What Stocks Made Warren Buffett Rich? His Legendary Investments Revealed

Ever wondered how Warren Buffett became one of the richest people on the planet? It wasn’t luck or inheritance – it was his extraordinary ability to pick winning stocks and hold them for decades. As the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway since 1965, Buffett has created astronomical returns for his shareholders and himself.

I’ve always been fascinated by Buffett’s investment approach. Unlike flashy Wall Street traders, he lives in Omaha, Nebraska, communicates in simple terms, and takes an incredibly long-term view. His strategy has turned Berkshire Hathaway into a wealth-generating machine that has delivered 19.9% annual returns through 2024.

To put that in perspective: if you’d invested $1,000 in the S&P 500, you’d have about $390,540 today. But that same $1,000 invested in Berkshire? You’d be sitting on a cool $55 million! Let’s dive into the stocks that made the “Oracle of Omaha” filthy rich.

Buffett’s Investment Philosophy

Before we look at specific stocks, it’s important to understand Buffett’s approach He views buying stocks the same way as buying entire companies – whether he’s purchasing 5% or 100% He looks for

• Strong, durable competitive advantages
• Excellent management
• Reasonable prices
• Businesses he understands
• Companies with pricing power to combat inflation

Now, let’s examine the stocks that built Buffett’s fortune:

The All-Stars: Buffett’s Best Stock Picks of All Time

1. Apple (AAPL)

Buffett’s investment in Apple might be the most profitable stock pick in history.

• Investment period: 9 years (since early 2016)
• Cost: ~$10 billion
• Current value: $75.1 billion (as of Dec 2024)

Buffett really loaded up on Apple in late 2016 and early 2017 He once told shareholders that Apple “just happens to be a better business than any we own” Although he sold about half of Berkshire’s stake in Apple by mid-2024, he’s still made an enormous profit.

Interestingly, Buffett once joked that Apple CEO Tim Cook had made more money for Berkshire than he ever had – pretty remarkable considering Buffett’s legendary career!

2. American Express (AXP)

• Investment period: 31 years (since mid-1990s)
• Cost: $1.3 billion
• Current value: $48.3 billion (as of Aug 2025)

Buffett actually first owned American Express back in the 1960s during his investment partnership days, following a scandal that threatened the company. He later built Berkshire’s current position primarily in the mid-1990s.

The dividends from American Express have been incredible – growing from $41 million in 1995 to $409.3 million in 2024. Berkshire currently owns 21.8% of American Express.

3. Coca-Cola (KO)

• Investment period: 36 years (since 1988)
• Cost: $1.3 billion
• Current value: $27.5 billion (as of Aug 2025)

Berkshire began buying Coca-Cola stock in fall 1988. Just three years later, the investment was worth $3.75 billion – more than ALL of Berkshire at the time of investment! Buffett recognized Coke’s incredibly strong brand and room for profitable growth.

In 2024, Berkshire received $776 million in dividends from its Coke holdings, which represent about 9.3% ownership of the company. The investment has grown more than 20X from its original cost.

4. Bank of America (BAC)

• Investment period: 14 years (since 2011)
• Cost: ~$15.2 billion
• Current value: $30.2 billion (as of Aug 2025)

Berkshire initially invested in Bank of America through preferred stock and warrants in 2011, which were exercised in 2017. Buffett has repeatedly praised Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

Though Berkshire sold about 15% of its stake in 2024, it still owns approximately 8.2% of the bank. BAC has delivered solid returns while becoming one of Berkshire’s largest positions.

5. Moody’s (MCO)

• Investment period: 25 years (since 2000)
• Cost: $248 million
• Current value: $11.7 billion

Berkshire ended up with Moody’s stock after investing in Dun & Bradstreet, which spun off Moody’s in 2000. Buffett was attracted to Moody’s because of its “enormous pricing power” and “almost infinite” returns on tangible assets.

This investment shows Buffett’s genius – turning $248 million into $11.7 billion, a gain of over 4,700%!

6. Chevron (CVX)

• Investment period: 5 years (since 2020)
• Cost: ~$15.4 billion
• Current value: $19.2 billion (as of Aug 2025)

Buffett’s relationship with Chevron has been more volatile than his other top holdings. Berkshire started with 48.5 million shares in 2020, peaked at 165.4 million in 2022, and reduced to 118.6 million by 2024.

Berkshire owns about 6% of Chevron, which paid $6.52 per share in dividends in 2024, providing significant income.

Beyond Stocks: Whole Company Acquisitions

Buffett didn’t just buy public stocks – some of his best investments came from acquiring entire companies:

See’s Candy

• Acquired: 1972
• Purchase price: $25 million
• Results: Generated “well over” $2 billion in pre-tax earnings for Berkshire

See’s exemplifies what Buffett looks for – a strong brand with pricing power that helps combat inflation. This relatively small acquisition has been a cash-generating machine for decades.

The Washington Post

• Investment period: 40+ years (1973-2013/2014)
• Cost: $11 million
• Value at peak (2004): Nearly $1.7 billion (154X cost)

The newspaper was eventually sold to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for $250 million in 2013, with remaining assets such as TV stations going to Graham Holdings. Berkshire exited completely in 2014.

What Made These Investments So Successful?

Looking at Buffett’s winners, we can identify some common threads:

1. Industry leadership – Each company was a leader (or close to it) in their industry
2. Durable competitive advantages – Strong brands, loyal customers, high switching costs
3. Steady cash flow – Reliable earnings that could be reinvested or returned to shareholders
4. Strong profitability – High margins and return on invested capital
5. Excellent management – Competent leaders who allocated capital wisely
6. Reasonable valuations – Buffett rarely overpaid, even for exceptional businesses

The Concentration Strategy

One thing that might surprise you about Buffett’s approach: he doesn’t believe much in diversification (at least not the way most financial advisors teach it). As of 2025, Berkshire’s portfolio had more than 40 stocks, but 63% of its market value was concentrated in just five companies.

This high-conviction approach has been key to generating spectacular returns. When Buffett finds a truly exceptional business at a good price, he bets big and holds for the long run.

Lessons for Regular Investors

While we may not have Buffett’s resources or experience, we can apply several of his principles:

• Think long-term – Buffett’s best investments played out over decades, not days or months
• Understand the business – Only invest in companies you truly understand
• Look for competitive advantages – Seek businesses with moats protecting their profits
• Be patient – Great investment opportunities don’t come along every day
• Concentrate (carefully) – Don’t spread your money too thin across dozens of mediocre investments

Buffett’s Recent Moves

It’s worth noting that Buffett has been trimming some longtime positions lately. He sold about half of Berkshire’s Apple stake by mid-2024 and reduced positions in Bank of America and Chevron. This suggests he might be finding these stocks less attractively priced or is making room for new opportunities.

The Bottom Line

Warren Buffett’s incredible wealth didn’t come from one lucky stock pick or a single brilliant insight. It came from decades of disciplined investing in high-quality businesses at reasonable prices.

What’s truly remarkable is how simple his approach seems in retrospect. He avoided complicated investment schemes, trendy stocks, and excessive trading. Instead, he focused on finding excellent businesses and holding them through market cycles.

The stocks that made Buffett rich – Apple, American Express, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Moody’s, and others – weren’t necessarily obscure companies nobody had heard of. They were often household names with strong franchises that he recognized were undervalued by the market.

For those of us trying to build wealth through the stock market, Buffett’s story offers both inspiration and a roadmap. We may not match his 19.9% annual returns, but by applying his principles, we can significantly improve our own investment results.

So next time you’re tempted by the latest hot stock tip or market trend, ask yourself: “Would Warren buy this?” The answer might just keep you on the path to financial success.

What do ya think? Is there a company in Buffett’s portfolio that surprises you? Or one you think might be his next big winner? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

No single stock made Warren Buffett rich; instead, his wealth grew by building a diversified portfolio and a massive conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway. His most significant, long-term investments have been in companies like Coca-Cola, American Express, and Bank of America, which have generated substantial returns over time, says The Motley Fool.

While Warren Buffett has not named a single “favorite” stock, Apple (AAPL) is his largest holding by position value, and Coca-Cola (KO) and American Express (AXP) are among his longest-held and most-loved “forever” stocks. Apple represents the largest investment in a single company he has ever made, while Coca-Cola and American Express are long-term core holdings that he expects to own indefinitely.

An initial investment of $1,000 in Coca-Cola stock 30 years ago would be worth approximately $9,030 today, with about $4,270 from stock appreciation and $4,760 from reinvested dividends. While a good return, this is less than what a similar investment in the S&P 500 would have yielded, which would be around $20,000.