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Warren Buffett dominated business headlines this week with Berkshire Hathaway's third-quarter earnings release on Saturday, revealing the legendary investor's continued cautious stance on stock markets. According to Fortune, the conglomerate sold twelve point five billion dollars of stock while purchasing only six point four billion, marking the twelfth consecutive quarter of net selling. This extends a three-year pattern of Buffett being a net seller despite having unprecedented dry powder.

The most striking development was Berkshire's cash position ballooning to a record three hundred eighty-two billion dollars, according to multiple sources including Nasdaq and Business Insider. Despite controlling such massive investable capital, Buffett chose to keep it largely out of equities, a dramatic shift from his historical posture. Back in two thousand eighteen, he famously told CNBC it was hard to imagine months when Berkshire wasn't a net buyer. Those days are clearly over.

The timing adds complexity to what Business Insider describes as a tricky transition period. Buffett announced in May that he'd step down as CEO by year's end after nearly six decades leading the company. His chosen successor, Greg Abel, will take the helm in January while Buffett remains as chairman. Since that announcement, Berkshire shares have lost twelve percent despite the S&P five hundred surging twenty percent, reflecting what experts call the evaporation of the Buffett premium.

The selloff extends to Apple, where Buffett has dramatically reduced Berkshire's position. According to Business Insider, he's sold roughly two-thirds of what was once his largest stock holding since twenty twenty-three, leaving significant gains on the table as Apple shares recently hit fresh highs.

However, Buffett did authorize one final significant deal during his waning months as CEO. According to Fortune and Business Insider, Berkshire agreed in early October to acquire OxyChem, the chemicals division of Occidental Petroleum, for nine point seven billion dollars. The move boosts Berkshire's already substantial stake in Occidental while representing potentially his last major acquisition.

Operating earnings jumped thirty-four percent year-over-year to thirteen point five billion, fueled by insurance underwriting nearly tripling. Yet Berkshire skipped stock buybacks for a fifth consecutive quarter, signaling extreme caution about valuations. The message seems clear: Buffett believes the market is expensive and is positioning his successor with enormous capital for when bargains inevitably return.

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Buffett's $382B Cash Hoard: Berkshire's Cautious Stance Amid CEO Transition

Warren Buffet - Biography Flash