You’re looking at your screen, and you think it’s a typo. It has to be. Nobody sells a single share of stock for the price of a luxury suburban home, right? But then you look closer.
There it is. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A (BRK.A).
As of mid-January 2026, if you want to own just one single "A" share, you’re looking at a price tag hovering around $740,750. Honestly, let that sink in. For the price of one piece of paper—or more accurately, one digital entry—you could buy a literal fleet of Ferraris or a very nice condo in most American cities.
But here's the thing: most people asking how much is one share of berkshire hathaway aren't actually looking to drop three-quarters of a million dollars on a Monday morning. They’re looking for the "Class B" shares, the ones Warren Buffett famously created so the rest of us could join the party.
Those Class B shares (BRK.B) are currently trading at a much more "human" price of roughly $493.
The Great Divide: Why are there two prices?
It’s kinda weird when you think about it. It’s the same company. The same Geico insurance, the same BNSF railroads, the same massive pile of Apple stock. So why the massive price gap?
Basically, it comes down to a promise Warren Buffett made decades ago. He didn't want to split the stock. Most companies, when their price gets too high, do a "stock split." They turn one $1,000 share into ten $100 shares. It makes the stock look "cheaper" and easier to buy.
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Buffett hated that. He felt that splits encouraged short-term gambling. He wanted "partners," not "traders." He wanted people who would buy the stock and hold it until their hair turned gray. By keeping the price astronomical, he ensured that only the most serious (and wealthy) investors could get in.
But in 1996, something changed.
Unit trusts were starting to pop up. These were basically "mini-Berkshire" funds where managers would buy a Class A share and sell "slices" of it to small investors while charging a fee. Buffett thought this was a ripoff. To stop them, he issued the Class B shares—originally at 1/30th the price of an A share. Later, in 2010, they split those B shares again (50-for-1) to help with the acquisition of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.
Today, the math is pretty simple: 1,500 Class B shares equal the economic weight of 1 Class A share.
The Price Reality as of January 2026
If you’re checking your brokerage account right now, the numbers move fast. But here is where we stand in the early weeks of 2026:
- Class A (BRK.A): ~$740,750. This is the "Godzilla" of the stock market.
- Class B (BRK.B): ~$493. This is the "Retail" version.
The price has been remarkably resilient. Even with the massive leadership transition at the start of the year—Greg Abel officially taking the CEO reins on January 1, 2026—the market hasn't blinked much. People trust the system Buffett and the late Charlie Munger built.
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Is the Class A Share Actually "Better"?
You’d think for $740k you’d get some extra perks, right? Maybe a golden ticket to the secret Omaha steakhouse? Not exactly.
The biggest difference is voting rights.
One Class A share gives you a full vote. To get that same voting power with Class B shares, you would need to own 10,000 of them. Since 1,500 B shares equal the value of one A share, but it takes 10,000 B shares to match the voting power, the Class A owners are the ones who actually run the show.
For the average person, this literally does not matter. Unless you have billions of dollars, your vote is a drop in a very large ocean.
There’s also the conversion rule. You can turn a Class A share into 1,500 Class B shares whenever you want. It’s a one-way street, though. You can't gather up 1,500 B shares and "upgrade" them to an A.
How Most People Actually Buy Berkshire Now
Wait, do people really pay $493 for a share? For many, even that's a bit of a hurdle if you're just starting out.
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The game-changer has been fractional shares. Most modern brokerages like Fidelity, Schwab, or Robinhood let you buy $10 worth of Berkshire if you want. You don't "own a share," you own a tiny slice of a slice.
But if you want the "real" experience—the one that lets you into the legendary annual meeting in Omaha (the "Woodstock for Capitalists")—you usually need to own at least one full share.
Why the Price Keeps Climbing (Even Without Dividends)
Berkshire Hathaway is famous for another thing: it has never paid a dividend since 1967.
Usually, when a company makes billions in profit, they send some of that cash back to the shareholders. Not Berkshire. They keep every penny. They reinvest it. They buy more businesses. They buy more stocks.
This "compounding machine" is why the price is so high. When you ask how much is one share of berkshire hathaway, you aren't just buying a stock; you're buying a piece of a massive savings account that never stops growing. As of the last filings, the company is sitting on a cash pile that could probably buy a small country.
Actionable Steps for New Investors
If you're looking to get a piece of the Omaha magic, don't let the $740,000 number scare you off.
- Decide on your "Why": Are you buying for the long-term compounding, or do you just want to attend the annual meeting? If it's the latter, one share of BRK.B is your ticket.
- Check for Fractional Trading: If $493 is too steep, see if your broker allows "dollar-based" investing. You can start with $50.
- Understand the Tax Benefit: Because Berkshire doesn't pay dividends, you don't pay taxes on your gains until you sell. It’s one of the most tax-efficient ways to build wealth over decades.
- Watch the "A to B" Ratio: If you ever see the Class B shares trading at significantly more than 1/1,500th of the Class A price, the "arbitrage" guys usually jump in to fix it. But it's worth a peek to make sure you aren't overpaying for the B side.
The price will keep fluctuating. By the time you read this, it might be $750,000 or $730,000. But the logic remains: it's the world's most expensive "store of value."
To keep an eye on your potential investment, set a price alert for BRK.B on your phone. It’s the easiest way to track the company’s health without needing a mortgage-sized bank account to participate.