Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway buys Kroger, cuts stakes in drug makers

Berkshire also sold off its 643,022 shares of biotechnology firm Biogen 531752, -4.60% and cut its investments in drug makers Merck MRK, +1.58%, Abbvie Inc. ABBV, +1.66% and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY, +1.73% At the same time, Berkshire reported a new 1.6 million share stake in Merck spinoff Organon & Co. OGN, +0.35%.

During the quarter, Berkshire also sold its nearly 14 million shares of paint maker Axalta Coating Systems AXTA, -1.47% to eliminate that holding.

Many investors follow the company’s investments closely because of Buffett’s remarkably successful track record.

Berkshire officials, however, don’t generally comment on these quarterly filings. And the quarterly filing doesn’t make clear which investments Buffett made. The billionaire handles the biggest investments in Berkshire’s portfolio, such as Apple AAPL, +1.35%, Coca-Cola KO, +0.44% and Bank of America BAC, -0.82%. He has said that investments of less than $1 billion are likely to be the work of Berkshire’s two other investment managers.

Berkshire also reduced its stake in automaker General Motors GM, -1.30% by 7 million shares to 60 million shares. And it trimmed its holdings in oil producer Chevron CVX, -1.02%, professional services firm Marsh & McLennan MMC, +1.25%, US Bancorp USB, -1.12% and media company Liberty Global LBTYA, -0.58%.

The biggest investments in Berkshire’s portfolio, Apple and Bank of America, remained unchanged during the second quarter.

Besides investments, the Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire owns more than 90 companies outright, including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance and several major utilities. The conglomerate also owns manufacturing, furniture, shoe, jewelry, chocolate, underwear and brick companies.