OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Berkshire Hathaway’s stock price is up 4 percent after easing restrictions on buying back its own shares.
The Omaha, Nebraska, conglomerate led by Warren Buffett said Tuesday that after it posts earnings on Aug. 3, it will begin allowing Buffett to buy stock at prices up to the shares’ intrinsic value.
Since 2012, Berkshire has restricted buybacks to prices below 120 percent of the stock’s book value, which is an estimate of the company’s value after liabilities are subtracted from assets.
Given the company’s massive cash pile (Berkshire has hoarded more than $100 billion while Buffett looks for another acquisition or investment) the rule changeups the odds that it will be directed at buybacks.
It will not do so if it would reduce its cash below $20 billion.