2 No-Brainer Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy Right Now

With Warren Buffett's recent announcement that he's stepping down as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, it's worth taking a look at a couple of stocks in his company's $286 billion portfolio that look like good buys right now.

Two standouts among the many great options are Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and American Express (NYSE: AXP). Here's why you should consider picking up their shares now.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Amazon

There are some legitimate concerns being raised about the retail and e-commerce industries right now in light of all the tariff uncertainty. Amazon isn't immune, and its CEO Andy Jassy said on the company's first-quarter earnings call, "Obviously, none of us know exactly where tariffs will settle or when."

But focusing too much on tariffs compared to Amazon's long-term opportunities is probably a mistake. For one, the company has 40% of the U.S. e-commerce market, easily outpacing Walmart's 7% share.

Its North American sales have also been very strong lately, jumping 8% in the most recent quarter to $93 billion, showing that Amazon continues to expand its e-commerce footprint.

But it's not just e-commerce that makes Amazon an enticing stock. The company also has the largest cloud computing service, Amazon Web Services (AWS), with 30% of the market compared to Microsoft Azure's 21%. AWS accounts for about 63% of the parent company's total operating income, making the business a crucial part of Amazon's long-term plans.

Many companies are focusing on expanding their artificial intelligence (AI) cloud services lately, and it's a huge opportunity for AWS. Cloud revenue could become a $2 trillion market over the next five years as AI fuels demand, and Amazon's leading cloud platform gives it an edge in this space.

To top it all off, Amazon's stock looks relatively well priced right now. The stock's trailing price-to-earnings ratio is 34, a bit higher than the S&P 500's 28 but cheaper than Walmart's P/E of 40.

2. American Express

One of Buffett's favorite stocks has been American Express, which he bought in 1991 and is now Berkshire Hathaway's second-largest holding.

American Express continues to grow even as some investors have worried that early impacts of President Donald Trump's tariffs could slow spending. That doesn't seem to be the case yet, with the company's revenue increasing 7% in the first quarter (which ended March 31) to about $17 billion and its earnings per share (EPS) rising 9% to $3.64.

Management also remains optimistic about the year and maintains guidance of 9% revenue gains for 2025 and an earnings outlook of $15.25 per share, both at the midpoint. That's notable considering that many companies have scaled back their outlook and even retracted any guidance for the full year in light of tariff and economic uncertainty.

Much of the company's growth has come from its ability to collect higher fees from its members. Management said on the company's recent quarterly earnings call that the average card fee per new account acquired has increased by about 40% over the past three years, reflecting "strong demand for our premium products."

What's more, American Express stock is relatively inexpensive with a price-to-earnings multiple of just 21, making it cheaper than most of the broader market.

Keep this in mind when buying these two Buffett stocks

The market has been volatile over the past couple of months, and there's still uncertainty surrounding tariffs and the economy. That doesn't mean Amazon and American Express aren't good buys right now, but investors should expect some price swings in the short term.

If you're just starting a position in either company, it might be wise to start small right now and then add to your position over time. This dollar-cost averaging approach can be a good way to buy great stocks over time, without committing too much capital up front.

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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Microsoft, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.