Buffett slashes Apple stake as Berkshire pivots into Alphabet AI bet
Buffett’s Berkshire cuts Apple to a 21% weighting and builds a new Alphabet stake, reallocating its tech exposure toward AI, cloud, and digital ads.
- Berkshire sold 41.7M Apple shares in Q3, cutting the position roughly 74% over two years while Apple still delivers revenue and EPS growth.
- Apple now leans on a 2.35B-device installed base and free Apple Intelligence AI tools, with paid tiers expected to unlock future monetization.
- Berkshire opened a 17.8M-share Alphabet stake, adding exposure to search ads, cloud, and autonomy as Buffett leans further into AI-enabled tech.
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reduced its holdings in Apple Inc. and purchased shares of Alphabet Inc. during the third quarter, according to regulatory filings.
Berkshire sold 41.7 million Apple shares during the period, lowering the company’s portfolio weighting in the technology giant to 21 percent, representing a 74 percent reduction over two years, the filings showed.
Apple heading into 2026
Apple reported $102 billion in revenue for the September quarter, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, supported by sales of iPhones, Mac computers and services, according to the company’s earnings statement. Non-GAAP net income rose 13 percent to $1.85 per share, aided by margin growth and share buyback programs.
The iPhone maker’s installed base exceeds 2.35 billion devices, according to company data. Apple introduced its Apple Intelligence suite last year, which currently offers generative artificial intelligence features for newer devices at no charge. The company has indicated paid options are expected in coming years.
Berkshire acquired 17.8 million shares of Alphabet during the quarter, representing approximately 2 percent of the investment firm’s portfolio, the filings indicated. Alphabet has returned 12,180 percent since its 2004 initial public offering and carries a market capitalization of $3.7 trillion, making it the third-largest company globally by market value.
The investment marks a shift for Buffett, who historically avoided technology stocks. Alphabet’s business spans digital advertising, cloud computing and autonomous driving technologies.
The transactions reflect Berkshire’s reallocation within the technology sector, reducing exposure to Apple while adding positions in companies with artificial intelligence capabilities, according to the regulatory disclosures.
