How Diversified Has Berkshire’s Portfolio Really Been?
When people think of Warren Buffett, they often imagine a carefully diversified portfolio. The truth? Berkshire’s equity bets having minority interest ,have usually been highly concentrated. Here’s how the story unfolds decade by decade: 1960s – Early Bets, Big Swings In the Buffett Partnership years, a handful of stocks made up most of the portfolio. At one point, American Express alone was over 40%. After taking control of Berkshire in 1965, he continued running with fewer than 10 serious holdings. 1970s – The Media Era Buffett bought Washington Post (a quarter of the portfolio at one stage) and GEICO. He stuck to media and financials. The idea of “owning just the best” shaped his investing. 1980s – Coca-Cola Takes Over The 1988 Coca-Cola purchase was a game changer — it quickly became 30–40% of the portfolio. Alongside GEICO, Gillette, and Wells Fargo, Buffett doubled down on household names. 1990s – Four Giants Rule By the late 90s, just four stocks (Coca-Cola, Americ...