Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs

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Traders work on the New York Stock Exchange floor. Warren Buffett brushed off speculation that he viewed markets as overvalued © Getty Images Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on x (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on facebook (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on linkedin (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on x (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on facebook (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on linkedin (opens in a new window) Berkshire Hathaway liquidates holdings in S&P 500 ETFs on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save Joe Morris , Ignites Published February 27 2025 Jump to comments section Print this page Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Exchange traded funds myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Latest news on ETFs Visit our ETF Hub to find out more and to explore our in-depth data and comparison tools Berkshire Hathaway has liquidated its holdings in S&P 500 ETFs from Vanguard and State Street Global Advisors, leaving the bellwether investor without any ETF positions. Berkshire’s shares in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), each valued at roughly $22mn, were dissolved during the fourth quarter, according to disclosure filings. The sales underscore a longer-term trend at Berkshire of retreating from securities, lifting its cash position to the highest on record — $334.2bn at the end of the year. For nine straight quarters, Berkshire has been a net seller of securities. This article was previously published by Ignites , a title owned by the FT Group. Speaking in his recently released annual letter, chief executive Warren Buffett brushed off speculation that he viewed markets as overvalued. “Despite what some commentators currently view as an extraordinary cash position at Berkshire, the great majority of your money remains in equities,” he said. “That preference won’t change.” Buffett has spoken glowingly of index funds in the past, and of Vanguard’s in particular. Writing in his 2016 letter, he recommended “low-cost index funds” as a superior alternative to hedge funds. “When trillions of dollars are managed by Wall Streeters charging high fees, it will usually be the managers who reap outsized profits, not the clients,” he said at the time. In the same letter, Buffett hailed Vanguard founder Jack Bogle as the best champion of investors the country has known. “If a statue is ever erected to honour the person who has done the most for American investors, the hands-down choice should be Jack Bogle,” Buffett said. “In his crusade, he amassed only a tiny percentage of the wealth that has typically flowed to managers who have promised their investors large rewards while delivering them nothing — or, as in our bet, less than nothing — of added value.” *Ignites is a news service published by FT Specialist for professionals working in the asset management industry. Trials and subscriptions are available at ignites.com . Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025 . All rights reserved. Reuse this content (opens in new window) Comments Jump to comments section Promoted Content Follow the topics in this article US & Canadian companies Add to myFT US equities Add to myFT Financial services Add to myFT Exchange traded funds Add to myFT S&P 500 Add to myFT Comments