Berkshire ends selling streak with $20B purchases

Berkshire Hathaway bought roughly US$23.5 billion in stock and sold US$3.7 billion during the second quarter of 2026. The net purchase of nearly US$20 billion ended a 14-quarter streak of net equity selling, which had been the company's longest since late 2022. Regulatory filings reported on 12 September 2026 revealed the strategy shift under CEO Greg Abel, who took the helm on 1 January 2026 after inheriting a cash position exceeding US$360 billion.

The company directed roughly US$17 billion into Alphabet, pushing Berkshire's total holding in Google's parent firm to about US$36.6 billion. Alphabet is now Berkshire's third-largest position, trailing only Apple and American Express. Berkshire also increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 44%, spending roughly US$1.6 billion to expand the investment to approximately US$5.1 billion, while repurchasing US$4.5 billion of its own shares.

The buying activity coincided with stronger financial results. Berkshire's operating earnings for the second quarter increased 16% to nearly US$13 billion. Net earnings attributable to shareholders more than doubled to US$25.7 billion, driven primarily by investment gains. Berkshire's next 13F filing is scheduled for mid-November.