Can Greg Abel Sustain Berkshire's Legacy After Buffett Steps Down?

The next year is expected to be a transitional year for Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B as Warren Buffett steps down from the position of CEO and Greg Abel assumes the role. Buffett’s departure will mark the end of an era for the conglomerate, though he will remain on the board. 

Greg Abel has been prepared for this role for many years. He has been overseeing Berkshire’s non-insurance operations and serving as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy and vice chairman since January 2018.

Berkshire’s investment thesis rests on a diversified portfolio generating resilient cash flows, a strong insurance float from GEICO and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance that fuels long-term compounding, and a strong balance sheet providing downside protection and opportunistic investment flexibility.

Under the leadership of Warren Buffett, the company has adhered to a disciplined, value-oriented investment philosophy focused on acquiring undervalued assets with durable long-term potential.  Also, with Warren Buffett at its helm, Berkshire has been creating tremendous value for shareholders over nearly six decades with his unique skills. 

The remarkable success of Berkshire Hathaway is attributable to Warren Buffett and Charles Munger. Though Buffett has duly put in place a succession plan and chosen a successor, it remains to be seen how things work out when Greg Abel succeeds Warren Buffett as CEO of Berkshire, effective Jan. 1, 2026. All eyes will be on the new management of this conglomerate, whether it will be able to replicate or, at best, sustain Buffett’s success story.

What About Other CEO-Founder Led Companies?

Capital One Financial COF is a diversified financial services holding company with banking and non-banking subsidiaries. It has evolved to be one of the largest banks in the United States.  Richard Fairbank co-founded Capital One with Nigel Morris in 1994 and is the executive chairman of the company. 

Blackstone Inc. BX is the largest alternative asset manager in the world. The company’s diversified products, revenue mix and superior position in the alternative investments space are likely to continue supporting AUM growth. Stephen A. Schwarzman co-founded Blackstone with Peter Peterson in 1985 and is the executive chairman of the company.

BRK.B’s Price Performance

Shares of BRK.B have gained 11.3% year to date, outperforming the industry.

BRK.B’s Expensive Valuation

BRK.B trades at a price-to-book value ratio of 1.55, above the industry average of 1.52. It carries a Value Score of D.

No Estimate Movement for BRK.B

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BRK.B’s fourth-quarter 2025 EPS and first-quarter 2026 EPS witnessed no movement in the past seven days. The same holds true for 2025 and 2026 EPS estimates.

The consensus estimates for BRK.B’s 2025 and 2026 revenues indicate year-over-year increases, while the same for 2025 and 2026 EPS indicate a year-over-year decline.  

BRK.B stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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