Warren Buffett's record of delivering market-beating returns for Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.27%) (BRK.B -0.42%) shareholders over six decades will be very difficult for any CEO to match. From 1965 through 2024, he guided Berkshire to an incredible return of 5,502,284%.
While the 94-year-old Buffett will retire this year, Berkshire's stock portfolio is a great place to look for compelling investment opportunities. Berkshire owns a large portfolio of quality stocks that can help you grow your savings.
If you have some extra cash, you can commit to a long-term investing plan right now. Splitting your money between the following stocks would lay a promising foundation for long-term growth.
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1. Amazon
With a new CEO set to take over Berkshire next year, it also makes sense for investors to consider buying a stock that was selected by one of Buffett's investing deputies. Buffett brought in Todd Combs and Ted Weschler several years ago to oversee a small portion of Berkshire's investments, and one of their top picks is none other than e-commerce and cloud services leader Amazon (AMZN 1.00%).
The stock has more than doubled since Berkshire first bought shares of Amazon in 2019's first quarter, and it's still showing great return potential. While Amazon's total revenue grew 9% year over year in Q1 2025, its net income is exploding, reaching $17 billion compared to $10 billion in the year-ago quarter.
The e-commerce market is getting more competitive as other leading retail brands are making a big push to deliver packages to customers within hours. Speed is the name of the game, but Amazon has one ace up its sleeve -- artificial intelligence (AI).
Since acquiring Kiva Systems in 2012, Amazon has utilized more than 750,000 robots to increase productivity in warehouses and speed up deliveries. AI also helps Amazon optimize delivery routes. With large cities already well served with same-day delivery, Amazon is now targeting smaller cities. Getting closer to customers also can benefit Amazon's profits by lower transportation costs from lower transit times.
Whether Combs or Weschler made the investment, buying Amazon stock was obviously a smart decision. Over the past year, Amazon earned $66 billion in net income on $650 billion of revenue, and there could be more room for margin expansion over time. Analysts expect Amazon's earnings to grow at an annualized rate of 19% in the coming years, which should fuel excellent returns to investors.
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2. Berkshire Hathaway
When Buffett steps down later this year, he has pledged not to sell a single share of his Berkshire Hathaway stock. At the end of 2024, Buffett was the company's largest shareholder, holding 37.9% of the class A shares. This is a huge vote of confidence in the future of Berkshire under Greg Abel, who will take over as CEO on Jan. 1, 2026.
Buffett's decision to hold Berkshire stock is based on his belief that Berkshire will perform better under Abel's leadership. Abel's business skills were on display while overseeing Berkshire's energy businesses. Abel took over as CEO of MidAmerican in 2008, which Berkshire acquired in 1999. It later was renamed Berkshire Hathaway Energy, as Abel turned it into a large and very profitable energy holding company, generating $26 billion in annual revenue with $3.7 billion in earnings.
In addition to Berkshire's energy assets, Abel will be charged with overseeing a large portfolio of operating businesses, spanning retail, the BNSF railroad, manufacturing, and Berkshire's various insurance businesses. These businesses collectively generated $47 billion in operating earnings last year, compared to $37 billion in 2023.
Importantly, Abel is committed to maintaining the culture of Berkshire Hathaway -- a company that acquires businesses and lets the owners continue to run them. Abel will continue in the same role as Buffett, primarily focused on allocating capital to new opportunities.
However, one reason supporting Buffett's confidence in Berkshire's prospects is based on Abel's skills as an operations manager. Based on his previous experience, Abel may take a more active approach than Buffett in encouraging some of Berkshire's businesses to enter new markets or make a bolt-on acquisition that increases their value.
While Berkshire's massive size may limit its future returns compared to what Buffett achieved over the past 60 years, it will be in good hands. Berkshire Hathaway stock should continue to grow in value for years to come.
