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Investment legend Warren Buffett has once again made a big move in the stock market. At 94 years old, Buffett remains CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the investment firm through which he built his multibillion-dollar fortune.
Recently, Berkshire Hathaway purchased shares of a single company for $35 million.
Which Stock Did Warren Buffett Buy for $35 Million?
On February 11, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway acquired 763,017 shares of Occidental Petroleum, a company that has long been one of Berkshire’s favorite energy stocks.
The total transaction value amounted to $35.716 million, reinforcing Buffett’s strong conviction in the energy sector despite ongoing market volatility.
Following this purchase, Berkshire Hathaway now owns 264,941,431 shares of Occidental Petroleum, giving it a 28.3% stake in the company.
This makes Berkshire Hathaway by far the largest shareholder of Occidental Petroleum.
However, not everyone is convinced by Buffett’s decision to increase his investment in this company.
Since Q2 2024, Occidental Petroleum’s stock has been on a continuous downtrend. In April 2024, the stock was trading at $69.25, but it has since dropped to $48.83—a 29.48% decline for Buffett and his team.
Bitcoin Is “Rat Poison Squared” According to Buffett
Warren Buffett has never been a fan of Bitcoin.
Years ago, he famously called the digital currency “rat poison squared” and even stated that he wouldn’t buy all the Bitcoin in the world for $25.
So, the likelihood of Buffett ever buying Bitcoin directly is close to zero.
Buffett’s Indirect Bitcoin Investment
Interestingly, Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway have indirectly invested in Bitcoin through the Brazilian neobank Nubank.
Nubank has actively engaged with Bitcoin and even holds BTC on its balance sheet.
That said, Warren Buffett will probably never become a true Bitcoiner—a stance that aligns with the mindset of many traditional investors of his generation.
What’s in Berkshire Hathaway’s Holdings?
In Q3 2024, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway made significant changes to its stock portfolio, notably reducing its Apple (AAPL) stake by 25%, leaving it with 300 million shares in the iPhone maker. The firm also sold off Bank of America (BAC), another major holding, along with other strategic adjustments.
By Q4 2024, Berkshire Hathaway continued selling Bank of America shares, while increasing its stake in Sirius XM (SIRI). Additionally, it purchased shares of Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and VeriSign (VRSN), a leading internet domain-name registry company.
More detailed insights into Berkshire’s Q4 stock acquisitions and divestitures will be available when the firm files its 13F report in mid-February.
Buffett’s Continued Buying in 2025
In February 2025, Berkshire Hathaway continued to purchase Occidental Petroleum stock, as revealed in its latest filings. The firm also added to its Sirius XM position and further trimmed its Bank of America holdings in Q1, according to regulatory disclosures and industry reports.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks
As of February 2025, the largest holdings in Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio, ranked by the number of shares owned, are:
- Bank of America (BAC) – 766.3 million shares
- Coca-Cola (KO) – 400 million shares
- Kraft Heinz (KHC) – 325.6 million shares
- Apple (AAPL) – 300 million shares
- Occidental Petroleum (OXY) – 264.3 million shares
- American Express (AXP) – 151.6 million shares
- Chevron (CVX) – 118.6 million shares
- Sirius XM (SIRI) – 117.5 million shares
- Nu Holdings (NU) – 86.4 million shares
- Citigroup (C) – 55.2 million shares
In total, Buffett and his investment team manage over 50 stocks within Berkshire Hathaway’s equity portfolio, which boasts a total market value exceeding $300 billion.
Berkshire Hathaway’s Investment Strategy
While Apple stock remains one of Berkshire Hathaway’s largest holdings by share count, it dominates the portfolio in terms of market value.
At the end of September 2024, Berkshire’s Apple holdings were valued at an astounding $69.9 billion.
Apple has become the defining stock in Buffett’s portfolio, thanks to its strong earnings, high returns, and exceptional management.
Buffett’s Preference for Dividend-Paying Stocks
Many of Buffett’s top holdings are companies with strong dividend growth. For example, Coca-Cola has raised its dividend for over 50 consecutive years.
From 1965 to 2023, Berkshire Hathaway’s stock portfolio delivered a compound annual return of 19.8%—nearly double the 10.2% return of the S&P 500 (including dividends).
The Buy-and-Hold Philosophy
Buffett has built his reputation as a long-term investor, often holding stocks for decades. However, recent years have seen a higher turnover rate than usual.
Since 2020, Buffett has sold off many financial, pharmaceutical, and airline stocks, despite having acquired them relatively recently.
Finding Value and Holding for the Long Term
Despite these recent shifts, Buffett remains committed to his core investing philosophy: identifying high-quality businesses at a fair price and holding them for the long term.
He methodically builds positions over time, as seen in his decades-long investments in Coca-Cola and American Express, as well as his position in Apple, which began in 2016.
Today, Apple accounts for 26% of Berkshire Hathaway’s total equity portfolio, a significant increase from just 6% in 2016.
