By Obinna Uballa
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has completed its exit from Chinese automaker BYD, closing out a 17-year investment that delivered more than a twentyfold gain, Reuters reported.
A regulatory filing by Berkshire’s energy subsidiary showed the value of its BYD stake at zero as of the end of March, compared with $415 million at the close of 2024. Berkshire first invested $230 million in 2008 for about 225 million shares, equivalent to a 10% stake, the report disclosed.
After BYD’s stock surged over the years, Berkshire began paring its position in 2022 before finally selling out this year. The company has not commented on the move.
BYD acknowledged the exit in a message from its branding and public relations chief, Li Yunfei, who thanked Berkshire for its “investment, help and companionship over the past 17 years,” describing the sale as a “normal stock investment trade.”
The withdrawal comes as BYD faces headwinds at home, reports said. Once the world’s largest EV maker by sales, its domestic deliveries have fallen for four consecutive months, forcing the company to cut its annual target by as much as 16% to 4.6 million vehicles, according to Reuters. Its quarterly profit also declined for the first time in over three years amid intensifying price competition in China’s electric vehicle market.
