Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed a new $4.3 billion investment in Alphabet while continuing to reduce its long-time Apple holdings, according to its latest SEC filing. The conglomerate revealed ownership of 17.85 million Alphabet shares as of September 30, making it Berkshire’s tenth-largest U.S. stock holding. The move is notable given Warren Buffett’s long-time hesitance toward tech companies, although Apple — which he views as a consumer products business — still remains Berkshire’s biggest investment at $60.7 billion.
The filing also confirmed that Berkshire slashed its Apple stake from 280 million to 238.2 million shares during the third quarter, meaning it has now sold roughly three-quarters of the more than 900 million Apple shares it once held. The company was again a net seller of stocks, selling $12.5 billion and buying $6.4 billion between July and September, while cash reserves climbed to a record $381.7 billion. Berkshire also trimmed its Bank of America position by 6%, exited homebuilder DR Horton, and increased holdings in firms such as Chubb and Domino’s Pizza.
This disclosure marks the last major portfolio update before Buffett hands over the CEO role to Greg Abel on January 1, closing out his 60-year leadership. Buffett and the late Charlie Munger had previously expressed regret about not investing in Google earlier, even noting similarities between its ad business and Berkshire-owned Geico’s model. The new stake sent Alphabet shares up 1.7% in after-hours trading, as markets often interpret Berkshire’s moves as a sign of confidence.
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