Greg Abel, who took over as Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRK.A) (BRK.B) CEO earlier this year could make its first major move by selling Kraft Heinz (KHC) shares. The conglomerate has registered to sell its 27.5% stake in the company, whose stock has underperformed terribly since the 2015 merger. For context, when Kraft Heinz started trading in 2015 as a merged entity, it opened at $71—over three times the current price levels.
While the registration does not necessarily mean that Berkshire would sell KHC shares—either in full or in part—it begins the formal process. Kraft Heinz is among the top equity holdings at Berkshire Hathaway, and Warren Buffett counts it among his rare mistakes. The “Oracle of Omaha” previously admitted that he overpaid for Kraft during the merger with Heinz. It was a costly mistake, though, and Berkshire wrote off that investment by $3.76 billion last year and $3 billion in 2019.
