Berkshire Hathaway has revealed a new $4.3 billion position in Alphabet, marking one of the most unexpected shifts in Warren Buffett’s portfolio ahead of his retirement after 60 years as CEO.
🔍 Key Highlights
- 📌 New Stake: 17.85 million Alphabet shares (~$4.3B), now Berkshire’s 10th-largest U.S. holding.
- 📉 Apple Trimmed Again: Stake reduced to 238.2M shares from 280M — Berkshire has now sold nearly 75% of the Apple shares it once held (over 900M).
- 🍎 Apple Still #1: Despite selling, Apple remains Berkshire’s largest holding at $60.7B.
- 💼 Portfolio Moves:
- Bought $6.4B in stocks
- Sold $12.5B — 12th straight quarter as net seller
- Cash pile hits record $381.7B
🏛 Strategic Shifts Before Buffett’s Exit
Buffett passes leadership to Greg Abel on January 1, and Berkshire’s moves signal:
- A more cautious stance on valuations
- Continued reduction in megacap tech exposure
- Selective buying in financials & consumer names (Chubb, Domino’s Pizza)
- Exit from DR Horton and further trimming of Bank of America
💬 Why Alphabet Surprised the Market
Buffett historically avoided tech stocks… until Apple.
He long admired Google’s similarity to GEICO’s winning ad model but regretted “missing it” early.
This new stake suggests Berkshire sees enduring value in Alphabet’s ecosystem beyond traditional “tech.”
Alphabet shares rose 1.7% after-hours on the disclosure — the classic “Buffett effect.”