is warren buffett buying stocks: 2025 review

This article answers “is warren buffett buying stocks” using late‑2025 filings and reporting. It summarizes Berkshire Hathaway’s net selling, selective buys (notably Alphabet), large cash/T‑bill bu...

2025-08-22 09:13:00

By Emma Shah

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Is Warren Buffett Buying Stocks?

"Is Warren Buffett buying stocks" is a frequent question among investors watching institutional flows. This article answers that question using late‑2025 public filings and major reporting: it explains whether Warren Buffett (via Berkshire Hathaway) is currently purchasing U.S. equities, what kinds of stocks the firm has been adding or trimming, how large cash and T‑bill reserves factor in, and what the pattern of buys versus sales implies for markets and individual investors.

As of Dec 19, 2025, according to reporting from The Motley Fool and CNBC, Berkshire Hathaway had been a net seller across many recent quarters while still making selective purchases (for example, a Q3 2025 addition of Alphabet shares). The company also accumulated a record cash and short‑term investment position. This article synthesizes those developments and points readers to the primary sources and filings to verify current status.

Note: this entry is based on late‑2025 coverage and SEC filings. For the most current status, consult Berkshire Hathaway’s latest 13F and shareholder communications.

Overview / Context

Berkshire Hathaway is one of the largest institutional investors in the world. Warren Buffett’s public reputation and long record of outperformance have made Berkshire’s trades closely watched signals for many market participants.

The question "is warren buffett buying stocks" gained particular attention in 2025 for several reasons:

Warren Buffett announced a step back from CEO duties effective Jan 1, 2026, elevating Greg Abel to the chief executive role. That transition focused attention on Berkshire’s final moves under Buffett’s active stewardship.
Berkshire accumulated an unusually large cash and Treasury‑bill position in 2024–2025; late‑2025 reporting highlighted record levels in the low‑hundreds of billions (reported figures around $300–$400 billion depending on the date and source).
Market valuation metrics (Shiller CAPE, market‑cap‑to‑GDP, aka the Buffett indicator) reached multi‑decade highs, prompting analysts to interpret Berkshire’s activity as a valuation‑driven response.

Given this context, readers asking "is warren buffett buying stocks" should expect the short answer to be nuanced: the firm has reduced many positions overall (net selling) while making targeted, selective purchases.

Recent portfolio activity (high‑level summary)

In 2025, Berkshire Hathaway displayed a mixed pattern: several consecutive quarters of net selling, a record cash/T‑bill cushion, and selective equity purchases.

Across 2024–2025 Berkshire was widely reported to have been a net seller for multiple consecutive quarters.
At the same time, filings and press coverage show isolated additions to specific companies (notably Alphabet in Q3 2025) and increased stakes in several mid‑cap names.
Management paused or moderated large buyback programs and prioritized liquidity by holding short‑duration U.S. Treasuries and cash equivalents.

This combination—net selling overall with a handful of targeted buys—answers the question "is warren buffett buying stocks" with: sometimes, but selectively and within a broader net‑selling posture.

Net selling vs. selective buying (data points)

Late‑2025 reports documented a sustained net‑seller pattern. Specific data points frequently cited in coverage include:

Multi‑quarter net selling: analysts and reporting noted 12 consecutive quarters of net selling through late 2025 in several summaries of Berkshire activity.
Aggregate sell totals: some outlets reported cumulative dispositions across those quarters in the tens of billions to the low hundreds of billions (figures vary by time frame and accounting method). For example, several outlets described cumulative net selling of roughly $184 billion over a specified multi‑quarter span (reporting date: Dec 2025; source: aggregated press summaries).
Cash/T‑bill buffer: publications reported Berkshire’s cash and short‑term investments rising toward the low‑ to mid‑hundreds of billions; one commonly cited figure in December 2025 was about $381 billion (reported Dec 19, 2025, by The Motley Fool). Different accounting cutoffs and interim activity can change the exact total reported by different outlets.
Selective purchases: despite net selling, filings showed purchases such as ~17.8 million Alphabet shares in Q3 2025 (reported within Berkshire’s Q3 2025 13F filing and press coverage in late 2025), plus smaller additions to insurers and consumer names.

These data illustrate the pattern: Berkshire’s overall posture was defensive (building liquidity) while opportunistically buying specific names that met its investment criteria.

Notable buys (examples and significance)

When readers ask "is warren buffett buying stocks," the most eye‑catching answer in late 2025 was that Berkshire made a meaningful, publicized purchase of Alphabet shares in Q3 2025.

Key items:

Alphabet (Q3 2025): Berkshire acquired roughly 17.8 million shares during Q3 2025, reported in the firm’s quarter‑end 13F filing and covered by major outlets (reported values ranged in articles; some cited an approximate $4–5.6 billion notional value depending on the reference price and reporting date). The buy was notable because Buffett has historically been cautious about large tech positions, yet Alphabet combines advertising cash flow, a strong competitive moat in search, and rapidly growing cloud and AI services.
Mid‑cap and insurance‑adjacent names: filings and summaries showed additions or increases in positions such as Chubb, Domino’s, Lennar, Sirius XM, and Lamar (small‑to‑medium stakes). These purchases reflect Berkshire’s traditional preference for cash‑generative businesses with durable competitive advantages.
Why these buys matter: adding Alphabet signaled selective openness to companies with dominant market positions and strong long‑term cash generation, even when they are associated with AI. Other buys reinforced Berkshire’s value and cash‑flow focus rather than a broad embrace of speculative or momentum trades.

All purchase figures cited here were drawn from SEC 13F disclosures and late‑2025 press coverage; for up‑to‑date position sizes, consult the latest 13F and Berkshire shareholder filings.

Notable sells and trims

Berkshire’s selling activity was as newsworthy as its purchases. Key points include:

Apple: Berkshire reduced its position in Apple through late 2023 into 2025. Apple remained the largest marketable equity holding but was trimmed substantially. Press coverage in 2025 noted continued disposals of Apple shares, and Berkshire’s Apple stake was notably smaller than its 2018 peak (source: late‑2025 reporting, Nasdaq and The Motley Fool).
ETFs and index funds: Berkshire previously trimmed or exited some S&P 500‑themed ETFs (reported in Q4 2024 filings and revisited in 2025 coverage). Exiting broad index ETFs while holding concentrated individual positions is consistent with a value‑based reallocation.
Bank holdings and other long‑held positions: reporting indicated that Berkshire trimmed some legacy financial holdings and selectively sold other positions to realize gains or redeploy capital.
Rationale offered in reporting: potential reasons for trims include taking capital gains while corporate tax rates were relatively low, reducing concentration risk (Apple once represented a significantly large share of the portfolio), responding to valuation concerns (stocks trading above estimated intrinsic value), and building liquidity for future opportunities.

As with purchase disclosures, sell and trim details are subject to filing lags and reporting interpretation; the SEC 13F and Berkshire’s 10‑Q/10‑K provide authoritative transaction windows and position snapshots.

Drivers and investment rationale

Analysts and Berkshire’s own long‑standing public statements suggest several strategic drivers behind the pattern that answers "is warren buffett buying stocks":

Value orientation and valuation discipline: Buffett’s investment philosophy emphasizes buying businesses for less than intrinsic value and avoiding overpaid securities. High market valuations in 2024–2025 (e.g., elevated Shiller CAPE and market‑cap‑to‑GDP ratios) likely reduced the universe of attractive buys.
Competitive moats and long‑term cash generation: purchases that did occur (Alphabet, select insurers, consumer franchises) reflect a preference for companies with sustainable advantages and predictable, durable cash flows.
Tax and capital allocation considerations: sales sometimes appeared timed to realize gains while corporate tax rates remained favorable. Selling also reduced concentration risk and funded the cash/T‑bill accumulation.
Liquidity posture and optionality: holding large cash and short‑term Treasuries provides Berkshire flexibility to deploy capital during future market dislocations while earning a modest yield on cash equivalents.
Transition dynamics: with Buffett stepping back from day‑to‑day CEO duties, coordination between long‑time managers (Buffett, Ted Weschler, Todd Combs) and the incoming CEO (Greg Abel) may have influenced posture and timing.

These drivers are consistent with publicly stated Berkshire principles and late‑2025 analyst commentary.

Governance / who makes the trades

Berkshire Hathaway’s investment decisions are executed by a small team of managers under Berkshire’s board oversight. Historically the key investment decision‑makers have included:

Warren Buffett (chairman and long‑time chief investment voice): Buffett traditionally set broad investment philosophy and personally approved major transactions.
Investment managers: Ted Weschler and Todd Combs have been delegated authority for portions of the marketable equity portfolio and may have initiated or sized specific purchases (for example, some observers attribute Amazon and other midcap buys to these deputies).
Transition to Greg Abel: effective Jan 1, 2026, Buffett stepped back from CEO duties and Greg Abel became CEO. Buffett remains chairman but his reduced operational role introduces an added governance factor. Reports in late 2025 emphasized this succession and noted that future public messaging and trade patterns could reflect new operational leadership.

Because SEC 13F filings record positions at quarter‑end and do not identify which individual executed a trade, readers should be aware that individual filings do not always reveal which manager at Berkshire initiated a particular trade.

Market and analyst interpretations

Market commentators offered several interpretations of Berkshire’s pattern when addressing "is warren buffett buying stocks":

A valuation warning: many analysts read Berkshire’s cash accumulation and net selling as a caution about stretched market valuations. Elevated Shiller CAPE and market‑cap‑to‑GDP figures were commonly cited as corroborating evidence (reporting dates: late 2025; sources: Fortune, The Motley Fool, CNBC).
Tactical rotation: selective purchases, such as Alphabet, were seen as tactical moves into secular winners with strong cash generation and moats—companies whose long‑term economics fit Berkshire’s criteria despite tech sector association.
Patience and optionality: others framed Berkshire’s stance as patience—preferring to hold cash until valuation gaps provide better long‑run buying opportunities.
Filings lag and context: commentators also warned that 13F filings lag, and media headlines can oversimplify the nuance of institutional positioning.

Overall, the consensus framing of Berkshire’s activity in late‑2025 was that the firm was cautious but not entirely inactive: a net seller by aggregate, yet opportunistic in select names.

How to verify and follow Buffett/Berkshire buying activity

If you want to independently verify whether "is warren buffett buying stocks" is true at any point, use these authoritative sources and approaches:

SEC Form 13F: institutional managers with $100 million+ in qualifying assets file quarterly 13F reports listing U.S. equity holdings as of quarter end. Berkshire’s 13F shows quarter‑end positions and is the primary public ledger for holdings changes. (Limitation: 13F filings lag and omit short positions and cash.)
Berkshire Hathaway 10‑Q / 10‑K and shareholder letters: Berkshire’s quarterly and annual filings, plus Buffett’s shareholder letters, provide management commentary and authoritative financial reporting.
Press coverage and filing summaries from major financial outlets: Reuters, CNBC, The Motley Fool, Nasdaq, Fortune and others summarize 13F changes and may provide context. Use them as secondary verification.
Broker research and institutional filings: some sell‑side and independent research teams analyze holdings changes and compute net flows over quarters.
Practical limits: remember that 13Fs only capture positions at quarter‑end and report holdings by security, not the timing of individual trades during the quarter. They also exclude many derivative exposures and cash balances, so reconstructing precise trading activity requires cross‑referencing multiple filings and statements.

For the most current status on whether "is warren buffett buying stocks," check Berkshire’s most recent 13F (quarterly) and the firm’s current 10‑Q or investor communications.

Timeline of notable 2025 events (quarterly highlights)

Q1 2025: Continued trimming of certain legacy positions; portfolio rebalancing noted in press summaries (reported March–April 2025; sources: major financial press).
Q2 2025: Record increase in cash holdings reported in mid‑2025 coverage; analysts highlighted liquidity build‑up (reported mid‑2025; sources: CNBC and The Motley Fool).
Q3 2025: Berkshire’s 13F (Q3 2025) disclosed an addition of ~17.8 million Alphabet shares; selective buys in mid‑cap names were reported (Q3 2025 13F filing; press: late Oct–Nov 2025).
Q4 2025: Media coverage in December 2025 summarized cumulative net selling across multiple quarters and reported a cash and T‑bill position approaching low‑ to mid‑hundreds of billions (example reported figure: $381 billion on Dec 19, 2025; source: The Motley Fool).
Late 2025: Public reporting emphasized Buffett’s transition to reduced operational duties and Greg Abel’s succession as CEO starting Jan 1, 2026; this heightened scrutiny of Berkshire’s late‑2025 allocations.

These bullets provide a concise chronological frame for the 2025 developments relevant to the question "is warren buffett buying stocks."

Implications for individual investors

When readers ask "is warren buffett buying stocks" they often seek actionable guidance. This section summarizes common, neutral takeaways found in coverage; it is not investment advice.

Valuation discipline: Berkshire’s net selling and cash accumulation were widely interpreted as reinforcing the importance of valuation discipline. Elevated market metrics in late 2025 were cited as one reason Buffett reduced portfolio exposure.
Do not blindly copy: institutional scale, timing, tax considerations, and reporting lags mean individual investors should not simply replicate Berkshire’s trades. Retail investors’ horizons, liquidity needs, and tax situations differ.
Use filings as signals, not directives: 13F changes can indicate areas of interest or caution from large investors, but they are historical snapshots. Use them as one input among many rather than a sole decision trigger.
Consider diversification and risk tolerance: Berkshire’s large cash pile reflected large‑scale optionality and different constraints than many individual investors face; align allocations to personal goals and risk tolerance.

These neutral summaries reflect how analysts framed Berkshire’s moves in late 2025 in response to the question "is warren buffett buying stocks."

Limitations, controversies and caveats

Readers should be aware of important caveats when interpreting whether "is warren buffett buying stocks":

Filing lag: SEC 13F filings report quarter‑end holdings and therefore lag actual trades. A position listed in a 13F may have been initiated or closed earlier in the quarter.
Attribution: 13F does not identify which individual manager executed trades. Berkshire delegates portions of the portfolio to other managers whose specific trades may not reflect Buffett’s personal decisions.
Media simplification: headlines can oversimplify complex activity (for example, emphasizing a single purchase without noting substantial net selling elsewhere).
Institutional constraints: Berkshire’s scale and tax considerations, as well as its unique insurance float and balance sheet, create constraints that differ from retail investors.
Data variability: different outlets may report different notional dollar amounts for purchases/sales depending on the reference price used, cutoffs, and rounding.

Accounting for these limitations is essential when using Berkshire’s activity to inform personal decisions or to interpret market signals.

References (selected reporting and filings to consult)

Berkshire Hathaway SEC filings: Form 13F (quarterly filings for Q3 2025 and later), 10‑Q, 10‑K, and shareholder letters (primary legal disclosures).
The Motley Fool, coverage of Berkshire’s Q3 2025 activity and Dec 19, 2025 reporting on cash position (reported Dec 19, 2025).
CNBC, reporting on Berkshire’s portfolio changes and commentary on succession/strategy (late‑2025 pieces).
NASDAQ and Investopedia analysis pieces on Berkshire holdings and Apple/tech exposure (late‑2025 summaries).
Fortune and other major outlets reporting on valuation metrics (Buffett indicator and Shiller CAPE) and interpretations in late 2025.

For precise figures and dates, consult the primary SEC filings listed above and the named press coverage dated in late 2025.