Fairfax Financial

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a Canadian diversified financial holding company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1985 by V. Prem Watsa, the company is anchored in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance but has grown into a global conglomerate spanning consumer services, retail, logistics, agriculture, hospitality, and banking across multiple continents. Roughly two thirds of its earnings originate from North America, with the balance drawn from Europe and Asia.

Fairfax ranks among the top 20 property and casualty insurers globally, writing US$33 billion in gross premiums through 26 decentralized insurance companies, and manages a consolidated investment portfolio exceeding US$70 billion. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: FFH, FFH.U) and a constituent of the S&P/TSX 60 Index, its subsidiaries and holdings include Odyssey Group, Brit Insurance, Recipe Unlimited, Sleep Country Canada, and Bauer Hockey.

Fairfax’s investment portfolios are managed by Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel (HWIC), applying a long-term value-oriented approach influenced by Benjamin Graham and John Templeton. Since 1985, book value per share has compounded at 18.7 percent annually, and the common share price at 19.2 percent annually (including dividends), with the stock rising from CDN$3.25 in 1985 to over CDN$2,000 by the end of 2024 — one of the strongest long-term compounding records of any publicly listed Canadian company.