Berkshire Hathaway A Shares: A Matter of the Wallet

Berkshire Hathaway stands at the forefront of global investor attention, not least due to its charismatic CEO, Warren Buffett. Known as the "Oracle of Omaha," Buffett attracts investors like a magnet with his impressive track record. However, a closer examination of Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares reveals that they are hardly within reach for the average investor. The company is the quintessential example of a conglomerate that has established itself in numerous industries, from insurance to utilities, manufacturing, and retail. Additionally, Berkshire holds impressive stakes in other publicly listed companies. Even though the investment volume has recently fallen from $350 billion to $280 billion, due to the sale of stocks such as Bank of America and Apple, the size of the portfolio remains remarkable. The true appeal of Berkshire Hathaway, however, lies in Buffett's unique investment approach. For investors who wish to partake in Buffett's success story, there is hardly a wrong time to invest in this "investment-fund-like" company. Nevertheless, purchasing Class A shares, which have always traded without a stock split, could be a costly affair. The price for a Class A share is about $678,000, a sum likely to deter the majority of investors due to its high exclusivity. To enable less financially potent investors to invest in Berkshire Hathaway, Class B shares were created, which are significantly more affordable and currently trade at around $450. These shares give investors the opportunity to participate alongside Buffett with manageable risk, without having to invest immense sums. In a market full of alternatives, the decision for or against Berkshire Hathaway must be well-considered, especially given that even the experts of the Motley Fool Stock Advisor have not included Berkshire in their current top recommendations.