Berkshire Hathaway revealed a $4.3 billion stake in Alphabet, a surprising move given Warren Buffett's traditional value investing philosophy and reluctance toward high-growth tech names.
The Google parent became Berkshire's 10th largest equity holding at the end of September. Alphabet shares have rallied 46% this year, driven by strong AI demand boosting its cloud business.
The purchase was likely made by Berkshire investment managers Todd Combs or Ted Weschler, who've been more active in technology stocks. One of them initiated an Amazon investment in 2019 - Berkshire still owns $2.2 billion of those shares.
While Berkshire has owned Apple for years, Buffett has called it more of a consumer products company than a pure tech play.
Berkshire continued paring its massive Apple stake, trimming another 15% in the quarter to $60.7 billion.
Buffett went on a selling spree in Apple during 2024, slashing two-thirds of Berkshire's shares in a surprising move for the famously long-term-focused investor. The conglomerate also cut the holding in Q2 2025.
Even with continuous sales, Apple remains Berkshire's biggest equity holding.
Berkshire dialed back its Bank of America stake by 6% to just under $30 billion. The conglomerate also reduced holdings in Verisign and DaVita during Q3.
Berkshire has been a net seller of stocks for 12 straight quarters as valuations climbed in the tech-driven bull market.
The 95-year-old Buffett is stepping down as CEO at year-end. Longtime lieutenant Greg Abel will take the reins.
Investors have been watching Berkshire's positioning closely for clues about the next leadership era and how the investment approach may evolve.
Berkshire's surprise $4.3 billion Alphabet position signals investment managers Combs or Weschler are steering the conglomerate toward more tech exposure, even as Buffett continues selling Apple and the company remains a net seller for 12 straight quarters. With Buffett stepping down at year-end, the Alphabet buy offers a glimpse of how Berkshire's strategy may shift under new leadership.
