CEO Greg Abel has put $930 million into Bending Spoons, a company that acquires, optimizes and reinvests in digital businesses, including $600 million in its July IPO and a further $330 million later, lifting Berkshire's stake to about 4%. Bending Spoons has acquired 50 businesses since 2013, including AOL, Eventbrite and Vimeo. In the second quarter, revenue rose 126% to over $704 million, diluted EPS grew 163% to $0.28, and adjusted operating margin reached 54%. The IPO price was $29 per share and the $330 million purchase was at $33, while the stock now trades near $54.50, a market cap of nearly $35 billion and about 39 times forward earnings. The article argues this reflects Buffett's principle of buying a wonderful company at a fair price, though the stock is no longer a bargain.
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