Berkshire's New CEO Is Restarting Stock Buybacks and Snapping Up Shares Himself—Why That Matters

Key Takeaways

• Berkshire Hathaway is resuming share buybacks for the first time in nearly two years.
• CEO Greg Abel, who stepped into the role after Warren Buffett retired at the end of 2025, also moved to buy $15 million worth of shares.

Berkshire Hathaway’s new CEO has the company buying back its own stock for the first time in two years. He’s also buying up the shares, in a show of confidence in their future gains.

Greg Abel, who took the helm of Berkshire (BRK.A, BRK.B) at the start of the year, told _CNBC _in a televised interview Thursday the buybacks follow the company’s longstanding playbook when shares fall below their perceived intrinsic value.

The conglomerate’s class B shares were up about 2% in recent trading following the news, recovering some of their recent losses after a disappointing fourth-quarter report released over the weekend.

Berkshire’s “value proposition is very strong, and we’re doing it on behalf of, obviously, others and owners. We have to view this as value that we’re creating value for our shareholders long term,” Abel said.

Why This Matters to Investors

Abel has sought to reassure investors of his ability to deliver returns for Berkshire’s investors amid uncertainty about how the company could change under his leadership.

It’s a move Berkshire hasn’t made since May 2024, after a strong stretch for the company’s stock, which logged double-digit gains that year and in 2025.

Abel, who said he consulted legendary investor and former CEO Warren Buffett about the decision, suggested the conglomerate will continue to buy back the shares, “as long as our intrinsic value exceeds the market value.” The 95-year-old Buffett, who served as CEO for six decades, remains on the company’s board.

Meanwhile, Abel also moved to snap up $15 million worth stock for himself, using his after-tax annual salary. Abel also said he plans to continue using his full after-tax salary to purchase Berkshire shares every year he’s CEO, in a show of his “absolute alignment with our shareholders, our partners, our owners.”

“I absolutely obviously believe in Berkshire,” said Abel. “I inherited a company that has an incredible foundation.”

Related Articles

Warren Buffett Is ‘A Very Hard Act to Follow,’ Says Berkshire’s New CEO. He Wants to Make Berkshire ‘Even Stronger.’

Greg Abel: Warren Buffett’s Successor’s Life, Salary, and Accomplishments

Even with Thursday’s rise, shares of Berkshire are down slightly in 2026.

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