Also contributing to performance, Italian holding company EXOR (OTCPK:EXORF, Financial) appreciated 5% in the quarter, taking full year returns to 12%. Over the course of the year, Chairman and CEO John Elkann, together with Fiat Chrysler Auto (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne, took numerous steps to drive value growth. The company sold or spun assets at a strong price, including an $893 million initial public offering (IPO) of Ferrari—well above expected value, the sale of Cushman and Wakefield to DTX for $2 billion—a more than 30% premium to our carrying value for the business, and the recently announced sale of its 17% stake in Banijay for €60.1 million—a €25 million premium to book value. Management reinvested proceeds into high quality assets at a fair price. In the second half, EXOR announced the acquisition of Bermuda reinsurer PartnerRe to be completed in the first quarter of 2016 and increased its long-held stake in The Economist. At FCA, Sergio Marchionne publicly called for auto industry consolidation, potentially positioning EXOR for discussions to merge FCA with another key player.
From Longleaf Partners' International Fund commentary on the fourth quarter 2015.
