Warren Buffett Increases Stake in Alphabet Amid Paid Click Growth
Warren Buffett continues to build Berkshire Hathaway's position in Alphabet (GOOG), now its third-largest equity holding. Despite stepping down from daily operations, Buffett has been actively acquiring shares since Q3 of 2025 and significantly increased the stake during Q1 and Q2 of 2026 through both open market purchases and a $10 billion private placement tied to Alphabet's broader fundraising in June. Buffett’s interest appears linked to one key financial metric: paid clicks. This measure reflects how often users click on Google ads, directly impacting Alphabet’s advertising revenue. Paid-click growth had slowed earlier but accelerated again starting Q2 of 2025 and continued rising through early 2026, reaching a notable 13% in the first quarter of that year. The resurgence in paid clicks suggests resilience for Google Search amid concerns about AI chatbots like ChatGPT disrupting traditional search behavior. Buffett’s timing aligns with this growth trend, indicating he may view Alphabet as a stable long-term investment despite its tech complexity.
Topics: AI Alphabet Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Strategy Warren Buffett