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Warren Buffett has captivated Wall Street yet again with what many are calling the final grand act of his legendary career. According to Fortune, Berkshire Hathaway just announced its $9.7 billion cash acquisition of OxyChem, the chemicals division of Occidental Petroleum. Analysts hail this as a genius double win for Berkshire—acquiring a steady cash-cow in OxyChem while also boosting the value and financial stability of Occidental, in which Buffett’s company already owns nearly 30 percent. This blockbuster deal is Buffett’s largest since the $11.6 billion purchase of Alleghany in 2022 and comes just months after he revealed plans to retire as CEO at year’s end, with Greg Abel poised to take over.

What’s striking is that the official announcement featured only Abel’s commentary—not Buffett’s—which many see as a clear signal of the torch being passed. Nonetheless, few doubt that Buffett remained a key force behind the scenes, given his historic ties to Occidental. This intricate dance with Oxy began years ago when Buffett famously engineered a $10 billion lifeline for Occidental’s acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum, carving out lucrative preferred shares for Berkshire and laying the groundwork for this week’s headline grabber.

The OxyChem deal stands out for its timing and structure. Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub stated, in a press release picked up by AOL, that Berkshire is getting a well-run business with strong employees, while the $6.5 billion infusion from the sale will allow Occidental to pay down substantial debts that have loomed since their aggressive oil patch expansions. For Berkshire, OxyChem is set to operate independently, adding a major player in chlor-alkali products—think piping, medical equipment, construction—fitting seamlessly alongside the company's previous chemical acquisition, Lubrizol.

Market reaction was mixed: Occidental shares dipped on initial news, which some interpreters on Business Insider chalked up to a classic “sell the news” move, and perhaps reduced expectations that Buffett would one day scoop up the entire parent oil company. Industry insiders are calling the terms “extremely favorable” for Berkshire, with the price reportedly about eight times OxyChem’s average decade-long earnings—an old-school Buffett value play.

Speculation swirls that this could be Buffett’s last major deal, though some voices suggest he might still have a surprise left before the final handoff. And while Buffett will soon hand the CEO title to Abel, he’ll maintain his post as Berkshire chairman, undoubtedly watching—and perhaps shaping—the company’s next moves. Headlines everywhere, from Fortune to AP, call this deal a fitting “swan song” and a finely tuned transition for one of the greatest in business history. No major social media controversy or splashy public appearances have surfaced in conjunction with the deal, and the narrative has centered on this moment as both a farewell act and a master class in dealmaking from the Oracle of Omaha.

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Warren Buffet - Biography Flash