Berkshire Hathaway's top 10 investments

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway substantially increased its holdings of Apple stock in the December quarter. While Berkshire’s purchase of Apple shares were probably done by Todd Combs and/or Ted Weschler, two of Buffett’s portfolio managers, it is a further commitment to technology stocks that Buffett had previously sworn off.

Commitment to Apple

• Berkshire Hathaway got into Apple’s shares during the Q1 of 2016 by buying 9.8 mn shares for about $1.1 bn 

• It increased its holdings to 15.2 mn shares in the Q2 and substantially increased it to 57.3 mn shares, which are now worth about $7.8 bn, by December

• While the SEC filing does not provide purchase prices based on the jump in Apple’s shares since the beginning of the year (and assuming no changes to its holdings) the 18% rise in the stock has generated over $1 bn in profits

• Berkshire could move up to Apple’s 5th largest shareholder by increasing its holdings to 1.5% or by the 0stock rising by 70% from the end of last year

• But it would have to significantly increase its purchases to get to fourth place since it would have to own almost 3% or $21 billion of Apple. This would also make Apple the firm’s third largest holding by market capitalisation