For more than 50 years, billionaire Warren Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway, making it a trillion-dollar company. Under his management, Berkshire’s Class A shares achieved a remarkable return of over 6,000,000%, far surpassing the S&P 500 and other major indices. However, Buffett stepped down as CEO on 31 December 2025 but remains the chairman of the board.
Although Buffett is no longer involved in daily operations or managing the $319 billion investment portfolio, his influence is still felt. On 28 February, Berkshire announced its fourth-quarter results, highlighting Buffett’s warning about a $373 billion stock sell-off, which has shocked investors.
During his time as CEO, Buffett acquired nearly 60 companies. His success with brands like Apple and Bank of America is well known. However, in his last 13 quarters as CEO, he sold more stocks than he bought, totaling $186.7 billion in net sales. This strategy led to Berkshire’s cash increasing to a near-record of $373.3 billion by his retirement.
Despite the stock market’s strong performance in recent years, Buffett’s warning indicates it may be historically overpriced. Known for his patience and long-term strategy, he believes that market corrections are part of investing. His successor, Greg Abel, will inherit significant capital for when stock valuations eventually become more attractive.
