Warren Buffett officially stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway on January 1, 2026. If you're looking at stocks in berkshire hathaway b right now, you’re likely staring at a massive transition. Greg Abel is at the helm. The "Buffett Premium" is being tested. Honestly, some investors are sweating.
But here's the reality: the portfolio isn't just a list of companies. It’s a $317 billion fortress. Most people think Berkshire is just "the Apple and Coke show," but the 2026 landscape is shifting under the surface.
The New Guard and the Massive Cash Pile
As of mid-January 2026, the talk of Omaha isn’t just about what Berkshire owns. It's about what they aren't buying. The company entered the year with a record-breaking cash pile of roughly $381.7 billion. To put that in perspective, they could basically buy Disney or Netflix in cash and still have change for lunch.
Greg Abel has a different set of problems than Buffett did in the '80s. When you have nearly $400 billion sitting in Treasury bills, every move you make moves the entire market. Analysts like Greggory Warren from Morningstar are watching to see if the "wait and see" approach continues or if Abel finally pulls the trigger on a massive acquisition.
The strategy has been defensive. Over the last twelve quarters, Berkshire has been a net seller of stocks. They’ve been trimming the fat, raising cash, and waiting for the "fat pitch."
The Big Five: The Core of the Portfolio
Despite the sales, five companies still anchor nearly 65% of the total invested assets. If you own stocks in berkshire hathaway b, these are the names that drive your share price:
- Apple (AAPL): Still the king, making up about 21% of the portfolio. Even though Berkshire sold about 20 million shares late last year to manage risk, they still hold over 238 million shares.
- American Express (AXP): Buffett calls this an "indefinite" hold. It’s roughly 18% of the pie. It’s a powerhouse because it’s both a payment processor and a lender.
- Bank of America (BAC): A core position that’s been trimmed recently. It accounts for about 10% of the portfolio.
- Coca-Cola (KO): The ultimate legacy play. Berkshire owns 400 million shares with a cost basis so low (around $3.25) that the dividend yield on cost is an insane 62%.
- Chevron (CVX): The energy anchor. Along with Occidental Petroleum, it shows Berkshire’s massive bet on the American energy sector.
The Surprising Tech Pivot Nobody Saw Coming
Everyone says Buffett hates tech. That’s old news.
The real shocker in late 2025 and early 2026 was the increased exposure to Alphabet (GOOGL). Berkshire recently initiated and then expanded a stake in Google's parent company, worth over $5.6 billion. Why? Because even under new leadership, the company loves a "moat." Google’s search dominance is the definition of a moat, even in the age of AI.
They also picked up a $1.6 billion stake in UnitedHealth (UNH). This signals a move into "cyclicals" and healthcare—areas that are a bit more resistant to the wild swings of the tech-heavy S&P 500.
What’s Changing Under Greg Abel?
Abel isn't Buffett. He’s an operations guy.
There’s a growing rumor in the market that 2026 might be the year Berkshire finally pays a dividend. For decades, Buffett refused. He believed he could reinvest that money better than you could. But with $381 billion sitting there and fewer "cheap" companies to buy, the pressure from shareholders is mounting.
Why the B-Shares (BRK.B) Are Different
If you're looking at stocks in berkshire hathaway b, you're looking at the "Baby Berkshires." One Class A share (BRK.A) currently costs more than a nice house in the suburbs—well over $700,000.
The B-shares are the accessible version. They trade around $495 to $500 right now.
You get the same portfolio, the same management, and the same safety net. The only real difference is the voting rights (which are tiny for B-shares) and the price. In 2025, the stock was relatively stable, oscillating around that $500 mark while the rest of the market went through an AI-fueled rollercoaster.
The Risks of the Post-Buffett Era
Let’s be real for a second.
The biggest risk isn't the stocks they own; it’s the leadership transition. Buffett wasn't just a manager; he was a marketing machine. He provided a "seal of approval" that kept the stock price stable even during crashes.
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Without him as CEO, Berkshire might start behaving like a "normal" company. That means more volatility. It means analysts will be more critical of every quarterly miss.
Actionable Insights for Investors
If you are holding or considering buying stocks in berkshire hathaway b in 2026, here is the playbook:
- Watch the Cash, Not Just the Stocks: The $381.7 billion cash pile is a hedge. If the market crashes 20%, Berkshire is the only company on earth that will be happy about it. They are the "Lender of Last Resort."
- Focus on the "Earnings Yield": Because Berkshire owns so many private companies (GEICO, BNSF Railway, Dairy Queen), the stock portfolio only tells half the story. Look at the "operating earnings" in the quarterly reports.
- Don't Expect 20% Growth: Berkshire is too big now. It's a "wealth preservation" play, not a "get rich quick" play. It’s designed to beat the S&P 500 by a little bit over long periods, not to double overnight.
- Check the 13F Filings: These are released 45 days after each quarter. They are the only way to see what Abel and his team are buying behind the scenes. The next one is due in mid-February.
The era of Greg Abel is officially here. The portfolio is heavy on Apple, American Express, and energy, but it's slowly turning toward a more diversified, tech-aware future. Whether they start paying a dividend or use that $381 billion to buy a major competitor, Berkshire remains the most stable fortress in the financial world.
If you're ready to make a move, start by reviewing the latest Q3 2025 earnings report to see the specific breakdown of insurance float versus investment gains. This will give you the clearest picture of where the actual value lies before the next major 13F filing reveals the first moves of the Abel administration.