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Berkshire Hathaway’s new CEO likes the shock course reversal introduced this week by the brand new CEO of Kraft Heinz.
Within the meals firm’s This autumn earnings launch, Steve Cahillane stated within the time since he joined the corporate 5 weeks in the past, he has “seen that the chance is bigger than anticipated and that a lot of our challenges are fixable and inside our management.”
Because of this, he is determined to “pause work” on the deliberate separation of Kraft from Heinz that was introduced final September. It might have primarily reversed the merger Warren Buffett helped orchestrate in 2015.
Berkshire is KHC’s largest shareholder with a 27.5% stake at present price $8.1 billion.
In a assertion given to CNBC and different information retailers, Berkshire CEO Greg Abel endorsed the change. “We assist CEO Steve Cahillane and the Kraft Heinz Board of Administrators’ resolution, below Steve’s new management, to pause work on the corporate’s beforehand deliberate separation. Because of this, administration can decide to strengthening Kraft Heinz’s capability to compete and serve clients.”
Characters on the Berkshire Hathaway firm Kraft Heinz sales space pose with a reporter on the shareholder procuring day as a part of the Berkshire Hathaway annual assembly weekend in Omaha, Nebraska, Could 5, 2017.
Rick Wilking | Reuters
Buffett, who often doesn’t criticize the administration of a Berkshire holding, was uncharacteristically vocal about his disapproval when plans for the break up had been made public greater than 5 months in the past.
In an off-camera cellphone name with CNBC’s Becky Fast, he stated he was “disillusioned” and did not rule out promoting some or all of Berkshire’s stake.
“It actually did not grow to be an excellent thought to place them collectively, however I do not suppose taking it aside will repair it.”
Simply three weeks in the past, Abel appeared to sign a pointy discount of Berkshire’s KHC place with an SEC registration for “the potential resale” for “as much as” 99.9% of the 325.6 million shares it reported holding as of September 30.
Kraft Heinz’s resolution to stay intact could assist hold these potential gross sales from changing into actuality.
Did Berkshire’s preparation for KHC share gross sales play a task in Cahillane’s reversal?
I actually do not know, but when it did, and if it was an intentional effort to strain KHC, it could be a major departure from Buffett’s long-standing hands-off coverage relating to the businesses in Berkshire’s fairness portfolio.
Kraft Heinz shares fell when the break up reversal was introduced Wednesday morning however rapidly rebounded to finish the week with a small 0.7% achieve.
Coming sights
Berkshire Hathaway is predicted to file its newest portfolio snapshot with the SEC after Tuesday’s closing bell.
It is going to reveal what shares it owned as of December 31, the top of its fourth quarter.
Among the many key questions:
Greg Abel speaks in the course of the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Assembly in Omaha, Nebraska on Could 4, 2024.
CNBC
Trying additional forward, Greg Abel’s first annual letter to shareholders shall be launched Saturday morning, February 28 round 8 AM ET (7AM CT), in line with a Berkshire information launch.
The corporate’s annual report and a fourth quarter earnings launch shall be out on the identical time, together with details about Berkshire’s Could 2 shareholders assembly.
BUFFETT & BERKSHIRE AROUND THE INTERNET
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM CNBC’S BUFFETT ARCHIVE
Buffett and Munger’s e-book suggestions (1994)
AUDIENCE QUESTION: What had been the three greatest books you learn final 12 months outdoors of the funding area? Why do not — even one will do.
WARREN BUFFETT: I am going to provide you with — I am going to tout a e-book first that I’ve learn however that is not obtainable but. However will probably be in September.
The lady who wrote it, I consider, is within the viewers and it is Ben Graham’s biography, which shall be obtainable in September, by Janet Lowe. And I’ve learn it and I feel these of you who’re excited by investments, for positive, will get pleasure from it. She’s finished an excellent job of capturing Ben.
One of many books I loved lots was written additionally by a shareholder who just isn’t right here as a result of he is being sworn in, I consider right now or tomorrow, possibly tomorrow, as head of the Voice of America.
And that is Geoff Cowan’s e-book, which is on “The Folks v. Clarence Darrow.” It is the story of the Clarence Darrow trial for, primarily, jury bribery in Los Angeles again round 1912, when the McNamara brothers had bombed the LA Occasions.
It is an interesting e-book. Geoff uncovered numerous info that the earlier biographies of Darrow did not have. I feel you’d get pleasure from that…
CHARLIE MUNGER: Nicely, I very a lot loved Connie Bruck’s biography Grasp of the Sport, which was a biography of Steve Ross, who headed Warner and later was, what, co-chairman of Time Warner.
WARREN BUFFETT: Yeah, he is just a little greater than co-chairman. (Laughs)
CHARLIE MUNGER: Yeah, and — she’s a really insightful author and it is a very attention-grabbing story.
I’m rereading a e-book I actually like, which is Van Doren’s biography of Benjamin Franklin, which got here out in 1952 [1938], and I might nearly forgotten how good a e-book it was. And that is obtainable in paperback in every single place. We have by no means had anyone fairly like Franklin on this nation. By no means once more.
BERKSHIRE STOCK WATCH
BRK.A inventory value: $751,425.00
BRK.B inventory value: $497.55
BRK.B P/E (TTM): 15.91
Berkshire market capitalization: $1,076,049,449,409
Berkshire Money as of September 30: $381.7 billion (Up 10.9% from June 30)
Excluding Rail Money and Subtracting T-Payments Payable: $354.3 billion (Up 4.3% from June 30)
No Berkshire inventory repurchases since Could 2024.
(All figures are as of the date of publication, except in any other case indicated)
BERKSHIRE’S TOP EQUITY HOLDINGS – Feb. 13, 2026
Berkshire’s prime holdings of disclosed publicly traded shares within the U.S. and Japan, by market worth, based mostly on the most recent closing costs.
Holdings are as of September 30, 2025, as reported in Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F submitting on November 14, 2025, aside from:
The complete checklist of holdings and present market values is offered from CNBC.com’s Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Tracker.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
Please ship any questions or feedback in regards to the e-newsletter to me at alex.crippen@nbcuni.com. (Sorry, however we do not ahead questions or feedback to Buffett himself.)
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Additionally, Buffett’s annual letters to shareholders are extremely really useful studying. There are collected right here on Berkshire’s web site.
— Alex Crippen, Editor, Warren Buffett Watch
