Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway recently revealed its increased stake in Apple. With 239.3 million shares, the company is now the second largest Apple shareholder behind Vanguard Group, according to Reuters.
In a March 31 regulatory filing, Berkshire explained that as much as $14.9 billion it invested in equities during the first quarter of 2018 went to Apple. That gave the company roughly a 5 percent stake in the iPhone and iPad maker. In making the move, Berkshire surpassed BlackRock Inc as Apple’s second largest shareholder.
Right now, Berkshire’s stake in Apple is worth around $40 billion. In February 2017, Berkshire’s Apple shares were worth around $18 million.
If Buffett has his way, Berkshire’s position in Apple will probably climb even further over the coming months. On May 7, Buffett told CNBC: “I’d love to own 100 percent” of Apple, at the right price.
In a sign of the times, Berkshire also noted it sold its entire stake in Graham Holdings Co, the former publisher of the Washington Post. Much of Berkshire’s holdings were once newspapers. Though it still owns 32 daily newspapers, that number is significantly less than before.