Berkshire Hathaway $9.6B buyback signals investor confidence in Greg Abel
Berkshire Hathaway just bought back $9.6 billion of its own stock in the third quarter, a big signal that new CEO Greg Abel believes in the company's future.
Shares fell roughly 1% in the first nine months of 2026, underperforming the S&P 500; since then the A shares have gained nearly 15%, showing investors are on board with his leadership.
Berkshire earnings down 5.8%, cash $377.4B
Operating earnings dipped 5.8% to $12.7 billion in the third quarter (Q3 — ended September 2026), mostly because Geico and other insurance businesses took a hit.
Still, Berkshire's cash pile totaled $377.4 billion at the end of the third quarter (end of September 2026), giving it plenty of room for moves like investing $10 billion into Alphabet's AI projects and $930 million into Bending Spoons SpA.
BNSF profit up 19.3% on revenue
While insurance struggled, Berkshire's BNSF railroad unit delivered a 19.3% profit boost thanks to higher revenue per car.
It shows how the company balances ups and downs by betting on tech while keeping its old-school strengths strong.