Does Warren Buffett own NIO stock?
Does Warren Buffett own NIO stock?
Asking "does warren buffett own nio stock" is a common query for investors tracking high-profile institutional ownership of Chinese EV names. Short answer up front: based on publicly available filings and reputable trackers, there is no public evidence that Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway owns NIO (NYSE: NIO). This article explains why, cites the filings and media coverage behind that statement, and shows practical steps you can use to verify ownership yourself.
Summary / Key conclusion
- Based on Berkshire Hathaway’s U.S. equity disclosures (SEC Form 13F), Berkshire’s public portfolio trackers, and institutional-ownership services, there is no record that Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway owns NIO shares. Berkshire’s high-profile EV exposure reported in filings and the press has been to BYD, not NIO. As of the latest publicly filed 13F and investor-tracker snapshots referenced below, NIO does not appear among Berkshire’s reported U.S. equity holdings.
Background — Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway
Warren Buffett is the long-time chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, an investment vehicle that holds diverse public and private companies. Berkshire’s U.S.-listed equity positions are disclosed quarterly through SEC Form 13F filings by institutional investment managers, which list long U.S.-listed equity holdings above reporting thresholds.
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Does Warren Buffett own NIO stock? When people ask, they usually mean “does Berkshire Hathaway, the vehicle Buffett runs, report holding NIO on its 13F?” That is the standard way the market verifies large institutional ownership of U.S.-listed equities.
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Buffett’s personal holdings and Berkshire’s holdings can differ: most widely followed statements about "Buffett’s stock holdings" refer to Berkshire’s consolidated portfolio as reported in filings and company disclosures.
Background — NIO Inc.
NIO Inc. (ticker: NIO) is a U.S.-listed Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Typical public-interest items for NIO include market capitalization, daily trading volume, institutional ownership, vehicle deliveries, and partnerships. Institutional ownership data is frequently used to check whether well-known funds or investment managers hold NIO stock.
Investors and media often track:
- Market capitalization and trading volume (public market metrics),
- Quarterly institutional positions reported in filings like 13F, and
- Major 13D/13G disclosures when activist or strategic investors accumulate sizeable stakes.
Buffett’s known EV investments (notably BYD) and public stance on EV/auto stocks
Warren Buffett’s most widely reported direct exposure to a Chinese EV-related company is Berkshire’s stake in BYD, a Chinese automaker and battery/EV company. Media coverage and Berkshire’s disclosures have repeatedly noted BYD as one of Berkshire’s notable international investments.
- Reporting on Berkshire’s BYD position has included both increases and later trims to that stake, which are visible through filings and press reports.
- Buffett’s public investment style favors durable, understandable businesses, and historically he has been selective about direct investments in carmakers and certain technology companies.
This background is critical context when evaluating the question: Buffett’s public EV exposure is associated with BYD, which can cause confusion and occasional misreporting that suggests Buffett backs other Chinese EV names like NIO — but the filings say otherwise.
Public filings and evidence relevant to NIO ownership
SEC Form 13F and Berkshire Hathaway disclosures
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Institutional managers of U.S.-listed securities file Form 13F with the SEC every quarter to disclose long U.S. equity positions above reporting thresholds. Berkshire Hathaway’s 13F filings are the authoritative source for Berkshire’s reported U.S.-listed equity holdings in the quarter covered.
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Does Warren Buffett own NIO stock according to 13F? If Berkshire held a material U.S.-listed position in NIO during a quarter, NIO would appear on Berkshire’s 13F for that quarter. Public trackers (news outlets, portfolio trackers) and Berkshire’s own filings are the primary checks. As of the most recent Berkshire 13F filings and portfolio tracker snapshots referenced below, NIO is not listed among Berkshire’s reported holdings.
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Note on timing: 13F filings are quarterly and filed with a lag, so holdings can change between filings. However, the absence of NIO from consecutive Berkshire 13Fs is strong evidence Berkshire did not hold a reported long position in NIO during those quarters.
Hong Kong Exchange / other foreign filings
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Some Chinese companies and holdings may be disclosed on local exchanges (e.g., Hong Kong Stock Exchange) or via local regulatory filings. BYD-related holdings, for example, can appear in local filings when relevant. For a U.S.-listed company like NIO, U.S. Form 13F is the primary institutional disclosure for U.S.-listed equity positions.
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If an institutional investor used a separate vehicle or held NIO indirectly through non-U.S. structured products, those positions might not appear on a U.S. 13F under the investor’s own name. Still, major, direct long positions in the U.S.-listed stock would normally appear in 13Fs.
Institutional ownership data for NIO
Institutional ownership of NIO is tracked by third-party services such as MarketBeat and hedge-fund/13F aggregators (e.g., HedgeFollow-style trackers). These services compile 13F snapshots, 13D/13G filings, and other public data to list which institutions hold shares and in what amounts.
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Use those trackers to confirm whether large, known institutions appear among NIO’s holders. If Berkshire or a Buffett-associated entity were a holder, Berkshire’s name would typically show up in those institutional lists.
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As of the recent tracker snapshots referenced below, major institutional holder lists for NIO do not list Berkshire Hathaway or Warren Buffett-associated entities as shareholders of NIO.
Media reports and common sources of confusion
There are several reasons why people ask "does warren buffett own nio stock":
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Buffett’s well-known investment in BYD is often mentioned in coverage of Chinese EVs. Writers or headlines may discuss Buffett and "Chinese EV makers" broadly, which can create the impression he backs multiple Chinese EV companies when his public backing is concentrated in BYD.
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BYD and NIO sometimes appear together in industry stories (e.g., on competition, supply chains, or partnerships). Mentions in the same articles can be misread as a single investor backing both.
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Short-form summaries, social posts, or investor forums sometimes conflate Buffett’s endorsement of one EV-related company with holdings in others; always verify with filings.
These common confusions underscore why direct checks of 13F filings and institutional-ownership trackers are necessary for accurate answers.
How to verify current ownership yourself
If you want to verify the question "does warren buffett own nio stock" on your own, follow these practical steps:
- Check Berkshire Hathaway’s latest Form 13F (SEC EDGAR): look up Berkshire Hathaway’s institutional 13F filing for the most recent quarter and search the holdings list for NIO.
- Use reputable portfolio trackers and newsrooms that compile Berkshire’s reported holdings (for example, major financial news portfolio trackers and the company’s own disclosures).
- Check NIO’s institutional ownership pages on services like MarketBeat and hedge-fund/13F aggregators to see whether Berkshire or Warren Buffett-associated entities appear among holders.
- Search for any recent 13D/13G filings naming Berkshire or related vehicles in connection with NIO.
- For holdings reported outside the U.S., check the Hong Kong Exchange and other regional disclosures — though for NYSE-listed NIO, 13F is the primary U.S. evidence.
When checking, remember: the authoritative record for Berkshire’s U.S.-listed equity holdings remains the firm’s 13F filings to the SEC and the public trackers that compile those filings.
Limitations and caveats
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Filing timing and reporting thresholds: 13F filings are quarterly and filed with a delay; short-term trades between filings won’t appear until the next 13F. Also, 13F captures long U.S.-listed equity positions above reporting thresholds, not short positions or certain derivatives.
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Berkshire vs. Warren Buffett personally: "Warren Buffett" and "Berkshire Hathaway" are not always identical in holdings. Buffett’s personal investments or private family office exposures may differ and are less systematically disclosed to the public.
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Indirect holdings: small, indirect, or synthetic holdings (e.g., exposure via funds, derivatives, or other vehicles) may not show up as Berkshire owning NIO shares directly. Nevertheless, large direct positions in NIO would normally be visible in 13Fs and institutional ownership trackers.
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Media lag and rumor risk: press stories or social posts can circulate unverified claims. Always cross-check with primary filings.
Conclusion
Based on public evidence and reputable trackers, the answer to the question "does warren buffett own nio stock" is: there is no public record that Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway owns NIO stock. Berkshire’s known EV exposure reported publicly has centered on BYD rather than NIO, and NIO does not appear in Berkshire’s reported U.S. equity holdings in recent 13F filings and institutional-ownership snapshots.
If you want to monitor changes going forward, use the verification steps above and keep an eye on Berkshire’s quarterly Form 13F filings and institutional-ownership trackers.
References / suggested source list
- As of May 15, 2024, Berkshire Hathaway’s most recent SEC Form 13F (filed Q1 2024) — shows reported U.S.-listed equity holdings and can be searched for NIO.
- As of April 30, 2024, Fortune: reporting on Berkshire’s BYD stake and related BYD coverage (reported stake changes and portfolio context).
- As of June 14, 2022, Reuters: coverage of Berkshire’s transactions and BYD-related reporting (historical context on BYD stake adjustments).
- CNBC Berkshire Hathaway portfolio tracker — ongoing, authoritative tracker of Berkshire’s reported holdings.
- MarketBeat institutional ownership page for NIO — lists institutions reporting holdings in NIO and tracks changes over time.
- Hedge-fund / 13F aggregator trackers (e.g., HedgeFollow-style services) — compile institutional activity and 13F data for NIO.
- News items referencing BYD–NIO industry coverage — used to explain sources of confusion when multiple Chinese EV names are discussed together.
Sources above provide the filings and public reporting necessary to verify whether Berkshire or Warren Buffett holds NIO shares. When checking, always note the filing dates for timing context.
Want to verify holdings yourself? Start with Berkshire Hathaway’s latest 13F on SEC EDGAR, view institutional ownership on services such as MarketBeat, and follow Berkshire trackers at major financial news outlets. To trade or explore crypto and tokenized assets while keeping custody options in mind, consider using Bitget Exchange and the Bitget Wallet for a secure, beginner-friendly experience.
