Core Insights - Warren Buffett is preparing Berkshire Hathaway for long-term success despite his impending retirement as CEO, with a planned transition to successor Greg Abel in 2025 [1][3] Investment Highlights - Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares have increased by approximately 6,118,000% since Buffett took over, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of less than 46,000% during the same period [2] - Buffett has made substantial investments in five key stocks for 2026, indicating confidence in their future performance [5] Alphabet (GOOGL) - Berkshire purchased 17,846,142 shares of Alphabet during the September-ended quarter, marking a significant investment in the company [6] - Alphabet holds a dominant position in the global internet search market, with a share of 89% to 93%, and is also a major player in cloud services, with Google Cloud's sales growing over 30% year-over-year [8][9] Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI) - Berkshire has acquired 7,338,544 shares of Sirius XM, holding over 37% of the company's outstanding shares [10] - Sirius XM operates as a legal monopoly in satellite radio, with 76% of its net sales coming from subscriptions, providing stability during economic downturns [11][12] Domino's Pizza (DPZ) - Berkshire has consistently purchased Domino's stock, acquiring 599,945 additional shares in 2025 [15] - Domino's has successfully rebuilt customer trust and is leveraging technology to enhance its operations, contributing to steady growth [16][17] UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Berkshire purchased 5,039,564 shares of UnitedHealth Group, capitalizing on a price dislocation caused by management's warnings of higher costs [20][21] - The company's health insurance operations are predictable and profitable, with a focus on mitigating costs in its Medicare Advantage segment [22] Pool Corp. (POOL) - Berkshire has added 2,860,196 shares of Pool Corp over four consecutive quarters, benefiting from the cyclical nature of the pool and spa industry [26][27] - Pool Corp generates recurring revenue from maintenance and accessories, providing cash flow stability, and has a strong capital-return program [28][29]

Group 1: Bank of America (BofA) - Warren Buffett has sold over 401 million shares of Bank of America, representing approximately 39% of his position, which was originally over 1.03 billion shares [8] - The selling activity is part of a broader trend where Buffett has been a net seller of equities, with $174.4 billion more in stocks sold than purchased since October 2022 [6] - Profit-taking may explain the aggressive selling, as Buffett indicated concerns about rising corporate income tax rates, which could impact BofA's sizable unrealized gains [9] - BofA is particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, benefiting from rate increases during inflation but facing risks as the Federal Reserve enters an easing cycle [11] - The valuation of BofA has changed significantly since Berkshire first invested, with the stock now trading at a 31% premium to book value, compared to a 62% discount at the time of initial investment [13] Group 2: Pool Corporation - Berkshire Hathaway has been purchasing shares of Pool Corporation for three consecutive quarters, with a total stake now at 1,464,000 shares [16] - Pool Corporation has shown remarkable long-term performance, with shares gaining over 35,000% since its IPO, and nearly 48,000% when including dividends [16] - The company's business model is characterized by recurring revenue streams from maintenance products, making sales and cash flow highly predictable [18] - Pool Corporation is investing in digitization through its software platform, Pool360, which has increased its contribution to net sales from over 12% to more than 16% [19] - The company has a strong capital-return program, spending significantly on share repurchases and dividends, which aligns with Buffett's investment philosophy [20] - Pool Corporation is currently valued at nearly 28 times forward-year earnings, suggesting that its stock may not be considered a bargain by Buffett's standards [21]