is warren buffett selling apple stock?

Is Warren Buffett Selling Apple Stock?

As of Jan 13, 2026, many investors are asking "is warren buffett selling apple stock" after a sequence of regulatory filings and media reports indicated Berkshire Hathaway trimmed its Apple position across multiple quarters. This article explains what the question means, summarizes Berkshire’s history with Apple, details reported sales and quantities, reviews possible motives cited in the press, and explains how to verify current holdings using official filings and reputable coverage.

• H2: Background
• H2: Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in Apple (AAPL)
  • H3: Initial purchase (2016)
  • H3: Accumulation phase (2016–2018)
• H2: Sales and trimming activity (2023–2026)
  • H3: Major sales and reported quantities
  • H3: Position status after sales
• H2: Reasons cited for selling
  • H3: Valuation concerns
  • H3: Tax and portfolio management considerations
  • H3: Move to cash / T‑bills and lack of attractive alternatives
  • H3: Succession/retirement context
• H2: Evidence and documentation
  • H3: SEC filings (13F, 10‑Q, 8‑K)
  • H3: Company statements and interviews
  • H3: Financial press reporting
• H2: Market reaction and analysis
• H2: Timeline of key transactions (select quarters)
• H2: How to verify current holdings and future activity
• H2: Interpretation and caveats
• H2: See also
• H2: References

Background

The query "is warren buffett selling apple stock" centers on trading activity by Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by Warren Buffett (and historically with long-time partner Charlie Munger). Berkshire is a large, long-term equity investor whose trading in big-cap U.S. stocks can move markets and attract intense media scrutiny. Changes to very large positions — especially in a blue-chip name like Apple Inc. (AAPL) — generate questions about motive, timing, and what the moves imply for other investors.

Warren Buffett’s published investing approach emphasizes durable business franchises, predictable cash flow, and a margin of safety. For decades, Berkshire has generally favored buy-and-hold approaches for core holdings. That historical posture helps explain why changes to a major holding like Apple prompt the question: is warren buffett selling apple stock?

Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in Apple (AAPL)

Initial purchase (2016)

Berkshire first disclosed an Apple stake in late 2016. The company cited Apple’s strong consumer franchise, recurring ecosystem revenue, and robust free cash flow as key attractions. Reporters and Berkshire’s filings show the initial disclosure followed purchases over that year. Observers noted that Buffett’s move into a technology-adjacent consumer hardware and services company was notable given his earlier avoidance of pure-technology businesses.

As a result, many market watchers began asking: is warren buffett selling apple stock? That question only grew in relevance as Berkshire’s AAPL position became larger.

Accumulation phase (2016–2018)

Between 2016 and 2018 Berkshire materially increased its Apple position. Over that accumulation phase, Apple became one of the largest public-equity holdings in Berkshire’s portfolio by market value. Filings and journalistic reconstructions show Berkshire purchased shares at multiple price points, growing to a position that represented a significant single-stock weight relative to the company’s overall public-equity allocation.

The concentration raised standard portfolio-management questions: when a position becomes large, should an investor rebalance? That set the stage for later scrutiny when Berkshire began trimming.

Sales and trimming activity (2023–2026)

A core part of answering “is warren buffett selling apple stock” is documenting the timing and size of reported sales. From public filings and press reconstructions, Berkshire undertook multiple quarters of selling beginning in 2023 and continuing through 2025, with additional commentary and reporting in early 2026.

Major sales and reported quantities

• As of Dec 1, 2025, reporters compiled that Berkshire had been accelerating sales through late 2024 and into 2025. Sources reported multi‑quarter reductions in share counts. (Source reporting date: Dec 1, 2025.)

• As of Dec 17, 2025, additional press coverage documented specific sales and suggested reallocations into other large-cap names or cash equivalents. (Source reporting date: Dec 17, 2025.)

• As of Dec 21, 2025, one article reported Berkshire trimmed roughly 15% of its Apple stake in a recent quarter and described where some of that liquidity moved. That report contextualized the sales as part of a broader portfolio rebalancing. (Source reporting date: Dec 21, 2025.)

• As of Nov 3, 2025, coverage noted another quarter in which Berkshire may have further cut its Apple holdings; analysts used 13F and quarterly filings to infer incremental reductions. (Source reporting date: Nov 3, 2025.)

• In 2024 and 2025, cumulative reported sales spanned multi‑tens to several hundreds of millions of Apple shares across quarters, according to transaction logs and press reconstructions. Specific reported single‑quarter sales include an example of ~41.7 million shares sold in a given quarter (reported by financial press reconstructions), though quarter-by-quarter totals vary in later reconciliations. (Source reporting range: 2024–2025.)

• As of Jan 7, 2026, retrospective reporting summarized that Berkshire sold shares of Apple and Bank of America leading up to Buffett’s retirement announcement window, presenting consolidated sales data across the preceding quarters. (Source reporting date: Jan 7, 2026.)

• On Jan 13, 2026, reporting noted Buffett was still seeking large transactions and that Berkshire’s cash and T‑bill holdings had grown as Apple sales and other moves freed liquidity. (Source reporting date: Jan 13, 2026.)

Each of these reporting items derives from public regulatory filings (13F filings for U.S. equity holdings, and quarterly 10‑Q reports) and transaction-logging services that reconstruct trades from filing deltas.

Position status after sales

Despite sizeable sales across multiple quarters, Berkshire often retained a material Apple holding. In many of the reconstructions announced through late 2025 and early 2026, Apple remained among Berkshire’s top public-equity positions by market value even after the trims. Reported position sizes and the share of Berkshire’s public stock portfolio shifted downward from their peak, but the company continued to hold tens to hundreds of millions of Apple shares depending on the filing date. Exact percentage weighting and share counts changed with market price and subsequent trades.

This detail helps explain why the question “is warren buffett selling apple stock” is not binary — sales occurred, but a material stake often remained.

Reasons cited for selling

Media coverage and analyst notes have offered multiple, non-mutually exclusive explanations for why Berkshire reduced its Apple exposure. These explanations are based on reporting and quotations from company officials and analysts.

Valuation concerns

One commonly cited theme was valuation. As of the reporting period in late 2025, several outlets noted that Apple’s valuation metrics — such as price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios relative to historical norms — had risen. Some reporters suggested Berkshire trimmed to take profits where a single-stock holding had grown large and become more expensive by traditional Buffett metrics.

Valuation-driven trimming aligns with a conservative portfolio-management habit: selling parts of an outsized position that has appreciated materially to reduce concentration risk.

Tax and portfolio management considerations

Another reason advanced in reporting was tax and portfolio management. Sales late in a calendar year or in particular quarters can reflect tax planning, rebalancing, or efforts to reduce exposure to a single issuer. Media noted that some sales may have been motivated by corporate or tax timing concerns rather than an outright loss of conviction.

Journalists warned that press reconstructions cannot always distinguish sales for tax or tactical reasons from sales due to a long-term change in investment view.

Move to cash / T‑bills and lack of attractive alternatives

Multiple outlets reported Berkshire significantly increased cash and short-term Treasury (T‑bill) holdings during the same period it reduced Apple. As of Jan 13, 2026, CNBC reported that Berkshire had elevated cash and T‑bill balances while Buffett publicly said he was still searching for a large, attractively priced deal.

That pattern — selling liquid equities into cash and T‑bills when there are no suitable large investments — is consistent with Berkshire’s historical behavior in periods when Buffett and the investment team are hunting for large acquisitions but find limited opportunities priced to their standards.

Succession / retirement context

Some reporting tied a portion of the selling to the leadership transition around Buffett’s final period as chief executive. As of Jan 7, 2026, summaries noted that Buffett sold shares of Apple and Bank of America before his retirement and that the timing may reflect portfolio repositioning around succession and final-year portfolio housekeeping. Media cautioned that linking trades solely to succession decisions can be speculative, but observers flagged the temporal association.

Evidence and documentation

Answering whether "is warren buffett selling apple stock" relies on three evidence streams: regulatory filings, public statements, and financial press reconstructions.

SEC filings (13F, 10‑Q, 8‑K)

• 13F filings: Institutional investment managers with over $100 million in qualifying assets must file Form 13F quarterly. Berkshire’s 13F is a public record that lists long equity positions and is commonly used to infer holdings and quarter‑over‑quarter changes. Because 13F filings are filed after quarter close, they lag real-time trading.

• 10‑Q/10‑K filings: Berkshire’s periodic reports provide narrative and balance-sheet details including cash and short-term investment positions. Those filings help verify moves into T‑bills or increases in cash balances.

• 8‑K and proxy statements: When Berkshire executes large, reportable corporate actions or provides material disclosures, these filings can add context.

Reporters and transaction logs infer sales by comparing sequential 13F filings and by tallying changes in reported share counts and positions.

Company statements and interviews

Buffett’s occasional public remarks on cash levels, searching for big deals, and portfolio posture are reported by financial press outlets. For example, as of Jan 13, 2026, Buffett’s comments about continuing to look for a large acquisition were cited in coverage that linked elevated cash balances to the timing of equity sales.

Company statements rarely outline trade-by-trade rationales. Journalists combine the filings and limited public statements to build narratives.

Financial press reporting

Outlets tracked quarter-over-quarter changes and reported specific sale counts. Sources that compiled these items include transaction logs that read filings to produce chronological sale lists. Those reconstructions are helpful but can differ slightly due to filing timing, rounding, and reclassification of holdings.

As of Dec 21, 2025, one news piece summarized a reported ~15% reduction in a recent Apple trim; later recaps through early 2026 integrated further quarter changes. Press summaries are an essential, timely interpretative layer, but the underlying SEC filings remain the authoritative dataset.

Market reaction and analysis

Market reaction to reported Berkshire Apple sales was mixed. Some investors viewed the trimming as profit-taking and prudent concentration management; others interpreted sales as a potential signal of reduced conviction. Analysts noted:

• Large institutional selling can amplify downward price pressure near trade dates, especially when a single manager’s position is substantial relative to daily liquidity.
• Berkshire’s simultaneous increase in cash/T‑bills was interpreted by some as strategic caution rather than a negative signal on Apple fundamentals.
• The market generally distinguishes between headline-selling headlines and lasting changes to a firm’s fundamental view; the persistence of a material Apple stake after the trims suggested continued exposure even if scaled back.

Overall, market commentary reiterated that the question "is warren buffett selling apple stock" should be answered with nuance: yes, Berkshire sold shares across multiple quarters, but it frequently retained significant holdings and publicly emphasized a cautious approach to redeploying capital.

Timeline of key transactions (select quarters)

• 2016: Berkshire initiates an Apple position — initial buys disclosed in filings and reported by the financial press.
• 2017–2018: Berkshire accumulates Apple shares, making Apple one of its largest public-equity holdings by market value.
• 2023: Media reports begin to note incremental reductions and an overall rebalancing posture.
• 2024: Multiple quarters of selling reported; cumulative reductions materially lower Berkshire’s peak weighting in Apple.
• 2025 (Q2–Q3): Continued trimming reported; one quarter reported sales near ~41.7 million shares, and aggregated reporting suggested multi‑tens to hundreds of millions of shares were sold across quarters.
• Late 2025 (Dec): Reports summarized several quarters of active trimming and noted a move of proceeds into cash and T‑bills and occasional purchases of other names.
• Early 2026 (Jan): Summaries noted Buffett’s continued hunt for deals, elevated cash balances, and reporting that Buffett sold Apple and Bank of America shares in the months before retiring.

All timeline points above are based on publicly filed reports, transaction logs that compare sequential filings, and financial press reporting through Jan 13, 2026.

How to verify current holdings and future activity

If you want to verify whether "is warren buffett selling apple stock" remains true today, follow these practical steps:

1. Check Berkshire Hathaway’s latest Form 13F (quarterly) on the SEC EDGAR system; compare reported AAPL share counts to the prior quarter.

2. Review Berkshire’s most recent 10‑Q or 10‑K for changes in cash and short-term investment balances.

3. Read company press releases and shareholder letters that might mention portfolio posture.

4. Consult reputable financial press coverage that interprets filings and provides context; look for articles dated after the most recent quarter filing.

5. Use transaction-log reconstructions from reputable data providers to see quarter-by-quarter inferred trades; cross-check with primary SEC filings.

Remember that 13F filings report holdings as of quarter end and are filed with a lag. Intraday or intra‑quarter trades may not appear until the next quarter’s filing.

Interpretation and caveats

• Large institutional trading is often gradual and tactical. The fact that Berkshire sold Apple shares across multiple quarters does not automatically imply a permanent loss of conviction.

• 13F filings have limits: they show long positions in U.S.-listed equities and options but omit short positions, cash, and intrafund activity. They are retrospective snapshots filed after a quarter closes.

• Press reconstructions can differ slightly depending on rounding, how a data provider classifies share classes and ADRs, and the timing of derivative or reclassification entries.

• Public statements by executives, including Buffett, can guide interpretation but rarely provide a full trade-by-trade rationale.

Because of these caveats, the safest approach to the question "is warren buffett selling apple stock" is to rely on SEC filings for hard counts and use press reporting for near-term interpretation.

See also

• Berkshire Hathaway portfolio
• Form 13F filings (institutional disclosures)
• Warren Buffett investing philosophy
• Apple Inc. corporate overview

References

(All references below cite reporting used to assemble this article; dates given to indicate reporting timeliness.)

• Motley Fool — reporting that Buffett sold Apple and Bank of America ahead of retirement; article dated Jan 7, 2026. (source: Motley Fool Jan 7, 2026)
• Motley Fool — reporting on sales and related moves dated Dec 17, 2025. (source: Motley Fool Dec 17, 2025)
• Nasdaq — article on trimming roughly 15% of Apple stake and reallocations; dated Dec 21, 2025. (source: Nasdaq Dec 21, 2025)
• Motley Fool — coverage noting rapid selling through early Dec 2025; dated Dec 1, 2025. (source: Motley Fool Dec 1, 2025)
• StockCircle — Berkshire / Apple transaction log and quarter-by-quarter reconstruction (transaction logs compiled across filings). (source: StockCircle transaction log)
• CNBC — reporting that Berkshire may have again cut Apple in Q3; dated Nov 3, 2025. (source: CNBC Nov 3, 2025)
• CNBC — report on Buffett searching for a large deal while cash rose; dated Jan 13, 2026. (source: CNBC Jan 13, 2026)

Note: All figures and date references are taken from the cited press coverage and filings available as of the latest reporting dates above. For the most up-to-date holdings, consult Berkshire’s regulatory filings.

Further steps and practical tips: if you are tracking whether "is warren buffett selling apple stock" continues to be true, set up a routine to check the next Berkshire 13F after each quarter close, monitor Berkshire’s 10‑Q/10‑K for changes in liquidity, and follow authoritative reporting dated after those filings for timely interpretation. Always base factual conclusions on SEC filings and use press coverage for context. This article is informational and not investment advice.