Warren Buffett and his holding company Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.04%)(BRK.B 0.02%) 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
Buffett wrote in his 2023 letter to Berkshire shareholders that he and 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 didn't initiate any new positions and added positions to only three stocks in the fourth quarter of 2023.
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Increase Over Q3 2023 | Value of Total Stake as of 12/31/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 126,093,326 | 14.4% | $18.8 billion |
| Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) | 243,715,804 | 8.7% | $14.5 billion |
| Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) | 40,243,058 | 315.6% | $220.1 million |
Berkshire has also disclosed some additional buying in the first quarter of 2024. The conglomerate bought more shares of two tracking stocks -- Liberty SiriusXM Series A (LSXMA -1.56%) and Liberty SiriusXM Series C (LSXMK -1.59%) -- and boosted its position in Occidental.
Stocks Buffett sold
Stocks Warren Buffett recently sold
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Buffett did a lot of housecleaning by exiting or trimming Berkshire Hathaway's positions in seven stocks:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Share Count Decrease From Q3 2023 | Value of Total Stake as of 12/31/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.R. Horton (NYSE:DHI) | Exited position | ||
| Globe Life (NYSE:GL) | Exited position | ||
| Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) | Exited position | ||
| StoneCo (NASDAQ:STNE) | Exited position | ||
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 905,560,000 | (1.1%) | $174.4 billion |
| HP (NYSE:HPQ) | 22,852,715 | (77.7%) | $687.6 million |
| Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) | 63,322,491 | (32.4%) | $936.5 million |
Top 10 stocks he owns
Top stocks Warren Buffett owns by size
Berkshire Hathaway owns positions in more than 40 stocks. Here are the holding company's top 10 stocks ranked by value:
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Value of Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) | 905,560,000 | $154.6 billion |
| Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) | 1,032,852,006 | $36.8 billion |
| American Express (NYSE:AXP) | 151,610,700 | $33.9 billion |
| Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) | 400,000,000 | $23.8 billion |
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 126,093,326 | $18.9 billion |
| Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) | 248,018,128 | $15.1 billion |
| Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) | 325,634,818 | $11.3 billion |
| Moody's (NYSE:MCO) | 24,669,778 | $9.5billion |
| Mitsubishi (OTC:MSBHF) | 358,492,800 | $7.9 billion |
| Mitsui (OTC:MITSF) (OTC:MITSY) | 125,022,300 | $5.5 billion |
There's a glaring gap between the values of the No. 1 and No. 2 stocks in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Despite selling some shares of Apple in the fourth quarter of 2023, the tech giant still holds the top spot in Berkshire's portfolio. Apple is such a massive holding that Buffett has referred to it 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.
FAQ
FAQ about Warren Buffett's portfolio
What stocks does Warren Buffett own personally?
Buffett isn't required to disclose his personal holdings. The one stock 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?
Currently, Buffett's top five holdings in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio 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 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 Chevron, Occidental Petroleum, and Sirius XM Holdings in the fourth 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
- Mitsubishi
- Mitsui
