Key financial facts:

• Operating earnings fell nearly 30% in the fourth quarter of 2025 due to a 54% drop in insurance underwriting profits.
• Berkshire’s shares have fallen more than 5% year to date.
• The company has trailed the S&P 500 index by more than 30 percentage points since Buffett signaled plans to step down last May.
• Berkshire resumed stock buybacks in March for the first time since 2024, repurchasing roughly $226 million of stock.
• Greg Abel used his entire after-tax salary of $15 million to personally buy Berkshire shares.
• The annual meeting is expected to draw around 30,000 shareholders.

Buffett’s absence raises questions about the company’s future direction. Analysts note that it is challenging to expect significant earnings growth this year. Bill Stone remarked, “I think part of it is really hard to expect a whole lot of earnings growth this year.”

Macrae Sykes added, “Clearly, nobody can replace Warren on the stage.” The shift in leadership comes during a period of declining profits and market performance for Berkshire Hathaway.

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Operating earnings fell nearly 30% in the fourth quarter of 2025, primarily due to a 54% drop in insurance underwriting profits. Berkshire’s shares have also fallen more than 5% year to date, trailing the S&P 500 index by over 30 percentage points since Buffett announced plans to step down last May.

Berkshire resumed stock buybacks in March for the first time since 2024, repurchasing roughly $226 million of its own stock. Abel has shown confidence in the company’s future; he used his entire after-tax salary of $15 million to personally buy shares.

The annual meeting is expected to draw around 30,000 shareholders. Macrae Sykes commented, “Clearly, nobody can replace Warren on the stage.” Bill Stone added, “I think part of it is really hard to expect a whole lot of earnings growth this year.”

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