Berkshire Hathaway's Cash Fell From $397 Billion to $366 Billion in a Single Quarter

Berkshire Hathaway deployed $31 billion of its cash hoard in Q2 2026, bringing the balance down from $397 billion to $366 billion. CEO Greg Abel allocated $17 billion to Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), expanded positions in Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Macy's (M), and authorized $4.5 billion in share buybacks on Berkshire (BRK.A, BRK.B) stock.

The quarter marks a sharp departure from Berkshire's multi-year cash accumulation strategy. Abel, who took over from Warren Buffett, appears more willing to put capital to work despite the company retaining roughly 92% of its prior cash cushion. The Alphabet stake represents the largest single deployment, while the renewed buyback activity signals confidence in Berkshire's own valuation after a prolonged pause.

The moves come as Berkshire sits on one of the largest corporate cash piles in history. With $366 billion still on the balance sheet, the company retains significant dry powder for additional investments.