The Sage of Omaha is one of those rarities to have actually become a legend in his own lifetime. Few would argue that 87-year old Warren Buffett is one of the best investors of all time, and most would likely call him the greatest.
The third wealthiest person in the world according to recent rich list surveys (he’s estimated to have accumulated an $84.4bn fortune - Forbes 2018); Buffett has bought, sold and invested in hundreds of companies over the years covering the full range of the industrial map.
This has been done mainly through Berkshire Hathaway, the US listed business in which he owns a 36.8% stake.
Buffett’s savvy investment decisions have created a shareholder returns monster, as the chart below shows.
Source: NYSE, S&P, Visual Capitalist
Many people will be familiar with some of his holdings including consumer names such as Coca-Cola, insurance giant GEICO and The Washington Post newspaper. But what else does Buffett own?
BUFFETT STAKES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY SPECTRUM
The Berkshire Hathaway portfolio is pretty much a microcosm of the American economy, but is particularly heavy on banks and financial businesses, manufacturing, services companies and retail.
It even features a chunky stake in technology giants like Apple despite his previous protests about not investing in businesses that he struggles to understand.
Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio can be broken down into two categories: the companies it owns outright (or has majority stakes in), and the companies it owns significant investments in.
WHAT DOES BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY OWN?
Berkshire Hathaway owns well-known brands ranging from Dairy Queen to Duracell. Here are all those companies listed by number of employees:
Source: Berkshire Hathaway, Visual Capitalist
Here are the companies Berkshire Hathaway has significant investments in - the whole portfolio is worth nearly $200 billion:
Source: Berkshire Hathaway, Visual Capitalist
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Buffett doesn’t stop there. His company also owns 80 auto dealerships, the second-largest real estate broker in the US (HomeServices of America), plus 32 daily newspapers.
