So, you’re looking at that six-figure number on your screen and wondering if it’s a typo. It isn't. As of early 2026, a single share of Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock (BRK.A) is trading for more than most people’s houses—hanging out somewhere in the $740,000 range. It’s the kind of price that makes you do a double-take.
Honestly, the whole thing feels a bit like an exclusive club where the velvet rope is made of solid gold. But there’s a method to the madness. Warren Buffett, who recently passed the CEO torch to Greg Abel on January 1, 2026, never wanted the stock to split. He wasn't being elitist; he was being selective. He wanted shareholders who think like owners, not like day traders trying to catch a quick 5% swing before lunch.
The $700k Club: What You're Actually Buying
When you buy a share of Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock, you aren't just buying a ticker symbol. You're buying a massive, sprawling conglomerate that owns everything from GEICO and Dairy Queen to BNSF Railway. It’s basically a slice of the entire American economy.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that Class A and Class B (BRK.B) are totally different animals. They aren't. They represent the same company. However, the Class A shares are the "original" ones. They’ve never been split. Back in the day, Buffett said he wanted to attract "long-term buy-and-hold investors." By keeping the price astronomical, he essentially priced out the "fast money."
Voting Rights and the Power of One
The real flex with Class A isn't just the price—it's the power.
- One Class A share gives you 1,500 times the economic interest of a Class B share.
- Voting power is where it gets crazy. A Class A share has 10,000 times the voting power of a Class B share.
If you own Class A, the company actually listens when you talk. Or at least, they have to count your vote more seriously. Plus, you can convert Class A into 1,500 Class B shares whenever you want. But you can't go the other way. It’s a one-way street.
The New Era: Greg Abel and the $382 Billion Question
For decades, everyone asked: "What happens when Buffett leaves?" Well, we’re finding out. 2026 is the first year of the post-Buffett era. Greg Abel, the 63-year-old former head of Berkshire’s energy division, is now the guy in the big chair.
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Abel isn't a clone of Buffett, but he’s been in the system for over 25 years. He’s a "decentralization" guy. He lets the managers of the 60+ subsidiary companies do their thing while he manages the capital.
The biggest challenge Abel faces right now? The "Cash Mountain."
At the start of 2026, Berkshire is sitting on a record $381.7 billion in cash and Treasury bills.
That is an insane amount of money to have just sitting around. Buffett was famously picky, refusing to buy companies at "nosebleed" valuations. Now, the pressure is on Abel. Does he keep waiting for a market crash to go shopping, or does he start returning that cash to shareholders through dividends? Berkshire has never paid a dividend. Not once. Investors are watching his every move to see if that old-school policy holds firm.
Why the Stock Price Fluctuates (Even for Legends)
Even Berkshire isn't immune to gravity. In 2025, the stock actually hit an all-time high of over $812,000 before cooling off.
Some of that was just market jitters about the succession. Some of it was the "succession discount"—a fancy way of saying investors were scared that Abel might not have the same "magic touch" as the Oracle. But the fundamentals are still there. The insurance business, led by Ajit Jain, remains a cash-generating machine.
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Recent Portfolio Moves
If you look at the 13F filings, Berkshire has been doing some spring cleaning. They’ve slashed their massive Apple position by over 70% in the last two years. They’ve also been trimming Bank of America.
So, what are they buying? They’ve been leaning into energy (Occidental Petroleum) and even some tech plays like Alphabet. It’s a shift from "old economy" staples to a mix that looks a bit more 2026-ready.
Class A vs. Class B: Which One Actually Makes Sense?
Let's be real: most of us don't have $750,000 lying under the mattress.
For the average person, Class B is the way to go. It trades around $500 and lets you use dollar-cost averaging. You get the same growth, just in smaller bites.
But if you’re a high-net-worth individual or managing a trust, Class A has some sneaky benefits.
- Gifting: You can gift Class B shares to family members more easily without hitting gift tax limits (which is around $19,000 in 2025/2026).
- Stability: Because there are fewer Class A shares and they are held by "diamond hand" investors, the volatility is sometimes slightly lower during market panics.
- The Prestige: There's a certain status in saying you own "the A's." It’s the ultimate "quiet luxury" of the finance world.
Common Mistakes People Make with BRK.A
Don't treat this like a tech stock. If you’re looking for 100% gains in six months, you’re in the wrong place. Berkshire is a "compounding" play.
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Mistake #1: Waiting for a split. It’s not happening. Buffett has been clear for 50 years. If you’re waiting for the price to drop to $500 so you can buy "the original," you'll be waiting forever.
Mistake #2: Overlooking the "Float." Berkshire’s secret sauce is the insurance float—money they collect in premiums but haven't paid out in claims yet. They get to invest this money for their own benefit. As long as the insurance side stays profitable, Berkshire has "free" money to play with.
How to Get Started (Even if You're Not a Millionaire)
If you’re serious about Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock, here is the reality check: you need a broker that handles high-value trades and potentially fractional shares if you want a piece of the A-class action without the full price tag.
Next Steps for Your Portfolio:
- Check your broker's limits: Some retail apps have caps on the dollar amount of a single trade. You don't want to find that out the hard way.
- Evaluate your "Abel" confidence: Read the 2025 shareholder letter. It was Buffett's last as CEO, and it lays out the roadmap for Greg Abel. If you don't trust the new guy, don't buy the stock.
- Look at the Price-to-Book ratio: Historically, Berkshire is a "buy" when it’s near 1.2x book value. In 2026, we’re seeing it hover a bit higher, reflecting the value of the massive cash pile.
- Decide on Class B for liquidity: If you might need to sell some of your position for a down payment or an emergency, Class B is way easier to "trim." Selling one Class A share is an all-or-nothing $750k decision.
The era of Buffett may be winding down, but the machine he built is still humming. Whether it's worth the price of a small mansion depends entirely on how much you believe in the power of "boring" businesses and a $382 billion safety net.