Warren Buffett is undeniably the most famous and influential investor in modern history, based on his extraordinary performance record. Not surprisingly, the investment portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A), the holding company employing the Oracle of Omaha as chairman and CEO, receives wide media attention and scrutiny, even though Buffett is no longer making every investment decision.
Despite his unparalleled success, Buffett's investment model has long been transparent, straightforward, and consistent. He invests in large, blue-chip companies with strong balance sheets and attractive valuations. Buffett often invests for the long term, but he's never been afraid to make significant new investments or drop longtime holdings. He and his team showed that in early 2022 with a big bet on Chevron Corp. (CVX), while dropping Wells Fargo & Co, (WFC)—a stock Berkshire Hathaway had owned since 1989. Here are the top five stocks in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio as of March 31, 2022.
Key Takeaways
- Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway holds a portfolio of blue-chip U.S. stocks valued at $390.5 billion as of March 31, 2022.
- The portfolio's five largest positions are Apple Inc. (AAPL), Bank of America Corp (BAC), American Express Company (AXP), Chevron, and The Coca-Cola Company (KO).
- Apple is Berkshire's largest holding, accounting for nearly 41% of its stocks portfolio.
- The top 5 holdings account for nearly 70% of the portfolio.
- During Q1 2022, Buffett dramatically increased Berkshire's holdings of Chevron while liquidating the remainder of a longstanding position in Wells Fargo.
1. Apple
Apple, the maker of iPhones, is by far Berkshire Hathaway's largest stock holding at $159.1 billion as of Q1 2022, accounting for nearly 41% of its stocks portfolio and for 5.7% of Apple's outstanding shares.
Berkshire Hathaway acquired the stake between 2016 and 2019 for just over $35 billion.
By early 2018, Apple had supplanted Wells Fargo as Berkshire Hathaway's top stock.
In the first quarter of 2022, Berkshire Hathaway sold the last of its Wells Fargo stake, which was worth $25.2 billion four years earlier.
2. Bank of America
Berkshire Hathaway's second-largest holding is Bank of America, with a stake valued at $42.6 billion accounting for 10.9% of the portfolio as of Q1 2022. Berkshire Hathaway held 12.5% of the bank's shares outstanding.
Buffett acquired 700 million of the 1 billion Bank of America shares Berkshire Hathaway now holds in 2017 at about $7.14 per share in exchange for warrants Berkshire Hathaway received when it made a $5 billion investment in the bank's preferred stock in 2011.
3. American Express
Berkshire Hathaway's $28.6 billion stake in financial services provider American Express accounted for 7.3% of its portfolio and 20.1% of American Express shares of Q1 2022.
The stake dates back to 1994, when Buffett acquired AmEx stock in exchange for warrants from a $300 million preferred stock investment that returned 64% over three years. Berkshire Hathaway has significantly increased its American Express stake over the past decade.
4. Chevron
Buffett dramatically increased Berkshire Hathaway's stake in Chevron to $25.9 billion during Q1 2022, making the integrated oil giant his company's fourth-largest holding as of quarter end. Chevron shares accounted for 6.6% of Berkshire Hathaway's equity securities portfolio, while Berkshire's stake amounted to 8.1% of Chevron's outstanding shares.
Buffett started buying Chevron in the third quarter of 2020, and Berkshire Hathaway reported a $4.5 billion stake as of year-end 2021.
"Chevron is not an evil company in the least and I have no compunction about owning Chevron," Buffett said at Berkshire Hathaway's 2021 shareholders meeting when asked about Chevron's role in climate change.
5. Coca-Cola
Buffett famously consumes five 12-ounce servings of co*ke per day, and once said he is "a quarter Coca-Cola" based on the drink's share of his caloric intake. Berkshire Hathaway makes do with a Coca-Cola stake of $24.8 billion, representing an allocation of 6.4% in its stock portfolio. That accounts for 9.2% of Coca-Cola's outstanding stock.
After Buffett began accumulating the position in 1988, he said he planned to hold it "for a long time" in the next letter to shareholders. "In fact, when we own portions of outstanding businesses with outstanding managements, ourfavorite holding period is forever," Buffett wrote.
Buffett, who turned 91 on Aug. 30, 2021, began his career in the early 1960s. As he aged, many investors and analysts grew concerned about the absence of a formal succession plan at Berkshire Hathaway. At the company's 2021 shareholders meeting, Buffett said he expects to be succeeded as CEO by Greg Abel, head of the company's Berkshire Energy Holdings power and natural gas distribution subsidiary.
Which Are the Top 10 Stocks Berkshire Hathaway Owns?
Warren Buffett runs the Berkshire Hathaway holding company, which, in turn, is a major shareholder of a number of large public companies. After the top five listed above, Berkshire's next largest public company investments include The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC), Moody's Corp. (MCO), Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY), U.S. Bancorp (USB), and Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI). In addition to its stakes in publicly listed companies, Berkshire Hathaway owns subsidiaries including GEICO Insurance, BNSF Railways, Duracell, and International Dairy Queen Inc., among many others.
Which Railroad Does Warren Buffett Own?
BNSF Railways (formerly Burlington Northern Santa Fe) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.
Which Insurance Companies Does Warren Buffett Own?
Berkshire owns several insurance companies including GEICO, Cypress Insurance, General Re, Berkshire Hathaway Re, National Fire & Marine Insurance Co., and National Indemnity Co.
What Is the Origin of Berkshire Hathaway Name?
The Berkshire Hathaway name originated with the 1955 merger of Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates of Adams, Massachusetts, and the Hathaway Manufacturing Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Buffett began accumulating Berkshire Hathaway shares in 1962 and bought the company outright in 1964. He had agreed to sell his stock to management, only to discover that the tender offer's price was below that he had been promised. "This made me mad," Buffett has recalled. He bought the first insurance business for Berkshire Hathaway in 1967 and closed the company's last textile mill in 1985.
Correction—Feb. 17, 2023: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed the monetary value of Berkshire Hathaway's Apple stake as being in the millions of dollars. In actuality, the Apple stake Berkshire Hathaway acquired from 2016 to 2019 was in the billions of dollars.
FAQs
Key Takeaways. Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio's five largest positions are in Apple Inc. (AAPL), Bank of America Corp (BAC), Chevron (CVX), The Coca-Cola Company (KO), and American Express Company (AXP).
What are the top 5 portfolio of Warren Buffett? ›
Top Warren Buffett Stocks By Size
- Coca-Cola (KO), 400 million.
- Kraft Heinz (KHC), 325.6 million.
- Occidental Petroleum (OXY), 211.7 million.
- American Express (AXP), 151.6 million.
- Chevron (CVX), 132.4 million.
- HP (HPQ), 120.9 million.
- Nu Holdings (NU), 107.1 million.
- Paramount Global (PARA), 93.7 million.
Key Takeaways. Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio's five largest positions are in Apple Inc. (AAPL), Bank of America Corp (BAC), Chevron (CVX), The Coca-Cola Company (KO), and American Express Company (AXP).
What does Warren Buffett's portfolio consist of? ›
Top stock holdings in Buffett's portfolio
Apple (AAPL) – $151.0 billion. Bank of America (BAC) – $29.5 billion. American Express (AXP) – $25.0 billion. Coca-Cola – $24.8 billion.
What 4 stocks is Warren Buffett investing in? ›
Buffett's Biggest Holdings
| Company (Ticker) | Sector | Rank |
|---|
| Apple (AAPL) | Information Technology | 1 |
| Bank of America (BAC) | Finance | 2 |
| Chevron (CVX) | Energy | 3 |
| Cola-Cola (KO) | Consumer Staples | 4 |
6 more rowsMay 22, 2023
Warren Buffett's Four Pillars of Investing. Quality of Information. Consistency of Earnings Growth. Finding Opportunities To Drive Your Investment Style.
What is Rule number 1 investing Warren Buffett? ›
Warren Buffett once said, “The first rule of an investment is don't lose [money]. And the second rule of an investment is don't forget the first rule. And that's all the rules there are.”
What stocks is Buffett buying? ›
Stocks Warren Buffett recently bought or added
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Increase Over Q4 2022 |
|---|
| Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) | 9,922,000 | New position |
| Diageo (NYSE:DEO) | 227,750 | New position |
| Vitasse Energy (NYSE:VTS) | 51,026 | New position |
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 915,560,382 | +2.28% |
6 more rowsMay 30, 2023
In Bill Gates's current portfolio as of 2023-03-31, the top 5 holdings are Microsoft Corp (MSFT), Canadian National Railway Co (CNI), Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK. B), Waste Management Inc (WM), Caterpillar Inc (CAT), not including call and put options.
How many positions does Berkshire Hathaway have? ›
Although Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio, worth around $330 billion, comprises 50 positions, it's not quite as diversified as you might expect for a grouping of that many stocks.
- Moody's Corporation (NYSE:MCO) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55.
- Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) ...
- HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) ...
- DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA) ...
- VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) ...
- Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) ...
- The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) ...
- Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38. ...
Warren Buffett's Best Investing Advice
- Invest In Low-Cost Index Funds. To build up retirement savings, Buffett swears by one simple tip. ...
- Stay the Course. ...
- Don't Bet On Individual Stocks. ...
- Pay Attention to Fees. ...
- Start Early. ...
- Do Your Own Research. ...
- Keep a Long-Term View. ...
- Invest In Yourself.
20 Symbols
- TSM100.340.52% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited.
- V223.54-4.68% Visa Inc.
- MA373.01-6.95% Mastercard Incorporated.
- CVX158.873.08% Chevron Corporation.
- KO60.30-0.01% The Coca-Cola Company.
- BAC29.490.26% Bank of America Corporation.
- AXP171.50-0.32% American Express Company.
- C47.830.61% Citigroup Inc.
Buffett's earliest diversification was a value investment portfolio with 50% of his total capital in 5 stocks and the other 30% in usually 15 stocks with some remaining cash for any other opportunities that arose.
What percent of Apple does Warren Buffett own? ›
Apple stock has risen more than 500% since Berkshire first purchased it while buybacks have increased Berkshire's stake in Apple. Today, Berkshire owns about 5.8% of the company. "It just happens to be a better business than any we own," Buffet said.
What are the three rules in life Warren Buffett? ›
Warren Buffett Says 3 Major Decisions in Life Will Be the Difference Between Success and Failure
- Define success by your "inner scorecard" ...
- Surround yourself with mentors. ...
- Protect your reputation at all cost.
Tip 4: Believe in yourself!
If you don't believe in yourself and your ability to achieve success, it will be difficult to convince others to invest in your business.
What is the Warren Buffett model? ›
A staunch believer in the value-based investing model, investment guru Warren Buffett has long held the belief that people should only buy stocks in companies that exhibit solid fundamentals, strong earnings power, and the potential for continued growth.
What is the rule of 69 investing? ›
The Rule of 69 states that when a quantity grows at a constant annual rate, it will roughly double in size after approximately 69 divided by the growth rate.
What is Rule of 72 Buffett? ›
The Rule of 72 is often cited as the answer to the question “How long does it take to double your money?” At 1%, the rule of 72 provides that it takes 72 years to double your money.
Warren Buffet's first rule of investing is to never lose money; his second is to never forget the first rule. This golden rule is key for long-term capital protection and growth.
What does Warren Buffett not invest in? ›
Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 24 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Warren Buffett does not invest in gold. He has invested almost $1 billion in silver, so the reason for his aversion is not simply a dislike for precious metals.
What is Warren Buffett buying 2023? ›
In the first quarter of 2023, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway bought three new stocks – Capital One Financial, Diageo ADR, and Vitesse Energy.
What brokerage does Warren Buffett use? ›
To summarize, Warren Buffett mostly doesn't use regular brokers like the majority of retail traders around the world. Instead, he prefers to make trades through a private stockbroker like John Freund in order to ensure that his movement is discreet and won't cause huge price swings in the market.
What stock is Jeff Bezos investing in? ›
Jeff Bezos' current positions
| Company | Funding date |
|---|
| Everfi | 2012 (Series B), 2016 (Series C), 2017 (Series D) |
| La Haus | 2021 (Series B) |
| Nextdoor | 2013 (Series B) |
| Overtime | 2021 (Series C), 2022 (Series D) |
11 more rowsMar 29, 2023
Some big ticket names among Bezos' investments are Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY), and Denali Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:DNLI).
Who owns the largest stock portfolio? ›
As of August 2022, there are a total of 32 stocks in Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's portfolio where he holds more than 1% stake in the company. Now we are all aware of his love for the Tata group. After all, Titan Company Ltd is the biggest stock in Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's portfolio.
Does Buffett own Tesla? ›
Buffett hasn't avoided Tesla because he dislikes the company's CEO, Elon Musk. He recently called Musk "a brilliant, brilliant guy." So why doesn't Buffett own Tesla stock? Here's the biggest reason.
What is Warren Buffet buying? ›
Warren Buffett Is Buying More Occidental Petroleum Stock As Oil Prices Near 2023 Lows.
Who is bigger than Berkshire Hathaway? ›
Nvidia stock has more than doubled in 2023.
The chip company currently has a market cap of $722 billion as of Tuesday and is the fifth-largest U.S. company. That beats out Berkshire Hathaway (BRK. A, BRK. B), which has a market cap of $709 billion.
1 – Never lose money. Let's kick it off with some timeless advice from legendary investor Warren Buffett, who said “Rule No. 1 is never lose money.
What is the 3 5 7 rule of investing? ›
The strategy is very simple: count how many days, hours, or bars a run-up or a sell-off has transpired. Then on the third, fifth, or seventh bar, look for a bounce in the opposite direction. Too easy? Perhaps, but it's uncanny how often it happens.
What stock will go up the most in 2023? ›
Bank of America's Best Growth Stocks of 2023
| Company | Forward Sales Growth Next Year |
|---|
| Progressive (PGR) | +13.0% |
| SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) | +22.3% |
| T-Mobile (TMUS) | +3.5% |
| United Rentals (URI) | +4.5% |
6 more rows7 days ago
7 Growth Stocks That Can Double in 2023
| Ticker | Company | Price |
|---|
| NIO | Nio | $11.24 |
| PSNY | Polestar Automotive | $5.82 |
| RIG | Transocean | $5.39 |
| DRS | Leonardo DRS | $13.03 |
3 more rowsJan 11, 2023
10 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2023
| Stock | YTD Total Returns Through June 6 |
|---|
| Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) | 50.7% |
| Walt Disney Co. (DIS) | 6.1% |
| PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL) | -8.7% |
| EOG Resources Inc. (EOG) | -10.9% |
7 more rows"Investing in yourself is the best thing you can do," Buffett stated in another interview. "Anything that improves your own talents."
What index fund does Warren Buffet recommend? ›
“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is to own the S&P 500 index fund. People will try and sell you other things because there's more money in it for them if they do.”
What does Warren Buffett's portfolio look like? ›
The current portfolio value is calculated to be $325.11 Bil. The turnover rate is 2%. In Warren Buffett's current portfolio as of 2023-03-31, the top 5 holdings are Apple Inc (AAPL), Bank of America Corp (BAC), American Express Co (AXP), Coca-Cola Co (KO), Chevron Corp (CVX), not including call and put options.
What is Warren Buffett's favorite stock? ›
Top stock holdings in Buffett's portfolio
Apple (AAPL) – $151.0 billion. Bank of America (BAC) – $29.5 billion. American Express (AXP) – $25.0 billion.
Who has the biggest investment portfolio in the world? ›
Rankings by Total Assets
| Rank | Profile | Total Assets |
|---|
| 1. | Norway Government Pension Fund Global | $1,371,813,762,200 |
| 2. | China Investment Corporation | $1,350,863,000,000 |
| 3. | SAFE Investment Company | $1,019,600,000,000 |
| 4. | Abu Dhabi Investment Authority | $853,000,000,000 |
92 more rowsBerkshire slightly increased its 179.4 million share stake in Bank of America stock while eliminating long-time stakes in US Bancorp and the Bank of New York Mellon. Buffett has eliminated a number of bank investments in recent years, but he continues to back Bank of America.
How many stocks should be in a portfolio Warren Buffett? ›
As the number of stocks in a portfolio reach 20-25, the volatility reducing benefits of diversification reach near zero. This is the sweet spot for portfolio size for an investor seeking to beat the market. At 20-25 stocks, you've captured all the potential benefits of diversification with even the right stocks.
