• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access

3

Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access

3

Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'
FinanceWarren Buffett

At Berkshire annual meeting, Warren Buffett hosts cautious investors

By
Stephen Gandel
Stephen Gandel
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Stephen Gandel
Stephen Gandel
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 2, 2015, 10:18 AM ET

At Berkshire Hathaway’s 2015 annual meeting, it’s a weekend of Warren Buffett, and worry.

Nearly 45,000 people are expected to attend the shareholder meeting of Buffett’s insurance and investing conglomerate, which is taking place at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha, Neb. The annual lovefest to the world’s most famous investor always draws a large crowd. But this year, which marks the 50th year since Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway, is supposed to be larger than usual. The main event of every year’s meeting is an all-day session in which Buffett and his long-time partner Charlie Munger answer questions in front of a packed arena.

Buffett is expected to field questions about the economy and the performance of his company, which, on Friday, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) reported that its earnings from the first quarter of 2015 rose 20%. He also is likely to make comments on politics and anything else that crosses his mind. And as usual for the last few years, the 84-year-old investor is likely to face questions about who will take over the conglomerate when Buffett leaves the company.

Each year, there is always some controversy at the event. Last year, it was about CEO compensation. Buffett was pressed on why he didn’t object to the pay package of Muhtar Kent, the CEO of Coca-Cola, which many considered excessive. This year, Buffett may face questions about Clayton Homes, a mobile home manufacturer owned by Berkshire Hathaway that was recently the focus of an investigation of its lending practices by The Seattle Times and the Center for Public Integrity.

The suddenly solid-looking economy serves as the backdrop for this year’s meeting. At the same time, the professional investors attending Berkshire’s annual meeting are concerned that, after a number of very good years for the market, stocks could be set for a fall. At an event the night before the meeting, Jean-Marie Eveillard, a senior advisor to First Eagle funds and a prominent value investor, said he thought the market was overvalued. Eveillard said he’s most worried about the Federal Reserve, which has spent the past few years stimulating the economy and pumping money into the market. Those stimulus efforts are now coming to an end and Eveillard says investors don’t seem to be factoring that in. “Either everyone is thinking I will just keep dancing until the music stops, or they don’t see the risks that I do,” he said.

John Rogers, who runs the Ariel Funds in Chicago and was in Omaha for the Berkshire meeting, said he has 15% of his portfolio in cash, up from a typical 5%. “I am growing more and more concerned about the market,” said Rogers. “I am interested [in] what Buffett will say.”

Ryan Devitt, a credit analyst at a middle market lender who has been attending Berkshire’s annual meeting for the past five years, said “frothy” is a word he has been hearing among attendees this year. He also said that he has been hearing far fewer investment pitches from other attendees this year.
[fortune-brightcove videoid=4215270068001]

The doors for the event opened at 8 a.m. But attendees came creeping out of their hotels from all over Omaha in the pre-dawn hours to line up to make their way inside the arena. In the press and staff parking lot at just before 6 a.m., a marching band was practicing. The Berkshire meeting features a conference hall with booths dedicated to the many companies that the conglomerate owns or has invested in. Shareholders could test their wits against IBM’s supercomputer Watson, and take a picture with the Wells Fargo stagecoach.

The meeting kicked off with a movie that included a news clip on Berkshire’s meeting from 25 years ago. In the clip, the newscaster said anyone can be an investor in Buffett’s company Berkshire, but it would cost you as much as $7,000, which got a laugh. The stock now trades at $215,800.

About the Author
By Stephen Gandel
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
North AmericaAgriculture
U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
By Ilena Peng and BloombergJune 13, 2026
5 hours ago
The hottest debate on Wall Street right now: Does the flood of mega-IPOs and new shares signal a downturn ahead? That depends
InvestingIPOs
The hottest debate on Wall Street right now: Does the flood of mega-IPOs and new shares signal a downturn ahead? That depends
By Jason MaJune 13, 2026
5 hours ago
You can ignore AI giants like SpaceX, but your 401(k) won’t
Investingindex funds
You can ignore AI giants like SpaceX, but your 401(k) won’t
By Stan Choe and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
7 hours ago
Trump says he’ll sign deal with Iran to reopen Hormuz Sunday
PoliticsIran
Trump says he’ll sign deal with Iran to reopen Hormuz Sunday
By Arsalan Shahla, Maria Paula Mijares Torres and BloombergJune 13, 2026
10 hours ago
A deal to the end the U.S.-Iran war could be finalized within 24 hours. Tehran wants to charge ships crossing Hormuz ‘for services rendered’
Middle EastIran
A deal to the end the U.S.-Iran war could be finalized within 24 hours. Tehran wants to charge ships crossing Hormuz ‘for services rendered’
By The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
14 hours ago
ravi
CommentaryWeather and forecasting
I spent 8 years flood-proofing a city. Capital markets are running out of time to take El Niño seriously
By Ravi S. BhallaJune 13, 2026
16 hours ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Sydney LakeJune 13, 2026
19 hours ago
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
AI
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
By Jeremy KahnJune 13, 2026
1 day ago
Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'
Startups & Venture
Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'
By Emma HinchliffeJune 13, 2026
18 hours ago
SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen quietly engineered its historic IPO and became an overnight billionaire
C-Suite
SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen quietly engineered its historic IPO and became an overnight billionaire
By Sasha RogelbergJune 13, 2026
21 hours ago
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
Energy
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
By Jordan BlumJune 12, 2026
1 day ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.