The benefits of value investing

[donmihaihai]

.. So if a retail investor tells me about moats, etc, in a qualitative way, you must wonder where they get the expertise.

Can't speak for all retail investors. But if I do talk about moat and qualitative etc. I hope I'm judged by the quality of my information and reasoning, and not whether or not I'm an "expert". 

For the sake of this thread and Margin of Safety, I would rather apply a buffer (and hence MOS) to the reasonings, assumptions (especially) and information gathering rather than artificially apply a 20% 50% 70% "discount to intrinsic value" where intrinsic value can be calculated by any ____ who plugs in the numbers. Discount to intrinsic value in not margin of safety.

It is always about how confident I am on what is being offered.