Berkshire shares slip as Greg Abel takes over as CEO after Buffett era

Berkshire Hathaway shares slipped Friday as investors digested the formal end of Warren Buffett's six-decade tenure as chief executive and the start of Greg Abel's leadership. Class A shares fell 1.7% in afternoon trading on Abel's first day as CEO, after Buffett officially handed off the role.

Berkshire finished 2025 with a gain of 10.9%, trailing the S&P 500's 16.4% advance but marking its 10th consecutive year of positive returns. Buffett, 95, remains chairman and sought to reassure shareholders about the company's long-term prospects. "It has a better chance, I think, of being here 100 years from now than any company I can think of," he said in a special interview with CNBC.

Abel assumes control with Berkshire holding a record $381.6 billion in cash as of the end of September, after an extended period of net equity selling. Buffett said Abel will have final authority over capital allocation: "Greg will be the decider." He added, "I can't imagine how much more he can get accomplished in a week than I can in a month....

I'd rather have Greg handling my money than any of the top investment advisors or any of the top CEOs in the United States." Shares had lagged the broader market after Buffett announced his retirement in May, as investors weighed whether Abel could manage the conglomerate's operating businesses and large equity portfolio while justifying a premium valuation.

Key Topics

Business, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Greg Abel, Stocks, Ceo Succession