Warren Buffett’s six-decade reign at Berkshire Hathaway is filled with stories of staggering profits, philosophical pivots, and a few painful lessons. As the 94-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” announces plans to retire as CEO by the end of 2025, the spotlight is once again on the investments that made, and occasionally unmade, his fortune.
The creative actions
Buffett’s search for underestimated businesses resulted in generational success:
- Apple: Buffett founded the company in 2016, referring to it as a” consumer goods business,” despite having avoided technology for decades. A$ 31 billion funding at its height grew to over$ 174 billion.
- Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and American Express: Buffett bought these companies when they lost ground. They collectively have returned more than$ 100 billion, without excluding decades of dividends.
- BYD: Following Charlie Munger’s tips, Buffett placed a$ 232 million bet on the Chinese EV manufacturer in 2008. Before Buffett started trimming it, that stake reached a peak of more than$ 9 billion.
- Recognizes Candy: Bought in 1972 for$ 25 million, Perceives helped Buffett embrace reputable companies with enduring walls. Since then, it has generated billions in profits and helped shape his philosophy of investment.
- National indemnity: This purchase from 1967 enabled Berkshire to accumulate “float,” or valuable funds from insurance premiums, which is a vital source of capital. Berkshire’s plan float is currently$ 173 billion.
The expensive errors
Yet Buffett misinterpreted it, and when he did, he owned it:
- Dexter Shoe: Using Berkshire property, acquired in 1993. Buffett later acknowledged that he gave away 1.6 % of Berkshire” for nothing” after the business collapsed.
- Missed software growth: Buffett stayed on the outside for decades. These missed options, according to his own admission, does have cost Berkshire billion.
- Selling lenders too quickly: Buffett offloaded stakes in Wells Fargo and JPMorgan in the run-up to the crisis. Since then, both securities have more than doubled.
- Blue Chip passports: The rewards system faded after the company was previously a flourishing business. However, the fly it generated led to the acquisition of companies like See’s and Wesco, which provided a positive outcome.
- Buffett called it his “worst purchase,” according to Berkshire Hathaway ( the textile factory ). Up until 1985, the failing firm resisted funding. It was surprisingly used to hold one of literature’s biggest investing booms.
A reputation that goes beyond the register
Buffett’s talent was not limited to what he purchased; it was also expressed in how he thought. He rewrote the laws of long-term trading, from valuing dynamic moats to advocating patience and dignity. The final score features classic victories, informative problems, and a wealth that grew not just in cash but also in control as he prepares to pass the torch.
