Warren Buffett and his holding company Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.28%)(BRK.B -0.16%) are giants. Berkshire Hathaway became a leading conglomerate because of Buffett's business savvy and investing. Buffett's track record could continue to improve due to the potential for several of his top stocks to outperform.
Stocks Buffett bought
Stocks Warren Buffett recently bought or added
In his 2023 letter to Berkshire shareholders, Buffett wrote that he and his longtime business partner Charlie Munger, who died in November 2023, aren't stock pickers but rather "business pickers." But Buffett hasn't found many businesses he liked recently. Berkshire initiated one new position and added positions in three Liberty Media tracking stocks via spinoffs in the third quarter of 2023.
Fiscal Quarter
In the financial world, a quarter refers to a three-month period used for reporting and recording financial performance, typically representing one-fourth of a company's fiscal year.
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Increase Over Q2 2023 | Value of Total Stake as of 9/30/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves Holdings Series C (NASDAQ:BATRK) | 223,645 | New position (via spinoff) | $8 million |
| Liberty Live Series A (NASDAQ:LLYVA) | 5,051,918 | New position (via spinoff) | $161.3 million |
| Liberty Live Series C (NASDAQ:LLYVK) | 11,132,590 | New position (via spinoff) | $357.4 million |
| Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) | 9,683,224 | New position | $43.8 million |
Stocks Buffett sold
Stocks Warren Buffett recently sold
In the third quarter of 2023, Warren Buffett did a lot of housecleaning by exiting or trimming Berkshire Hathaway's positions in 13 stocks:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Decrease From Q2 2023 | Value of Total Stake as of 9/30/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) | Exited position | ||
| Celanese (NYSE:CE) | Exited position | ||
| General Motors (NYSE:GM) | Exited position | ||
| Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) | Exited position | ||
| Mondolez (NASDAQ:MDLZ) | Exited position | ||
| Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) | Exited position | ||
| United Parcel Services (NYSE:UPS) | Exited position | ||
| Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) | 10,000,000 | (5.2%) | $1.3 billion |
| Aon (NYSE:AON) | 4,100,000 | (5.4%) | $1.3 billion |
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 110,248,289 | (10.5%) | $18.6 billion |
| Global Life (NYSE:GL) | 831,014 | (67%) | $90.4 million |
| HP (NYSE:HPQ) | 102,519,035 | (15.2%) | $2.6 billion |
| Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) | 158,715 | (66.4%) | $233.7 million |
Top 10 stocks he owns
Top stocks Warren Buffett owns by size
Berkshire Hathaway owns positions in almost 50 stocks. Here are the holding company's top 10 stocks ranked by value:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Value of Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 915,560,382 | $168.3 billion |
| Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) | 1,032,852,006 | $33.2 billion |
| American Express (NYSE:AXP) | 151,610,700 | $27.3 billion |
| Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) | 400,000,000 | $24.1 billion |
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 132,407,595 | $16 billion |
| Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) | 224,129,192 | $13.9 billion |
| Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) | 325,634,818 | $12.3 billion |
| Moody's (NYSE:MCO) | 24,669,778 | $9.4 billion |
| Itochu (OTC:ITOCF) (OTC:ITOCY) | 118,331,800 | $5.3 billion |
| Mitsui (OTC:MITSF) (OTC:MITSY) | 125,022,300 | $5 billion |
There's a glaring gap between the values of the No. 1 and No. 2 stocks in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. In the top spot, Apple is such a massive holding that Buffett has referred to the technology giant as Berkshire Hathaway's "third-largest business," after its wholly owned insurance and railroad businesses. Buffett has also said Apple is "probably the best business I know in the world."
Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway's second-largest position, also stands out because Buffett has reduced the positions of many of his bank stocks in recent quarters.
The financial services leader also continues to benefit from its investments in technology, including mobile apps.
Related investing topics
Should you invest?
Should you follow Buffett's moves?
Although it can certainly be interesting to keep track of what Buffett and other billionaire investors are buying and selling, it's never a smart idea to jump into a stock just because someone else does -- even if that someone else is the Oracle of Omaha.
That said, looking at Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio can give you plenty of stock ideas to investigate in determining what is suitable for your portfolio based on your own risk tolerance and investment objectives.
FAQs about Warren Buffett's portfolio
What stocks does Warren Buffett own personally?
Buffett isn't required to disclose his personal holdings. The one stock that he definitely owns, of course, is Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett is Berkshire's largest shareholder. He currently owns 15.6% of the company and controls 31.5% of the voting interest.
What are Warren Buffett's main stocks?
Obviously, Buffett's main stock is none other than Berkshire Hathaway itself. Apple ranks in the top position in Berkshire's portfolio by far.
What are Warren Buffett's top five holdings?
Buffett's top five holdings in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio currently are:
- Apple
- Bank of America
- American Express
- Coca-Cola
- Chevron
What kinds of companies does Warren Buffett invest in?
Buffett wrote to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders in 2023 that he seeks to invest in "businesses with both long-lasting favorable economic characteristics and trustworthy managers." Because it's not always easy to identify companies with the economic characteristics Buffett favors, he focuses on businesses that he understands well.
Valuation is also an important consideration for Buffett. He has said in the past that he only buys stocks that trade at a reasonable price relative to his estimate of the company's earnings potential for at least five years in the future.
What stock did Warren Buffett recently buy?
Buffett bought shares of Sirius XM Holdings in the third quarter of 2023.
What dividend stocks does Warren Buffett have?
Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway portfolio includes quite a few dividend stocks. His top holdings that pay dividends are:
- Apple
- Bank of America
- American Express
- The Coca-Cola Company
- Chevron
- Occidental Petroleum
- Kraft Heinz
- Moody's
- Itochu
- Mitsui
John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Keith Speights has positions in Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, HP, Markel Group, and Moody's. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft Heinz, Occidental Petroleum, and United Parcel Service and recommends the following options: long January 2024 $47.50 calls on Coca-Cola and long January 2025 $25 calls on General Motors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
