Warren Buffett’s investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, has officially sold all of its shares in Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Co Ltd after holding the investment for 17 years.

Reports indicate that Berkshire Hathaway’s gains from BYD soared more than 20-fold since the initial investment. According to Reuters on Monday (September 22, 2025), regulatory filings show that the value of Berkshire’s energy subsidiary’s investment in BYD had fallen to zero by the end of March 2025, down from US$415 million at the end of 2024.

Buffett first invested in BYD in 2008 with US$230 million to purchase about 225 million shares, equivalent to a 10% stake. At that time, the decision to buy into BYD came at the urging of the late Charlie Munger, Buffett’s longtime partner and right-hand man. As BYD’s stock price continued to surge over the years, Berkshire began trimming its holdings in 2022 to realize profits.

Although Berkshire has now exited its entire stake in BYD, the U.S.-based investment firm has not issued an official statement regarding the divestment. Reports suggest that Buffett’s move to sell all BYD shares was also influenced by rising geopolitical tensions between Taiwan and Beijing.

From BYD’s side, Branding and Public Relations General Manager Li Yunfei expressed gratitude to Berkshire for its investment, support, and friendship over the past 17 years. He emphasized, “The sale of shares is simply part of normal trading activities.”

Nonetheless, BYD—widely recognized as Tesla’s biggest competitor—currently faces performance challenges amid fierce price competition in China’s EV market. For the first time in three years, BYD posted a quarterly profit decline as its expansion was constrained by government policies aimed at curbing price wars.

Additionally, domestic sales, which account for nearly 80% of BYD’s total global deliveries, have weakened. In August 2025, the company recorded its fourth consecutive monthly sales drop. This situation forced BYD to cut its annual sales target by 16% to 4.6 million vehicles in 2025.