Berkshire Hathaway ended 2025 with an unprecedented cash pile of $381.7 billion, driven by a 34% surge in cash from operating activities over the first nine months. With free cash flow projected to remain robust, new CEO Greg Abel is widely expected to recommend the company’s first-ever regular dividend. Analysts estimate that a modest yield of 1.5%–2.0% on the conglomerate’s current market capitalization of roughly $1.0 trillion would translate into annual payouts of $15 billion to $20 billion, while still preserving a substantial liquidity buffer for opportunistic acquisitions or share repurchases.

Having handed the CEO reins to Greg Abel earlier this year, Warren Buffett signaled in his Thanksgiving letter that he may also step down as chairman of the board by mid-2026. His departure would mark the end of a 60-year tenure during which he oversaw compound annual gains of approximately 20% for shareholders. Buffett’s full exit is expected to remove any remaining transition risk and empower Abel to pursue strategic initiatives—such as the potential spin-off of underperforming subsidiaries—without legacy constraints.

Berkshire has registered its entire 27.5% holding in Kraft Heinz—amounting to 325 million shares—in a regulatory filing, clearing the way for a gradual sale. The stake’s value has been impaired by a 70% share price decline since the 2015 merger and a $3.8 billion writedown taken last year. Market strategists at Stifel have reiterated a hold rating on Kraft Heinz with a $26 per-share target, noting that any divestiture could free up capital for higher-return investments and signal a strategic shift toward selective divestitures under Abel’s leadership.