Warren Buffett: 19 Apple transactions (Berkshire Hathaway / AAPL) (2024)

FAQs

Is Buffet still buying Apple? ›

In each of the last six quarters, Buffett has sold more stocks for Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK. A) (NYSE: BRK.B) than he bought. Last quarter, he sold off a big chunk of his Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) position and the entirety of his Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA) investment.

Warren Buffett Just Sold $21 Billion in Apple Stock. Here's Why.

The 790 million shares of Apple stock that Buffett and Berkshire now own would provide a $198 million quarterly dividend payment after the Apple hike, compared with the roughly $190 million quarterly it would have seen if Apple hadn't hiked the dividend.

CNBC. "Berkshire Cuts Apple Investment by About 13%, Buffett Hints That it's for Tax Reasons." Berkshire Hathaway. "United States Securities and Exchange Commission 10Q Filing, Page 9."

The Vanguard Group was Apple's top shareholder as of January 2024 with more than 1.27 billion shares representing 8.27% of total shares. Arthur Levinson was Apple's top individual insider shareholder as of January 2024 with more than 4.5 million shares.

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.

The lowest closing price for Apple (AAPL) all-time was $0.04, on July 8, 1982. The latest price is $217.49.

The Dividend Growth Machine

In 1994, Berkshire Hathaway received a $75 million cash dividend from Coca-Cola. By 2023, that annual dividend had grown to $736 million.

The company's incrementally stronger preference for a dividend compared to Apple management's means that Microsoft has a higher payout ratio of 27%. Though that's still a healthy figure. Apple wins when it comes to payout ratio, but Microsoft is the overall winner as a dividend stock.

What is Warren Buffett's favorite dividend stock? ›

Buffett loves The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) and its soft drinks. Coca-Cola has been in Berkshire's portfolio longer than any other stock. Buffett views co*ke as one of the stocks Berkshire will never sell. It's a Dividend King with 62 consecutive dividend increases.

Warren Buffett's succession plan names vice chairman Greg Abel to succeed the Oracle of Omaha. Abel, who is the chair of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, has overseen the non-insurance operations of Berkshire Hathaway since 2018, including things like utilities and BNSF Railroad.

Berkshire Hathaway is required to hold onto cash

That's because Berkshire Hathaway's massive insurance operations require the company to have an ample cash reserve to fund potential insurance payouts.

Buffett said the unfruitful Paramount bet made him think more deeply about what people prioritize in their leisure time. He previously said the streaming industry has too many players seeking viewer dollars, causing a stiff price war.

Buffett only upgraded to an iPhone four years ago after previously using a $20 flip phone. Buffett told CNBC's Becky Quick in February 2020 that he uses his iPhone "as a phone" and doesn't use "all its facilities like most people."

"Warren Buffett Makes Over $120 Billion on Apple's Rise to $3 Trillion, Among His Best Bets Ever." CNBC. "Everything Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger Said at the 2023 Annual Meeting."

Tim Cook – 3,280,053 – 0.021%

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, is the company's second-largest individual shareholder, with 3.28 million shares as of October 2023, representing 0.021% of the total stock. Cook, who became CEO in August 2011, shortly before Steve Jobs' death, was Jobs' recommended successor.