Warren Buffett’s investment powerhouse, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has stunned markets by disclosing a new $4.9 billion stake in Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google. The move, revealed in a recent regulatory filing, marks the conglomerate’s first major investment in a top-tier technology firm beyond its long-standing Apple position. Berkshire acquired 17.9 million shares of Alphabet during the third quarter, representing roughly 0.31% of the tech giant’s outstanding stock.

The announcement immediately influenced market sentiment, sending Alphabet’s shares up 1.7% in after-hours trading to $281 on Friday evening. The investment underscores Buffett’s renewed appetite for high-growth technology names, even as Berkshire’s cash reserves continue to balloon — reaching a record $382 billion by the end of the quarter. With Buffett, now 95, planning to step down as CEO at the end of the year, the firm has been accelerating its capital deployment into diverse sectors.

Beyond the Alphabet purchase, Berkshire made several significant portfolio adjustments. The firm increased its exposure to insurance by adding 4.3 million shares of Chubb Ltd., bringing that position’s value to roughly $8.8 billion. Meanwhile, Berkshire continued its expansion in healthcare, building a $1.6 billion stake in UnitedHealth Group Inc. and entering into a $9.7 billion deal to acquire Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s petrochemical business — a move seen as a strategic bet on energy infrastructure.

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Despite these new investments, Berkshire remained a net seller of equities in the quarter, unloading about $6.1 billion worth of stocks. The firm cut its Apple holdings by 15%, though the iPhone maker still represents nearly a quarter of Berkshire’s massive equity portfolio, valued at $60.7 billion. The company also reduced its stake in Bank of America by selling 37.2 million shares, leaving it with a 7.7% ownership in the bank.

In addition, Berkshire exited its position in U.S. homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc. but continued to build its holding in another major player, Lennar Corp. Analysts say these moves suggest a shift toward rebalancing the portfolio for both growth and stability as Buffett prepares the ground for his eventual exit. The Alphabet investment, in particular, signals Berkshire’s deeper embrace of digital-era businesses, positioning the legendary conglomerate to benefit from the next generation of technological innovation.

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