Does Warren Buffett Own Alibaba Stock?

Does Warren Buffett Own Alibaba Stock?

Does Warren Buffett own Alibaba stock? Short lead: Warren Buffett (via Berkshire Hathaway) has not been a public holder of Alibaba stock; confusion arises because Charlie Munger made separate Alibaba ADS purchases through the Daily Journal, and media coverage of Munger’s moves has often been conflated with Berkshire’s portfolio. As of January 23, 2026, according to reporting from Motley Fool, Nasdaq, Fortune and Yahoo Finance, Berkshire’s public filings and mainstream portfolio trackers show no meaningful Alibaba position, while Daily Journal’s SEC filings document Charlie Munger‑linked purchases and later reductions.

H2: Summary answer

One-sentence summary: According to public filings and major portfolio trackers, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway do not publicly report owning Alibaba stock, and the common mix-up stems from Charlie Munger’s separate Alibaba purchases reported by Daily Journal.

H2: Background on Alibaba and how U.S. investors hold it

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is a large China‑based e‑commerce and cloud ecosystem company commonly traded in U.S. markets via American depositary shares (ADSs) under the symbol BABA.

U.S. investors typically hold Alibaba through ADSs, which represent a fixed number of underlying ordinary shares listed in Hong Kong. ADSs allow U.S. brokerage accounts to trade shares of non‑U.S. companies while relying on a depositary bank to manage cross‑border share mechanics.

Regulatory and reporting differences matter: Chinese companies listed in the U.S. or through ADR/ADS structures can be affected by cross‑border accounting scrutiny, regulatory changes, and disclosure differences between U.S. and Chinese regulators. Media outlets such as Motley Fool and Nasdaq have highlighted how those regulatory and disclosure dynamics affect institutional appetite for China‑listed equities.

H2: Warren Buffett / Berkshire Hathaway — public holdings and filings

Warren Buffett’s investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway, reports its U.S. equity holdings on Form 13F each quarter. These filings are a primary public source for identifying positions in U.S.‑listed stocks.

Publicly available Berkshire 13F trackers (as compiled by major financial news outlets and portfolio trackers) and Berkshire’s own disclosures do not list a meaningful long position in Alibaba ADS. For investors checking whether Warren Buffett owns Alibaba stock, the Berkshire 13F filings and these tracker summaries are the authoritative first stops.

Berkshire has made non‑U.S. investments (for example, Berkshire’s sizable stake in BYD is well documented), showing the firm can and does take positions outside the U.S. market when it fits their criteria. That said, as of the latest public filings, Buffett/Berkshire have not reported Alibaba as part of the publicly disclosed portfolio.

H2: Charlie Munger and Daily Journal’s Alibaba investment

Charlie Munger, vice‑chairman of Berkshire and a longtime partner of Warren Buffett, is a separate investor with distinct personal and company accounts. Munger’s investments via the Daily Journal Corporation (a publicly traded company where Munger serves as chairman) are reported through Daily Journal’s own 13F filings.

Daily Journal’s 13F filings documented purchases of Alibaba ADS that were unrelated to Berkshire’s holdings. Media reporting captured a sequence of initial purchases, later increases, and then reductions in the Daily Journal position. Charlie Munger himself commented publicly about the position and was quoted calling the bet a mistake—statements that reinforced the fact that these moves were Munger’s personal/ Daily Journal decisions and not Berkshire’s.

H3: Timeline of Munger’s buys and sales (concise bullets)

• 2021: Initial purchases of Alibaba ADS by Daily Journal were first reported in public 13F filings and covered by financial media.
• 2021–2022: Subsequent filings and reporting showed increases in the Daily Journal Alibaba position, bringing the stake to a more notable size for that vehicle.
• 2022–2023: Media outlets reported Munger and Daily Journal trimmed parts of the Alibaba holding in later filings.
• Public comments: Charlie Munger made public remarks characterizing the Alibaba bet as a mistake; those remarks were widely reported and contributed to the narrative distinguishing Munger’s actions from Berkshire’s.

(Reporting on exact filing dates and the sizes of positions is available in Daily Journal’s SEC filings and summarized by outlets such as Fortune and Yahoo Finance.)

H2: Why Buffett may not have bought Alibaba — commonly reported reasons

Analysts and commentators often cite several reasons why Berkshire Hathaway (and Warren Buffett personally) might avoid a large public stake in Alibaba even when other investors show interest:

• Regulatory and geopolitical risk: China‑related regulatory shifts and geopolitical tensions create additional uncertainty for large, long‑term stakes in Chinese tech companies.
• Business fit and competitive dynamics: Parts of Alibaba’s business are highly competitive and retail‑oriented; Buffett’s stated preference is for durable consumer brands or simple, predictable businesses.
• Accounting and disclosure concerns: Differences in auditing, corporate governance, and regulatory transparency for companies operating under different legal and regulatory regimes can make some investors cautious.
• Investment criteria and process: Berkshire tends to favor investments that fit its valuation, governance, and long‑term margin of safety frameworks; Alibaba may not have matched Berkshire’s checklist at the times in question.

This synthesis is consistent with analysis published by Motley Fool, Forbes and Nasdaq that discussed why Alibaba might not be perceived as a classic “Buffett‑style” investment.

H2: How confusion arises — Buffett vs. Munger vs. Daily Journal

The central cause of confusion is the public pairing of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger as an investing duo. Many readers assume that an investment made or praised by one must be held by the other or that Berkshire Hathaway necessarily owns positions reported by Munger’s personal vehicles.

Key distinctions to remember:

• Legal ownership: Berkshire Hathaway is a separate legal entity with its own management and portfolio holdings.
• Filing separation: Berkshire 13F filings report Berkshire’s holdings; Daily Journal 13F filings report Daily Journal’s holdings. Positions in one filing do not imply identical positions in the other.
• Public commentary: Statements by Munger should not be conflated with Berkshire policy unless explicitly stated by Berkshire or in Berkshire’s filings.

H2: Public filings and evidence to check ownership claims

To verify whether Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway own Alibaba stock, check these primary documentary sources:

• Berkshire Hathaway Form 13F filings (quarterly): authoritative for Berkshire’s U.S. equity holdings.
• Daily Journal (and other Munger‑related) Form 13F filings: show positions taken by Daily Journal.
• Alibaba filings and ADS documentation: company filings provide context on ADS structure and outstanding shares.
• Major portfolio trackers and financial outlets (CNBC‑style trackers and Bankrate compilations): they consolidate 13F data and flag major holdings, but always cross‑check with the SEC filings for definitive confirmation.

Note: the most up‑to‑date confirmation requires checking the most recent quarter’s 13F filing, because filings reflect positions as of the end of each quarter and are published with a delay.

H2: Media and analyst coverage

Coverage on this topic spans explainers and reporting:

• Motley Fool and Nasdaq have published explainers on Alibaba’s structure, regulatory risk, and whether Alibaba fits classic value or Buffett‑style investing frameworks.
• Fortune and Yahoo Finance covered Daily Journal’s Alibaba purchases and Charlie Munger’s comments, emphasizing this was a separate decision from Berkshire’s holdings.
• Forbes and other analysts discussed broader reasons why Buffett might avoid large publicly disclosed positions in certain Chinese tech companies.

As of January 23, 2026, these outlets collectively indicate that Berkshire has no reported meaningful Alibaba stake while Daily Journal did, at times, report Alibaba positions that were later trimmed.

H2: Implications for investors

Practical takeaways for everyday investors:

• Do not assume Warren Buffett owns Alibaba stock simply because Charlie Munger purchased it via Daily Journal. Confirm ownership by checking the relevant 13F filings.
• Recognize the role of regulatory and geopolitical risk when evaluating Chinese tech companies; these risks have real implications for valuation and institutional appetite.
• Use up‑to‑date filings and reputable trackers before making investment decisions; media summaries can be helpful but should be verified against filings.

This article is informational and not investment advice. Investors should perform their own due diligence or consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.

H2: See also

• Berkshire Hathaway portfolio
• Charlie Munger / Daily Journal portfolio
• Alibaba Group (BABA) company overview
• American depositary receipts (ADRs/ADSs) explained
• Investing in Chinese equities: regulatory and disclosure considerations

H2: References and further reading

As of January 23, 2026, the following reporting and filings informed this summary:

• Motley Fool explainers on Alibaba and Buffett‑style investing (reporting through 2021–2025).
• Nasdaq guide to Alibaba ADS structure and investor considerations (reporting through 2021–2024).
• Fortune coverage of Daily Journal’s Alibaba stake and Charlie Munger’s comments (reported 2021–2023).
• Yahoo Finance summaries of Munger/Daily Journal SEC filings and public remarks (reported 2021–2024).
• Forbes analysis on Buffett’s approach to Chinese stocks and investment criteria (selected articles through 2022–2024).
• Public SEC 13F filings for Berkshire Hathaway and Daily Journal Corporation (check the SEC EDGAR database for the most recent quarter for definitive holdings).

H2: Final notes — what to check next

If you want to confirm whether Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway own Alibaba stock at the current moment, start with Berkshire Hathaway’s latest Form 13F and then review Daily Journal’s Form 13F for contrast. For trading or custody services, consider Bitget and Bitget Wallet for secure access to global markets and storage solutions.

Further exploration: explore Bitget’s knowledge base for guides on ADS/ADR trading, and consider using Bitget Wallet for custody of cross‑border assets. Stay current with the latest 13F filings and reliable financial reporting if you’re tracking institutional ownership.

Call to action: Learn more about ADS trading mechanics and how to follow institutional filings on Bitget’s educational center.

Note on keyword frequency: The phrase does warren buffett own alibaba stock appears throughout this article to aid discovery. For clarity: does warren buffett own alibaba stock — Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway have not publicly reported owning Alibaba stock; the purchases you may have seen reported were associated with Charlie Munger and Daily Journal, not Berkshire. If your question is “does warren buffett own alibaba stock,” check Berkshire’s 13F filings and reputable trackers for the latest confirmation. Remember that does warren buffett own alibaba stock is distinct from whether charlie munger or daily journal own it; to answer does warren buffett own alibaba stock, rely on Berkshire’s filings. Lastly, for those searching “does warren buffett own alibaba stock,” the short answer remains: publicly reported filings do not show Buffett/Berkshire owning Alibaba stock as of the latest filings.