Will it be best to hold Berkshire or sell it

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Will it be best to hold Berkshire or sell it?

6/5/2025 01:11pm

Aime

The deep research logic is organized as follows: 

Okay, let's tackle this question about whether to hold or sell Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A/BRK.B). The user is an active investor interested in the stock market, especially tech, and uses a mix of technical and news-driven strategies. They want a clear answer on whether to hold or sell BRK.A based on the latest data and analysis.

First, I need to look at the provided references. The user's query is about the best course of action for BRK.A, so I should focus on recent performance, analyst opinions, Buffett's moves, and market context.

Starting with the stock performance data from References 1 and 2. The pre-market and post-market changes on June 5, 2025, show a slight drop (-0.06%) post-market, but the recent two-week performance (Reference 2) shows mixed daily changes, ending with a -1.12% drop on June 4. This volatility suggests uncertainty in the market's view of BRK.A.

Next, the analyst reports. UBS lowered the price target for BRK.A from $909,218 to $887,099 (References 4 and 5), citing reduced EPS estimates due to lower investment income. They maintained a Buy rating, though. Zacks (Reference 9) mentioned BRK.B moving above its 200-day SMA, indicating a potential uptrend, but the stock is still at a discount to its 52-week high. This mixed signal is important.

Buffett's recent actions are crucial. He's stepping down as CEO by the end of 2025 (References 24 and 25), which caused the stock to dip initially. However, the succession plan is in place with Greg Abel taking over, and the company's diverse portfolio (References 3, 6) should remain stable. Recent portfolio changes include selling DaVita (Reference 11) and increasing stake in Constellation Brands (References 12, 22, 23), showing a shift towards consumer staples and away from financials.

The cash position is another key point. Berkshire has $347 billion in cash (References 19, 38, 39), which is a strong position but hasn't been used for buybacks recently (Reference 21). This liquidity could be a strategic advantage for future investments but also a concern if the market expects more action.

Market context: The S&P 500 has been performing well (Reference 3), but BRK.A underperformed slightly. The user's interest in tech might make them cautious about BRK.A's traditional sectors like insurance and utilities. However, the recent ETF launch (Reference 42) targeting BRK.B could indicate institutional interest in its stability.

Putting this together, the decision hinges on the user's investment horizon. For long-term, holding makes sense due to Buffett's track record, stable subsidiaries, and potential future opportunities. For short-term, the volatility and analyst downgrades might suggest caution. The user's profile mentions a moderate risk tolerance and interest in both technical and fundamental analysis, so highlighting both aspects is key.

I need to structure the answer with a clear conclusion, then break down the analysis into sections like stock performance, Buffett's strategy, analyst views, and market context. Use tables and visualizations where possible, and ensure each point is backed by the references. Also, keep the language engaging with emojis to match the user's active style.

🎯 Final Answer

Hold Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A/BRK.B) for the long term, but exercise caution in the short term. Here’s why:

📊 Key Data Snapshot

Metric	BRK.A (Class A)	BRK.B (Class B)
Price	$737,820 (June 5, 2025)	$503.11 (June 5, 2025)
2025 YTD Performance	+11% vs. S&P 500 (+2%)
Cash Position	$347B (as of Q1 2025)
Analyst Rating	Buy (UBS), Hold (Zacks)

📊 Why Hold?

Long-Term Catalysts:
- Diverse Portfolio: Berkshire’s subsidiaries (e.g., GEICO, Burlington Northern, Dairy Queen) are recession-resistant and generate stable cash flows ¹².
- Intrinsic Value: Despite recent price declines, Berkshire trades at a 12.2x P/E ratio (vs. S&P 500’s 26.67x) ³⁴, offering a margin of safety.
- Succession Plan: Greg Abel’s proven track

Source:

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