Warren Buffett walks the floor and meets with Berkshire Hathaway shareholders ahead of their annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 3rd, 2024.
David A. Grogen | CNBC
The mystery over Warren Buffett’s surprisingly defensive stance deepened over the weekend.
The 94-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway sold more stocks in the latest quarter and grew a record cash pile even larger to $334 billion, but failed to explain in his highly anticipated annual letter why the investor known for his astute equity purchases over time was seemingly battening down the hatches.
Instead Buffett said that this posture in no way represented a move away from his love for stocks.
“Despite what some commentators currently view as an extraordinary cash position at Berkshire, the great majority of your money remains in equities,” Buffett wrote in the 2024 annual letter released Saturday. “That preference won’t change.”
Berkshire’s monstrous ownership of cash has raised questions among shareholders and observers especially as interest rates are expected to fall from their multi-year highs. The Berkshire CEO and chairman in recent years has expressed frustration about an expensive market and few buying opportunities. Some investors and analysts have grown impatient with the lack of action and have sought an explanation why.
Despite his repeated selling of stock, Buffett said Berkshire will continue to prefer equities to cash.
“Berkshire shareholders can rest assured that we will forever deploy a substantial majority of their money in equities – mostly American equities although many of these will have international operations of significance,” Buffett wrote. “Berkshire will never prefer ownership of cash-equivalent assets over the ownership of good businesses, whether controlled or only partially owned.”
Shareholders will have to wait a little longer it seems as the Omaha-based conglomerate net sold equities for a ninth consecutive quarter in the final period of last year, according to the company’s annual report, which was also released on Saturday.
All told, Berkshire sold more than $134 billion worth of stocks in 2024. This is mainly due to the shrinking of Berkshire’s two largest equity holdings — Apple and Bank of America.
Meanwhile, it appears Buffett is not finding his own stock attractive either. Berkshire continued its buyback halt, repurchasing no shares in the fourth quarter or in the first quarter through Feb. 10.
This is despite a massive increase in operating earnings reported by the conglomerate on Saturday.
‘Often, nothing looks compelling’
Buffett’s sitting on his hands amid a raging bull market that’s seen the S&P 500 gain more than 20% for two years in a row and move into the green again so far this year. Some cracks have begun to develop in the past week, however, with some concerns growing about a slowing economy, volatility from rapid policy changes from new President Donald Trump and overall stock valuations.
Berkshire shares were up 25% and 16% respectively the last two years and are up 5% so far this year.
Buffett did offer perhaps a small hint about stock valuations being a concern in the letter.
“We are impartial in our choice of equity vehicles, investing in either variety based upon where we can best deploy your (and my family’s) savings,” wrote Buffett. “Often, nothing looks compelling; very infrequently we find ourselves knee-deep in opportunities.”
In this year’s letter, Buffett did endorse designated successor Greg Abel in his ability to pick equity opportunities, even comparing him to the late Charlie Munger.
“Often, nothing looks compelling; very infrequently we find ourselves knee-deep in opportunities. Greg has vividly shown his ability to act at such times as did Charlie,” Buffett said.
At last year’s annual meeting, Buffett surprised many by announcing that Abel, vice-chairman of non-insurance operations, will have the final say on all Berkshire’s investing decisions, including overseeing the public stock portfolio.
Some investors and analysts have speculated Buffett’s conservative moves in the last year are not a market call, but him preparing the company for Abel by paring outsized positions and building up cash for him to deploy one day.
Buffett did signal he would be deploying capital in one area: the five Japanese trading houses he began buying nearly six years go.
“Over time, you will likely see Berkshire’s ownership of all five increase somewhat,” he wrote.