Berkshire Hathaway exits T-Mobile US, discloses 5M-share stake in UnitedHealth

Berkshire Hathaway exits T-Mobile US, discloses 5M-share stake in UnitedHealth

Berkshire Hathaway is expected to file its quarterly 13F report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday, August 14, 2025. This filing will provide insights into the company's equity holdings as of June 30, 2025, and could reveal the identity of the mystery stock that Berkshire has been accumulating over several quarters. The mystery stock is believed to be an industrial company, with a potential total size of nearly $5 billion [1].

In its Q1 2025 filing, Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it had sold hundreds of millions of shares of Bank of America stock, reducing its holding by nearly 40% to 631 million shares, now worth around $28 billion [1]. Additionally, the company reported a decrease in its holdings of T-Mobile US (TMUS) stock by 11% in the first quarter [3]. This indicates that Berkshire Hathaway may continue to pare its equity portfolio, as it did in the second quarter of 2024 when it purchased nearly $4 billion worth of stocks while selling about $7 billion worth [1].

One of the notable disclosures from Berkshire Hathaway's Q1 2025 filing is its 5 million-share stake in UnitedHealth Group (UNH). The stock jumped nearly 4% on Wednesday, marking its fourth straight day of gains, and kept climbing after hours after the board approved a $2.21 per share quarterly dividend [2]. The payment, set for September 23 to shareholders on record by September 15, matches the 5% boost announced in June, when the company said it had returned $4.5 billion to investors through dividends and buybacks in the second quarter (Q2) [2].

Despite the recent rally, UnitedHealth remains among the 10 worst-performing S&P 500 stocks this year, with shares down 46% year-to-date compared with a 10% gain for the index. However, fresh dividend news and renewed investor interest have lifted sentiment, with retail sentiment flipping from 'bearish' to 'bullish' in a single day [2]. Retail traders are increasingly speculating whether Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway could be building a position in UNH ahead of the 13F filing on Thursday [2].

Berkshire Hathaway's quarterly disclosures do not reveal which investments are made by Buffett himself, his portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, or incoming CEO Greg Abel, who is set to succeed Buffett in January [2]. Institutional buying has also bolstered sentiment, with Renaissance Technologies and value investor Chris Davis taking fresh stakes in UnitedHealth [2].

Analyst sentiment has been mixed following UnitedHealth's latest guidance reaffirmation. While some firms have trimmed their price targets, others have maintained their 'Overweight' or 'Outperform' ratings, citing optimism over a potential sector rebound [2].

In conclusion, Berkshire Hathaway's Q2 13F filing is eagerly anticipated by investors and financial professionals alike. The filing could provide valuable insights into the company's equity holdings and the identity of the mystery stock. Additionally, the disclosure of a 5 million-share stake in UnitedHealth Group is likely to attract further attention and analysis.

References:
[1] https://www.livemint.com/companies/berkshire-hathaway-s-mystery-stock-could-be-revealed-thursday-filings-offer-clues-11754990111474.html
[2] https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/unitedhealth-stock-dividend-nod-retail-traders-whisper-warren-buffett-stake/chsR3NrRda3
[3] https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/08/47096009/berkshire-hathaway-13f-preview-did-buffett-trim-apple-and-will-the-mystery-stock-be-revealed