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Berkshire Hathaway has made three significant moves that signal a major bet on the U.S. housing market, according to a report from The Motley Fool. In the second quarter, the company acquired homebuilder Taylor Morrison for $8.5 billion, increased its stake in Lennar by about 30%, and bought shares of D.R. Horton. These investments come on top of Berkshire's existing housing exposure, including Clayton Homes and Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. The moves suggest CEO Greg Abel is positioning for a housing recovery, despite the market being described as "frozen" by Home Depot's CEO. With a massive housing shortage and pent-up demand, the bet could pay off if interest rates decline.

Berkshire Hathaway bought $17 billion worth of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, in the second quarter, making the stock its third-largest holding and overtaking Coca-Cola. An investment filing disclosed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, August 14, showed that Berkshire held nearly 106 million Alphabet shares across Class A and Class C, worth about $36.6 billion, surpassing Coca-Cola, in which Berkshire's stake was worth about $35.1 billion. That put Alphabet behind Apple, with a holding value of $69.7 billion, and American Express at $51.9 billion. Berkshire increased its Alphabet position by 48.1 million shares in the second quarter, with about 60% of the added shares coming through a direct purchase from Alphabet via a $10 billion private placement. That means Berkshire may have bought roughly another $7 billion of Alphabet stock on the open market. Berkshire also significantly increased its investment in Delta Air Lines, raising its stake by 44%, worth about $1.6 billion. Berkshire now holds 57.3 million Delta Air Lines shares, valued at around $5.1 billion, and boosted its Macy's stake by 142%, though because the position was already small, the purchase was worth only about $100 million. In the second quarter, the company also announced the acquisition of Taylor Morrison Home for $6.8 billion and added about $280 million to its investment in homebuilder Lennar. At the same time, Berkshire continued to trim its financial holdings, cutting its Ally Financial stake by 7% and its Capital One stake by as much as 58%. For Bank of America, the company reduced its position by 5.9%, which was modest compared with other stocks, but because of the large investment value, the holding declined by $1.7 billion, making it Berkshire's biggest dollar-value reduction of the quarter. To date, Berkshire has cut its Bank of America stake by 53% after selling for eight consecutive quarters.

Berkshire Hathaway became a net buyer of stocks for the first time in 15 quarters under new CEO Greg Abel, signaling an end to its prolonged capital hoarding. The company authorized over $4.5 billion in share buybacks during the second quarter, up from $235 million in the first quarter, and repurchased over $3.3 billion of stock in July alone. Berkshire bought around $23.5 billion of shares while selling $3.7 billion, for about $20 billion in net purchases, including a large position in Alphabet and more than $21 billion across other commercial and industrial names. The quarter also included the $6.8 billion all-cash acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison. Operating earnings rose 16% year-over-year to $12.98 billion, while net earnings attributable to shareholders more than doubled to $25.67 billion, boosted by $12.68 billion in investment gains. Berkshire's cash and Treasury position fell to $365.5 billion from a record $397.4 billion three months earlier.

Berkshire Hathaway became a net buyer of stocks in the second quarter under new CEO Greg Abel, ending 14 consecutive quarters of net selling. The company purchased $23.5 billion of publicly traded equities while selling about $3.7 billion, and repurchased $4.5 billion of its own shares during the quarter. In July, Berkshire deployed at least another $10.1 billion through additional buybacks and the $6.8 billion acquisition of Taylor Morrison Home Corporation. The conglomerate also made a $10 billion investment in Alphabet, and its net liquidity fell to $364.7 billion at the end of June from $380.2 billion at the end of March. Operating earnings rose 16% to $12.98 billion, though GEICO's pre-tax underwriting profit fell 45%.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel has closed a $6.8 billion acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison Homes. The deal is one of several capital allocation moves Abel has made since taking over in January, including $235 million in share buybacks in the first quarter of 2026 and $4.5 billion in the second quarter. Abel also bought $10 billion of Alphabet stock in a private placement, split evenly between Class A and Class C shares. Warren Buffett praised Abel for completing the Taylor Morrison deal faster and smoother than he could have, and Abel said the company expects to unify its site-built homebuilding operations into a combined platform. The acquisition signals Berkshire's long-term view on a housing market recovery and fits with its existing real estate businesses, including Clayton Properties Group and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Famed investor Michael Burry has sharply criticized Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO Greg Abel, claiming he lacks Warren Buffett's patience for the fat pitch and declaring the conglomerate is no longer an appealing investment. Burry's comments follow Berkshire's second-quarter report, which showed a 4% decline in cash and Treasury bills to $364.7 billion under Abel, who took over in January 2026, marking the first sequential drop in four years. The company deployed roughly $4.5 billion on share repurchases, made a $10 billion investment in Alphabet, and acquired homebuilder Taylor Morrison for $6.8 billion. Despite net income more than doubling to $25.67 billion and operating earnings rising 16.3% to $12.98 billion, Burry stated on X that his biggest fear has come true. Some shareholders also expressed caution about deploying capital in an ebullient market.

Warren Buffett personally initiated Berkshire Hathaway's $30 billion investment in Alphabet, Google's parent company, signaling his continued involvement despite stepping back as CEO. Buffett, who retired as CEO at the end of 2025 and became chairman, told CNBC he made the call on the Alphabet stake, with successor CEO Greg Abel approving the decision. The two speak frequently and are on the same page, Buffett said, though he emphasized he is not running day-to-day operations. Abel is already putting his own imprint on the company, highlighted by the purchase of Taylor Morrison Home and plans to integrate it with Berkshire's other housing businesses, a more hands-on approach than Buffett's style.

Berkshire Hathaway reported second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $12.98 billion, up from $11.16 billion a year earlier, as CEO Greg Abel sharply increased share repurchases and reversed a prolonged stretch of stock selling. Abel spent approximately $4.5 billion on buybacks during the quarter, a significant jump from $235 million in the first three months of 2026, and the company swung to nearly $20 billion in net equity purchases after 14 consecutive quarters of net selling. Cash reserves fell to $365.5 billion as of June 30 from a record $397.4 billion at the end of the first quarter, partly reflecting the closing of the Taylor Morrison acquisition. Earnings were driven by a 24% increase in the manufacturing, service and retailing segment to $4.47 billion, a 27% rise in Berkshire Hathaway Energy profit to $891 million, and a 6% gain at BNSF railroad to $1.56 billion, while insurance underwriting earnings dropped 13% to $1.73 billion and insurance investment income fell 9% to $3.06 billion. Net earnings attributable to shareholders reached $25.67 billion, compared with $12.37 billion a year earlier, boosted by $12.68 billion in investment gains including $10.9 billion in unrealized equity gains. The filing also showed Alphabet has entered the top five equity positions by market value, joining American Express, Apple, Bank of America and Coca-Cola, with the $10 billion stake focused on supporting AI development.

Berkshire Hathaway became a net buyer of stocks in the second quarter, ending a 14-quarter selling streak under new CEO Greg Abel. The conglomerate purchased nearly $23.5 billion in equities and sold about $3.7 billion, while its cash hoard declined from over $397 billion to $365.5 billion. A $10 billion private placement in Alphabet was a key driver, making it a top-five position in the roughly $355 billion portfolio. Berkshire also repurchased about $4.5 billion of its own stock, up from no buybacks in 2025 and $2.9 billion in 2024. The company announced the acquisition of Taylor Morrison Homes for $6.8 billion, though the deal closed after the quarter and is not reflected in equity purchases.

Warren Buffett announced plans to donate his remaining 13.2% economic interest in Berkshire Hathaway, worth around $140 billion, by December 31, 2034. He recently converted $6 billion in Class A shares to Class B and donated them to family-affiliated foundations, notably excluding the Gates Foundation for the first time in 20 years. The transfer may not immediately flood the market, as Buffett's family foundations could hold the shares, and any sales would likely be gradual. Berkshire Hathaway has also resumed share buybacks, repurchasing between $5 billion and $11 billion of stock, which could absorb selling pressure. The company continues to pursue major deals under new CEO Greg Abel, including an $8.5 billion acquisition of Taylor Morrison and a $10 billion participation in Alphabet's $80 billion equity offering.

Berkshire Hathaway has acquired Taylor Morrison Home Corp., marking CEO Greg Abel's first major deal and a significant expansion into the US homebuilding market. The acquisition makes Berkshire one of the largest US homebuilders, trailing only D.R. Horton, Lennar, and PulteGroup based on 2025 closings. The move extends Berkshire's housing empire, which already includes Clayton Homes, real estate brokerages, and building materials, giving it exposure to nearly every stage of the homebuying economy. Taylor Morrison CEO Sheryl Palmer will remain in her role, and the combined entity aims to become a top-three builder in every market it serves. The deal reflects long-term optimism for housing despite high mortgage rates, with analysts noting Berkshire's patient capital and potential synergies in factory-built components that could cut costs by about $6,200 per home.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel completed the roughly $6.8 billion acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison, a small deal for a conglomerate that ended the first quarter with nearly $400 billion in cash. Abel said the company expects to unify its site-built homebuilding operations into a combined platform, signaling a more active management style than his predecessor Warren Buffett, who retired at the end of 2025. While Buffett was known for a hands-off approach, Abel is likely to be much more involved in integrating owned businesses, a process that could take years across Berkshire's more than one hundred companies. The move represents an evolution rather than a replacement of Buffett's strategy, with Abel expected to continue making acquisitions while focusing on improving internal operations over the next decade.

Berkshire Hathaway has completed its acquisition of Taylor Morrison, making it the fourth largest US homebuilder. The company also announced that its subsidiary CORT is expanding globally through a deal with Dwellworks Living. These moves increase Berkshire Hathaway's presence in residential construction and global mobility and temporary living services. Berkshire Hathaway shares trade around $744,999.99, and the stock has returned 39.7% over three years and 77.8% over five years, with a 2.6% gain over the past year.

Berkshire Hathaway has completed its acquisition of Taylor Morrison for $72.50 per common share in cash, representing a total equity value of approximately $6.8 billion and total enterprise value of approximately $8.5 billion. Taylor Morrison will continue to be led by CEO Sheryl Palmer and will unify with Berkshire Hathaway's site-built homebuilding operations, including Clayton Properties Group's 15 regional and local homebuilders. The combined operation delivered nearly 23,000 site-built home closings in 2025, operates in 21 states and 52 housing markets, and serves more than 700 communities nationally, positioning it as the fourth largest homebuilding operation in the United States. Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel called Taylor Morrison a best-in-class national homebuilder that will lead the company's vision for a unified site-built homebuilding operation. Sheryl Palmer said the scale and reach gained by unifying with Berkshire and Clayton's regional site-built homebuilders is transformative.

Warren Buffett was a net seller of equities for 13 consecutive quarters before stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway’s chief executive at the end of 2025, with the gap between sales and purchases reaching approximately $187 billion. Berkshire’s cash and Treasury bill holdings surged from roughly $100 billion in late 2022 to a record $397.4 billion in the first quarter of 2026, representing more than a third of the conglomerate’s total market value. The Buffett Indicator, the ratio of total U.S. market capitalization to GDP, hit a record closing high of 238.5% on June 1 and remained above 235% into early July, far exceeding the 200% level Buffett once called dangerous. The S&P 500 Shiller price-to-earnings ratio stood at about 41.6 in early July, the second-highest reading since 1871 and well above the long-term average of 17.4. New CEO Greg Abel told shareholders that the cash reserve serves a deliberate strategic purpose and that Berkshire will not compromise its financial independence to chase deals in an overpriced market, though he has made selective moves including an $8.5 billion agreement to acquire Taylor Morrison and a $10 billion commitment to Alphabet.

Berkshire Hathaway is making an $8.5 billion bet on homebuilding and artificial intelligence under CEO Greg Abel. The company plans to acquire Taylor Morrison for $8.5 billion through its Clayton Homes division, followed by the purchase of McGuinn Homes, expanding into site-built and build-to-rent housing. In technology, Berkshire has built a $31.1 billion position in Alphabet and participated in a $10 billion private placement to support Alphabet's AI infrastructure, alongside a $58 billion stake in Apple. Shareholders are set to vote on the Taylor Morrison deal on July 22, while the company holds a roughly $397 billion cash pile that has not yet been fully deployed.

The U.S. House passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a 358-32 vote, sending the bipartisan affordable housing legislation to President Donald Trump for final approval. The Senate had approved the measure 85-5 on Monday, and Trump is scheduled to sign it at the Capitol on Wednesday. The bill aims to boost housing supply by waiving or speeding up environmental reviews for home construction and capping the number of single-family homes that large institutional investors can own. Homebuilders such as D.R. Horton, Lennar, PulteGroup, NVR, and Taylor Morrison Home, along with building-products supplier Builders FirstSource and manufactured housing companies Champion Homes and Cavco Industries, are seen as potential beneficiaries.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel has reshaped the company's equity portfolio by tripling its stake in Alphabet and exiting Amazon along with several smaller positions. The company has also agreed to acquire homebuilder Taylor Morrison, adding another operating business to its collection. Abel has personally bought Berkshire shares and pledged his salary toward share buybacks, while Warren Buffett has publicly backed him as CEO. The moves refocus a $341 billion equities portfolio on fewer, larger technology and consumer platforms, and come alongside nearly $400 billion in cash and the reopening of share repurchases.

PulteGroup reported first-quarter revenues of $3.41 billion, a 12.4% decline from a year earlier, in line with analyst expectations but accompanied by a miss on earnings per share estimates. The results were part of a mixed quarter for the 12 home builders tracked, whose aggregate revenues missed consensus estimates by 0.6%. Taylor Morrison Home stood out with revenues of $1.39 billion, down 26.8% year on year but beating expectations by 4.1%, while NVR posted the weakest performance with revenues of $1.88 billion, down 21.7% and missing estimates by 7.8%. KB Home reported revenues of $1.08 billion, down 22.6% and missing estimates by 1.8%, and D.R. Horton reported revenues of $7.56 billion, down 2.3% and slightly below expectations. On average, the group's share prices have risen 2.9% since their latest earnings releases.