Berkshire's 48 million Alphabet buy makes it third-largest holding

Berkshire Hathaway has long favored traditional, less technological businesses, so its large Alphabet position stands out. The latest 13F filing shows the conglomerate bought more than 48 million Alphabet shares across both share classes during Q2, lifting the stake to about 12.6% of its equity portfolio. That scale signals unusual conviction for a company historically wary of tech.

The buying continued a thread that began under Warren Buffett, who initiated Berkshire's first Alphabet purchase before his tenure as CEO ended. This week he announced he was also stepping down as chairman and shifting to chairman emeritus, but current management has kept the position. Berkshire's historical preference for multiyear holding periods means the disclosure may be a starting point rather than a final tally.

The stakes for Berkshire shareholders and for investors watching Alphabet's AI exposure hinge on whether the conglomerate treats this as a durable core holding or a one-time allocation. Because the filing reflects holdings as of June 30, the next disclosures will show whether management added or trimmed — and that is likely to shape how the market reads Berkshire's conviction in Alphabet.