MASON HAWKINS
Longleaf Partners founder, deep value pioneer
Mason Hawkins built Southeastern Asset Management into one of the most respected deep value shops in America — managing $35 billion at its peak — by buying assets at 60 cents on the dollar and waiting for the market to figure it out. His Longleaf Partners Fund compounded impressively for over 25 years. Then he held onto Dell, Chesapeake Energy, and Level 3 when the thesis was broken, and the last decade has been a masterclass in why value traps are the silent killer of value investors.
Net Worth
$800 Million
Nationality
American
Time Horizon
Long-Term
Risk Appetite
6 / 10
CAREER & BACKGROUND
Founded Southeastern Asset Management in 1975 in Memphis, Tennessee. Launched Longleaf Partners Fund in 1987.
Grew AUM to over $35 billion at peak. Compounded at 14%+ annually through the 1990s and 2000s.
Was a major Dell shareholder and fought alongside Carl Icahn against Michael Dell's 2013 buyout offer. Stepped back from day-to-day management in recent years, handing control to his partners.
COMPANIES & ROLES
Southeastern Asset Management (founder), Longleaf Partners Fund
INVESTING STYLE & PHILOSOPHY
Classic Ben Graham deep value — buy businesses trading at 60% or less of intrinsic value, with good management who are aligned with shareholders, and wait. Hawkins is a true contrarian — he goes where the pain is.
His portfolio has always been concentrated (15–20 names) and he's willing to hold through enormous drawdowns if he believes the underlying business value is intact. He insists on management teams that own significant stock themselves.
THE PLAYBOOK
Risk Approach
High risk tolerance for drawdowns, but conservative on business quality. He'll buy an out-of-favor stock that's down 50%, but he wants to see real assets and real cash flow backing the valuation.
The problem is distinguishing between "cheap and about to recover" versus "cheap and about to get cheaper" — and Hawkins hasn't always gotten that right.
Money Habits
Based in Memphis, Tennessee — far from the Wall Street crowd. Known as a gentleman in a sometimes ruthless industry.
Active in Memphis community philanthropy. Lives modestly relative to his wealth.
BIGGEST WIN
His early career track record. Longleaf Partners crushed the S&P 500 from 1987 through the mid-2000s.
Some of his best calls were deep value turnarounds that doubled or tripled when the market caught up. His FedEx position in the early days was legendary — he bought it when Memphis still thought Fred Smith was crazy.
BIGGEST MISTAKE
The last decade. Hawkins held onto several positions — Dell (fought the buyout and lost), Chesapeake Energy (energy crash), Level 3 Communications — well past the point where the value thesis had deteriorated.
AUM fell from $35 billion to under $5 billion as performance lagged and investors pulled money. It's a cautionary tale about the thin line between conviction and stubbornness in deep value investing.
FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Hawkins is a true disciple of Graham and Dodd: the market is a voting machine in the short term and a weighing machine in the long term. He believes that buying assets at 60 cents on the dollar will always work if you're patient enough.
He insists on shareholder-aligned management and is willing to be activist when management isn't acting in shareholders' interest.
FAMILY & PERSONAL LIFE
Married. Based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Active in local community and philanthropy.
EDUCATION
University of Florida. Started his investment career in Memphis and never left.
BOOKS & RESOURCES
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QUOTES (6)
We buy assets at 60 cents on the dollar and wait. The market is a voting machine in the short term and a weighing machine in the long term. We wait for the weighing.
The best time to buy is when everyone else is selling in panic. The worst time to buy is when everyone else is buying in euphoria. This is obvious and almost nobody does it.
I insist on management that owns significant stock. If the CEO isn't eating his own cooking, I don't want to eat it either.
Memphis is a long way from Wall Street, and that's exactly where I want to be. The herd can't trample you if you're not running with it.
The line between conviction and stubbornness is only visible in the rearview mirror. I've been on both sides, and I can't always tell you which side I'm on until it's over.
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