• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechBerkshire Hathaway

Warren Buffett Says He Is More Likely to Buy IBM Shares Than Sell

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 2, 2016, 9:40 AM ET

Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, said Monday he would be more likely to buy than to sell IBM shares over the next two years, and that he did not seek to profit from global central bank actions.

Buffett, who presided over Berkshire’s 51st annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska over the weekend, told cable television network CNBC: “We would be much more likely to buy more in the next 12 or 24 months than we would be to sell shares, but we will make that call as time goes along.”

Buffett, whose Berkshire held an 8.59% stake in IBM as of the end of last year and who has caught some flak for his stake, said his cost basis in IBM was around $170 a share and that he had still never sold a share.

IBM shares were little changed at $146 in early trading on Monday.

Read More: Warren Buffett: Valeant’s Business Model Was ‘Deeply Flawed’

Buffett also said he did not seek to profit from global central bank monetary policies, but that low and negative interest rates could produce an unanticipated reaction.

“It’s a fascinating movie to watch. I don’t try to make money off the movie,” Buffett said.

“If currency in a bank is worth less than currency in your hands or in a mattress, that could produce something in the way of behavior that nobody has ever anticipated.”

Buffett, whose Berkshire is an American Express shareholder, said the company’s loss of its contract with retailer Costco Wholesale Corp was “significant” but he agreed with American Express Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault’s decision to split from Costco.

He said American Express would remain “under attack” from alternative payment methods, but he remained confident in his stake.

“Costco was a very, very, very valuable co brand to have for American Express, but that value wasn’t limitless,” he said.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily technology newsletter

Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger told CNBC, however, that he would have made the opposite decision with regard to American Express’s contract with Costco.

Buffett also criticized companies that repurchase their own shares at too high a price: “They have in mind a limit as to what they pay for any business they buy except their own, and it has become fashionable to repurchase shares.”

Buffett, who has ordered that most of the money he is not giving away at his death should be placed in an index fund, also said active investing as a whole was “certain” to produce worse than average results.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

dario
LawLegal
Even as hallucinations show up in legal filings, Big Law goes all in on AI with new Anthropic release
By Nick LichtenbergMay 12, 2026
22 minutes ago
person alone in office
EconomyJobs
The China shock hollowed out factory towns. This professor thinks the AI shock is coming for your urban coffee shop
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
35 minutes ago
Man sitting staring at his computer.
NewslettersEye on AI
Chatbots are becoming mental health tools before they are ready
By Beatrice NolanMay 12, 2026
1 hour ago
Ed Bastian with both his hands up
SuccessProductivity
Delta’s CEO let AI write a speech for Gen Z college grads—but he threw it away and started over with pencil and paper for one key reason
By Preston ForeMay 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Daniela Amodei, co-founder and president of Anthropic
SuccessFounders
Anthropic’s Daniela Amodei says entrepreneurs should go on vacation to road test potential cofounders—if they’re a drain, they’re ‘the wrong choice’
By Emma BurleighMay 12, 2026
2 hours ago
AI godfather warns humanity risks extinction by hyperintelligent machines with their own ‘preservation goals’ within 10 years
AITech
AI godfather warns humanity risks extinction by hyperintelligent machines with their own ‘preservation goals’ within 10 years
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 12, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
Economy
Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
By Jason MaMay 11, 2026
1 day ago
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
Success
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
By Preston ForeMay 11, 2026
1 day ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
Tech
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
2 days ago
Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
North America
Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 11, 2026
19 hours ago
U.S. hotels are calling the World Cup a 'non-event' and 80% warn bookings are falling short of expectations, report finds
North America
U.S. hotels are calling the World Cup a 'non-event' and 80% warn bookings are falling short of expectations, report finds
By Sasha RogelbergMay 12, 2026
9 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 11, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.