ADVERTISEMENT

Berkshire Sells Close To $1.5 Billion Of Bank Of America Shares

Berkshire still owns more than 998 million shares, valued at over $42 billion, making it one of the bank’s largest shareholders.

Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. sold about 34 million shares of Bank of America Corp. for $1.48 billion, according to a public filing Friday.

Berkshire still owns more than 998 million shares, valued at over $42 billion, making the conglomerate one of the bank’s largest shareholders, according to Bloomberg data. Bank of America stock has risen 7.9% in the month to date.

Buffett had invested $5 billion in the bank in 2011 in exchange for preferred stock and the right to buy common shares, providing a vital signal of confidence in the lender after the financial crisis. The cash infusion had quelled doubts about whether the bank had enough capital, and its shares soon surged, creating a massive paper profit for Berkshire.

Buffett eventually used those rights and additional share purchases to build up a stake that swelled into one of Berkshire’s largest stock holdings. The billionaire’s lengthy investment has also served as a vote of confidence in the stewardship of the bank’s chief executive officer, Brian Moynihan.

--With assistance from Hari Govind.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.