(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Berkshire Hathaway-backed BYD sold a company record 134,036 new energy vehicles in June, as it moved passed Tesla as the global EV sales leader.
BYD sold 641,000 vehicles since January, and is aiming to sell 1.5 million EVs in 2022, which would more than double its 2021 sales.
BYD has also passed South Korea’s LG to move into second-place among global producers of EV batteries. BYD is second only to China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL).
In mid-June, BYD’s board approved a 33 percent rise in the share price the new energy company can pay to buy back its shares. The company can now pay up to 400 yuan each for shares repurchased from the open market.
The increase in purchase price comes as BYD’s share price is flirting with a new all-time high that has seen its market value move the company into third place among global automakers ahead of Volkswagen.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares for $232 million. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $232 million had grown in value to $7.69 billion as of December 31, 2021.
© 2022 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.