Berkshire shareholders head to Buffett’s 60th annual meeting, economy top of mind

Warren Buffett is set to preside over Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa)’s annual meeting on Saturday, with investors and analysts keen to hear the legendary investor’s views as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies cause uncertainty for business and the economy.

The conglomerate’s share price has so far weathered a turbulent period for markets, rising 18.9% this year while the Standard & Poor’s 500 was down 3.3%.

For many, Berkshire’s diverse portfolio of businesses offers a mirror into the broader U.S. economy, including the BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, energy businesses, real estate brokerage HomeServices and Fruit of the Loom underwear.

"The far-reaching nature of their businesses and investments make them a microcosm for the whole economy," said Cathy Seifert, an analyst at CFRA. "The overarching concern is we need insight into the degree to which tariffs will cause demand destruction or a slowdown in the economy."

Investors may also question Buffett’s desire to deploy capital, after Berkshire sold more stocks than it bought for nine straight quarters. Its cash stake reached $334.2 billion at the end of 2024.

“Warren Buffett has steered away from discussing tariffs, and people are clamoring to hear what he thinks," said Robin Nasser, a certified public accountant from Newport Beach, California who is attending the meeting. "He obviously knows something we don’t because he’s stockpiling cash.”