Berkshire Hathaway Repurchases $9.6 Billion in Third Quarter Shares

Berkshire Hathaway repurchased $9.6 billion of its own shares in the third quarter of 2026, more than doubling the $4.53 billion spent on buybacks during the second quarter. This activity brings the conglomerate's total share repurchases for the year to $14.4 billion, marking a reversal after a 21-month pause during which the stock traded at a high premium to its book value.

The company ended September 2026 with $377.4 billion in combined cash, equivalents, and U.S. Treasury bills. While the conglomerate reported $12.7 billion in operating earnings for the quarter—exceeding analyst predictions—overall profit fell more than 28% to $22.1 billion due to changes in investment values. The company has remained a net buyer of stocks in 2026, with net purchases totaling $11.2 billion year-to-date.

Performance varied across subsidiaries. The insurance unit, specifically Geico, saw underwriting profit decline to $982 million as the company increased advertising spending to counter rising claim costs and declining premiums. Conversely, non-insurance businesses including BNSF railroad and Precision Castparts showed stronger performance. These results follow a leadership transition in which Greg Abel assumed the CEO role in January and the chairman title in September following the retirement of Warren Buffett.