Alphabet Stock Split: Berkshire Hathaway and Pershing Square Diverge
Alphabet stock has more than doubled in value over the past year, but major investors are taking opposite approaches.
Berkshire Hathaway tripled its stake in the Google parent during the first quarter, while Bill Ackman's Pershing Square slashed its position by 95%.
>>> AMD Reveals Marvell Stake, Securing $4.3 Million Paper Gain
Berkshire's Big Bet on Alphabet
Berkshire Hathaway revealed in a regulatory filing on Friday that it tripled its Alphabet holdings in the first quarter.
The value of its Alphabet investments stood at over $16.6 billion at the end of March, making it the firm's seventh-largest holding.
This move came just before Alphabet shares surged further.
The stock has risen about 140% over the past 12 months and about 30% year-to-date, making it the best performer among the Magnificent Seven.
Pershing Square's Opposite Move
Meanwhile, Pershing Square sold 95% of its Alphabet stock during the quarter.
>>> Billionaires Target DoorDash as Premium Long Term Stock Investment
The stake, which was the firm's fourth largest and worth over $2.1 billion at the end of 2025, totaled just $99 million at the end of March, becoming its second-smallest position.
Ackman clarified on X that the sale "was not a bet against the company. We are very bullish long term on Alphabet.
But at current valuations and in light of our finite capital base, we used [Alphabet] as a source of funds" to buy another Big Tech company.
Pershing Square on Friday revealed a new stake in Microsoft worth about $2.1 billion at the end of the quarter.
>>> Meta Stock Falls 11% as Alphabet Rises 16% in a Month
Microsoft has been the laggard of the Magnificent Seven this year, with its stock down more than 12% since the start of 2026.
Ackman attributed Microsoft's underperformance to two erroneous investor concerns, though he did not specify them in his posts.
Alphabet's recent gains have been fueled by the popularity of its Gemini chatbot, investments in custom AI chips, and its booming cloud computing business.
As of Monday, Alphabet was America's second-most valuable company, with a market capitalization of nearly $5 trillion.
The divergence in strategy between Berkshire and Pershing Square highlights the differing views on Alphabet's valuation.
>>> TD Cowen Upgrades Carnival Corporation to Top Picks, Raises Price Target
While Berkshire sees long-term value, Pershing Square chose to reallocate capital to Microsoft, which it believes offers a better risk-reward profile at current levels.
Latest Updates
Culper Research Claims Nvidia Hid China Revenue via Intermediaries
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 14:20 EST
EDC Las Vegas 2027 Expands to Two Weekends with New Dusk Till Dawn Concept
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 14:12 EST
Prime Video Releases The Boys Series Finale Globally
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 14:04 EST
Trisha Paytas Launches K-Pop Single 'Saranghae' With Glossy Music Video
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:56 EST
Apollo Global Management Acquires Majority Stake in Noble Environmental
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:48 EST
Atlantic Medicinal Partners Shuts Down All Locations Amid Lawsuits
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:40 EST
Judge Approves Saks Global Settlement With Landlord Simon Property Group
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:24 EST
Holy Pop Exhibition at Somerset House Explores Fandom as Modern Religion
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:16 EST
Trisha Paytas to Make UK Debut with Cabaret Show at Royal Albert Hall
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:08 EST
John Williams' Rare Marine Band Concerts to Be Released on CD
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 13:00 EST
Jefferies Initiates Underperform Rating on Mobileye Stock
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 12:52 EST
United Airlines Launches New Routes to Japan From San Francisco and Chicago
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 12:44 EST
Trisha Paytas Makes K-Pop Debut with Synth-Pop Single 'Saranghae'
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 12:36 EST
BTS Launches Global ARIRANG Tour With 23-Song Setlist
Wednesday / 05/20/2026, 12:28 EST

