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The past few days have seen Warren Buffett enter the headlines with one of the most impactful moves of his storied career. On October 2, Berkshire Hathaway announced it would acquire the OxyChem chemicals business from Occidental Petroleum for $9.7 billion in cash—a deal widely hailed by Fortune and other outlets as a “genius win” and possibly Buffett’s final big acquisition before his planned retirement as CEO at year’s end. This transaction marks Berkshire’s largest buy since it snapped up Alleghany Insurance in 2022, and it’s notable for being executed under the public eye of Greg Abel, Berkshire’s vice chairman and designated successor. Intriguingly, company communications conspicuously omitted Buffett’s own name, signaling an unmistakable passing of the torch, as reported by ABC News and Entrepreneur. Buffett will remain as Executive Chairman, retaining a guiding hand over Berkshire’s immense $344 billion cash pile.

The timing of the OxyChem deal is biographically significant for Buffett. Analysts like Doug Leggate of Wolfe Research characterized it as a “win-plus” for Berkshire, which owns nearly 30 percent of Occidental. The acquisition not only brings a steady cash-generating subsidiary focused on vital PVC and chlor-alkali products into the Berkshire fold but also strategically strengthens Occidental itself—$6.5 billion of the proceeds will immediately cut down Occidental’s daunting debt, cleaning up baggage from prior megadeals and, as The Wall Street Journal notes, putting the oil giant on firmer ground for the future.

For Berkshire, the OxyChem portfolio will fit snugly alongside Lubrizol and its other industrial holdings, providing low volatility and pricing power amid shifting housing and infrastructure trends. Financial Times and Kingswell highlighted Abel’s complements to Occidental leadership in public statements, while Buffett’s prior direct involvement in the initial Occidental investment saga—financing its 2019 Anadarko takeover—remains a pillar of Berkshire’s current petroleum empire.

Buffett’s anticipated retirement continues to ripple through markets and social media. As shared by Morningstar and Kingswell, he informed shareholders at the annual meeting in May of his decision to step down as CEO on January 1, 2026. The latest regulatory filings formally separated his CEO and Chairman titles this week—a historic move, ending a more than five-decade era. Greg Abel’s jump to the helm has generated substantial buzz, with analysts, business writers, and legacy Berkshire followers speculating on Abel’s future direction and the style of leadership post-Buffett. Meanwhile, Buffett himself holds steady in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index’s top ranks, with a fortune topping $149 billion.

No notable public appearances from Buffett have been seen since the OxyChem headlines broke, and his social media mentions focus squarely on this deal and his legacy as America’s legendary investor. There’s chatter about the upcoming 2024 annual letter being his last—confirmed by Berkshire historian Max Olson. As the homestretch of Buffett’s legendary run approaches, the world watches for one last rally in Berkshire’s stock price, and for whatever final words the Oracle of Omaha may have for his devoted shareholders.

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Buffett's Billion-Dollar Bow Out: OxyChem Deal Marks Historic Handoff to Abel

Warren Buffet - Biography Flash