Under Greg Abel, Apple Stock Looks Like It's Here to Stay in Berkshire Hathaway's Portfolio

May 16, 2026 - 19:00

Warren Buffett built Berkshire Hathaway on the principle of buying businesses he intended to keep forever. Under his successor, Greg Abel, that philosophy appears to extend directly to the company's largest single stock holding. The conglomerate's first quarterly portfolio disclosure since Abel officially took the reins as CEO suggests a clear message: Apple is not going anywhere.

During the first quarter, Berkshire made no changes to its massive Apple stake. The position, worth roughly $150 billion, remains the single biggest bet in the entire portfolio. For investors who have watched Buffett trim other longtime holdings or exit entirely, this inaction is significant. It signals that Abel views Apple not as a trade or a cyclical tech play, but as a core operating business that belongs alongside Berkshire's wholly owned insurance, railroad, and energy units.

The decision to hold steady comes at a time when many institutional investors are rotating out of mega-cap tech into smaller names. Berkshire's move, or lack thereof, suggests a vote of confidence in Apple's ecosystem, its cash generation, and its ability to return capital through buybacks. Abel, who previously ran Berkshire's non-insurance operations, has long been involved in major capital allocation decisions. This disclosure is the first clear window into how he will handle the public stock portfolio, and it points to continuity rather than change.

For Berkshire shareholders, the message is reassuring. The new CEO is not looking to make a splash by selling the company's most successful public investment. Instead, he seems content to let Apple compound, reinforcing the idea that the stock is a permanent fixture in Omaha.