According to an SEC filing released by Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate now owns 120.95 million shares of HP after its recent days purchase. The position is worth about $4.2 billion and represents roughly an 11% stake in the company. The purchase could be seen as a sign that Buffet is still betting on corporate America and the US economy, even though Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hints at the possibility of slower global growth and high inflation.
This represents Berkshire Hathaway’s third significant investment since February 26, when Buffet noted in his annual letter to shareholders that "internal opportunities deliver far better returns than acquisitions" and little "excites us" in equity markets. Earlier in March, Berkshire Hathaway revealed a 14.6% stake in Occidental Petroleum Corp, and on March 21, it agreed to buy Alleghany Corp – an insurance company – for $11.6 billion in cash.
After the news hit the wires, HP’s stock price surged nearly 10%. Excluding the most recent move, shares of HP have lost 9.7% over the past three months, while USA500 has dropped 4.6%.
Sources: marketwatch.com, reuters.com