Buffett watchers cheer Berkshire's Apple and UnitedHealth bets — but wonder why he's sitting on so much cash

Core Insights - Warren Buffett's recent trades as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway are under scrutiny as he approaches retirement at the end of the year [1] Group 1: Investment Strategies - Berkshire Hathaway has built a $1.6 billion stake in UnitedHealth, which has seen its stock price nearly halve over the past year due to various challenges [2] - Peter Mallouk describes the investment in UnitedHealth as the "perfect Buffett play," indicating that Buffett sees value in companies that are "unfairly" valued [3] - Berkshire Hathaway has cut its stake in Apple again, with analysts suggesting that the iPhone maker is overvalued relative to its growth rate [4] Group 2: Financial Performance - Berkshire Hathaway has realized significant profits from its Apple investment, quadrupling its money from around $36 billion to over $170 billion between 2018 and 2023, now holding a $57 billion stake [9] - In the second quarter, Berkshire sold a net $3 billion of stocks, increasing its cash reserves to a record $344 billion, and did not engage in any share buybacks [10][11] - Analysts express surprise at the lack of stock buybacks and suggest that Berkshire's large cash reserves should be utilized for shareholder returns, potentially through dividends [12]