Berkshire recently bought shares of this leading steel stock.Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.13%) (BRK.B -0.06%) recently bought over a billion dollars' worth of new stocks. Among those recent investments was steelmaker Nucor (NUE 3.17%). Berkshire Hathaway's investment is a huge endorsement for the Dividend King -- Nucor has increased its dividend for 52 straight years, every year since it started paying dividends in 1973. Here's a look at what Buffett's company likely sees in the steel stock ...

Even though the Oracle of Omaha has been a net seller of stocks for 11 straight quarters, there's one brand name company sporting a price dislocation he can't resist.For the better part of 60 years, Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A -0.13%) (BRK.B -0.06%) billionaire CEO Warren Buffett has been outpacing the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.52%) with ease. Whereas the stock market's broad-based index has gained close to 42,500%, including dividends, over the last six decades, the aptly nicknamed Oracle of Omaha has ove ...

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway has shifted its investment strategy to include technology stocks, which was previously avoided by Warren Buffett [1][2] Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Highlights - Berkshire Hathaway owns approximately 10 million shares of Amazon, indicating a significant investment in the tech sector [4] - Amazon's growth potential is substantial, with a forward P/E ratio of 34, below its five-year average of 46, making it an attractive investment [5] - Lennar, a major American homebuilder, is a new holding for Berkshire, with a promising long-term outlook due to the demand for affordable housing [6][8] - Lennar's shares have a price-to-sales ratio of 1 and a forward P/E of 13, suggesting reasonable pricing [8] - Chevron is Berkshire's fifth-largest holding, with nearly 7% ownership, and offers a dividend yield of 4.5% [9] - Chevron's forward P/E is 20, slightly above its five-year average of 14, indicating potential overvaluation [11] - UnitedHealth Group is a new addition to Berkshire's portfolio, currently facing challenges but seen as a potential buying opportunity due to demographic trends favoring healthcare [12] Group 2: Berkshire Hathaway as an Investment - Investing in Berkshire Hathaway itself is recommended, as it is expected to continue growing over time, despite potential changes in management [13][14] - Berkshire does not currently pay a dividend, but future management may consider this option [14]

Group 1: Investment Principles - Building a strong portfolio requires starting with well-established companies that have robust operations [1] - Diversification is essential; relying on stocks from a single industry is not advisable [2] Group 2: Berkshire Hathaway - Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, is a diversified conglomerate with subsidiaries across various industries, including railroads, energy, insurance, and apparel [4][5] - The company has consistently produced impressive long-term returns, and its diversified operations allow it to navigate economic downturns effectively [5][6] - Greg Abel is set to succeed Buffett as CEO, and the company's philosophy is expected to endure beyond Buffett's tenure [5][6] Group 3: Shopify - Shopify is a leader in e-commerce, providing a platform for merchants to create online storefronts and market their products [8] - The company is experiencing rapid growth in gross merchandise volume and revenue, with significant potential for future growth in the e-commerce sector [9][10] - Despite not being profitable yet, Shopify's market position and growth opportunities make it a strong candidate for a core portfolio holding [10] Group 4: AbbVie - AbbVie is a pharmaceutical leader with a strong lineup of immunology products, including Skyrizi and Rinvoq, which are projected to reach combined sales of $31 billion by 2027 [11][12] - The company has a robust pipeline to mitigate the impact of patent expirations, having returned to top-line growth after losing exclusivity for Humira in 2023 [13] - AbbVie offers a forward dividend yield of 3.2% and has a history of 53 consecutive years of dividend increases, making it a reliable income stock [14]

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway has significantly reduced its holdings in Apple, selling 20 million shares in Q2 2023, which reflects a broader divestment trend beyond just stock performance [1][2][5]. Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway's Actions - Berkshire Hathaway's Apple stock holdings have decreased from over 900 million shares to 280 million shares, indicating a dramatic reduction in its investment [4]. - Apple remains the largest public stock holding for Berkshire, accounting for approximately 21.4% of its stock portfolio [5]. Group 2: Apple's Performance - Apple stock has underperformed in 2023, down about 10%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have gained 8.4% and 9.4%, respectively [2]. - Despite a strong Q3 performance with a 10% increase in total sales and a 13% rise in iPhone revenue year-over-year, Apple's trailing-12-month revenue has only grown by 4% over the last three years [6][9]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Apple's sales growth has been sluggish in recent years, and while the recent quarterly results exceeded expectations, there are concerns about the sustainability of this growth [8]. - Weak performance in China, driven by government subsidies and a shift in consumer preference towards domestic brands, has contributed to Apple's stock struggles [12]. - Geopolitical tensions and new import taxes pose additional challenges for Apple, particularly as it relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing [13]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - Apple appears to be lagging in the artificial intelligence sector, with internal development issues and delayed product launches, which may be influencing Berkshire's decision to divest [10][11].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Weaker than Market" rating for the U.S. stock market [1] Core Insights - After a pullback, the U.S. stock market has shown significant recovery, with small-cap stocks outperforming [3] - The S&P 500 index increased by 0.3%, while the Nasdaq decreased by 0.6% [3] - Among 18 sectors, 12 experienced gains, with notable increases in banking (+3.2%), automotive (+2.9%), and energy (+2.8%) sectors [3] Price Trends - Small-cap value stocks (Russell 2000 Value) rose by 4.1%, outperforming small-cap growth (Russell 2000 Growth +2.6%) and large-cap value (Russell 1000 Value +1.7%) [3] - The report highlights that 18 sectors saw price increases, while 6 sectors faced declines, with the largest declines in food and staples retailing (-2.0%) and software and services (-1.9%) [3] Fund Flows - The estimated fund flow for S&P 500 constituents was +1.7 billion USD this week, a significant decrease from +75.8 billion USD the previous week [4] - Notable inflows were observed in automotive (+11.0 million USD), diversified financials (+4.6 million USD), and banking (+3.8 million USD) sectors [4] - Conversely, significant outflows were recorded in software and services (-29.9 million USD) and semiconductor products and equipment (-7.7 million USD) [4] Earnings Forecast - The report indicates a 0.3% upward revision in the 12-month forward EPS expectations for S&P 500 constituents, following a 0.2% increase the previous week [5] - 21 sectors saw upward revisions in earnings expectations, with the semiconductor sector leading with a +1.2% increase [5]

Core Insights - Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway are making significant stock moves that may interest AI investors, particularly with a leadership transition approaching as Buffett steps down as CEO [2][3] - Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio includes substantial positions in AI companies, notably Apple and Amazon, which together account for over 22% of its $294 billion stock portfolio [3] Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway's Leadership Transition - Buffett will transfer the CEO role to Greg Abel at the end of this year, marking a major leadership change for the investment giant [2] - The transition adds significance to Berkshire's portfolio and stock trading moves as it prepares for a new leadership direction [2] Group 2: Apple Inc. - Apple represents 21.5% of Berkshire's public stock portfolio and has been a long-term holding for the company [5][6] - Despite Buffett's admiration for Apple and its management, Berkshire has been reducing its position in Apple, selling 20 million shares in the second quarter [6] - Apple is perceived to be lagging in the AI space compared to competitors like Amazon and Meta, although it is increasing capital expenditure spending, indicating potential future developments in AI [8][9] Group 3: Amazon.com Inc. - Amazon constitutes 0.8% of Berkshire's stock portfolio and is the 23rd-largest holding [10] - Berkshire has taken a cautious approach to increasing its stake in Amazon since initiating a position in 2019, reflecting a broader cautious stance towards AI stocks [10][11] - Amazon's leadership in cloud infrastructure through AWS positions it well for long-term success in the AI space, with potential profitability improvements in its e-commerce business driven by advances in AI and robotics [12][13]

This stock looks like a classic "bear greedy when others are fearful" investment.As Warren Buffett approaches his 95th birthday, he remains one of the most well-respected investment managers in the world. That's readily evident in how Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.13%) (BRK.B -0.06%) shares reacted to the news that he would step down as CEO of the company starting Jan. 1 next year.The stock has dropped about 10% since then, due almost entirely to its contracting valuation multiple. Seemingly, investors aren' ...

Buffett hadn't sold Apple stock in nearly a year.One of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.13%) (BRK.B -0.06%) CEO Warren Buffett's best investments of all time was Apple (AAPL 1.21%). At one point, Apple stock made up about 50% of Berkshire's investment portfolio. However, Buffett started selling off Apple stock in fourth-quarter 2023, and he has steadily decreased his position ever since. He didn't sell any from third-quarter 2024 until now, so this further selling is noteworthy for Berkshire and Buffett. The q ...

Group 1 - Berkshire Hathaway has reduced its stake in Bank of America, now holding over 605 million shares, which represents an 8.2% stake in the bank and 9.8% of Berkshire's total stock portfolio [3][5] - From July 2024 through the second quarter of the current year, Berkshire has sold approximately 427 million shares of Bank of America, equating to around 41% of its previous position [5] - Berkshire's cash reserves have reached a record $344 billion, attributed to selling shares in Bank of America and other stocks, including Apple [6][10] Group 2 - Berkshire's decision to sell shares may be influenced by the expectation of an increase in the marginal corporate tax rate, allowing for lower tax payments now [7] - The price-to-book ratio of Bank of America was around 1.29 at the start of August, indicating the stock was trading at a 29% premium [7][9] Group 3 - In the second quarter, Berkshire increased its stake in Pool by approximately 136%, now owning over 3.4 million shares valued at over $1 billion [10] - Pool is the largest wholesaler of swimming pool equipment and has seen a stock price return of nearly 47,000% since its IPO in October 1995 [11] - Pool possesses characteristics that align with Buffett's investment criteria, including a competitive moat, consistent profits, shareholder-friendly leadership, and an attractive dividend [13]