Berkshire Hathaway made significant moves in the equity market during the first half of 2026, investing $39.4 billion in equities, which is more than five times its spending in the same timeframe last year. The company also repurchased $4.8 billion of its own shares, marking a notable increase in capital deployment not seen in recent times.
#How does this buying activity look numerically?
The $39.4 billion spent on equity purchases in H1 2026 far surpasses the $7.1 billion invested during the same period in 2025. After factoring in $27.8 billion in stock sales, net purchases showed a positive figure of $11.6 billion. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first occasion in 14 quarters that Berkshire has operated as a net buyer of equities.
On the buyback front, Q2 alone recorded share repurchases of $4.5 billion, the highest quarterly total since 2021. By July, an additional $3.3 billion was repurchased, leading to total buybacks exceeding $7.8 billion since the end of March.
Berkshire's cash and cash equivalents came down to approximately $364.7 billion as of June 30, which is a decrease from a high of almost $397 billion earlier in 2026.
#What are some notable investments made by Berkshire?
Among the most striking moves was a significant private placement of about $10 billion in Alphabet, Google's parent company. Additionally, Berkshire completed a $6.8 billion acquisition of Taylor Morrison Home Corp, a prominent homebuilder. Collectively, these two transactions represent nearly $17 billion deployed capital.
#How is the company performing under new leadership?
These activities are unfolding under the leadership of CEO Greg Abel, who took over from Warren Buffett at the end of 2025. Berkshire’s operating earnings saw a year-over-year increase of about 16% in the second quarter, reaching approximately $13 billion. Revenue rose by 10% to $101.8 billion, surpassing analyst expectations, which suggests a robust performance in this transitional phase for the company.
This strategic approach to investment and capital allocation positions Berkshire Hathaway for ongoing growth and a strengthened portfolio as it navigates the evolving market landscape.