Yahoo Finance·2026-02-02 09:26Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett, the long-time CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has officially stepped down, passing leadership to Greg Abel, while continuing to influence the company's strategic positioning before retirement [2]. Group 1: Leadership Transition - Warren Buffett has retired as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, transitioning leadership to Greg Abel [2]. - Despite stepping down from day-to-day operations, Buffett remains involved in strategic decisions to ensure the company's future success [2]. Group 2: Investment Moves - Prior to his retirement, Buffett was actively managing Berkshire's investment portfolio, as evidenced by Form 13F filings, which disclose the buying and selling activities of institutional investors [3]. - A notable action was Buffett's significant reduction of Berkshire's stake in Bank of America (BofA), a core holding for nearly a decade [4][5]. - Concurrently, Buffett was building a position in a popular consumer brand for five consecutive quarters leading up to his retirement [4]. Group 3: Bank of America Insights - Bank of America has been one of the top three holdings in Berkshire's portfolio, reflecting Buffett's comfort and understanding of the financial sector [5]. - Bank stocks, including BofA, benefit from the nonlinearity of economic cycles, allowing them to grow loan portfolios during periods of economic expansion [6]. - BofA's sensitivity to interest rate changes has been advantageous, particularly during the Federal Reserve's rate-hiking cycle from March 2022 to July 2023, which increased BofA's net interest income significantly [7].