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End of an era: Warren Buffett serves last day as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO
CNBCยท 2026-01-01 14:08
Core Insights - Warren Buffett's tenure as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway has concluded after 60 years, transitioning to a role as chairman of the board while Greg Abel takes over as CEO [1][2][3] Company Strategy and Management - Buffett's investment strategy, utilizing insurance premiums as "float," has transformed Berkshire from a struggling textile mill into a $1 trillion conglomerate, contributing to his net worth exceeding $150 billion [2] - Greg Abel, who has been with Berkshire since 2000, is expected to maintain the company's decentralized management style while introducing more discipline compared to Buffett's approach [3][6] - Abel's leadership is anticipated to be supported by Buffett's significant voting control, which may provide stability during the transition [5] Performance and Market Reaction - Berkshire's stock underperformed the S&P 500 in Buffett's final year, with A shares dropping from an all-time high of $809,350 to a low of $692,600, a decline of 14.4% [9][10] - The stock partially rebounded to $754,800, marking a 10.9% increase for 2025, while the S&P 500 gained 16.4% during the same period [10][11] Financial Metrics - As of September 30, Berkshire's cash reserves stood at $381.7 billion, reflecting a 10.9% increase from June 30, with a net cash balance of $354.3 billion after adjustments [17]