Given his general disdain for tech stocks, Warren Buffett is a surprisingly big fan of Amazon.
Back before the 2000s, Warren Buffett was well known for his general disdain for tech stocks. During the dot-com bubble back in 1999, he (rightly) warned that most internet start-ups would eventually flop. According to reports, this warning resonated deeply with Amazon (AMZN -0.27%) founder Jeff Bezos. "[Bezos] changed his method of managing the company," says Milton Berg, a former advisor to George Soros and Stanley Druckenmiller. "He didn't want Buffett to be right."
More than two decades later, Amazon is still in business, having become one of the largest companies in the world, with a market cap of $2.1 trillion. As for Buffett, he eventually adjusted his views on tech stocks, and his holding company Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.54%) (BRK.B -0.72%) owns several tech stocks and has become one of Amazon's largest shareholders.
Buffett is betting big on Amazon
According to the latest 13F filings, Berkshire's publicly traded portfolio includes around 40 stock holdings. Amazon is the 17th largest holding on the list, with a total stake of 10 million shares worth roughly $1.8 billion. That represents 0.1% of Amazon's total share count. Berkshire has owned Amazon stock since the first quarter of 2019. Since then, the share price has more than doubled.
Berkshire's original stake was valued at around $860 million. According to Buffett, the investment was initiated by one of his lieutenants, either Todd Combs or Ted Weschler. At the time, Buffett jokingly added that he had been "an idiot" for not initiating the investment himself. Share price appreciation has contributed most to Berkshire's growing stake in Amazon, but the firm hasn't remained steadfast in its investment. It sold some Amazon stock as recently as last summer when it trimmed its stake by 550,000 shares.
John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Ryan Vanzo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
FAQs
According to the latest 13F filings, Berkshire's publicly traded portfolio includes around 40 stock holdings. Amazon is the 17th largest holding on the list, with a total stake of 10 million shares worth roughly $1.8 billion. That represents 0.1% of Amazon's total share count.
How much Amazon does Warren Buffett own? ›
Amazon doesn't feature prominently in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. The conglomerate owned just 10 million shares of Amazon as of the second quarter. That sounds like a lot in a vacuum, but for comparison, it also owned 400 million Apple shares.
Who owns the most amount of Amazon stock? ›
Jeffrey Bezos owns the most shares of Amazon (AMZN).
What stocks is Warren Buffett buying in 2024? ›
- Apple Inc. ( AAPL) Apple produces the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac computers and other devices. ...
- American Express Co. ( AXP) ...
- Moody's Corp. ( MCO) ...
- Kraft Heinz Co. ( KHC) ...
- Chubb Ltd. ( CB) ...
- Citigroup Inc. ( C) ...
- Visa Inc. ( V) ...
- Mastercard Inc. ( MA)
Almost half of the total portfolio
It owns nearly 790 million shares of Apple stock, or a 5.1% stake in the company. Buffett recently grouped Apple together with American Express and Coca-Cola as stocks he plans to hold forever.
Who owns Amazon 100%? ›
Amazon is a publicly traded company, which means it's owned by shareholders. Its largest individual shareholder is founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos, followed by institutional investors Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street.
How much of the stock market does Jeff Bezos own? ›
Bezos controlled about 10.8% of the company's outstanding stock, as of a February proxy statement. Bloomberg reported that he would still hold nearly 912 million shares, or about 8.8% of Amazon, following the latest sale.
Was Amazon stock ever $3000 a share? ›
Key Points. Amazon has soared more than 1,000% over the past decade, and the stock climbed past $3,000 prior to its last stock split. The company generates billions of dollars in earnings, thanks to its leadership in e-commerce and cloud services.
How much stake does Jeff Bezos have in Amazon? ›
Net Worth Summary
Bezos owns about 9% of Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, according to a July 2024 company filing. He also owns space exploration company Blue Origin, which is included at Bloomberg's calculation of investment cost.
How much of Amazon does BlackRock own? ›
In Amazon.com's case, its Top Key Executive, Jeffrey Bezos, is the largest shareholder, holding 9.0% of shares outstanding. The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 7.6% of common stock, and BlackRock, Inc. holds about 6.1% of the company stock.
Best stocks in 2024
| S.No. | Name | CMP Rs. |
|---|
| 1. | Man Infra | 191.09 |
| 2. | BLS Internat. | 408.20 |
| 3. | Black Box | 513.50 |
| 4. | RHI Magnesita | 591.05 |
22 more rowsStocks recently added to Warren Buffett's portfolio
Buffett added just two new holdings to the Berkshire portfolio in the second quarter. Those investments include the beauty product retailer Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and the aerospace and defense company Heico Corp. (HEI. A).
How much of Berkshire Hathaway does Buffett own? ›
Largest shareholders
Warren Buffett (16.45%) The Vanguard Group (11.18%) BlackRock (8.20%) State Street Corporation (5.30%)
Does Bill Gates have shares in Apple? ›
In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust dumped its stake in several large companies, including Apple, Meta, Google-owner Alphabet, Amazon and Nvidia. This was revealed in Berkshire's 13F filing with the SEC, which is required for all investors who manage over $100 million in funds.
What is the most expensive stock in the world? ›
Explore 5 most expensive stocks in the world
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: Are you amazed to see Warrant Buffet's company at the top of the list of most expensive stock? Yes, this consumer goods conglomerate is the world's most expensive stock, which has a current market price of US$ 630500.
What railroad does Warren Buffett own? ›
On January 24, 2005, the railroad's name was officially changed to BNSF Railway Company using the initials of its original name. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway acquired BNSF Railway in February 2010, obtaining all of its shares and taking the company private.
How much Jeff Bezos invested in Amazon? ›
He accepted an estimated $300,000 from his parents as an investment in Amazon. He warned many early investors that there was a 70% chance that Amazon would fail or go bankrupt. Although Amazon was originally an online bookstore, Bezos had always planned to expand to other products.
How much is Amazon worth Forbes? ›
Derek Saul has covered markets for the Forbes news team since 2021.
Is Warren Buffett a billionaire? ›
Buffett has an estimated net worth of almost $130 billion as of August 2024. According to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List, he is the seventh-richest person in the world, ahead of Bill Gates but behind Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
What business did Warren Buffett buy? ›
In This Story
As of June 30, Berkshire's top holdings are Apple (AAPL), Bank of America (BAC), American Express (AXP), Coca-Cola (KO), and Chevron (CVX). These are some of the biggest investing moves Buffett has made through his sprawling holding company so far this year.
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