TLDR
- Greg Abel sold 15 full stock positions in his first quarter as Berkshire Hathaway CEO
- Sold positions include Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, Diageo, and Domino’s Pizza
- Abel’s biggest buy was Alphabet, followed by Delta Air Lines, both low-dividend stocks
- Berkshire’s cash pile grew from $373.3 billion to $397.4 billion in Q1 2026
- Berkshire stock hit its highest price since Buffett announced his retirement, up 3.7% in the past month
Greg Abel wasted no time putting his stamp on Berkshire Hathaway after taking over as CEO from Warren Buffett on January 1, 2026.
In just his first quarter in charge, Abel sold 15 full stock positions that Buffett had built, some held for over 15 years. The moves signal a clear shift in how the company plans to manage its massive portfolio.
What Abel Sold
The list of exits includes major names. Abel dumped Berkshire’s stakes in Visa, Mastercard, and Amazon, which were among the portfolio’s stronger performers.
He also cut losing positions, including pool equipment supplier Pool Corp, UK liquor company Diageo, and pizza chain Domino’s Pizza.
Several of the sold stocks were high-dividend payers. Lamar Advertising yielded 4%, Diageo 3.8%, and Pool Corp 2.5% at the time of sale.
This suggests Abel is less focused on dividend income than Buffett was. Buffett famously held Coca-Cola for decades, now collecting around $1.7 billion in dividends every two years on a position that cost roughly $1.3 billion.
Where Abel Is Investing
Abel’s largest new investment was in Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Alphabet pays just a 0.2% dividend.
His second-biggest buy was Delta Air Lines, which yields around 1%. Neither purchase suggests a priority on income generation.
Berkshire’s cash position grew during the quarter, rising from $373.3 billion to $397.4 billion. That increase points to Abel building reserves rather than rushing to deploy capital.
Some analysts believe the growing cash pile could mean a large acquisition is being planned. Others think it reflects caution about an overvalued stock market.
Investor Reaction
Berkshire stock has responded positively to Abel’s early moves. Shares recently hit their highest point since Buffett announced his retirement in May 2025.
The stock gained 3.7% over the past month. That rise came partly as investors rotated out of tech stocks and into more stable businesses.
Berkshire operates well-known businesses including GEICO, BNSF railroad, utilities, and industrial manufacturing.
Despite the recent climb, Berkshire stock is up only 4% in 2026 so far. The S&P 500 has gained 12.6% over the same period.
Buffett officially stepped down on January 1, 2026, and remains chairman of the board. He attended the most recent annual meeting as an audience member, visibly supporting Abel’s leadership from the front row.
Investors and analysts called Abel’s debut at the annual meeting operationally sound, though different in style from Buffett’s well-known approach.
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