Berkshire Hathaway posts 18% earnings growth, CEO Abel signals strategic shift with strong Q1 results

Berkshire Hathaway reported an 18% year-over-year increase in operating earnings for Q1 and resumed share buybacks, maintaining a large cash reserve of $397.4 billion for strategic opportunities. New CEO Greg Abel's leadership marks a shift from Warren Buffett's style, focusing more on operational efficiency, openness to technology, and proactive capital allocation. While risks remain around how the cash is deployed and potential changes to core equity holdings, the outlook is positive with expected upside from current stock levels.