The Motley Foolยท2025-06-04 08:35Core Insights - Warren Buffett's departure as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway marks the end of a remarkable leadership era, with the company achieving significant market performance under his guidance [1] Berkshire Hathaway's Investment Strategy - Berkshire Hathaway has never paid a dividend during Buffett's tenure, opting instead to reinvest excess capital into acquisitions, share buybacks, and income-generating bonds [2] - Despite not paying dividends, Berkshire's portfolio is heavily invested in dividend-paying stocks, with two S&P 500 dividend stocks making up approximately 32% of its total public stock portfolio [2] Key Holdings Apple Inc. - Apple remains the largest position in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio at 21.4%, despite a sell-off of about half of its holdings last year [5] - Apple has a dividend yield of 0.5% and has increased its payout annually for 13 consecutive years, earning Buffett's respect for its strong management and brand [6][12] - Apple's ecosystem encourages customer loyalty, leading to consistent revenue from device upgrades and new product launches, with iPhones accounting for about 50% of total sales [8][9] - The smartphone market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.76% through 2029, indicating ongoing opportunities for Apple [9] - Apple is integrating generative AI into its products, which has shown to strengthen iPhone sales in regions where it has been launched [10] Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola is the third-largest holding in Berkshire's portfolio, accounting for roughly 10.2%, and Buffett has stated he would never sell its shares [12] - The company has a strong portfolio of beverage products that generate billions in sales, maintaining earnings growth despite changing consumption trends [13] - Coca-Cola's robust supply chain and distribution network position it well for continued efficiency improvements and margin expansion [14] - The company has a strong track record of dividend growth, with 63 consecutive years of annual payout increases and a current yield of approximately 2.8% [16]