinessWeek.com - ICICI Financial Services Ltd.) http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=33055100 "] [ (ICICI Holdings valuing ICICI Holdings - Google Search) http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22%2410+billion%22+%22ICICI+Holdings%22&btnG=Search "] [ (SeekingAlpha.com - 2007-09-19 - Fairfax Financial: The Tables Are Turning) http://www.seekingalpha.com/article/47343-fairfax-financial-the-tables-are-turning "] Goldman Sachs and other foreign funds were interested in buying the stake. Fairfax is carrying the minority interest in ICICI Lombard, on its balance sheet at $60 million, which appears to be a significant discount to intrinsic value (The 26% stake in ICICI Lombard is via Fairfax Asia, which is owned 100% by Fairfax Financial -- which also includes a 29.5% economic interest owned by Odyssey Re Holdings Corp). [ (sec.edgar-online.com - 2007-03-09 - ORH Annual Report 10-K Notes) http://sec.edgar-online.com/2007/03/09/0000909567-07-000369/Section15.asp"]
*Advent Capital (Holdings) PLC :Fairfax maintaining its 46.8% interest in Advent Capital in the U.K. [ (Fairfax.ca - 1st Q. 2007 Interim Report - PDF page 9) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/2007Q1.pdf"]
*Overstock.com :Fairfax holds a 16.5% [ (SEC.gov - Overstock.com - SCHEDULE 14A - 2007 Proxy) http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1130713/000104746907002450/a2176990zdef14a.htm "] stake in online retailer Overstock.com (Chou Associates Management Inc. holds a 9.9% [ (SEC.gov - Overstock.com - SCHEDULE 14A - 2007 Proxy) http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1130713/000104746907002450/a2176990zdef14a.htm "] stake). Patrick M. Byrne, the CEO, chairman and owner of Overstock comes from a family of value investors. He is the son of John J. Byrne, former chairman of Berkshire Hathaway's GEICO insurance subsidiary and White Mountains Insurance Group.
*Chou Associates Fund:In late 2002, Fairfax invested $50 million in Chou Associates Fund and another $50 million in the first half of 2003 (Fairfax apparently owns more than 26% of Chou Associates Fund).

Canadian common stock holdings

"This includes outstanding stock as reported in [http://www.fairfax.ca/news.htm news releases by Fairfax] :"
*CanWest Global Communications Corp. (16.29%) [ (Fairfax Announces Acquisition of Canwest Global Shares... - 2008-03-07) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/Press/fpr2008-03-07.pdf "] [ (Globe & Mail: Fairfax boosts CanWest stake to 16.29% - 2008-03-07) http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080307.wfairfax0307/GIStory/ "]
*Cunningham Lindsey Group Inc. (90.0%) [ (Fairfax.ca/subsidiaries.htm - Notes) http://www.fairfax.ca/subsidiaries.htm "]
*Northbridge Financial (60.2%-owned by Fairfax [Dec. 31, 2007] )
*SFK Pulp Fund Units (17.4%) [ (Fairfax Announces Further Purchase Of SFK Pulp Fund Units... - 2007-03-20) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/Press/SFK_purchase.pdf "] [ (SFK Pulp Fund - Website) http://www.sfkpulp.com"]
*Torstar Corporation Class B Shares (18.2%) [ (Fairfax Announces Purchase Of Torstar Corporation Class B Shares...- 2007-04-12) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/Press/fpr2007-04-12.pdf "]
*The Brick Group Income Fund (10.96%) [ (Fairfax Announces Purchase Of The Brick Group Income Fund Units... - 2006-04-03) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/Press/fpr2006-04-03.pdf "]

Common stock holdings

"This includes outstanding stock as reported in the last SEC EDGAR filing (Form 13F) by [http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000915191&owner=include&count=40 Fairfax] (as of Dec. 31, 2007)."
*Advent Capital (Holdings) PLC / UK "(46.8%)" [ (Fairfax.ca - 1st Q. 2007 Interim Report - PDF page 9) http://www.fairfax.ca/Assets/Downloads/2007Q1.pdf"]
*Abbott Laboratories
*Astrazeneca plc ADR "(new in 4th Q. 2007)"
*Baldwin & Lyons Inc. Cl.B
*Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Cl.A
*Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Cl.B "(sold out in 4th Q. 2007)"
*CFS Bancorp Inc.
*Citizens Communications
*Dell Inc.
*Dow Jones & Co Inc. "(sold out in 4th Q. 2007)"
*Eastman Chemical Company "(sold out in 4th Q. 2007)"
*First Pl Finl Corp
*GlaxoSmithKline plc ADR
*IDT Corp
*International Coal Group Inc.
*Johnson & Johnson
*King Pharmaceuticals Inc
*Level 3 Communications Inc. "(new in 4th Q. 2007)"
*Marsh McLennan Companies Inc "(sold out in 4th Q. 2007)"
*New York Community Bank
*NewMarket Corp "(new in 4th Q. 2007)"
*Odyssey Re Holdings Corp. "(61.0%-owned by Fairfax [Dec. 31, 2007] )"
*Office Depot Inc. "(new in 4th Q. 2007)"
*Old Republic International Corp.
*Overstock.com Inc. Del "(16.5 %)"
*Pfizer Inc.
*Sanofi-Aventis ADR
*Stewart Enterprises Inc.
*USG Corporation
*U.S. Bancorp Del
*Wal-Mart Stores Inc. :"Source: SEC filings"

Other notable transactions

*AbitibiBowater Inc. "(new -- scheduled to close on March 31, 2008)" :Fairfax made an investment of $350 million in AbitibiBowater convertible debentures with a 8% cash coupon. [ (PRNewswire-FirstCall: AbitibiBowater announces agreement for private placement of US$350 million - 2008-03-24) http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-24-2008/0004778891&EDATE= "] The debentures are convertible into common shares of AbitibiBowater Inc at US$10.00 per share. The debentures has an ability to pay interest in the form of additional "pay-in-kind" debentures at a rate of 10%, and has a AbitibiBowater subsidiary guarantee. They have a maturity of 5 years and are non-callable. Fairfax will have the right to appoint two directors to the Board of Directors.

Foundations

"Not-for-profit entities affiliated with Fairfax"
* The Sixty Four Foundation [ (MarketVisual.com - V Prem Watsa - Direct Relationships) http://www.marketvisual.com/d/V_/V_Prem_Watsa_e309_1.htm "] Toronto, Ontario
* The Sixty Three Foundation [ (SmartFund.ca - Foundation List) http://www.smartfund.ca/foundations.htm "] [ (MarketVisual.com - V Prem Watsa - Direct Relationships) http://www.marketvisual.com/d/V_/V_Prem_Watsa_e309_1.htm "] Toronto, Ontario

Trivia

*14. November 2007 - The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper announced the appointment of Prof. David L. Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo and a Board member of Fairfax Financial, the Masco Corp. and a founding trustee of the MasterCard Foundation, as an independent advisor for the government. [ (Prime Minister of Canada: Stephen Harper - 2007-11-14 News Release) http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=1905 "]
*Prem Watsa attended the Indian Institute of Technology around the same time as Ajit Jain. Jain is the head of Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group. Watsa and Jain were both at different campuses at IIT and know each other from regular insurance industry meetings.

Articles

* [http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080307.wfairfax0307/GIStory/ 2008-03-07 - Globe & Mail - Fairfax boosts CanWest stake to 16.29%]
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080129.REYES29/TPStory/?query=fairfax 2008-01-29 - Globe & Mail - Eye On Equities:] Scotia Capital sees earnings soar at Fairfax Financial
* [http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=253583 2008-01-21 - Financial Post - Why it's fair weather for Fairfax investors:] McDonald's, Berkshire Hathaway, Fairfax Financial
* [http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/12/05/how-to-dodge-the-debt.aspx 2007-12-05 - Fool.com - How to Dodge the Debt:] Berkshire, Fairfax, Alleghany et al
* [http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/GAM.20071123.RFAIRFAXMARKET23/GIStory/ 2007-11-23 - Globe & Mail - He has never been more bearish] Prem Watsa interview about the subprime mortgage bubble
* [http://www.seekingalpha.com/article/53211-morningstar-sees-fairfax-financial-hitting-on-all-cylinders 2007-11-07 - SeekingAlpha.com - Morningstar Sees Fairfax Financial "Hitting On All Cylinders"]
* [http://www.seekingalpha.com/article/47343-fairfax-financial-the-tables-are-turning 2007-09-19 - SeekingAlpha.com - Fairfax: The Tables Are Turning] by Withney R. Tilson (T2 Partners LLC / Tilson Mutual Funds)
* [http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/217898 2007-05-26 - The Star - Fairfax braces for meltdown] Prem Watsa says safety margins are inadequate amid speculative bubble
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060126.rmprem0127/BNStory/specialROBmagazine/ 2006-01-26 - Globe & Mail - Short shrift] Exclusive Interview of Fairfax CEO Prem Watsa
* [http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/media/2005/value.htm 2005-04-05 - Richard Ivey School of Business, Canada] the Ivey Centre for Value Investing and the Ben Graham Chair in Value Investing

Videos

* [http://www.bengrahaminvesting.ca/Resources/video.htm 2007-05-25 - Conference on Intelligent Investing (2007)] Mr. Watsa’s keynote speech was Benjamin Graham and Bubbles.
* [http://www.bengrahaminvesting.ca/Resources/video.htm 2007-08-01 - Guest Speakers to Value Investing Classes] Mr. Francis Chou, CFA, Chou Associates Management Inc. (Francis Chou is one of Fairfax original investors).

External links

* [http://www.fairfax.ca/ Fairfax.ca ] Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd - Official Site
* [http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=FFH Yahoo! Finance - FFH Quotes] and [http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/56/56469.html Company Profile ]
* [http://www.seekingalpha.com/symbol/ffh SeekingAlpha - FFH Quotes & Articles]
* [http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/data/stock?id=FFH-T&pi_sponsor= Globe & Mail - Fairfax Financial] "Company Snapshot"
* [http://finance.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:FFH Google Finance - FFH Quotes]
* [http://www.odysseyre.com/ OdysseyRe.com] Odyssey Re Holdings - Official Site
* [http://www.northbridgefinancial.com/ NorthbridgeFinancial.com] Northbridge Financial Corp. - Official Site
* [http://www.icicilombard.com/ ICICILombard.com] ICICI Lombard - Official Site
* [http://www.choufunds.com/ ChouFunds.com] Chou Associates Management - Official Site

Regulatory Filings

* [http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000915191&owner=include&count=40 SEC.gov - Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.(FFH) - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0000915191)] the "EDGAR" database
* [http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001275991&owner=include&count=40 SEC.gov - Hamblin Watsa Investment Council Ltd.(HWIC) - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0001275991)] the "EDGAR" database
* [http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001137048&owner=include&count=40 SEC.gov - Odyssey Re Holdings Corp.(ORH) - EDGAR Filings (CIK: 0001137048)] the "EDGAR" database
* [http://www.sedar.com/DisplayCompanyDocuments.do?lang=EN&issuerNo=00002458 SEDAR.com - Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.(FFH)] Canadian Securities filings
* [http://www.sedar.com/DisplayCompanyDocuments.do?lang=EN&issuerNo=00019202 SEDAR.com - Northbridge Financial Corp.(NB)] Canadian Securities filings
* [http://www.sedar.com/DisplayProfile.do?lang=EN&issuerType=01&issuerNo=00008218 SEDAR.com - Chou Associates Management Inc.] Canadian Securities filings
* [http://www.sedi.ca SEDI.com - System for Electronic Disclosure by Insiders] the various Canadian provincial security regulators
* [http://www.canadianinsider.com/coReport/allTransactions.php?ticker=FFH CanadianInsider.com - Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.(FFH)] Insider Activity Review
* [http://www.canadianinsider.com/coReport/allTransactions.php?ticker=NB CanadianInsider.com - Northbridge Financial Corp.(NB)] Insider Activity Review

References