Warren Buffett's Apple Stake: A Notable Shift

Warren Buffett, often dubbed the Oracle of Omaha, has significantly reduced his ownership in Apple over the past few quarters. According to Berkshire Hathaway's third-quarter earnings report, released on a Saturday morning, the company held around $69. 9 billion worth of Apple shares by the end of September. This represents a decrease of about a quarter from previous quarters, leaving Berkshire with roughly 300 million shares. This downturn marks a 67. 2% drop compared to the same period last year. Curiously, Buffett has been steadily reducing Berkshire's largest equity holding since 2023. The reasons for this divestment are not clear. Some speculate it's due to high valuations or an attempt to diversify their portfolio. Early this year, Buffett hinted at potential tax-related reasons, anticipating an increase in capital gains tax by the U. S. government to manage financial deficits. Initially, Buffett shunned technology firms, but under the influence of his investing deputies, Ted Weschler and Todd Combs, he began buying Apple shares in 2016. The iPhone's strong customer base and the stickiness of the Apple ecosystem won him over. Apple even ranked as the second-most important business to Berkshire Hathaway after its insurance units. Concurrently, Berkshire Hathaway's cash reserve hit an all-time high of $325. 2 billion in the third quarter. Notably, the firm halted share buybacks during this period. As for Apple shares, they've risen by 16% this year but have not kept pace with the S&P 500's 20% gain.