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

Trendingnow

1

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision

2

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

3

The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides 'naval overwatch'

1

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision

2

AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons

3

The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides 'naval overwatch'
FinanceWarren Buffett

Warren Buffett reveals Berkshire was ‘pretty close’ to a $10 billion deal not long ago but held off as cash continues to pile up

Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 3, 2025, 11:14 AM ET
Warren Buffett attends the Berkshire shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 3, 2019.
Warren Buffett attends the Berkshire shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 3, 2019.Johannes Eisele—AFP via Getty Images
  • Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett told shareholders at the conglomerate’s annual meeting on Saturday that he nearly pulled the trigger on a significant deal recently but ultimately didn’t. That comes as investors have been wondering when he will deploy Berkshire’s massive, and growing, stockpile of cash on a bigger scale.

For years, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett has bemoaned high asset prices and the lack of bargains out there to scoop up, but that may be changing.

Recommended Video

During a question-and-answer session at the conglomerate’s annual shareholder meeting on Saturday, he said the company nearly pulled the trigger on a significant deal but didn’t go through with it.

“We came pretty close to spending $10 billion, not that long ago, for example, but we’d spend $100 billion,” he said. “I mean, those decisions are not tough to make when something is offered that makes sense to us and that we understand and offers good value.”

That comes as investors have been wondering when he will deploy Berkshire’s massive, and growing, stockpile of cash on a bigger scale, though it has made some smaller stock purchases.

Earlier on Saturday, Berkshire reported that its available cash climbed to $347.7 billion at the end of the first quarter, up from $334.2 billion at the end of the fourth quarter.

Buffett defended Berkshire’s stance on keeping its powder dry, telling shareholders that “we have made a lot of money by not wanting to be fully invested at all times.”

He previously has noted the tidy returns Berkshire has made from putting its cash in U.S. Treasury bills. Meanwhile, his stock sales last year, especially Apple, now appear uncannily well timed ahead of the market selloff caused by President Donald Trump’s trade war this year.

Buffett added that trying to invest tens of billions of dollars every year “would be the dumbest thing in the world” because “things get extraordinarily attractive very occasionally.”

But he expressed confidence that an investing opportunity will come around in the coming years. “It’s very unlikely to happen tomorrow,” Buffett said. “It’s not unlikely to happen in five years.”

About the Author
Jason Ma
By Jason MaWeekend Editor

Jason Ma is the weekend editor at Fortune, where he covers markets, the economy, finance, and housing.

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. floats steering frozen Iran assets to Gulf allies for repairs
PoliticsIran
U.S. floats steering frozen Iran assets to Gulf allies for repairs
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and BloombergJune 7, 2026
2 hours ago
U.S. and Iran appear far from peace deal 100 days since war began
PoliticsIran
U.S. and Iran appear far from peace deal 100 days since war began
By Arsalan Shahla, Sara Gharaibeh and BloombergJune 7, 2026
2 hours ago
Repair Cafes, the Buy Nothing Project and tool libraries are part of an anticonsumerism trend rejecting mass-produced disposable goods
EconomyConsumer Spending
Repair Cafes, the Buy Nothing Project and tool libraries are part of an anticonsumerism trend rejecting mass-produced disposable goods
By Michael Weissenstein and The Associated PressJune 7, 2026
2 hours ago
Consumers look resilient on the surface, but $4 gas was a tipping point and Costco members are filling up more often in case prices go even higher
Retailgas prices
Consumers look resilient on the surface, but $4 gas was a tipping point and Costco members are filling up more often in case prices go even higher
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJune 7, 2026
3 hours ago
Sam Altman and Oliver Mulherin pose
C-SuiteSam Altman
OpenAI’s Sam Altman says his highly disciplined daily routine has ‘fallen to crap’—and now unwinds on weekends at a ranch with no cell phone service
By Jacqueline MunisJune 7, 2026
4 hours ago
boomer
EconomyRetirement
‘The golden years are not golden’: Boomers are hoarding most of America’s wealth and power because they’re terrified of outliving their money
By Nick LichtenbergJune 7, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision
Real Estate
Billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg used mortgages to buy multimillion-dollar mansions. Here’s why that’s a savvy financial decision
By Sydney LakeJune 6, 2026
1 day ago
AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
AI
AI CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft set aside their rivalry to warn Congress AI is making it too easy to design and create bioweapons
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 5, 2026
2 days ago
The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides 'naval overwatch'
Energy
The Strait of Hormuz is more open than previously thought as the U.S. shoots down Iranian drones threatening ships and provides 'naval overwatch'
By Jason MaJune 6, 2026
15 hours ago
I've sold property on California's Central Coast for decades. The buyers chasing ranch and winery estates are after more than a lifestyle
Commentary
I've sold property on California's Central Coast for decades. The buyers chasing ranch and winery estates are after more than a lifestyle
By Lindsey HarnJune 6, 2026
1 day ago
Here's where U.S. debt may become unsustainable with interest payments triggering a default crisis that even steep tax hikes can't fix
Economy
Here's where U.S. debt may become unsustainable with interest payments triggering a default crisis that even steep tax hikes can't fix
By Jason MaJune 6, 2026
18 hours ago
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
Economy
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
By Nick LichtenbergJune 7, 2026
6 hours 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.