Billionaire investor Warren Buffett's conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, has recently released its 13F filing for the fourth quarter of 2024, providing a detailed account of its investment activities. These filings are closely eyed by investors and market analysts since they offer insights into Warren Buffett’s strategies and market positions. The latest filing by Berkshire Hathaway revealed that with a $267 billion portfolio heavily weighted in Financials and Tech, 72% of its value is concentrated in its top five holdings.
Who is Warren Buffett?
Warren Buffett, popularly known as the "Oracle of Omaha," is renowned and admired for his investment acumen and leadership of Berkshire Hathaway. Born in 1930, Buffett displayed a talent for business and investing.
Over the decades, he has transformed Berkshire Hathaway from a struggling textile company into a diversified multinational conglomerate with holdings in various industries, including insurance, rail transportation, energy, and consumer goods, making it the first non-tech U.S. firm to reach a $1 trillion market value.
Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio includes around 40 stocks, featuring giants like Apple, Coca-Cola, American Express, Bank of America and Amazon. As of February 18, 2025, Warren Buffett's net worth is estimated to be approximately $150 billion by Bloomberg Billionaires Index, positioning him among the 10 wealthiest individuals globally.
Warren Buffett's investment philosophy focuses on value investing meaning searching undervalued companies with strong fundamentals and holding them for the long term. This approach has earned him a reputation as one of the most successful investors of all time.
Berkshire Hathaway's investment strategy
Berkshire Hathaway’s investment approach follows Warren Buffett’s value investing philosophy, focusing on businesses with strong fundamentals, competitive advantages, and long-term growth potential. The company’s portfolio is diversified across key sectors, including technology, financial services, consumer goods, and energy.
A major shift in recent years has been Buffett’s increasing bet on technology, with Apple now being a cornerstone of Berkshire’s holdings. At the same time, traditional investments in banks, insurance, and energy reflect Warren Buffett’s preference for stable, cash-generating businesses.
Investors pay close attention to Berkshire’ portfolio moves, as they often signal Buffett’s confidence in specific companies or industries. His long-term mindset of buying great companies and holding them for years, has made Berkshire Hathaway a model of disciplined, patient investing.
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway makes key changes to portfolio
The fourth quarter of 2024 saw Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway making several notable changes to its investment portfolio. The conglomerate initiated a position in Constellation Brands Inc., acquiring approximately 5.6 million shares valued at over $1 billion. Constellation Brands is a leading beverage company known for its beer, wine, and spirits. Additionally, Berkshire Hathaway more than doubled its holdings in Domino's Pizza Inc., bringing the total to approximately 2.38 million shares.
Berkshire Hathaway's stake in Pool Corporation, a leading distributor of swimming pool supplies, was also increased. Meanwhile, the company's holdings in Sirius XM Holdings Inc. increased by 12%, reflecting confidence in the company's strong position in satellite radio and the broader media and entertainment industry. The Warren Buffett-led firm also increased its stake in VeriSign which operates an array of network infrastructure, including two of the Internet's thirteen root nameservers.
Top 5 stocks bought by Berkshire Hathaway in Q4
| Stock | Value | QoQ Chg (%) |
| Constellation Brands Inc | $1,242,976,000 | NEW |
| Dominos Pizza Inc | $999,868,000 | 87% |
| Pool Corp | $204,117,000 | 48% |
| Sirius XM Holdings Inc | $2,678,283,000 | 12% |
| Verisign Inc | $2,746,661,000 | 4% |
Source: 13F Filing | Data as of December 31,2024
Berkshire Hathaway also trimmed or exited positions in several companies in the quarter ended December 31, 2024. It reduced its stake in Bank of America Corp. by 15%, selling about 95 million shares, signaling a strategic reallocation within the financial sector. Citigroup Inc. saw an even steeper cut, with Berkshire Hathaway reducing its holdings by around 75%, suggesting a shift away from certain banking investments.
In the retail space, Berkshire Hathaway fully dumped Ulta Beauty Inc. Additionally, its stake in Nu Holdings was trimmed by 53%.
Top 5 stocks sold by Berkshire Hathaway in Q4
| Stock/Fund | Value | QoQ Chg (%) |
| Citigroup Inc | $1,030,475,000 | -73% |
| Nu Holdings | $416,267,000 | -53% |
| Charter Communication | $682,715,000 | -29% |
| Bank of America Corp | $29,896,267,000 | -15% |
| Liberty Media Corp Formula One | $630,213,000 | -12% |
Source: 13F Filing | Data as of December 31, 2024
Top holdings in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio
As of December 31, Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio remains heavily weighted toward a few key companies. Apple Inc. continues to be its largest holding, making up about 28% of the portfolio with 300 million shares, reaffirming Warren Buffett’s confidence in the tech giant despite previous reductions. Note that Apple was Berkshire’s biggest move in 2024, reducing its stake by 62% to 300 million shares. However, it still remains Berkshire's biggest bet.
American Express follows, representing nearly 17% of the portfolio, showcasing Buffett’s long-term trust in the financial services sector. Bank of America holds a 12% share of the portfolio, maintaining its status as a significant investment despite recent sell-offs. Meanwhile, The Coca-Cola Company accounts for 11% of the portfolio, underscoring Berkshire’s continued belief in the beverage brand.
Berkshire Hathaway's largest holdings in Q4
| Stocks | (%) | Value |
| Apple Inc | 28.1% | $75,126,000,000 |
| American Express | 16.8% | $44,996,540,000 |
| Bank of America Corp | 11.2% | $29,896,267,000 |
| The Coca-Cola Company | 9.3% | $24,904,000,000 |
| Chevron Corp | 6.4% | $17,179,549,000 |
Source: 13F Filing | Data as of December 31,2024
Berkshire Hathaway’s dividend income in Q4
Berkshire Hathaway continues to generate substantial income through dividends from its vast investment portfolio. In Q4 alone, the company earned an impressive $1.08 billion from dividends, with its top 5 holdings alone contributing $745.3 million (69.35%).
Dividends provide a steady stream of cash flow, reinforcing Berkshire Hathaway’s ability to reinvest in businesses or acquire new holdings without relying solely on operating income. This approach aligns with Warren Buffett’s philosophy of investing in high-quality, cash-generating companies that reward shareholders consistently.
Among its holdings, five companies stood out as the top contributors to its Q4 dividend income. Coca-Cola led the pack, providing $194 million in dividends, thanks to Berkshire's massive stake of 400 million shares. Close behind was Chevron, contributing $193.3 million.
Bank of America was another major player, paying $176.8 million in dividends. American Express also significantly boosted Berkshire's income, delivering $106.1 million in dividends. Rounding out the top five was world’s most valuable firm Apple, contributing $75 million in dividends, despite a relatively low per-share dividend of $0.25, showcasing the power of Berkshire’s 300 million-share stake in the tech behemoth.
The top contributors reflect a good mix of financial services, consumer goods, and energy sectors known for their reliable dividend payments. Coca-Cola and American Express are long-term Buffett favorites, known for their brand strength and steady cash flows. Meanwhile, Bank of America’s robust dividend and Berkshire’s confidence in the financial sector reaffirm its strategic positioning.
Chevron’s strong dividend reflects its role in the energy market, where Berkshire has made sizable investments, including Occidental Petroleum. Apple, despite offering a modest dividend yield, remains one of Warren Buffett’s most valuable holdings, demonstrating how even tech giants can contribute meaningfully to dividend income.
Disclaimer
The content is meant for education and general information purposes only. Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. The securities are quoted as an example and not as a recommendation. This in no way is to be construed as financial advice or a recommendation to invest in any specific stock or financial instrument. The Company strongly encourages its users / viewers to conduct their own research, consult with a registered financial advisor before making any investment decisions. All disputes in relation to the content would not have access to exchange investor redressal forum or arbitration mechanism. INDmoney Global (IFSC) Private Limited, Unit No. GA-02, Seat No. 1-4, Ground Floor, Pragya Accelerator Block-15 T, Road 11, Zone-1, Processing Area, GIFT SEZ, Gift City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, 382355 IFSCA Broker Dealer Registration No. IFSC/BD/2023-24/0016, IFSCA DP Reg No: IFSC/DP/2023-24/010.