If you’ve ever looked up the cost of Berkshire Hathaway stock, you probably thought your finance app was glitching. You see a price tag that looks like the cost of a luxury suburban home and you think, "That can't be right."
But it is.
As of mid-January 2026, a single Class A share (BRK.A) is trading for roughly $740,750. Yes, you read that correctly. Seven hundred and forty thousand dollars. For one share. It is, quite literally, the most expensive stock in the world.
Why? Because Warren Buffett is stubborn. In the best way possible.
The Massive Divide: Class A vs. Class B
Basically, Berkshire Hathaway is two different stocks wearing one name. You’ve got the Class A shares (the "Original Recipe") and the Class B shares (the "Retail Version").
The Class A shares have never, ever had a stock split. Most companies—think Apple or Tesla—split their stock when the price gets too high so regular people can afford it. If a stock hits $1,000, they might do a 10-for-1 split so it’s suddenly $100. Buffett famously refused to do this for the A shares. He wanted to attract "long-term" investors who treat the stock like a marriage, not a weekend fling.
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Then there’s the Class B (BRK.B). These were created in 1996 and then split 50-for-1 in 2010. Today, they trade around $493 to $498. This is the version most of us actually buy. It’s the same company, just a smaller slice of the pie. Think of it like buying a single slider instead of the whole cow.
A Quick Breakdown of the Two
- Class A (BRK.A): Around $740,750 per share. Incredible voting power. No splits. Ever.
- Class B (BRK.B): Around $495 per share. 1/1,500th the economic interest of an A share. Much less voting power, but way more liquid.
What Are You Actually Buying?
When you pay the cost of Berkshire Hathaway stock, you aren’t buying a "business." You’re buying a massive, sprawling empire. It’s kinda like a mutual fund disguised as a company.
Honestly, the portfolio is insane. They own GEICO (the insurance lizard people), Dairy Queen, Duracell, and Benjamin Moore paints. They also own a massive railroad (BNSF) and a giant energy company.
Then you have the "Stock Pile." Even though Warren Buffett officially retired as CEO on January 1, 2026, the portfolio he left for his successor, Greg Abel, is concentrated in some very specific places:
- Apple: Still the king of the mountain, making up over 20% of their equity portfolio.
- American Express: A long-time favorite they’ve held since 1991.
- Bank of America: They’ve been trimming this lately, but it’s still a massive $30 billion+ position.
- Coca-Cola: Buffett’s cost basis on this is so low ($3.25/share) that the dividends alone are basically free money at this point.
Why the Price Stays So High
You might wonder if the stock is "overvalued" because the numbers are so big. Financial analysts don't look at the $740k price tag; they look at the Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio.
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Right now, Berkshire is trading at about 1.5 times its book value. For context, Buffett himself has historically said he’d consider the stock a "screaming buy" if it ever dipped toward 1.2 times book value. It’s not cheap, but for a company with a $1.1 trillion market cap and a cash pile of nearly $300 billion, it’s remarkably stable.
One thing that confuses people: Berkshire pays zero dividends. Never has, probably never will. Buffett’s logic? "I can grow your money better than you can." Instead of sending you a check, they use that cash to buy more businesses or buy back their own stock. It’s a compound interest machine.
The Greg Abel Era: Does It Change Everything?
We’re officially in the post-Buffett era. Greg Abel took the reins this month.
Some people were worried the cost of Berkshire Hathaway stock would tank once the "Oracle of Omaha" stepped down. It didn't. In fact, the stock has stayed pretty steady around that $500 mark for the B shares.
Abel has been running the non-insurance side of the business for years. He’s a "numbers guy" who just oversaw a nearly $10 billion acquisition of OxyChem (Occidental Petroleum's chemical unit) earlier this month. The market seems to trust him. He’s not a folksy philosopher like Buffett, but he knows how to allocate capital.
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How to Get Started Without $740,000
If you want to own a piece of this but don't have three-quarters of a million dollars sitting under your mattress, you have options.
1. Buy Class B Shares
The ticker is BRK.B. Most brokers (Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood) let you buy these. You get the same growth as the big-money Class A shares, just at a price that won't require a second mortgage.
2. Use Fractional Shares
If $495 is still too much, use a broker like Stash or Public. You can literally buy $5 worth of Berkshire Hathaway. You’ll own 0.01 shares, but you still benefit from the growth.
3. S&P 500 Index Funds
Berkshire is one of the biggest components of the S&P 500. If you own an index fund (like VOO or SPY), you already own a chunk of Berkshire Hathaway.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re looking to add Berkshire to your portfolio, don't just FOMO in because of the name.
- Check the P/B Ratio: Look at the current Price-to-Book ratio. If it’s above 1.6, you might want to wait for a dip. If it’s near 1.3, it’s historically a great entry point.
- Understand the "Cash Drag": Berkshire holds a massive amount of cash (over $300 billion). In a booming bull market, this can make the stock underperform because that cash isn't "working" as hard as a tech company's capital. In a crash, however, that cash makes Berkshire the safest house in a bad neighborhood.
- Decide on the Class: Unless you are an institutional investor or a literal millionaire, stick with BRK.B. It’s easier to sell when you need the money.
The cost of Berkshire Hathaway stock is a reflection of sixty years of disciplined, boring, and wildly successful investing. It’s not a "get rich quick" play. It’s a "stay rich forever" play.
Next Steps:
- Monitor the Price-to-Book ratio over the next quarter to see if the Abel transition creates a better entry price.
- Review your current S&P 500 exposure to see how much Berkshire you already own indirectly.
- Consider setting up a limit order for BRK.B shares at a price 5-7% below current market value to catch a natural fluctuation.