When markets soar to new highs, the debate inevitably follows: Are we heading for a continued bull run or a stock market crash?
Right now, both camps are shouting their case. The bulls insist markets will keep charging to new highs. They point to booming profits at mega-cap giants and the promise of artificial intelligence — a once-in-a-generation shift that could reshape everything from productivity to daily life.
The bears aren't buying it. They see the risk of a market crash due to overvaluation, eye-watering capital costs with little proof of payback, and governments weighed down by record debt.
Ironically, both sides are probably right about market direction, just not about when.
Because if there's one thing history shows, it's that markets never move in straight lines. Pullbacks of around 10% are as common as summers. Corrections of 20% to 30% happen every few years. And the big crashes — those that result in 40% or more losses — typically occur once a decade.
Yet, over time, long-term investors who stay the course still come out ahead. That's exactly what Warren Buffett has spent a lifetime teaching.
"Be fearful when others are greedy…"
Buffett's most famous quote captures a timeless truth: the best opportunities often arise in times of panic. When markets fall and headlines scream "crisis," prices tend to move further than fundamentals justify. That's when disciplined investors (not speculators) quietly buy great businesses at a discount.
In Buffett's own words:
"Bad news is an investor's best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America's future at a marked-down price."
It's a mindset rooted in optimism, not fear. Instead of trying to predict when a crash will hit, Buffett prepares for inevitability: keeping cash on hand, understanding his companies, and acting decisively when emotion drives markets lower.
"The light can turn from green to red without pausing at yellow"
In his 2017 shareholder letter, Buffett warned:
"There is simply no telling how far stocks can fall in a short period. The light can at any time go from green to red without pausing at yellow."
In other words, no one can reliably call the top or the bottom. That's why focusing on timing the market is a losing game. The far easier approach is to stay invested in businesses you understand and trust, and to view volatility as a friend, not a foe.
Buffett's philosophy isn't about blind optimism; it's about preparation. Knowing downturns will happen, he structures Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio with cash reserves, high-quality businesses, and the patience to wait years for value to re-emerge.
"If you can keep your head…"
During major declines, Buffett often quotes Rudyard Kipling's poem, If:
"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs … yours is the Earth and everything that's in it."
It's a fitting reminder that temperament often matters more than intelligence.
Buffett's advice here is timeless: avoid the trap of panic. If you're invested in strong, durable businesses that keep growing and serving customers, it makes little sense to sell them just because the share price wobbles.
Remember, markets don't always move in step with reality. They behave more like an auction, where emotion — from fear to greed — causes people to shout prices that don't reflect a company's true worth.
Keeping your head clear means applying the same logic on bad days as you do on good ones. Panic is easy. Patience is profitable.
Foolish Takeaway
So, what would Warren Buffett say about a "coming market crash"?
Probably nothing. He'd remind us that it's inevitable but also survivable.
Crashes come and go. Quality endures.
And as Buffett has shown for seven decades, investing success isn't about predicting storms. It's about building a ship sturdy enough to sail through them.
