Warren Buffett Was Selling Two Railroads As He Bought a Third

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway cut back on its holdings in two railroads during the second quarter of this year.

Even as Berkshire was increasing its stake in Burlington Northern, it was reducing its holdings of two other railroads: Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.

In mid-August, when Berkshire revealed its portfolio holdings as of June 30, the end of the second quarter, it withheld the numbers on its stakes in Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.

In a filing just a few minutes ago, those numbers are revealed.

Berkshire Hathaway's Railroad Stakes

	As of June 30	As of March 31	Pct. Change
Norfolk Southern	3,757,100	6,362,800	- 41.0%
Union Pacific	7,411,200	10,513,100	- 29.5%
For comparison ...
Burlington Northern	39,027,430	34,647,376	+ 12.6%

Source: Berkshire Hathaway SEC Filings

As we've been reporting here on Warren Buffett Watch, Berkshire continued to build its Burlington stake into the third quarter. It's required to report those purchases as they happen because it owns more than 5% of the frieght railroad's outstanding stock. Last we heard, the stake was just over 17% and could go to 25% or higher.

As for what's happened to Berkshire's stakes in Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, we just don't know.

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