Since Akre first invested in MasterCard, shares of the Purchase, N.Y., company have gone from $220 to $451. But he isn't selling anytime soon. The way he sees it, free cash flow, which has grown at 38% a year for the past five years, will continue to grow, albeit at a more moderate 20% rate due to slower overall revenue growth and increased dividends. And his go-to metric, change in book value per share, will continue to match the previous five years with 21% growth. "It's still an extraordinary business," says Akre.
NEXT: 3. Investors' two big sighs of relief
