Search+Intelligent InvestingSynopsisWarren Buffett gave himself a D in capital allocation – his worst grade ever. But the confession came along with a warning that would prove prophetic within months: The market's wild optimism, he said, would end badly. And it did, in the shape of the dot-com crash. "Fools give you reasons," he famously wrote. "Wise men never try."Warren Buffett once gave himself a D grade.Not a B. Not a C-minus. But a D. The kind of grade that gets a student called into the principal's office. The kind that suggests something has gone seriously wrong.This was the world's greatest investor. The man whose name is synonymous with compounding wealth. And he was admitting, in writing, to his shareholders, that his capital allocation decisions had failed."Even Inspector Clouseau could find ETMarkets.com 21 mins readJun 11, 2026, 08:08:00 PM ISTGift this Story to your friendsFONT SIZEAbcSmallAbcMediumAbcLargeSAVEPRINTCOMMENTContinue reading with one of these options:Limited AccessFreeLogin to get access to some exclusive stories & personalised newslettersLogin NowUnlimited AccessStarting @ Rs120/monthGet access to exclusive stories, expert opinions & in-depth stock reportsSubscribe NowETUh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.Worry not. You’re just a step away.What’s Included withETPrime Membership
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try: Warren Buffett's warning before the crash
Warren Buffett gave himself a D in capital allocation – his worst grade ever. But the confession came along with a warning that would prove prophetic within months: The market's wild optimism, he said, would end badly. And it did, in the shape of the dot-com crash. "Fools give you reasons," he famously wrote. "Wise men never try."
547 words~2 min read
