One of the secrets of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA +0.21%) (BRKB +0.32%) and its success in the stock market has been its focus on value. Whether led by former Chief Executive Officer Warren Buffett or its current leader, Greg Abel, Berkshire has always focused on buying stocks when they are significantly below their intrinsic value.
On top of that, Berkshire’s management team has sought companies that have significant advantages over their competitors — an economic moat — operating in a mature industry with reliable cash flow.
That strategy has helped Berkshire Hathaway build an investment portfolio valued at about $350 billion — and generate returns that averaged 19.7% during the past 60 years, nearly double the S&P 500‘s (^GSPC +0.66%) return.
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In today’s go-go market, which is focused so heavily on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technological advances, it’s easy to forget that there are some great value stocks available — and at comparatively dirt cheap prices. Three such stocks currently in Berkshire’s portfolio are American Express (AXP +0.41%), The New York Times Company (NYT +2.07%), and DaVita (DVA +0.02%). Here’s the case for buying and holding each of them right now.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 1: American Express
Berkshire Hathaway is deeply ingrained in the financial community. Its holdings include a significant stake in publicly traded companies such as Bank of America and Moody’s, and it wholly owns several insurance companies, including GEICO. Until last year, it had stakes in American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.
But I’ve always believed that of the three, American Express is the superior stock. Apparently, Abel feels the same way, as he closed out Berkshire’s positions in Mastercard and Visa in the first quarter.
I like American Express because of its market position — it’s geared toward more affluent customers with its gold and platinum card programs, both of which charge hefty annual fees. American Express increased its annual fee for its Platinum card to a whopping $895 earlier this year and offers perks valued at $3,500 to cardholders.
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“Our platinum portfolio is now the fastest growing in our U.S. Consumer business; our best-in-class credit performance further strengthened; and we continued to attract a large number of new customers, particularly millennials and Gen Zs who represent greater lifetime value,” CEO Stephen Squeri said.
Revenue in the second quarter was $19.6 billion, up 10% from a year ago, and net income of $3.11 billion was up 8%.
American Express is one of Berkshire’s largest holdings, with 151.6 million shares, representing 13% of the company’s portfolio. However, American Express stock is down 18% so far this year and currently sits 21% off its all-time high. But it’s still my favorite financial stock in Berkshire’s portfolio.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 2: The New York Times Company
We’ve all heard it: Newspapers are in trouble, and many have shut down — about 3,500 in the U.S. alone, according to a Poynter study. The industry largely hasn’t kept pace with the growth of digital media, losing both advertisers and subscribers.
But The New York Times has been able to buck that trend, embracing digital and capitalizing on its global brand. The company’s newspaper had 13.35 million subscribers in the second quarter, with only 550,000 receiving printed copies.
Second-quarter revenue rose 11% from a year earlier to $762.5 million. And even though print advertising continued to decline, falling from $40 million to $35 million in a year, the company recorded a 21% gain in digital ads, bringing total ad revenue to $149 million, up from $134 million a year ago.
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The company is a classic example of what Buffett and Abel appreciate: a well-run company with an economic moat that ensures long-term success. The shares are down 8% so far this year and 20% from their all-time highs.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 3: DaVita
Interestingly, Berkshire doesn’t own many healthcare companies. It took a sizable share in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter of 2025 before selling it less than a year later. And its Berkshire Hathaway Life company offers health reinsurance but not direct-to-consumer health coverage.
So DaVita holds a unique position in the Berkshire universe. The company focuses on kidney disease and chronic kidney failure, providing dialysis services and care, lab services, and research.
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And that’s an important field, particularly as the National Kidney Foundation estimates that 35.5 million U.S. adults have kidney disease, and one-third of adults are at risk from the disease.
Second quarter revenue rose to $3.55 billion, up from $3.20 billion a year ago. Net income was $343.2 million, up from $275.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, and diluted earnings per share were $4.02, up from $2.58 per share.
Unlike the other two companies on this list, DaVita is having a very good year, up 58%, but it’s still 27% off its all-time highs.
