When Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) reveals a major new bet, the market usually listens. And when the firm's latest 13F filing hit after the close on Aug. 14, one position towered over the rest: Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL).
Berkshire lifted its stake in Google's parent by 83% during the second quarter, adding roughly 48 million shares in a buying spree worth about $17 billion. That pushed Alphabet into the upper ranks of Berkshire's portfolio and raised an obvious question for investors: if Berkshire is aggressively accumulating, is it time to follow?