Berkshire Hathaway Enters New Era Post-Buffett Retirement
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 04 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- New CEO Transition: With Warren Buffett retiring on December 31, Greg Abel officially took over the day-to-day operations and the $319 billion investment portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway on January 1, marking a significant governance shift, as Abel vows to uphold Buffett's investment philosophy.
- Expansion of 'Forever' Holdings: In his first letter to shareholders, Abel announced the inclusion of Moody's and Apple into Berkshire's 'forever' holdings, with Moody's being the third-longest-held stock since 2000, boasting a 41% annual yield, showcasing its resilience in economic fluctuations.
- Valuation Considerations for Apple: While Abel considers Apple a long-term investment, the decision raises eyebrows given Buffett's sale of 75% of Berkshire's Apple shares prior to retirement, especially with Apple's current P/E ratio at 33.4, reflecting a commitment to value investing.
- Impact of Share Buybacks: Since 2013, Apple has repurchased over $841 billion in shares, reducing its outstanding shares by 44%, a strategy that has significantly boosted earnings per share, indicating that Abel's decisions may influence Berkshire's stake in Apple, reflecting sensitivity to market dynamics.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 295.630
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 295.630
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content, and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its wearables include smartwatches, wireless headphones, and spatial computers. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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