Berkshire Hathaway Lags Behind the Stock Market as Warren Buffett Turns 96

Berkshire Hathaway Lags Behind the Stock Market as Warren Buffett Turns 96

2026-08-30 companies

Omaha, Saturday, 29 August 2026.
Despite Warren Buffett turning 96 on August 30, 2026, Berkshire Hathaway stock has lagged the S&P 500 by 12.2 percentage points this year while holding $365.5 billion in cash.

Market Performance Amidst Milestone

Warren Buffett is scheduled to celebrate his 96th birthday on Sunday, August 30, 2026, marking another year at the helm of the conglomerate [1][2][4]. However, investor sentiment is tempered by the stock’s performance, which is up only 0.5% in 2026 as of August 28, 2026 [1].

Capital Allocation and Cash Reserves

A primary focus for analysts is the company’s significant cash position, which stood at $365.5 billion as of June 30, 2026 [1]. This figure represents an 8.0% decrease from March 31, 2026, partially due to share repurchases totaling $4.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026 [1][3].

Long-term Revenue and Valuation Context

Looking at broader metrics, the company’s market value is approximately $1.1 trillion with shares trading around $504 [3][5]. Revenue data from fiscal year 2025 totaled $371.4 billion, driven largely by the insurance segment which contributed $104.2 billion [5][8].

Sources


Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett