He's regarded for his stock-picking skills. Yet, the secret of Warren Buffett's success isn't his ability to find the market's next breathtaking winner. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) consistently outperforms the broad market because the Oracle of Omaha holds several quality stocks for years on end, even when doing so gets a bit uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, if you've only got enough money and room in your portfolio to poach one of his picks right now, I see a standout. That's American Express (NYSE: AXP).

Among all of Berkshire's holdings, American Express isn't one frequently mentioned as an idea worth borrowing. That honor usually falls to outfits like Apple or Bank of America, which are the fund's two biggest positions at this time. Investors specifically looking for a credit card company note that Berkshire is also currently holding Visa (NYSE: V) and Mastercard (NYSE: MA), both of which are bigger companies than American Express.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com