In contrast to our short-lived ownership of Open Text, Broadcom (AVGO, Financial) has been a holding for just short of five years. At the time of our original purchase, the company was primarily focused on driving organic growth in its existing semiconductor franchises and acquiring new ones when the opportunity presented itself. As potential acquisition candidates in the industry became scarce, management, led by highly regarded Hock Tan, pivoted to set their sights on the software industry, culminating in several acquisitions. Unlike Open Text, in this instance, after multiple discussions with senior management, we found ourselves comfortable with the company's new strategy after re-examining the investment implications. We are glad we did, as it would be an understatement to say that Broadcom has gone from strength to strength over the past five years, improving operating margins, aggressively repurchasing shares, and increasing the dividend, all the while continuing to execute its M&A strategy flawlessly.
From Steven Romick (Trades, Portfolio)'s FPA Crescent Fund second-quarter 2023 commentary.
