Berkshire Hathaway’s new CEO Greg Abel has wasted no time putting his stamp on the company — and his wallet behind it.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc., BRK-B
Berkshire announced Thursday that it had resumed stock buybacks, the first time it has repurchased its own stock since the second quarter of 2024. Abel disclosed the move in a CNBC interview, calling it a “one-time” announcement that he felt was necessary given the leadership transition.
Under Berkshire’s existing buyback policy, repurchases can happen when the CEO — after consulting with the board chairman — determines the price is below intrinsic value. Abel confirmed he spoke with Buffett before acting.
Abel also filed a separate disclosure showing he personally purchased 21 Class A shares for $15.3 million — every dollar of his after-tax compensation for the year.
He said on CNBC he plans to do the same every year he remains CEO. He now holds 249 Class A shares worth roughly $189 million.
Abel and other Berkshire executives receive no stock-based compensation. Any stock he owns must be bought in the open market with his own cash.
He is not short on resources. In June 2022, Abel sold a 1% stake in Berkshire Hathaway Energy back to the company for $870 million. He then used a portion of those proceeds to buy more than $100 million in Berkshire stock in 2022 and 2023.
Berkshire ended 2025 with $373.3 billion in cash and Treasury holdings, down slightly from a record $381.7 billion at the end of Q3. That’s a lot of firepower sitting on the sidelines.
Abel said the scale of that cash position made buybacks the most logical move right now — more so than acquisitions or other investments.
The last time Berkshire bought back stock, in the first half of 2024, it spent $2.9 billion. Abel did not say how much would be spent this time around or how long the program would last.
Berkshire’s Class B shares rose around 1.9% Thursday to $496.36, while the S&P 500 edged slightly lower. The stock had been down 3% year-to-date through Wednesday.
Abel was direct on one topic: crypto is not on the table.
He cited a lack of intrinsic value as the reason, consistent with the position Buffett held throughout his tenure.
The buyback announcement comes days after Berkshire reported a tough Q4, with operating profit falling 30% and insurance underwriting income dropping more than 50%. The stock fell sharply on Monday following that report.
Berkshire Class B shares closed Thursday up 1.33%.
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