Warren Buffett, the most legendary investor, is officially stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway on December 31, 2025, closing an unparalleled chapter in the company’s history.

Since taking the helm in 1965, Buffett has pulled nothing short of a miracle, taking the Berkshire stock from $19 per share to $758,000 per share today.

The jump represents a mind-blowing 3,950,000% increase and one of the most remarkable achievements in investing, being a testament to the effectiveness of Buffett’s patient approach to building a portfolio.

While today marks the end of an era, Buffett’s story is not completely over, as he plans to remain as chairman and controlling shareholder.

How successful was Warren Buffett?

Over the past six decades, Berkshire Hathaway didn’t just beat the market – it crushed it. For comparison, the S&P 500 has delivered roughly 7,770% since January 1965.

Buffett’s tenure also rewrote the scale of Berkshire Hathaway itself. Originally a textile manufacturer, the company has become a highly diversified global conglomerate spanning insurance, energy, manufacturing, and public-equity holdings, among others. 

As such, Berkshire has joined the ranks of the largest companies in the world, its $1 trillion market cap rivaling some of the biggest names in technology and finance. The success is nowhere more evident than in the previous quarter’s results, as Berkshire’s cash reserves have grown to about $381 billion. This equates to about 35% of the company’s entire market value and shows enormous liquidity.

Buffett’s successor, Greg Abel, thus has big shoes to fill, and not only in terms of growth. After all, Buffett’s larger-than-life persona has in many ways defined the conglomerate, and the change in leadership is certainly going to affect how investors approach it in the future.

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