Should You Buy Berkshire Hathaway Class B Shares While They're Below $600?

There are only two non-tech companies that are currently valued at over $1 trillion (out of 11), and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) is one of them.

As of market close on Jan. 16, Berkshire Hathaway's Class B shares were $493.29, meaning it would need close to a 22% increase to hit the $600 mark. If you're investing in Berkshire Hathaway expecting that to happen in the next few months, then you're investing in the company for the wrong reasons.

Of course, it can happen, but Berkshire Hathaway is more of a value play than a high-growth stock. Yes, it routinely outperforms the S&P 500 (it didn't in 2025), but the expectation shouldn't be 20%-plus gains year in and year out. That said, I'd imagine that Berkshire Hathaway hits the $600 mark within the next couple of years, so if you're in it for the long haul, you're likely to be rewarded.

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Berkshire Hathaway's business is more than investments

A lot of attention has been rightfully given to Warren Buffett's departure as head of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, but investments are only one moving part of this conglomerate. Buffett was the man in charge, but its subsidiaries -- such as GEICO, BNSF Railway, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy -- generally operate autonomously.

Together, these three businesses accounted for nearly 26% of Berkshire Hathaway's $94.97 billion in revenue in the third quarter, and they'll continue running as usual.

With GEICO ($11.26 billion in revenue), Berkshire has one of the largest auto insurance companies in the U.S.; with BNSF Railway ($6.04 billion in revenue), it has one of the largest freight rail networks; and with Berkshire Hathaway Energy ($7.3 billion in revenue), it has one of the largest utility and energy infrastructure companies.

Berkshire Hathaway has plenty of financial leeway

With $382 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and Treasury bills, Berkshire Hathaway has the largest cash pile in corporate history. With T-bill interest rates hovering above 3.5%, the company is happy sitting on its cash, but you know it's ready to hop on the next opportunity it sees. Unfortunately, at the moment, opportunities are a bit scarce.

There's no telling when Berkshire Hathaway will make a big splash again, but at some point, investors have to think it would prioritize putting the money to work. This wouldn't necessarily translate into Berkshire Hathaway stock rising enough to hit $600 a share, but it should push the stock in that direction.

Stefon Walters has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.