Buffett’s Mystery “Tiny Purchase” Likely Revealed as Macy’s Stake

CNBC reported Monday that a fresh regulatory filing appears to have solved one of Wall Street’s minor recent mysteries — the identity of investor Warren Buffett’s self-described “tiny purchase” from earlier this year.

Buffett Dropped the Hint in March

Back in March, Buffett sat down with CNBC’s Becky Quick and acknowledged Berkshire Hathaway had made at least one small addition to its portfolio. He called it “one tiny purchase” and was candid that the conglomerate was still finding it hard to locate compelling opportunities at scale. The comment sparked immediate speculation but offered no further detail.

A regulatory filing published Friday may now fill in that blank. It showed Berkshire initiated a position in department store chain Macy’s worth roughly $55 million during the first quarter. Against a total portfolio valued at well over $300 billion, that sum is easily categorized as tiny — and the size and timing align closely with what Buffett described.

Delta Stake Rules Itself Out

Berkshire also disclosed a separate new holding during the same quarter — a roughly $2.6 billion position in Delta Air Lines. That figure is far too large to match Buffett’s modest characterization. Delta now appears to be a distinct, larger call rather than the offhand mention Buffett made to CNBC in the spring.

Also Read: Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting: Key Takeaways as Greg Abel Era Begins

Background: A Leadership Transition With Familiar Hands

Buffett formally stepped down as Berkshire’s chief executive at the start of 2026, handing the role to Greg Abel. Despite that transition, the 95-year-old has made clear he remains active in day-to-day investment decisions. He told CNBC he still arrives at the office daily and consults regularly with Berkshire’s director of financial assets, Mark Millard, whose desk sits roughly twenty feet away. Millard executes trades that emerge from those morning conversations before markets open. Buffett has also said no investment will go forward that Abel considers wrong, and Abel receives a full daily rundown of portfolio activity.

Also Read: What Greg Abel’s Berkshire Takeover Means for Long-Term Investors

Full Picture Still Incomplete

Investors should note one important caveat. Quarterly equity filings with the SEC only capture U.S.-listed holdings above certain reporting thresholds. Any international positions or smaller domestic bets fall outside that disclosure window entirely. It remains possible the Macy’s stake is only part of the story — or that Buffett was referring to something not captured in Friday’s 13F filing at all. Berkshire also trimmed holdings in Mastercard and Visa during Q1 as it unwound positions linked to departed investment manager Todd Combs.

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