Published on: 2026-02-12
When Greg Abel became Berkshire Hathaway’s chief executive in early 2026, Warren Buffett’s long-discussed succession plan became reality. This transition draws attention to Abel’s net worth as a measure of alignment with shareholders. Investors are now focused not only on Berkshire’s assets, but also on who will manage its cash flows, risk, and capital returns.
Abel’s personal wealth provides insight into his approach to these decisions. Berkshire, valued at about $1 trillion, maintains a flexible balance sheet that sets it apart in global markets.
By late 2025, Berkshire held about $380 billion in cash and short-term US Treasuries, providing significant flexibility during market stress. In this context, Abel’s stake and incentives are central to governance, as disciplined capital allocation will define Berkshire’s future.
Greg Abel is known for operational expertise rather than public visibility. He built his reputation within Berkshire, especially in energy and utilities. Born in Canada and trained as an accountant, Abel advanced through the power and infrastructure sectors before leading Berkshire’s non-insurance operations.
Abel stands out for discreetly building scale, managing regulated assets, investing for the long term, and overseeing businesses where small mistakes can have major consequences.
This background clarifies why Buffett selected Abel as his successor. Berkshire operates differently from most public companies; its subsidiaries function autonomously, while Berkshire supplies capital, risk oversight, and a culture focused on long-term outcomes. The CEO’s responsibilities emphasize strategic judgment, including leadership selection, balance sheet protection, and capital allocation across diverse industries and markets.
Abel’s career has centered on these responsibilities, initially at Berkshire Hathaway Energy and subsequently across Berkshire’s non-insurance operating businesses.
Berkshire’s strength lies in its combination of cash-generating operating businesses and a large portfolio of publicly traded stocks. Its operations include insurance, railroads, energy, industrials, manufacturing, and consumer brands.
The listed-stock side gives Berkshire exposure to some of the world’s strongest businesses, while the operating companies provide steady cash flow that is less dependent on stock market moods.
A key Berkshire advantage is its insurance engine. Insurance premiums are collected upfront, while claims are paid later. That creates a pool of funds Berkshire can invest in the meantime. This structure has helped Berkshire build and maintain a large liquidity reserve.
By the end of the third quarter of 2025, Berkshire’s cash and short-term investments totaled about $382 billion, reflecting its cautious stance as market valuations rose.
Abel’s leadership begins with the challenge of deploying a large cash balance without overpaying. Like Buffett, he must address this issue, but now with fewer “Buffett premium” expectations in the stock price.
Unlike many founders and technology executives, Abel’s wealth cannot be determined from a single public equity holding. With no official net worth disclosure, estimates rely on three main sources:
Berkshire disclosures on his stock holdings and compensation
Public reporting on the Berkshire Hathaway Energy stake buyout
Market pricing of Berkshire shares
This approach yields an estimated range rather than a precise figure. It also prevents the common error of equating all reported 'beneficial ownership' shares with personal, liquid wealth. Some shares disclosed in Berkshire’s filings are held in trust or custodial arrangements, even if Abel retains voting authority or administrative control.
According to Berkshire’s proxy statement, Abel held 228 Class A shares and 2,363 Class B shares. The filing indicates that most of these shares were held in trust or custodial arrangements, with Abel disclaiming any beneficial interest. As a result, the economic benefit may accrue to family members or trust beneficiaries rather than Abel directly.
Nevertheless, this disclosure establishes an upper limit for the amount of Berkshire stock potentially linked to his household finances. At market prices in early February 2026, this shareholding was valued at approximately $172 million.
| Greg Abel - Berkshire shares disclosed | Share count | Approx. price (early Feb 2026) | Approx. value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Class A (BRK.A) | 228 | ~$748,456 | ~$170.6m |
| Berkshire Class B (BRK.B) | 2,363 | ~$500 | ~$1.2m |
| Total | ~$171.8m |
This valuation is consistent with widely reported estimates, which place Abel’s Berkshire stock holdings between $170 million and $175 million.
The largest contributor to Abel’s wealth is a transaction outside the stock market. In 2022, Berkshire Hathaway Energy bought out Abel’s 1% stake for $870 million in cash. Even after taxes, this likely became the anchor of his net worth.
This distinction shows that Abel’s net worth is not primarily from Berkshire stock, unlike Buffett’s. Abel’s wealth is more diversified, coming from his energy stake buyout, executive compensation, and reinvestment.
Berkshire has avoided stock-based compensation for senior executives. From 2022 to 2024, Abel’s pay was mainly cash salary, with a one-time bonus in 2022, according to the proxy statement.
| Greg Abel compensation (Berkshire disclosure) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | $16.0m | $20.0m | $21.0m |
| Bonus | $3.0m | $0 | $0 |
| Other compensation | ~$0.02m | ~$0.02m | ~$0.02m |
| Total | ~$19.0m | ~$20.0m | ~$21.0m |
Upon assuming the roles of President and CEO on January 1, 2026, Berkshire disclosed that Abel’s annual cash salary increased to $25 million.
While high pay alone does not make Abel a billionaire, combined with the energy stake proceeds and investment returns, it supports an estimated net worth of about $1 billion.
A fair conclusion is that Greg Abel’s net worth is around $1 billion in 2026, with a reasonable range on either side depending on how much of the trust and custodial stock is counted as “his,” how the $870 million energy proceeds were reinvested, and how much tax was paid on the transaction.
Two guideposts help keep the estimate grounded:
A visible Berkshire stock position of around $170 million to $175 million at current prices
A historic $870 million cash transaction that likely remains the largest single source of his personal capital base
Together, these figures support an estimated net worth of about $1 billion, though uncertainty remains without full disclosure.
While Abel’s net worth draws attention, Berkshire’s capital allocation is the core issue. At the end of the third quarter of 2025, Berkshire’s listed-stock portfolio was valued at about $267 billion, concentrated in a few core positions:
| Berkshire top public-stock holdings (Q3 2025) | Market value | Portfolio weight |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | ~$60.7b | ~23% |
| American Express | ~$50.4b | ~19% |
| Bank of America | ~$29.3b | ~11% |
| Coca-Cola | ~$26.5b | ~9.9% |
| Chevron | ~$19.0b | ~7.1% |
These figures reflect Berkshire’s investment approach, which focuses on concentrated positions in resilient businesses.
At the same time, Berkshire has expanded beyond US markets. Its stakes in five major Japanese trading companies grew to nearly $40 billion by 2026, turning an early $13.8 billion cost base into a much larger position. This is the kind of long-duration compounding bet that fits Berkshire’s culture and will likely remain a core feature under Abel.
The primary challenge involves timing and discipline in capital allocation. Berkshire has not consistently repurchased its own shares in recent quarters, prompting debate among investors about the resumption of buybacks. Abel’s strategies for buybacks, acquisitions, and portfolio adjustments will have a greater impact on shareholder returns than individual stock selections.
Abel’s Berkshire salary is high compared to Buffett’s past compensation, but modest relative to Berkshire’s size. His long-term wealth will depend mainly on the investment performance of his personal capital, including the Berkshire Hathaway Energy buyout proceeds.
As a result, his net worth will fluctuate more with market performance than with salary.
For Berkshire shareholders, the key issue is alignment of interests. Abel’s wealth, along with Berkshire’s tradition of appointing leaders who avoid excessive risk, suggests his incentives support continuity and prudent risk management.
Greg Abel is President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He advanced through Berkshire Hathaway Energy, later becoming vice chairman and overseeing non-insurance businesses. He is recognized for operational leadership and decades of experience managing large companies.
Greg Abel’s net worth is not officially disclosed, but public estimates place it around $1 billion. This estimate is based on a major 2022 cash transaction with Berkshire Hathaway Energy and his disclosed Berkshire stock holdings.
Abel’s wealth comes mainly from three sources: a large payout from Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s buyout of his 1% stake for $870 million, significant annual cash compensation as a top executive, and Berkshire shares disclosed in proxy filings.
Berkshire’s 2025 proxy statement disclosed that Abel controlled 228 Class A shares and 2,363 Class B shares. The filing also states that many of these shares were held in trust or custodial form, in which he disclaimed any beneficial interest, so the personal economic benefit may not be fully his.
Yes. Berkshire’s board approved Abel to become President and CEO effective January 1, 2026, with Buffett remaining chairman. The transition formalized what had been discussed for years as Berkshire’s succession plan.
The core strategy will likely remain: strong businesses, long holding periods, and balance-sheet strength. Differences may appear in execution, such as how actively Berkshire uses its cash for acquisitions, share repurchases, or new investments.
Greg Abel’s net worth reflects both personal financial achievement and corporate governance factors. Unlike Buffett, whose fortune is mainly Berkshire stock, Abel’s wealth comes from a large energy stake buyout, a smaller Berkshire shareholding, and sustained high cash compensation. This combination supports an estimated net worth of about $1 billion, while highlighting the limits of precision without full private disclosure.
For Berkshire shareholders, the primary implication of Abel’s wealth is the alignment of his interests with the company’s long-term value. Abel is financially secure, has a proven track record within Berkshire’s operating companies, and maintains a significant stake in the company. His capital allocation decisions will shape Berkshire’s future, and his financial background suggests a strong incentive to preserve the culture that has defined Berkshire’s success.
Disclaimer: This material is for general information purposes only and is not intended as (and should not be considered to be) financial, investment or other advice on which reliance should be placed. No opinion given in the material constitutes a recommendation by EBC or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.
1) Berkshire Hathaway proxy statement (executive compensation; Abel share disclosure and footnotes)
