Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a roughly $4.3 billion investment in Alphabet, acquiring about 17.85 million shares as of September 30. Simultaneously, the conglomerate reduced its stake in Apple to approximately 238.2 million shares, down from its earlier holdings. Apple remains Berkshire’s largest equity position at roughly $60 billion in value.
The new Alphabet position ranks as Berkshire’s tenth-largest equity holding, marking a rare and bold foray into high-growth tech for the company traditionally centered on value investing.
Strategic Portfolio Shift
The move signals a subtle but meaningful shift in Berkshire’s investment posture. While Buffett has long avoided high-valuation tech firms, citing a preference for companies within his “circle of competence,” the Alphabet purchase acknowledges the impact of artificial intelligence and cloud dominance in shaping business moats.
At the same time, Berkshire’s continued trimming of Apple shares – once the crown jewel of its portfolio – suggests a partial rotation away from hardware-centric tech toward more scalable software enterprises. The firm also disclosed that its total U.S.-listed equity portfolio stood at approximately $283.2 billion as of the quarter’s end.
Implications for Market Watchers
For investors, Berkshire’s move is a signal: even the most conservative portfolios are adapting to a tech-driven era. The timing is notable, occurring as Buffett approaches the end of his six-decade tenure as CEO and delegates more investment discretion to his successors.
Alphabet should benefit from the investment spotlight, potentially boosting its visibility among institutional investors. At the same time, Apple’s trim may raise questions about valuation risk and future growth expectations.
Watchpoints for the coming months include updates to Berkshire’s quarterly filings, the performance of the new tech bets and how management capitalises on its sizable cash holdings. The broader takeaway: major investors are recalibrating for an age where growth and platform scale dominate.
