Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake was revealed at $4.3 billion, marking a notable addition to the conglomerate’s portfolio as it further reduced its position in Apple. The disclosure, covering holdings as of Sept. 30 and detailed on Nov. 14, 2025, comes in Berkshire’s final portfolio update before Warren Buffett ends his 60‑year run as chief executive.
Key Points
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Berkshire said it owned 17.85 million Alphabet shares at the quarter’s close. That makes the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake the company’s 10th‑largest U.S. stock holding, a rare pivot into a technology giant for an investor long known for a cautious view of the sector.
Berkshire also trimmed Apple again, lowering its stake to 238.2 million shares from 280 million in the third quarter. The conglomerate has now sold nearly three‑quarters of the 905 million Apple shares it once held. Even after the cuts, Apple remained Berkshire’s largest stock holding at $60.7 billion.
Why the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake stands out
The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake runs counter to Buffett’s reputation for avoiding most technology bets, even as he has long classified Apple as more of a consumer products company. The move underscores a shift at a pivotal moment, with Berkshire’s equity portfolio standing at $283.2 billion and the leadership baton set to pass to CEO‑designate Greg Abel on January 1.
It is not clear whether Buffett, portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, or Abel initiated the Alphabet purchase. Historically, Buffett has tended to make the larger investments, but Berkshire did not specify who made which trades.
Inside the numbers: Apple reduced, Alphabet added
The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake placed Alphabet squarely among Berkshire’s top holdings, while Apple’s share count decline signaled continued pruning. Apple’s position fell to 238.2 million shares from 280 million over the quarter, part of a broader pattern of selective selling.
Alphabet shares rose 1.7% in after‑hours trading after the filing became public. Markets often respond when Berkshire reveals new stakes, reflecting what investors still view as Buffett’s seal of approval.
At the same time, Berkshire’s overall posture remained conservative. The company bought $6.4 billion of stocks and sold $12.5 billion between July and September, marking the 13th straight quarter of net selling. Cash rose to a record $381.7 billion, reinforcing a disciplined stance on valuations.
How the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake fits the moment
The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake arrives as the conglomerate keeps amassing cash and trimming long‑held winners. While Apple remains the largest single stock position by value, the filing shows Berkshire continuing to rebalance without abandoning its core holdings.
At Berkshire’s 2019 annual meeting, Buffett and the late Vice Chairman Charlie Munger lamented missing an earlier chance to invest in Google. “We screwed up,” Munger said. “He’s saying we blew it,” Buffett replied. The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake now reflects a turn toward the business they once praised from afar, noting similarities between Google’s ad model and what worked at GEICO.
Portfolio shifts: Bank of America, DR Horton, Chubb, and Domino’s
Beyond the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake, the filing showed Berkshire sold 6% of its Bank of America shares, extending sales that began in last year’s third quarter. Even so, the bank remains Berkshire’s third‑largest stock holding.
Berkshire also exited its position in homebuilder DR Horton. Meanwhile, it bought more shares of several companies, including insurer Chubb and Domino’s Pizza. The changes underscore a period of measured repositioning rather than sweeping expansion.
The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake, combined with these adjustments, illustrates a quarter defined by select additions and continued portfolio tightening.
Market reaction and the “Buffett effect”
Alphabet’s 1.7% after‑hours gain followed the disclosure of the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake. Stock prices often rise when investors see Berkshire taking a new position, a dynamic that has persisted for decades as the market reads Berkshire’s moves as a signal of quality and durability.
While Apple’s share count decreased, the company’s $60.7 billion value in Berkshire’s portfolio highlights that Apple remains central to Berkshire’s equity strategy even after substantial selling over time.
Cash at a record and a cautious streak
Berkshire bought $6.4 billion of stocks and sold $12.5 billion during the quarter, the 13th straight quarter as a net seller. Cash reached an all‑time high of $381.7 billion. Investors and analysts have said Berkshire has been cautious on valuations, noting that the company has gone more than a year without buying back its own stock and nearly a decade without a giant acquisition.
In that context, the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake reflects a sizable but targeted move, landing within a portfolio still anchored by cash discipline and select blue‑chip holdings.
Leadership transition: Buffett to Abel
Berkshire’s update doubles as a milestone. It is the last portfolio disclosure before Buffett turns the $1.1 trillion conglomerate over to Greg Abel on January 1. The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake arrives as that transition approaches, and as Berkshire emphasizes continuity across its investing and operating businesses.
It remains unspecified who executed the Alphabet purchase—Buffett, Combs, Weschler, or Abel—but Berkshire noted that Buffett typically undertakes the larger allocations.
A rare tech step backed by past commentary
Buffett’s past comments provide context for the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake. At the 2019 meeting, he and Munger singled out Google’s advertising engine and its resonance with GEICO’s customer acquisition success. Those remarks frame today’s move as consistent with an admiration of durable advertising economics, even as Berkshire historically avoided most technology names.
Beyond stocks: Berkshire’s operating backbone
While headlines focus on the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake and Apple reductions, Berkshire owns close to 200 businesses. These include the BNSF railroad, many energy, industrial, and manufacturing companies, and well‑known retail brands such as Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, and See’s Candies.
That operating breadth, combined with large equity holdings and record cash, defines Berkshire’s financial flexibility heading into the leadership change.
Conclusion
The Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake adds a new top‑10 name to Berkshire’s U.S. portfolio as Apple is trimmed again and cash hits a record. The quarter’s moves—selling more Bank of America, shedding DR Horton, and adding to Chubb and Domino’s—reinforce a measured, valuation‑aware posture.
As Buffett prepares to hand the reins to Greg Abel, the filing offers a clear snapshot: a disciplined investor still willing to act decisively when the right opportunity appears. With the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake in place and Apple still the largest holding by value, Berkshire enters its next chapter grounded in familiar principles and fortified by substantial liquidity.
FAQ’s
How big is the Berkshire Hathaway Alphabet stake?
Berkshire disclosed 17.85 million Alphabet shares as of Sept. 30, valued at about $4.3 billion. The position ranks as its 10th‑largest U.S. holding, per the SEC filing.
Why did Berkshire trim its Apple holdings?
The filing doesn’t give a reason. Berkshire reduced Apple to 238.2 million shares from 280 million in Q3, yet Apple remains its largest holding at $60.7 billion.
Who made the Alphabet purchase at Berkshire?
Berkshire didn’t specify whether Warren Buffett, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler, or CEO‑designate Greg Abel executed the trade. Historically, Buffett has handled larger allocations.
What else did Berkshire buy or sell this quarter?
Berkshire sold $12.5 billion of stocks and bought $6.4 billion, lifting cash to a record $381.7 billion. It sold 6% of Bank of America, exited DR Horton, and added to Chubb and Domino’s.
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