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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Cashes In on Blue Chip Stocks
Thanks for that @BaluBalu. Sorry it didn’t work. The FT (to which I subscribe) indicated it would be acceptable (and workable) to share this story.
Below, I have summarized most (but not all) of the article’s key points. And, I’ve quoted near the end, one especially telling sentence.
- Berkshire Hathaway cut positions in a number of blue-chip US companies in the third quarter.
- Buffett used the proceeds to boost cash.
- The company sold its remaining position in General Motors during the quarter.
- It closed out a small investment in UPS.
- It kept HP but reduced the holding by 15 percent.
- It sold off (completely) small positions in Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble,
- It reduced holdings in Amazon, Mondelez International, Markel and Globe Life (the last two both insurers).
- The Financial Times estimates that over the past year, Berkshire has divested itself of $40bn in public equity shares.
- The paper asserts (without direct substantiation) that Buffett found “5%” T-Bills more attractive.
- The paper puts Berkshire's cash position at $157bn at the end of September (a record high).
Here’s one interesting sentence quoted directly from the referenced FT Article:
“As part of its disclosure, Berkshire noted it had omitted at least one holding from the closely followed report, writing that it had requested confidential treatment from the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
The article asserts that these types of secrecy arrangements are used occasionally by Buffett to mask especially large purchases. I’d assume that’s to prevent front running or other “unsavory” attempts by investors to profit indirectly from Buffett’s trades (although the article did not so state).
Referenced Article: ”Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway cashes in on blue-chip US stocks” Published in The Financial Times, November 14, 2023 / Byline: Eric Platt
The link provided above does required a subscription. If you google the title and click on the FT link, one can read the article without the subscription. Strange for sure.
Comments
Below, I have summarized most (but not all) of the article’s key points. And, I’ve quoted near the end, one especially telling sentence.
- Berkshire Hathaway cut positions in a number of blue-chip US companies in the third quarter.
- Buffett used the proceeds to boost cash.
- The company sold its remaining position in General Motors during the quarter.
- It closed out a small investment in UPS.
- It kept HP but reduced the holding by 15 percent.
- It sold off (completely) small positions in Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble,
- It reduced holdings in Amazon, Mondelez International, Markel and Globe Life (the last two both insurers).
- The Financial Times estimates that over the past year, Berkshire has divested itself of $40bn in public equity shares.
- The paper asserts (without direct substantiation) that Buffett found “5%” T-Bills more attractive.
- The paper puts Berkshire's cash position at $157bn at the end of September (a record high).
Here’s one interesting sentence quoted directly from the referenced FT Article:
“As part of its disclosure, Berkshire noted it had omitted at least one holding from the closely followed report, writing that it had requested confidential treatment from the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
The article asserts that these types of secrecy arrangements are used occasionally by Buffett to mask especially large purchases. I’d assume that’s to prevent front running or other “unsavory” attempts by investors to profit indirectly from Buffett’s trades (although the article did not so state).
Referenced Article: ”Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway cashes in on blue-chip US stocks”
Published in The Financial Times, November 14, 2023 / Byline: Eric Platt