Abel Preserves Buffett's Playbook With Tech Twist

Greg Abel, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is sticking to Warren Buffett's investment playbook by maintaining a concentrated portfolio. In his first few months at the helm, he has preserved nearly two-thirds of the conglomerate's $355 billion equity portfolio in just five names.

The top holding remains Apple at $70.88 billion, representing 20% of the portfolio. American Express sits in second place at $52.91 billion, followed by Coca-Cola at $34.73 billion, Bank of America at $32.49 billion, and Alphabet at $31.28 billion.

Abel has shown no inclination to disturb profitable anchors like Coca-Cola and American Express, which have been in the portfolio since 1988 and 1991, respectively. However, he is drawing his own map with technology bets, particularly Alphabet, where Berkshire expanded its stake by 224% during Abel's first quarter.

Berkshire participated in a $10 billion private placement by Google, signaling a willingness to back tech bets that Buffett might have approached with more caution. Bank of America's position appears less secure, as Berkshire has cut its stake nearly in half since mid-2024, offloading roughly 519 million shares.