Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has fully exited its position in Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Company, ending a 17-year investment that generated staggering returns. The investment firm began selling BYD shares in 2022 after a massive run-up in share price and recently completed the divestment, according to SEC filings. Berkshire's initial $230 million investment in 2008 for roughly 225 million shares, representing about 10% of the company at the time, had increased in value by approximately 3,890% over the holding period.
The timing of Berkshire's exit coincides with challenging market conditions for BYD in its home market. The Chinese automaker has seen domestic sales, which account for roughly 80% of its global shipments, decline for four consecutive months as of August. In response to these market pressures, BYD has reduced its annual sales target by as much as 16%, down to 4.6 million vehicles. These developments come despite BYD's remarkable growth trajectory that saw it quickly dominate China's EV market before expanding globally.
BYD has maintained competitive advantages through vertical integration and technological innovation. The company has developed cheaper electric vehicles than competitors like Tesla while offering more powerful charging capabilities. Earlier this year, BYD released EV charging technology capable of adding nearly 250 miles of range in approximately five minutes. These innovations contributed to BYD surpassing Tesla in annual revenue with roughly $107 billion in 2024, while capturing 32% of China's EV market compared to Tesla's 6.1%.
The Chinese EV market has become increasingly competitive, prompting BYD to implement aggressive pricing strategies. The company recently launched two new electric versions of its Qin Plus EV sedan with prices starting as low as the equivalent of $19,200, representing a reduction of over $4,000 from its initial launch price of $23,500 in early 2024. This follows broader price cuts across multiple battery electric and plug-in hybrid models in China, with some models reduced by up to 30%. Despite these challenges, BYD has announced expansion plans targeting half of its sales to come from outside China by 2030.
In a poignant new BBC documentary filmed during the final three years of his life, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon are captured planning their return to England from their longtime home in Los Angeles. 'Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home,' set to air Thursday evening, follows the Black Sabbath legend as he prepares for what would become his final move. The documentary, originally conceived as a series called 'Home To Roost' in 2022, documents the couple's decision to relocate to the UK in 2025 after spending more than two decades in the United States.
The film reveals intimate moments between the couple at their Grade II listed Buckinghamshire property, Welders House, which Sharon describes as her 'little piece of heaven.' Ozzy, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, expresses both apprehension and anticipation about the move. In one revealing clip, he tells his daughter Kelly, 'I wouldn't say I'm excited. I'm kind of scared to back,' while acknowledging his wife's enthusiasm for their English home. 'I'm so used to being over here now but I've got to go back. I've got a house there and your mum said it's beautiful,' the rocker admits.
Tragically, Ozzy's homecoming plans were cut short when he died of heart failure on July 22, just two weeks after performing a farewell concert with his Black Sabbath bandmates at Birmingham's Villa Park. The 76-year-old rock legend was buried in the private grounds of Welders House, the very property featured in the documentary. Sharon, who had told filmmakers 'Home is where both of us are. As long as he is with me I am alright,' now finds herself living alone at the estate they had planned to share together.
The documentary captures bittersweet moments of the couple enjoying their Buckinghamshire property this summer, with Sharon expressing interest in adding more deer to the grounds while Ozzy makes plans to fish in the lake. These ordinary domestic scenes take on deeper significance in light of Ozzy's subsequent passing. The film serves as a final testament to the couple's enduring partnership and their shared vision for retirement in England, a vision that would remain unfulfilled despite their careful preparations and heartfelt declarations about their future together.