Warren Buffett and his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.39%)(BRK.B -0.56%), are giants. Berkshire Hathaway became a leading conglomerate because of the business savvy and investing of "The Oracle of Omaha." Buffett's track record could continue to improve due to the potential for several of his top stocks to outperform.
Stocks purchased
Stocks Warren Buffett recently bought or added
Buffett wrote in his 2023 letter to Berkshire shareholders that he and longtime business partner Charlie Munger, who died in November 2023, aren't stock pickers but rather "business pickers." But Buffett hasn't found many businesses he likes recently. In the third quarter of 2024, Berkshire initiated new positions in two stocks and added to its existing holdings of two stocks.
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Increase Over Q2 2024 | Value of Total Stake as of 9/30/24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domino's Pizza (NYSE:DPZ) | 1,277,256 | NEW POSITION | $549.4 million |
| Pool Corp. (NASDAQ:POOL) | 404,057 | NEW POSITION | $152.2 million |
| Heico (NYSE:HEI) | 1,049,687 | 0.52% | $213.9 million |
| Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) | 105,155,029 | 6.99% | $2.49 billion |
Most of Buffett's increased stake in Sirius XM Holdings was the result of a complicated transaction. Liberty Media merged its interest in Sirius XM with Sirius XM itself (dubbed "New Sirius"). Sirius XM conducted a 1-for-10 reverse stock split as part of this transaction.
Stocks sold
Stocks Warren Buffett recently sold
In the third quarter of 2024, Buffett did some housecleaning by exiting or trimming Berkshire Hathaway's positions in nine stocks:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Decrease From Q2 2024 | Value of Total Stake as of 9/30/24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty SiriusXM Group Series A (NASDAQ:LSXMA) | EXITED POSITION | ||
| Liberty SiriusXM Group Series C (NASDAQ:LSXMK) | EXITED POSITION | ||
| Floor & Decor Holdings (NYSE:FND) | EXITED POSITION | ||
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 300,000,000 | (25%) | $69.9 billion |
| Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) | 797,683,307 | (22.8%) | $31.7 billion |
| Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) | 9,100,000 | (7.32%) | $1.36 billion |
| Nu Holdings (NYSE:NU) | 86,438,997 | (19.31%) | $1.18 billion |
| Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR) | 2,821,879 | (26.3%) | $914.5 million |
| Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) | 24,203 | (96.5%) | $9.42 million |
Berkshire didn't sell its shares of the two Liberty SiriusXM Group tracking stocks. Instead, those shares were exchanged for an increased stake in Sirius XM Holdings as part of the complicated transaction mentioned earlier.
Top 10 stocks
Top stocks Warren Buffett owns by size
Berkshire Hathaway owns positions in more than 40 stocks. Here are the holding company's top 10 stocks ranked by value:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Value of Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 300,000,000 | $73.9 billion |
| American Express (NYSE:AXP) | 151,610,700 | $45.8 billion |
| Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) | 797,683,307 | $36.8 billion |
| Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) | 400,000,000 | $25.1 billion |
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 118,610,534 | $18.5 billion |
| Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) | 255,281,524 | $12.4 billion |
| Moody's (NYSE:MCO) | 24,669,778 | $12.3 billion |
| Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) | 325,634,818 | $10.2 billion |
| Chubb (NYSE:CB) | 27,033,784 | $7.5 billion |
| Itochu (OTC:ITOCF) | 118,331,800 | $6.1 billion |
There's a glaring gap between the values of the No. 1 and No. 2 stocks in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Despite selling more shares of Apple in the third quarter of 2024, the tech giant still holds the top spot in Berkshire's portfolio.
Apple is such a massive holding that Buffett has referred to it as Berkshire Hathaway's "third-largest business" after its wholly-owned insurance and railroad businesses. Buffett has also said Apple is "probably the best business I know in the world."
Related investing topics
Should you invest?
Should you follow Buffett's moves?
Although it can certainly be interesting to keep track of what Buffett and other billionaire investors are buying and selling, it's never a smart idea to jump into a stock just because someone else does -- even if that someone is the Oracle of Omaha. That said, looking at Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio can give you plenty of stock ideas to investigate in determining what is suitable for your portfolio based on your own risk tolerance and investment objectives.
FAQ
FAQ about Warren Buffett's portfolio
What stocks does Warren Buffett own personally?
Buffett isn't required to disclose his personal holdings. The one stock he definitely owns, of course, is Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett is Berkshire's largest shareholder. He currently owns 15.1% of the company and controls 31.2% of the voting interest.
What are Warren Buffett's main stocks?
Obviously, Buffett's main stock is none other than Berkshire Hathaway itself. Apple ranks in the top position in Berkshire's portfolio by far.
What are Warren Buffett's top five holdings?
Currently, Buffett's top five holdings in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio are:
What kinds of companies does Warren Buffett invest in?
In 2023, Buffett wrote to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, stating that he seeks to invest in "businesses with both long-lasting favorable economic characteristics and trustworthy managers." Because it's not always easy to identify companies with the economic characteristics Buffett favors, he focuses on businesses he understands well.
Valuation is also an important consideration for Buffett. He has said in the past that he only buys stocks that trade at a reasonable price relative to his estimate of the company's earnings potential for at least five years in the future.
What stock did Warren Buffett recently buy?
In the third quarter of 2024, Buffett initiated new positions in Domino's Pizza and Pool Corp. He also increased Berkshire Hathaway's stakes in Heico and Sirius XM Holdings.
What dividend stocks does Warren Buffett have?
Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway portfolio includes quite a few dividend stocks. His top holdings that pay dividends are:
- Apple
- American Express
- Bank of America
- Coca-Cola
- Chevron
- Occidental Petroleum
- Moody's
- Kraft Heinz
- Chubb
- Itochu
