Warren Buffett sells his last Walmart shares after 20 years (2024)

FAQs

Warren Buffett sells his last Walmart shares after 20 years? ›

World's third richest person Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway has sold its last Walmart shares, ending a relationship of over 20 years. The world's largest retailer was once among Berkshire's five biggest equity holdings as recently as 2014, valued at over $5 billion.

In August 2009, Buffett personally sold $25 million in Walmart stock. It's not clear which came first, but that same quarter, Berkshire roughly doubled its stake in the retailer. In October 2012, Buffett privately sold $35 million of Johnson & Johnson shares, which Berkshire also sold.

Given the prospect that Walmart may continue to buy back shares, the Walton family has informed Walmart that it currently expects to sell Walmart shares from time to time in order to help offset possible further increases in its ownership percentage and to help fund charitable contributions.

Warren Buffett Goes on a Stock-Selling Spree

Overall, Berkshire was a net seller of stocks to the tune of $24.2 billion last year. The company did repurchase $9.2 billion worth of its shares during the year, and the amount was higher than in 2022, when it spent $7.9 billion on buybacks.

At age 11, Buffett made his first stock purchase — three shares of Cities Service preferred at $38 per share. After the stock plunged and then rose to $40, he quickly sold his holdings, only to later see it surge.

FAQ. Jim Walton owns the most shares of Walmart (WMT).

George Soros Walmart Inc

The first Walmart trade was made in Q1 2000. Since then George Soros bought shares nine more times and sold shares on fifteen occasions.

It is a publicly traded family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family. Sam Walton's heirs own over 50 percent of Walmart through both their holding company Walton Enterprises and their individual holdings.

But don't dismiss Walmart as a potentially excellent long-term holding. The retailer isn't nearly as risky to own as many of its high-growth stock market peers. And it has a good chance of boosting its earnings power over the next several years.

What is Warren Buffett's biggest stock? ›

Apple is Berkshire's largest public stock holding by far. Berkshire's $151 billion Apple stake is roughly four times larger than its second-largest holding. Buffett first bought Apple shares in the first quarter of 2016, and Apple's stock price is up more than 500% since the beginning of 2016.

Buffett, while answering shareholder questions at Berkshire's annual meeting in Omaha, suggested that the sale was for tax reasons following sizable gains. He also implied the sale could be tied to him wanting to avoid a higher tax bill down the road if rates go higher to fund a ballooning U.S. fiscal deficit.

In 1986, at age 56, Buffett's net worth had grown to the point where he became a billionaire. This achievement was particularly notable given that he was earning a modest salary of $50,000 from Berkshire Hathaway Inc. By the time he was nearing 60, his net worth had increased to $3.8 billion​​.

Omaha

Warren Buffett / Places lived

One of Buffett's most successful investments came from buying stock in his favorite beverage, Coca-Cola (KO) . He started investing in co*ke in 1988 and soon owned 7% of the company — worth over $1 billion.

Whether it was looming contract negotiations, inflation, the risk of vehicle prices coming down, or perhaps having better opportunities to deploy its capital, Buffett to reduce his position in the Detroit automaker long before Cruise hit a massive pothole.

Buffett says Berkshire sold its entire Paramount stake: 'We lost quite a bit of money' OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett revealed that he dumped Berkshire Hathaway's entire Paramount stake at a loss. "I was 100% responsible for the Paramount decision," Buffett said at Berkshire's annual shareholder meeting.