Warren Buffett’s Best And Worst Investments: The Key Moves That Shaped His Legendary Career

Warren Buffett is one of the richest people in the world. He is famous for being a smart investor. In 1965, he took control of a struggling textile company called Berkshire Hathaway. He later turned it into a huge business by buying other companies and stocks that were cheap but valuable.

People call him the “Oracle of Omaha” because he lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska, and is known for his wise decisions.

Insurance Companies: Buffett bought National Indemnity and National Fire & Marine in 1967. These gave him money to invest, called “float.” He later bought Geico and other insurance firms. This helped Berkshire grow.

Famous Stocks: He bought stocks in companies like American Express, Coca-Cola, and Bank of America when they were having problems. These stocks are now worth over $100 billion more than what he paid.

Apple : Buffett started buying Apple in 2016. He said Apple is like a strong consumer brand, not just a tech company. His investment grew from $31 billion to over $174 billion before he sold some shares.

BYD (Electric Cars): On the advice of his partner, Charlie Munger, Buffett invested $232 million in Chinese carmaker BYD in 2008. That investment grew to over $9 billion.

See’s Candy: Buffett bought See’s Candy for $25 million in 1972. He said this deal changed the way he thought about investing, focusing on good businesses, not just cheap ones.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy: He bought a utility company in 2000 for $2.1 billion. This became Berkshire Hathaway Energy. It now earns billions, though its value has dropped recently because of wildfire risks.

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Berkshire Hathaway (Textile Business ): Buffett said his first investment in the textile company was a mistake. It lost money until he closed it in 1985. But the company helped him build his investment empire.

Dexter Shoe Co.: In 1993, he bought Dexter Shoe for $433 million using Berkshire stock. The company failed, and he lost 1.6% of Berkshire in the deal. He called it one of his biggest mistakes.

Missed Big Wins: Buffett said some of his worst mistakes were deals he didn’t make. He missed chances to invest early in Amazon , Google, Microsoft, and even Walmart.

Selling Banks Too Early: Before COVID, he sold bank stocks like Wells Fargo and JP Morgan. Their prices have since doubled.

Blue Chip Stamps: He bought a trading stamp company in 1970. It lost value over time. But the money from it helped him buy better businesses like See’s Candy.

Warren Buffett, on May 3, 2025 has announced that he will retire as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025. 

He will hand over the job to Greg Abel, who is currently the company’s Vice Chairman. Buffett has led Berkshire for nearly 60 years, becoming one of the world’s most famous and successful investors.