Squawk Pod: Berkshire Hathaway 2026 annual meeting: part 1 - 05/02/26 | Audio Only
Speakers
John Rogers
— Co-CEO, Ariel Investments
Ajit Jain
— Vice Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway
Mike Santoli
— Senior Markets Commentator
Greg Abel
— CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
Summary
CNBC covers the first part of the 2026 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, where new CEO Greg Abel takes the stage with Ajit Jain. Key topics include Berkshire's record $397B cash pile, Q1 operating earnings up 18%, a small stock buyback, and the company's cautious stance on cyber insurance and AI. Shareholders and guests discuss the transition from Warren Buffett's leadership.
- Berkshire Hathaway's 2026 annual meeting is the first without Warren Buffett as CEO; Greg Abel presides.
- Q1 results show operating earnings of $11.35B (up 18%) and a record cash pile of ~$397B.
- Berkshire sold net $8.1B in stocks and bought back $235M in its own shares for the first time since Q2 2024.
- Greg Abel emphasizes patience, discipline, and the optionality of cash for future deals.
- Ajit Jain explains Berkshire's reluctance to enter cyber insurance due to pricing and aggregation modeling challenges.
- AI is viewed as a productivity tool, not a substitute for human judgment in underwriting or investing.
- John Rogers highlights Madison Square Garden Entertainment as a cheap leisure stock with a Knicks playoff catalyst.
- The meeting covers energy transition, data center demand, and succession planning for key executives.
Trade Ideas
Knicks playoff run boosts MSGE value.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment is a cheap leisure stock that owns the Garden and will benefit from the Knicks' run to the World Championship, providing a unique catalyst not reflected in the price.
Up Next
This CNBC video, published May 03, 2026, features John Rogers discussing MSGE. 1 trade idea extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers: John Rogers · Tickers: MSGE