Billionaire Warren Buffett Sold 45% of Berkshire's Stake in Bank of America and Piled Into a Virtual Monopoly That's Gained Nearly 13,000% Since Its IPO

Core Insights - Warren Buffett is set to retire as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, having led the company for 60 years, during which its Class A shares increased nearly 6,200,000% [2] - Despite his impending retirement, Buffett continues to manage Berkshire's substantial investment portfolio, which is valued at nearly $312 billion [4] Group 1: Bank of America Stake Reduction - Buffett has been selling shares of Bank of America (BofA) for five consecutive quarters, reducing Berkshire's stake by 464,781,994 shares, which is a 45% decrease from over 1.03 billion shares previously held [7] - The selling of BofA shares is interpreted as profit-taking, as the stock has more than tripled in value over the past decade [8] - The current valuation of BofA's common stock is at a 39% premium to its book value, indicating it may not be the attractive investment it once was [11] Group 2: Economic Considerations - Buffett acknowledges the nonlinear nature of economic cycles, suggesting that long periods of economic growth can benefit banks like BofA, which can prudently expand their loan portfolios [6] - The ongoing Federal Reserve rate-easing cycle may impact BofA's net interest income, prompting Buffett to reduce his stake in the bank [12] Group 3: Investment in Alphabet - Buffett made a significant investment in Alphabet, purchasing 17,846,142 Class A shares valued at over $4.3 billion, marking a notable shift in investment strategy [14] - Alphabet holds a dominant position in the internet search market, with a 90% global market share, and has shown robust growth in its cloud services, with a 34% growth rate in the third quarter [15][19] - The valuation of Alphabet shares was attractive at the time of purchase, trading between 16 and 22 times forward-year earnings per share, reflecting its strong market position and growth potential [22]