William H. Miller: Famed Stock Picker Did Great Until Picking AIG, Wachovia, Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac

William H. Miller spent nearly two decades building his reputation as the era's greatest mutual-fund manager. Then, over the past year, he destroyed it.

Fueled by winning bets on stocks other investors feared, Mr. Miller's Legg Mason Value Trust outperformed the broad market every year from 1991 to 2005. It's a streak no other fund manager has come close to matching.

Mr. Miller was in his element a year ago when troubles in the housing market began infecting financial markets. Working from his well-worn playbook, he snapped up American International Group Inc., Wachovia Corp., Bear Stearns Cos. and Freddie Mac. As the shares continued to fall, he argued that investors were overreacting. He kept buying.

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Comments

[PartyPartyParty]

"I should have paid attention to liquidity."

No sh*t, sherlock!!

[CharlieMarlowe]

It's such a fine line between clever and .. stupid. (With thanks to Spinal Tap for this immortal observation.)