Berkshire Hathaway Adjusts Stock Holdings
Warren Buffett spoke during the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 4, 2024. At this event, the company revealed some significant changes in its investment strategy.
Berkshire Hathaway has reduced its investment in Apple, decreasing its stake by 4.3% to approximately $61.96 billion. Despite this cut, Apple continues to be Berkshire’s largest investment. Interestingly, the conglomerate also reported acquiring a new stake in The New York Times, which, according to a recent securities report, is expected to be disclosed later in the fourth quarter.
Recently, Berkshire’s investment in Apple has been on the decline, marking a consistent reduction since the third quarter when it began investing in Alphabet, another prominent company. Buffett previously reduced his position in Apple significantly in 2024, following another cut the previous year.
Apple saw a modest growth of around 9% in 2025, making it a decent year for the company overall. However, it still lagged behind the S&P 500 index, which climbed over 16%. This year has seen even tougher conditions for stocks, with Apple’s price falling by about 3%. Just last week, I had a particularly tough time with my investments, reminiscent of my worst day back in April 2025.
The reasoning behind Berkshire’s moves—whether directly led by Buffett or by his investment team, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler—is not entirely clear. Buffett’s focus tends to categorize Apple more like a consumer products firm rather than a technology enterprise, which may hint at a strategy to streamline things for whoever takes over next.
In addition to slashing its Apple holdings, Berkshire also acknowledged a smaller stake, worth $351.7 million, in The New York Times, ranking it 29th among its 41 positions.
Berkshire Hathaway’s Top 10 Holdings (as of end of 4th quarter)
| ticker | name | Value ($ billion) | Number of shares to be renumbered (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | Apple | 61.96 | -4.3 |
| AXP | American Express | 56.09 | Not applicable |
| BAC | Bank of America | 28.45 | -8.9 |
| K.O. | Coca-Cola | 27.96 | Not applicable |
| CVX | Chevron | 19.84 | 6.6 |
| M.C.O. | Moody’s | 12.6 | Not applicable |
| Oxy | Western Oil | 10.89 | Not applicable |
| C.B. | Chubb | 10.69 | 9.3 |
| KHC | Kraft Heinz | 7.9 | Not applicable |
| GOOGL | Alphabet | 5.59 | Not applicable |
Buffett’s recent decisions have taken place during what is seen as his final quarter leading Berkshire Hathaway, as Greg Abel has now succeeded him as CEO. Prior to retiring, Buffett had alluded to various structural shifts within the company. Notably, Todd Combs, previously an investment manager, transitioned to a significant role with JPMorgan Chase & Co. this January after leaving Berkshire in December.
Berkshire’s future direction remains intriguing as it navigates investments and leadership changes. Despite stepping down, Buffett remains actively involved as the chairman of the board.
