Warren Buffett said he would buy "a whole lot" of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock if prices decline, signaling continued confidence in the iPhone maker even after Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK) (NYSE:BRK) cashed out roughly $100 billion worth of shares last year.

On Tuesday, the former CEO of Berkshire on Tuesday joined CNBC ‘Squawk Box' on the sidelines of the charity lunch auction with NBA superstar Stephen Curry. He lauded Apple CEO Tim Cook for his leadership at the tech giant.

Buffett suggested that Cook has outperformed the late Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and former boss, describing Apple’s products as “remarkable” and voicing his confidence in the company’s future.

“I sold Apple Too Soon,” said Buffett, but added that he doesn’t regret it. Despite selling Apple stock worth $100 billion pre-tax last year, he emphasized that Apple remains Berkshire’s “largest single investment.”

Speaking about tech regulations, he expressed his belief that the U.S. government would not impose harsh rules on Big Tech firms, including Apple, as lawmakers would not want to “destroy” companies whose products they use.

Buffett Backs Apple Despite Stake Cuts

Buffett’s praise for Apple comes after a period of significant changes at Berkshire Hathaway. Since 2024, the company has been trimming its stake in the iPhone maker. Berkshire Hathaway further trimmed its Apple holdings in the third quarter, cutting its stake to 238,212,764 shares and initiated a new position in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG).

Despite this, Apple makes up about 23% of Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio, reflecting its long-standing role as the firm's largest and most reliable holding, driven by strong cash flows, buybacks, and steady growth aligned with Buffett's investment strategy.

As for Tim Cook, Buffett has expressed his appreciation on many past occasions. In the 2025 annual shareholders meeting, he stated, “I’m somewhat embarrassed to say Tim Cook has made Berkshire a lot more money than I’ve ever made for Berkshire.” He added, “Nobody but Steve could have created Apple, but nobody but Tim could have developed it like it has.”

Furthermore, Berkshire Hathaway underwent a leadership change with Greg Abel taking over as CEO in early 2026. The company’s earnings report for 2025 showed a decline in investment gains and impairment charges tied to Kraft Heinz  (NASDAQ:KHC) and Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY). Despite these challenges, Berkshire’s investment in Apple has remained a key part of its portfolio.

AAPL Price Action: On a year-to-date basis, Apple declined 9.00%, as per data from Benzinga Pro.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.

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