Berkshire Hathaway significantly ramped up its share repurchase program in the third quarter, spending 9.6 billion dollars to buy back its own stock. This aggressive move represents more than double the amount spent in the previous quarter and pushes the company’s total buybacks for 2026 to roughly 14.4 billion dollars. The decision comes at a time when the conglomerate, led by CEO Greg Abel, is facing some headwinds regarding its bottom line.
Operating earnings from the firm’s wholly owned subsidiaries dipped by nearly six percent compared to last year, totaling around 12.7 billion dollars. Much of this slump can be attributed to a cooling insurance sector, where underwriting profits plummeted by forty three percent and investment income saw a fourteen percent decline. While these losses were partially offset by growth in the company’s energy, manufacturing, and railroad divisions, overall quarterly earnings still slid twenty eight percent due to a steep drop in investment gains from its vast stock portfolio.
Interestingly, investors seem unfazed by the dip in profitability. Berkshire shares have surged recently as traders rotate away from volatile tech stocks toward more stable value plays. In just the last month, Class A shares climbed over twelve percent while the broader S&P 500 fell by more than five percent. This trend has helped Berkshire outperform the general market throughout most of the year despite the volatility in its internal earnings reports.
As part of its cautious financial strategy, Berkshire continues to maintain an enormous mountain of cash, which grew slightly this quarter to over 377 billion dollars. Even with the increased spend on share buybacks, the company remains heavily liquid and steady in its core convictions. Its top five equity holdings remain unchanged, continuing to lean heavily on staples like Apple, Alphabet, American Express, Coca Cola and Bank of America.
