Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRK.A, BRK.B) latest 13F filing delivered exactly the kind of signal Warren Buffett is famous for.
After years of leaning on Apple as the crown jewel of its stock portfolio, the company just trimmed its stake again, continuing a trend that has quietly reshaped its portfolio.
To put it in perspective, Buffet has been known to praise Apple’s brand value, calling it “a better business than any we have.”
At the same time, Berkshire just opened a new multibillion-dollar position in Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL), the company’s biggest technology turnaround since Apple’s original bet.
The moves were not subtle and raise some real questions about how Buffett’s firm views the rise of AI and runaway valuations of Big Tech, while balancing the risks of opportunity and concentration.
Plus, with Buffett handing the CEO reins to Greg Abel, the timing of the move makes the turnaround seem more momentous.
Berkshire Hathaway opened a new position in Alphabet and reduced its stake in Apple during the third quarter.Photo by Bloomberg from Getty Images
It’s impossible to miss Berkshire’s latest 13F, where it’s finally easing its long-standing obsession with Apple while quietly planting a huge $4.3 to $4.4 billion flag on Google stock.
It revealed a surprising new position of nearly 17.85-17.9 million Alphabet Class C shares, a stake that’s large enough to put it squarely in Berkshire’s top 10 holdings, while instantly claiming nearly 1.4% of its total stock portfolio.
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At the same time, Berkshire just trimmed its stake in Apple again, selling between 41 and 42 million shares in the third quarter, representing a reduction of more than 15%, with its position now reduced to 238.2 million shares.
However, Apple remains the undisputed king in its powerful portfolio, worth between $60 billion and $61 billion, representing 23% of Berkshire’s disclosed stock holdings at the end of the quarter.
This is exactly where the real money lies within Berkshire’s stock portfolio, and the magnitude makes Alphabet’s recent move even more interesting:
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apple (AAPL)
Shares: 238.2 million Value: $60.7 billion -
American Express (AXP)
Shares: 151.6 million Value: $50.4 billion -
Bank of America (BAC)
Shares: 568.1 million Value: $29.3 billion -
Coca-Cola (KO)
Shares: 400 million Value: 26.5 billion dollars -
Chevron (CVX)
Shares: 122.1 million Value: $19 billion
Now the new newcomer: Alphabet (GOOGL)
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Actions: 17.85 million
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Worth: $4.34 billion
Google stock just became Berkshire’s biggest tech bet since Apple, and the timing shows why.