Buffett Didn’t Bail on the Market: What Berkshire Hathaway Did in 2024–2025

Some folks think Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway “cashed out,” dumping stocks and abandoning the market. Newbies saw their $325 billion cash pile and figured Buffett was scared of a crash. Nope, that’s not the story. They pocketed massive profits, tweaked their portfolio a bit, and stayed in the game. Here’s the real deal.

Why’d They Sell?

1. Locked in Huge Profits: Berkshire sold some stocks, raking in $70–100 billion, while keeping big chunks of their top holdings. For example, they sold 600 million Apple shares (making ~$90 billion, bought at $30–40, sold at $150–200) and 235 million Bank of America shares, but still held $70 billion in Apple and a solid stake in BofA.

2. Leadership Change and Risks: Buffett’s handing over the reins in 2025, and in 2024, they worried about big tax changes with Trump coming in. Cashing in profits made sense. They barely touched their main portfolio and kept cash ready for deals if the market dips or new opportunities pop up.

3. Buffett’s Grand Exit: At 94, Buffett wants to go out on top, locking in profits. The cash is a gift for the next leader to make big moves.

What’s Up with Their Portfolio?

In 2023: Their stock portfolio was worth $370 billion, with the big dogs—Apple ($175 billion), Bank of America, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Chevron—making up 70% of it.

In 2024: The portfolio’s at $267 billion. What changed:

Sold half their Apple stake (down to $70 billion) and a quarter of Bank of America.

Ditched smaller names like HP, Paramount, and Snowflake.

Picked up Constellation Brands ($1.2 billion) and boosted Domino’s Pizza (+86%) and Occidental Petroleum (+3.5%).

The top dogs (Apple, AmEx, BofA, Coca-Cola, Chevron) still make up 71% of the portfolio.

In Plain English: Imagine you had $100 in stocks, made $110 in profits, and sold that plus $23 more. Now you’ve got $98 in stocks and $133 in cash. Berkshire’s still in the market—they just took their winnings and parked them in U.S. bonds, earning interest and ready to jump back in when the time’s right.

Is Buffett Still in the Game?

You bet! Berkshire hasn’t quit stocks. They grabbed profits, kept their core companies, added a few new ones, and have cash ready for big opportunities. Their portfolio’s a bit smaller, but they’re still playing the market. Rumors they “bailed” are nonsense.