The company led by Greg Abel spent $9.6 billion buying back its stock during the third quarter|Tankforwin|CC BY-SA 4.0
A massive stock-buying spree has helped Berkshire Hathaway stand out in a difficult quarter, even as weaker insurance results dragged down its profits.
The company, led by Greg Abel, spent $9.6 billion buying back its stock in the third quarter, more than twice what it spent in the previous three months. This brings its total share repurchases for 2026 to roughly $14.4 billion.
The move comes as Berkshire faces growing pressure on its insurance operations. Its operating profit slipped nearly 6% to $12.7 billion compared with last year.
Insurance underwriting earnings suffered the biggest setback, falling 43% to $1.35 billion. Lower investment income also weighed on results.
Not every part of Berkshire struggled. Its railroad, energy and manufacturing divisions delivered stronger earnings. However, weaker investment gains pushed total quarterly earnings down 28% to $22.1 billion.
Berkshire shares have gained more than 12% over the past month, even as the S&P 500 declined 5.5%.
Meanwhile, the company’s cash reserves increased to $377.4 billion, highlighting its enormous financial cushion.