Berkshire Hathaway Buys $4 Billion Alphabet Stake, Continues Apple Selloff

TLDR

• Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a new $4.3 billion stake in Alphabet (Google) as of September 30, 2025, marking a rare tech investment for Warren Buffett
• The company reduced its Apple holdings by 42 million shares in Q3, continuing a trend that has seen it sell nearly three-quarters of its original 900 million share position
• Apple remains Berkshire’s largest holding at $60.7 billion (22.7% of portfolio), while Alphabet becomes the tenth-largest U.S. stock holding at 1.6%
• Berkshire sold $12.5 billion in stocks and bought $6.4 billion in Q3, marking the twelfth consecutive quarter as a net seller while cash reserves hit a record $381.7 billion
• Warren Buffett will step down as CEO on January 1, 2026, handing control to Greg Abel after 60 years at the helm

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Berkshire Hathaway purchased 17.85 million shares of Alphabet in the third quarter of 2025, according to a regulatory filing released Friday. The investment totals $4.3 billion and represents a departure from Warren Buffett’s typical value-investing approach.

Alphabet Inc., GOOGL

The Alphabet purchase comes as Berkshire continues to reduce its Apple position. The company sold 42 million Apple shares during the third quarter, bringing its total holdings down to 238.2 million shares from more than 900 million at the end of 2023.

Despite the ongoing selloff, Apple remains Berkshire’s largest stock holding. The position was valued at $60.7 billion as of September 30, representing 22.7% of the company’s equity portfolio.

The Alphabet investment marks a rare tech bet for Buffett, who has historically avoided technology companies. He considers Apple more of a consumer products company than a tech firm due to its iPhone business.

At Berkshire’s 2019 annual meeting, Buffett and late Vice Chairman Charlie Munger expressed regret about not investing in Google earlier. Buffett noted similarities between Google’s advertising model and what was working for Berkshire’s Geico insurance unit.

It remains unclear whether Buffett or his portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler made the Alphabet purchase. CEO-designate Greg Abel could have also made the decision, though Buffett typically handles larger investments.

Major Portfolio Changes

Berkshire bought $6.4 billion in stocks and sold $12.5 billion during the third quarter. This marks the twelfth consecutive quarter where the company was a net seller of equities.

The company also reduced its Bank of America stake by 6% in the quarter. This extends a selling pattern that began in the third quarter of 2024, though Bank of America remains Berkshire’s third-largest holding at 11% of the portfolio.

Other changes included selling the entire stake in homebuilder DR Horton. Berkshire increased positions in Chubb insurance by $1.2 billion and added shares of Domino’s Pizza.

The company sold $1.2 billion worth of VeriSign shares, a provider of domain registry services. American Express remained unchanged as the second-largest holding at 18.8% of the portfolio.

Cash Reserves and Leadership Transition

Berkshire’s cash position reached a record $381.7 billion at the end of September. The growing cash pile comes as Buffett prepares to hand over the CEO role to Greg Abel on January 1, 2026.

Buffett will end a 60-year run as chief executive of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate. The company’s total equity portfolio stood at $283.2 billion as of September 30.

Investors and analysts say Berkshire has been cautious about valuations in recent quarters. The company has not bought back its own stock in more than a year and has not made a major acquisition in nearly a decade.

Alphabet shares rose 1.7% in after-hours trading following the disclosure. Stock prices often increase when Berkshire reveals new positions, as investors view it as a sign of approval from the legendary investor.

Berkshire owns close to 200 businesses including BNSF railroad, various energy and manufacturing companies, and consumer brands like Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, and See’s Candies.

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