The 94-year-old Oracle of Omaha was finally able to give out the big prize after relaxing the rules multiple times since the competition's inception in 2016.

Berkshire Hathaway has outperformed the Magnificent 7 since January 2024, gaining 46.3%, while the CNBC Magnificent 7 Index—which tracks Apple, Alphabet, Nvidia, Microsoft, Tesla, Meta, and Amazon—rose only 43.

In recent years, Berkshire has stockpiled cash like never before. At the end of 2024, it had amassed over $330 billion in cash and short-term Treasury bills. The diversity of its businesses, the strength of the stocks it holds, the incredible cash pile, and a strong leadership team have led investors to view the conglomerate as a flight to safety.