Berkshire Hathaway added 48.1 million Alphabet shares in the second quarter, lifting its total to roughly 106 million shares worth about $37.76 billion as of June 30, according to its latest holdings report.
The increase came alongside a $10 billion private placement disclosed in Alphabet's Form 8-K, in which Berkshire received 14,212,035 Class A shares and 14,359,656 Class C shares. The filings don't break down the execution mix beyond that placement, so it's unclear how much of the quarter's buying came through the open market versus the placement.
From 17.8 Million to 106 Million
At the end of December 2025, Berkshire held just 17.8 million Alphabet shares, valued at $5.6 billion. By June 30, that position had grown to 106 million shares. That's a six-fold increase in six months.
The jump is striking for a company that rarely moves this fast on a single stock. But the documents don't say why Berkshire piled in. There's no stated thesis, no mention of valuation, no hint of a strategic goal.
The $10 Billion Placement
Alphabet's Form 8-K spells out the private placement terms: Berkshire bought $10 billion worth of stock, split between 14,212,035 Class A shares and 14,359,656 Class C shares. The form doesn't specify whether those shares were issued new or sold by existing holders, nor does it give a per-share price.
That placement alone accounts for roughly 28.6 million shares. The rest of the 48.1 million shares added in Q2 presumably came from open-market purchases, but the filings don't confirm that.
No Strategic Rationale Disclosed
Neither Berkshire nor Alphabet has offered a public explanation for the move. The filings are bare-bones: numbers, dates, share counts. No commentary, no forward-looking statements.
That leaves investors to guess. Some might see it as a simple bet on Alphabet's cash flow. Others might wonder if Berkshire is positioning for a board seat or a larger role. But none of that is in the record.
The next quarterly report will show whether Berkshire kept buying in July, August, and September. Until then, the size of the position speaks for itself.
