Warren Buffett appeared in good health as he entered the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders’ meeting, using a cane and wearing a red tie, with two cans of Coca-Cola on the table—a familiar sight over the years.
Each year, investors flock to Omaha to hear from the legendary investor. This meeting marked his 60th, and potentially his last as CEO.
Buffett has been one of the most successful investors, known for his focus on value investing rather than pursuing trending stocks.
The day prior to the meeting, Berkshire’s market value reached a new peak of $1.16 trillion, despite a decline in the U.S. stock market this year.
Berkshire’s Class A and B shares rose approximately 1.8% on May 2, up about 19% for the year, while the S&P 500 index declined by 3.3%.
Despite Berkshire’s achievements, Buffett is not rushing to capitalize on the recent market downturn.
Over the past 60 years, Buffett has witnessed three occasions when Berkshire’s stock value halved. He compared the current market conditions to the Great Depression, noting the more significant drop at that time when the Dow fell from 240 to just 41.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 41,317.43 on May 2, 2025.
Berkshire Hathaway is now one of the largest conglomerates in the U.S. Its major investments include Apple, American Express, Bank of America, and Coca-Cola.
Recently, Berkshire has reduced its holdings in Apple and Bank of America, dropping Apple’s shares from 915 million in Q3 2023 to 300 million by the end of 2024, and Bank of America’s from 1 billion to 680 million shares in the same period.
The conglomerate currently holds about $347 billion in cash, surpassing the combined cash reserves of Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon.
Buffett expressed that he finds few attractive investments currently, but anticipates future opportunities where Berkshire’s cash reserves will be advantageous.
He advises investors to remain rational amid market fluctuations: “If you get frightened by markets that decline and get excited when stock markets go up, you must check emotions when investing.”
Buffett plans to step down, signaling an end to an era. After studying under Benjamin Graham at Columbia University, he took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, transforming it from a textile company into a diversified giant in insurance, utilities, and retail.
At 94, Buffett remains a symbol of patience, discipline, and long-term strategy. At the shareholder meeting, he announced, “I think the time has arrived where Greg should become the chief executive officer of the company at year end.”
He plans to maintain his shares, stating the decision is based on economic confidence in Berkshire’s future under new management.
