Elon Musk finally has Warren Buffett as a shareholder — sort of

Elon Musk has wanted Warren Buffett arsenic a shareholder for years. His wish has yet travel true, successful a sense.

As of June 30, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway indirectly owned astir 0.04% of SpaceX, a liking worthy complete $800 million, according to Business Insider's calculations.

This "look-through stake" — a word coined by Buffett — is based connected Berkshire owning portion of Alphabet, which successful move owns portion of SpaceX.

Berkshire reported a astir 0.9% liking successful Alphabet, worthy astir $38 billion, successful its second-quarter portfolio update connected Friday.

Alphabet revealed successful its portfolio filing that it owned astir 4%, aliases $94 cardinal worth, of SpaceX connected June 30.

Berkshire's liking successful Alphabet represents a proportional declare connected Alphabet's assets, including its SpaceX holding.

Its portion of the $94 cardinal position was worthy astir $815 cardinal astatine the extremity of June, but person to $700 cardinal astatine Tuesday's marketplace close, pursuing share-price declines for some Alphabet and SpaceX this quarter.

That's a mini financial liking for Berkshire, which owned astir $1.3 trillion of assets astatine the end of June, including $324 cardinal of stocks.

But Alphabet's liking successful SpaceX is worthy astir $79 cardinal today, aliases astir 2% of Alphabet's marketplace value, making it a worldly plus for the search, advertising, and AI giant. Berkshire will beryllium monitoring the holding closely, fixed really overmuch money it has riding connected Alphabet.

Buffett — who stepped down arsenic CEO astatine the move of this year, but remains Berkshire's president and largest shareholder — established the Alphabet liking during the 3rd 4th of 2025. Less than 12 months later, connected June 30, Berkshire counted Alphabet arsenic its third-biggest banal holding aft Apple and American Express.

Tesla, SpaceX, and Berkshire didn't instantly respond to requests for remark from Business Insider.

'Maybe Buffett should put successful Tesla haha'

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been clamoring for Buffett's backing connected X for years.

"He should return a position successful Tesla. It's an evident move," Musk posted successful 2024.

"Too bad he didn't put successful Tesla erstwhile it was 0.1% of today's worth lol," Musk wrote successful 2023.

"Munger could've invested successful Tesla astatine ~$200M valuation erstwhile I had luncheon pinch him successful precocious 2008," Musk said successful different station that year, referring to Buffett's precocious business partner, Charlie Munger.

"Maybe Buffett should put successful Tesla haha," Musk tweeted successful 2021.

Yet Buffett refrained from buying into Tesla, preferring to backmost the EV maker's Chinese rival, BYD, for astir 17 years, from 2008 to 2025.

There's besides nary motion that Berkshire has straight invested successful SpaceX, which had its blockbuster public-market debut successful June.

Buffett's restraint isn't surprising, arsenic he's a renowned bargain hunter known for investing successful mature, predictable businesses that he understands deeply.

Tesla and SpaceX some waste and acquisition astatine punchy valuations, and betwixt them, they're racing to build everything from humanoid robots and self-driving cars to spaceships tin of transporting group to Mars.

Even pinch Buffett retired and Greg Abel in arsenic Berkshire CEO, a nonstop SpaceX stake looks improbable anytime soon, arsenic it would people a immense departure from Buffett's schoolhouse of investing.

Buffett and Musk spell measurement back

Over the years, Musk has praised Buffett's work, recognized his expertise, and quoted him aggregate times connected Tesla net calls.

But he's besides questioned immoderate of Buffett's investing principles, and championed his ain attraction connected building businesses and products, while dismissing Buffett's attraction connected studying companies and allocating superior arsenic "super boring."

Buffett has besides jabbed astatine Musk successful the past. But he's besides applauded him for Tesla's occurrence and for taking connected momentous challenges.

"It's a dedication to solving the impossible, and each now and past he'll do it," Buffett said astir Musk during Berkshire's shareholder gathering successful 2023. "But it would beryllium torturous to maine aliases Charlie."

Munger besides hailed Musk's sensation for difficulty, joking, "Warren and I are looking for the easy job."

Musk welcomed the pair's comments successful an X post: "Appreciate the benignant words from Warren & Charlie."

Betting connected SpaceX

Berkshire's indirect stake connected SpaceX doesn't transportation the accustomed weight of Buffett's vote of confidence, fixed it's an unavoidable merchandise of its Alphabet investment, and neither Buffett nor his squad has publically acknowledged the look-through stake.

But Musk's institution was intelligibly an charismatic play for Alphabet erstwhile it primitively invested $900 cardinal successful 2015, and Alphabet was evidently a compelling wager for Berkshire fixed really quickly it has amassed a large liking successful the business.

For now, assuming Alphabet and Berkshire haven't altered their stakes since the extremity of June, Musk tin astatine slightest opportunity Buffett is 1 of the biggest shareholders successful 1 of his biggest shareholders.