Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reached an all-time high in cash holdings, amassing $381.7 billion by the third quarter, as revealed in late October filings. This achievement marks a notable point for Warren Buffett’s conglomerate as it adapts to changing economic conditions
Berkshire’s insurance division, a key part of its business, returned to pretax underwriting profits after losses in the same period last year. This improvement was largely due to a mild hurricane season, which resulted in fewer catastrophic claims compared to the prior year’s heavy losses from Hurricane Helene, according to
Buffett, who is set to retire as CEO by the end of the year, has continued to take a conservative stance on spending capital. For the fifth straight quarter, Berkshire refrained from buying back its own shares, even though the stock price fell nearly 12% after he announced his succession plan in May. The company’s record cash position has been both commended for its prudence and questioned for possibly not being put to better use. Analysts pointed out that even a significant $9.7 billion investment in OxyChem in September barely made a dent in the cash total.
The strong quarterly results come in contrast to a recent downgrade by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW), which lowered Berkshire’s rating to “underperform” due to concerns about its future growth, according to
Berkshire’s recent performance has also caught the eye of major investors. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which owns $11.7 billion worth of Berkshire shares, is under Senate investigation for allegedly granting $23 million to China-related projects, according to
Looking forward, how Berkshire puts its cash to work will be crucial. The company’s wide-ranging businesses—from railroads and utilities to manufacturing—offer a window into the health of the U.S. economy, as noted by Fortune. However, with interest rates falling and global trade patterns shifting, Buffett’s successors will need to uphold the company’s tradition of careful capital management. The upcoming third-quarter results, due November 1, are expected to shed more light on Berkshire’s future direction.