According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett spends his evenings relaxing in a recliner before a large television, binge-watching a wide variety of YouTube videos. While the 96-year-old investor watches CNBC in the mornings, his nighttime viewing rarely touches on finance or investing. Instead, he reportedly consumes content such as Glenn Close clips, 1950s commercials, Paul Anka performances, railroad footage, big-band era music, Nebraska-related videos, and early Frank Sinatra recordings from the 1930s.
Buffett is described as frequently falling down “random rabbit holes” online. Friends note that he has been known to rush into his office excitedly discussing amateur renditions of songs like “My Way.” The article clarifies that this digital habit is not connected to Berkshire’s significant investment in Alphabet, the parent company of YouTube, but is simply a personal preference for short-form video content.
Sharon Osberg, a three-time world bridge champion who teaches Buffett and Bill Gates the game, accompanies him during many of these viewing sessions. She described his taste as broad, citing documentaries on Roy Cohn and the Uzbekistan version of “America’s Got Talent” as examples. Osberg also noted the emotional depth Buffett displays when watching footage of his late business partner, Charlie Munger, including a 2017 appearance at the University of Michigan.
The report highlights that Buffett’s adoption of YouTube aligns with a broader media trend. Despite being known for his slow adoption of new technologies, his move reflects a general shift from traditional streaming to video clips, which has made YouTube the most-watched video provider on U.S. televisions.
In corporate news, Berkshire Hathaway has further increased its position in homebuilder Lennar. An SEC filing revealed that the conglomerate purchased 2.4 million shares of Lennar Class A stock at an average price of $79.65, along with 15,000 shares of Class B stock at $78.33, on October 1 and 2. Since exceeding a 10% ownership threshold in mid-September, Berkshire has been required to disclose additional purchases within two business days.
This recent buying brings Berkshire’s total investment in Lennar to approximately $595.3 million across 11 trading days since September 17. The firm now holds a 12.2% stake, comprising 29 million shares valued at roughly $2.2 billion at current closing prices. This represents a substantial increase from the end of last year, when Berkshire owned just 7.2 million shares worth $742 million. The investment comes as Lennar’s stock has dropped more than 25% amid rising interest rates that have reduced housing affordability.
Does anyone else find it weird that a 96-year-old is binge-watching short-form content more than his own grandchildren? Strange but true.
The bridge connection is sweet. Two billionaires and a champion, just playing cards and watching YouTube. Simple joys.
Wait, he buys more Lennar while housing crashes? That is either brilliant contrarian investing or a massive gamble on interest rates.
I can totally picture him there, chasing down videos of 1950s commercials instead of watching market crashes. So human!