We bought relatively small new positions in Willis Group Holdings and Avon Products in the third quarter. Avon (AVP) is a direct selling, branded beauty business undergoing a turnaround in the U.S. market. The overwhelming majority of Avon’s business value comes from its stronger positions in Latin America and other emerging markets. Our investment thesis is that well-run direct selling can be a decent business with solid margins and high returns, that the Avon brand is not fundamentally broken, and that the U.S. business is bottoming as evidenced by break-even results in the most recent quarter. Avon has a wider range of potential outcomes than our typical investment and is sized accordingly.
From Wallace Weitz (Trades, Portfolio)'s Partners Value Fund Q3 2014 Commentary.
