Berkshire Hathaway Invests $31.6 Billion in Alphabet Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway has established a significant long-term position in Alphabet Inc., with total ownership now estimated at 86.4 million shares. This 9.2% stake, valued at approximately $31.6 billion, was built through a phased acquisition strategy that began with a small initial stake in the third quarter of 2025. The conglomerate grew this position to roughly 54 million shares by the first quarter of 2026 before executing a $10 billion private placement in June.

Led by CEO Greg Abel, who took over the role in January 2026, the investment is designed to increase exposure to artificial intelligence and cloud computing growth. The $10 billion private placement provided Alphabet with capital to support a larger $80 billion equity raise intended for AI infrastructure build-outs. The shares acquired in this deal were split evenly between Class A and Class C shares.

This strategic shift toward high-growth technology stocks marks a departure from the traditional focus on old economy companies favored by Warren Buffett. The scale of the Alphabet investment mirrors Berkshire's previous high-profile position in Apple Inc. Abel is targeting Alphabet's advertising and cloud computing businesses, noting a contracted backlog of $460 billion as of the first quarter.