Web Trader MT5 
Quick Answer
To begin investing, you have to open a brokerage account and buy some shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Ticker: BRK.A or BRK.B).
The process at the high level is as follows:
- Select a Broker: Open an account with a regulated platform that offers access to U.S. markets, such as STARTRADER.
- Choose the Share Class: Choose either Class A (BRK.A, high price) or Class B (BRK.B, accessible price).
- Analyze the Valuation: Evaluating metrics such as the price-to-book ratio is essential to ensure you do not overpay.
- Place Your Order: Enter the ticker symbol and place a buy order.
BRK.A vs BRK.B at a glance:
- BRK.A: Typically trades above $600,000 per share; suited for institutional or ultra-high-net-worth investors.
- BRK.B: Typically trades in the hundreds of dollars; accessible for most retail investors.
Both share classes give you proportional ownership in Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the same operating businesses, and the same equity portfolio.
The only way you can learn how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway is when you realize that you are purchasing a portion of a conglomerate and not an individual operational business.
When you invest in Berkshire Hathaway, you buy shares of the holding company through a brokerage account, and you gain broad exposure to the company’s other subsidiaries and equity investments.
Is Berkshire Hathaway a single stock, or is it a well-concealed mutual fund hiding in plain sight? This is the question that would put off new investors.
Although it operates like a single firm, it has an enormous array of enterprises which include railroads, insurance empires, etc, thus being one of the rarest holdings in the financial enterprise.
But before you jump in, you need to understand a few things that trip up beginners. Here, you will learn how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway the right way.
You will understand what you’re actually buying, choose the right share class, and manage your positions responsibly.
What Is Berkshire Hathaway Inc.?
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a multinational holding company that owns dozens of businesses, with pure ownership and significant minority ownership stakes in other publicly traded companies.
When you look at how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway Inc., you are actually looking at two distinct engines of value creation.
It is also important to note that the company does not manufacture a single product. Instead, it invests capital in the actual manufacturing companies.
What the Company Owns
Two buckets that contribute value to Berkshire are:
- Businesses: These are businesses that Berkshire wholly owns. They become predictable sources of cash. These are GEICO (insurance), BNSF Railway (transportation), and Clayton Homes (building).
- Equity Investments: This is the company’s extensive stockholding. It has enormous holdings in publicly traded colossi such as Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola.
Why People Buy Berkshire
The diversification of the business model tends to make Berkshire a “sleep-well-at-night” stock in investors’ eyes.
The main philosophy is to float (cash available from its insurance activities) to invest in high-rate businesses.
This enables capital to accumulate over decades without the investor having to actively build a portfolio of individual stocks.
Is Berkshire Hathaway Publicly Traded?
Yes, Berkshire Hathaway is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Where Shares Trade
Berkshire trades on the NYSE, implying it is available virtually via nearly any large brokerage firm offering access to the American equities.
To purchase them, no special invitation or connection with the bank is required. You need a trading account.
What You Actually Own When You Buy Shares
When you purchase a stock, you own a partial right to the whole conglomerate. You get economic exposure to the income of the railroad, the electricity grid, the insurance payments, and the dividends of the stock portfolio.
Owning, however, does not provide you with operating control. You are delegating capital allocation to the management team.
What’s the Difference Between BRK.A and BRK.B?
The Key distinction is the price of shares and the right to vote: the original share is the high-priced Class A with full voting rights, and the second type is the low-priced Class B, which is supposed to be owned by individual investors.
Price and Accessibility
The most evident difference is in this. Stockock of BRK.A sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is beyond the reach of most.
To address it, the company developed BRK.B (sometimes referred to as Baby Berkshires), which trades at a fraction of the price (estimated at 1/1,500th of an A share).
When researching how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway shares, most retail investors opt for Class B shares due to affordability.
Voting Rights Explained Simply
The Class A shares have much higher voting power. A single Class B stock is approximated to be 1/10,000th of Class A voting rights.
But to the average long-term investor seeking economic payoffs at the boardroom rather than boardroom power, this is hardly a dealbreaker.
Mini Decision Rule
- Select BRK. A when: You are a wealthy person with a high net worth who desires full voting rights and intends to leave the stock as a family heirloom (Class A can be upgraded to B, but not the other way around).
- Select BRK. B when: You are a personal investor, and you desire flexibility, liquidity, and the ability to buy or sell in small blocks.
Comparison: BRK.A vs. BRK.B
| Feature | BRK.A (Class A) | BRK.B (Class B) | What It Means for You |
| Typical Price | Extremely High ($600k+) | Accessible ($400+) | BRK.B is easier to fit into a monthly budget. |
| Voting Power | High | Very Low | Unless you want to vote at the AGM, B is fine. |
| Accessibility | Institutional/Wealthy | Universal | BRK.B is the standard for retail traders. |
| Liquidity | Lower volume | High volume | It is easier to sell BRK.B quickly. |
| Best Suited For | Legacy holding | Regular investing | Choose B for flexibility. |
How to Invest in Berkshire Hathaway Stock
The process of investing in stock requires you to open a brokerage account, fund it, and place a buy order of your preferred share class.
Step 1: Decide Your Goal and Time Horizon
Historically, Berkshire is a long-term compounder. It is not usually well-suited to short-term speculation, as its movements depend on the gradual accumulation of profits from boring but stable businesses.
Step 2: Choose Share Class (BRK.A vs BRK.B)
As explained above, identify the ticker that matches your capital. BRK.B is the right choice for 99% of non-institutional investors.
Step 3: Pick an Order Type (Market vs Limit)
- Market Order: Purchases stock at the market price.
- Limit Order: The maximum price you are willing to pay.
Note: Limit orders can be safer to use, since they let you avoid paying more than you would during market volatility.
Step 4: Set a Risk Plan
Calculate your position size before you press the buy button. Berkshire is a single company, even though it is diversified. Make it fit in your overall portfolio strategy.
Even platforms such as STARTRADER usually give you tools that help you track your exposure.
Step 5: Review on a Schedule
Berkshire is not a stock that needs to be reviewed on a daily basis. It is typically enough to monitor the performance by reviewing quarterly earnings reports or the annual shareholder letter.
How to Invest in Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio: What Are You Exposed To?
Purchasing the stock will put you in the sights of a high concentration in the insurance, energy and transportation lines, as well as the massive consumer-tech equity portfolio.
Operating Businesses vs Equity Holdings
When you consider how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway portfolio assets, you are obtaining a combination:
- Defensive Assets: Utilities and Insurance (vulcanize recessions).
- Cyclical Assets: Railroads and Manufacturing (cyclical to the economy).
- Growth Assets: Technology holdings (such as the important Apple stake). By late 2025, Apple remained the top holding in the equity portfolio, accounting for approximately 22.7% of the total market value of disclosed holdings.
Concentration Reality
Berkshire is not an index fund, even though it is diversified. It has concentrated bets.
Indicatively, much of its public equity portfolio has traditionally been focused on a small number of names (such as Apple or Bank of America).
This implies that when the relevant companies perform poorly, Berkshire’s book value may fluctuate in the short run.
How to Invest in Berkshire Hathaway Fund
No official Berkshire Hathaway Fund exists; however, the stock itself serves as an equivalent to a managed fund due to its diversified portfolio.
Clarifying the “Fund” Confusion
Many beginners look for how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway fund tickers that do not exist. Berkshire is a corporation.
Nevertheless, since it has so many different businesses, it provides immediate diversification that resembles an ETF, yet, no management fees (expense ratio).
Direct Shares vs Funds That Hold Berkshire.
To avoid owning the stock, you can purchase ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) which contain Berkshire as a high constituent. Berkshire is owned by many S&P 500 funds or Financial Sector ETFs at a large percentage.
Ways to Get Berkshire Exposure
| Option | How It Works | Pros | Cons | Best For |
| Buy Shares Directly | Buy BRK.B stock. | Pure exposure to Buffett’s strategy; no fees. | Single-company risk. | Investors who believe in the management. |
| Buy Diversified Fund | Buy an S&P 500 ETF. | Instant diversification across 500 companies. | Diluted exposure to Berkshire. | Passive investors minimizing risk. |
What Should You Watch Before Investing in Berkshire?
The valuation of the company (Price-to-Book ratio), cash and succession plans must be monitored by the investors.
Valuation and Expectation Risk
The investor used to monitor Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio. Although not as critical as in the present since the buying back of shares, caution is required when making the purchase when the stock is at an all-time high when compared to its earnings.
Concentration and Sector Exposure
Berkshire is significantly exposed to the U.S economy. In the event of a slowdown in the U.S. economy, it is expected that Berkshire’s railroads and manufacturing businesses will also be affected.
Management and Strategy Continuity
The Warren Buffett key man risk has been a subject for a long time. There is, however, an evident succession plan. The company’s culture and the abilities of the future management team, especially in capital allocation discipline, are areas investors should pay attention to.
How Much Should You Invest in Berkshire Hathaway?
Most financial teachers recommend not allocating more than 5 or 10 per cent of the total portfolio on a single stock.
Position Sizing Rules
As Berkshire is not as volatile as most of the tech stocks, some investors put it in the core. Nevertheless, it must not substitute for a fully diversified global portfolio.
Building Exposure Gradually
Rather than purchasing all your shares at once, you should think of so-called Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA). This is the purchasing of BRK.B in small portions at frequent visits (e.g., monthly) to level out the average purchasing price over time.
Does Berkshire Hathaway Energy Matter to Investors?
Yes, Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) is a critical subsidiary that generates steady, stable income from utilities and renewable energy ventures.
Why Subsidiaries Affect Overall Results
The most frequently asked question is how to invest in Berkshire Hathaway Energy directly, but you cannot just buy BHE shares because it is a subsidiary.
It is a significant player in renewable energy and power transmission. The segment is becoming increasingly important to Berkshire’s long-term value as the world goes greener.
Thinking About Segment Risk Simply
BHE offers defensive earnings. People continue to pay the electric bill even when the stock market goes belly up. This prevents the stock price of Berkshire from declining during recession periods.
Checklist: Before You Buy Berkshire Hathaway
- Choose Share Class: Make sure that your budget fits BRK.B.
- Know Ownership: When you are buying a holding company, not a fund.
- Check Valuation: Does the stock trade at all-time highs?
- Position Size: It should not be too large and should not take up a large share of your portfolio.
- Select Type of Order: Select a limit order to have control over the price at which you enter.
- Plan Review: Devote oneself to reading the annual letter to the shareholders.
FAQs
The investment will be possible by opening a common brokerage account and buying Class B shares (BRK.B). Make sure funds are deposited, then place a limit order you set the price at which you buy.
BRK.B. is selected by most individual investors. The Class A shares are already extremely priced (at a level that frequents the six figures mark) whereas the Class B shares are priced to attract retail purchases. The two have the same exposure to the performance of the company in terms of economics.
First of all, you should open a demo/live account with a regulated broker. It should be treated like a long-term holding. Before investing capital in the company, read the annual letters they have sent you about their philosophy of business.
There is no mutual fund on record. Berkshire is a holding company. Nonetheless, due to the number of businesses it possesses, the purchase of the stock will be diversified like a fund would.
Conclusion
Berkshire Hathaway is a unique investment option that allows you to own a part of the American economy with a single ticker.
You are investing in a diversified engine of operating businesses and equity holdings, whether you are buying into BRK.B, the more affordable option, or BRK.A, the more expensive one.
The trick is not to perceive your investment as a trade, but rather as an ownership of the long term. You must have a plan for what you want to do with your portfolio before you start.
In case you are willing to dive into the markets, you may want to read the learning materials that are provided by STARTRADER to sharpen what you already know about how the markets work.
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