Big Changes to Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Stock Holdings, A to Z

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-B, BRK-A) and Warren Buffett have just released their most recent U.S.-listed equity holdings for the Berkshire Hathaway empire. This cut off date is as of March 31, 2012 and Mr. Buffett has already said that he was buying some shares since the end of the quarter on weakness.

Also, keep in mind that portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler are still new and those new positions of under $200 million $300 million are likely tied to them.

24/7 Wall St. has gone through line by line of each position to see which stocks have been bought and sold as new positions, as well as having added in whether or not the number of shares grew or shrank on each since the prior quarter. We had added some color in on some of the positions if applicable.

Be advised that the number of subsidiaries that this filing covers is 14 entities rather than 18 entities in the prior quarter. There is also a note in the 13F filing showing that the SEC has granted “Confidential Treatment” on some Berkshire stock holdings and that likely suggests that Buffett is still acquiring a position he does not want the public to know about yet. This filing does not signal the half-dozen or more European shares that Buffett said he bought so that remains an outstanding issue as well.

The value of the stock portfolio was $66,151,587,000 at the end of 2011 and this was listed as $75,300,250,000 at the end of March 2012.

American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) was over 151.6 million shares, SAME AS last quarter.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK) is now 5.6 million shares, HIGHER THAN the 1,793,915 shares last quarter.

CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS) is the SAME SIZE at 7.106 million shares after having been a new holding in a recent quarter and having been raised one quarter ago.

Coca Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) was right at 200 million shares, SAME AS BEFORE.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is roughly 29.1 million shares, roughly the SAME AS BEFORE but it is still lower than previous quarters in past reports.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) 4,333,363 Shares, SAME AS last quarter after having lowered it before.

Da Vita Inc. (NYSE: DVA) is now 6 million shares worth $541 million and that LARGER THAN BEFORE after having been a new position of 2.684 million shares.

DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is a LARGER POSITION listed at 22.999 million worth over $1.13 billion. This one had been 20.348 million shares worth $870 million one quarter earlier and it had been a new position just two quarters ago at 4.249 million shares.

Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is 3.63 million shares and that is SMALLER THAN the 4.497 million shares one quarter ago. It must have gotten too pricey.

Gannett Co. (NYSE: GCI) was 1.74 million, SAME AS BEFORE but decreased in prior quarters.

General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) is the SAME AS BEFORE at 3.877 million shares after being a new position before.

General Electric Corp. (NYSE: GE) is 7.777 million shares; SAME AS before.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) is a NEW POSITION of 10 million shares worth some $256.5 million. Is this deemed a good investment, or is it political since the government is still the largest GM shareholders?

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) 1.51 million shares, SAME AS PRIOR QUARTERS.

Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE: IR) was the SAME AS BEFORE at 636,600 shares but this was at the end of the filing rather than in the middle.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) is 7.745 million shares and that is SMALLER THAN the 11.495 million shares last quarter and having been put as a new position the prior quarter. They must have taken profits as the stock hit 52-week highs.

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) was listed as 64.395 million shares worth over $13.4 billion and that is the SAME SIZE AS BEFORE on paper, but we would caution that Buffett has talked up his stake since then.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) was a LOWER POSITION of about 29 million shares; lower than 37.4 million last quarter and way under the peak of 62 million shares at one point in prior quarters.

Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) was a LOWER POSITION at about 78 million shares versus 87 million shares before and it has been lightened up since the Cadbury purchase.

Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA) is a LARGER POSITION at 3 million shares worth $264 million versus 1.7 million shares worth some $132.7 million a quarter before.

M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB) is 5.38+ million shares, SAME AS last quarter.

MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA) was 405,000 shares, the SAME AS last quarter but up from two quarters before that.

Moody’s Corp. (NYSE: MCO) was 28.4 million; SAME AS last quarter but way down from prior quarters and years.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) was 73.2+ million, LOWER AGAIN versus the 76.7 million shares a quarter before and down from the 96.3 million shares in prior quarters.

Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) was 4.06 million shares; SAME AS before.

Torchmark Corp. (NYSE: TMK) was more than 4.2 million, SAME AS last quarter after having been raised in a prior quarter.

US Bancorp (NYSE: USB) was roughly 69 million shares; SAME AS before.

USG Corp. (NYSE: USG) was 17.072 million shares; SAME AS before.

United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) was 1.429 million shares; SAME AS before.

Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSK) was 2.23 million shares and that was SMALLER AGAIN versus the 3.445 million shares one quarter earlier after being recently added as a new position and then grown. Boy, are they taking short-term gains now and trading?

Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA) was a NEW POSITION at 1.59 million shares worth some $75.5 million and that is likely one of the new portfolio managers.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) was 2.865 million shares and that SAME AS before after having previously been raised.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) was just over 46.7 million shares, LARGER THAN the 39+ million shares last quarter. Keep in mind that this size was raised before all the negative news about bribery in Mexico.

Washington Post (NYSE: WPO) was over 1.72 million shares; SAME AS before.

Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) was GROWN YET AGAIN to more than 394.3 million versus more than 383 million shares last quarter. Buffett keeps buying Wells Fargo shares.

Comdisco Holdings (NASDAQ: CDCO) HAS BEEN ELIMINATED after having been roughly 1.5 million shares in prior quarters.

If you enjoyed the new Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway holdings, you are invited to join our free daily email list that sends news on Warren Buffett, Mergers & Buyouts, IPOs, hot stock news, daily exclusive feature stories, and more directly to your email Inbox at the start of each morning by joining in the box below.

JON C. OGG