Berkshire stock lags as S&P 500 hits record highs
As of March 31st, Berkshire Hathaway’s stock was roughly flat compared to the S&P 500, showing a year-to-date drop of around 4.7%.
The day before, Berkshire B shares had outperformed the S&P, leading by 1.8 points—its biggest margin this year. However, on Friday, this lead diminished significantly, resulting in a gap of 9.7 percentage points, marking the largest divergence yet for 2026.
Since reaching a peak close on May 2, 2025, Berkshire stock has struggled, especially following Warren Buffett’s announcement of his resignation as CEO at the year’s end. Both classes of stock have dropped over 12% since that announcement, but they remain about 3% above their lowest points from early August.
Update on Berkshire’s financial history
Buffett and Berkshire’s online presence
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CNBC’s Buffett Archive Highlights
“We do not grudge the taxes we paid” (2014)
In a memorable discussion, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger explained their views on taxes, with Buffett suggesting that avoiding taxes would not be a legitimate goal for a prosperous company like theirs. They emphasized their appreciation for America, noting the benefits they’ve gained, as they joked about their financial success.
Buffett humorously pointed out their complex tax returns, which doesn’t leave room for dodging taxes. He acknowledged that they follow the rules while making significant revenue through legitimate channels, reaffirming their stance on not begrudging the taxes they pay.
Berkshire stock watch
BRK.A stock price: ~$711,558.8
BRK.B stock price: $474.58
BRK.B P/E (TTM): 15.29
Berkshire’s Market Capitalization: $1,023,449,080,531
Berkshire’s cash reserves as of December 31: $373.3 billion (a decrease of 2.2% from September 30)
Excluding railroad cash and Treasury bills: $369 billion (an increase of 4.1% from September 30)
Berkshire resumed stock buybacks on March 4, 2026, though there’s been no update on further purchases since.
Berkshire’s Top Stock Holdings – April 17, 2026
Berkshire’s major U.S. and Japanese stocks, based on market capitalization, are noted from September 30, 2025. For detailed holdings and current market values, CNBC’s Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Tracker can be referenced.
Questions or comments
If you have any questions or comments regarding this newsletter, please send them to: alex.crippen@nbcuni.com. (Please note, we do not forward inquiries to Mr. Buffett.)
For those interested, Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders is especially insightful and can be found on Berkshire’s website.
