Warren Buffett says he is 'disappointed' in Kraft Heinz split; shares fall 5%
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Warren Buffett says he is 'disappointed' in Kraft Heinz split; shares fall 5%

Why This Matters

Buffett said his chosen successor Greg Abel expressed Berkshire Hathaway's disappointment to Kraft Heinz.

September 2, 2025
04:23 PM
3 min read
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In this articleKHC your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTwatch now5:4605:46Warren Buffett says he is ‘disappointed’ in Kraft Heinz splitSquawk on the StreetWarren Buffett told CNBC on Tuesday that he is disappointed in the Kraft Heinz split that unwinds much of the blockbuster merger he masterminded a decade ago.With a 27.5% stake in the company, Berkshire Hathaway is Kraft Heinz's largest holder.

The firm has not touched its s since the 2015 merger that formed the food conglomerate.s of the company fell more than 5% ing Buffett's s.Buffett told CNBC's Becky Quick on Tuesday that the merger didn't turn out to be a brilliant idea, but he does not think that taking the company apart will fix its blems.Greg Abel, who will take reins at Berkshire Hathaway from Buffett at the end of the year, expressed disappointment to Kraft Heinz, according to Buffett.Heinz ketchup bottles on display at the 2018 Berkshire Hathaway Annual holder's Meeting.David A.

Grogan | CNBCKraft Heinz did not immediately respond to a request for on Buffett's stance on the deal.The split announced earlier Tuesday once again separates Kraft Heinz into two companies: one focused on sauces, spreads and shelf-stable meals and a second that includes North American staples Oscar Mayer, Kraft singles and Lunchables.Berkshire Hathaway teamed up with private equity firm 3G Capital in 2015 to merge Kraft Foods with H.J.

Heinz.

3G Capital quietly exited its Kraft Heinz investment in 2023, after years of periodically trimming its stake as the company struggled.Though it holds a roster of iconic brands Oscar Mayer and Velveeta, Kraft Heinz saw its U.S.

sales slip just a few years after the merger. Health-conscious consumers were buying less packaged food and shopping more around the perimeter of the grocery store.

Some analysts also blamed the company's slump on cost-cutting measures that kept Kraft Heinz from in its brands at a time when they needed it most.In an effort to turn around the , Kraft Heinz sold off some of its portfolio, Planters nuts and some of its cheese division.

The company has also been in some of its brands, Lunchables and Capri Sun.

In May, Kraft Heinz executives said the company was weighing strategic changes and potential transactions.Loading chart...Since the deal closed in 2015, Kraft Heinz s had tumbled nearly 70% as of Friday's close, dragging the company's market value down to $33 billion.Even as other investors have lost faith in Kraft Heinz, Buffett has stood by the company, although he did tell CNBC after a disastrous quarter in 2019 that Berkshire overpaid for Kraft.Regarding Berkshire's future as a Kraft Heinz investor, Buffett told CNBC on Tuesday that Berkshire will do whatever is in the best interest of the firm.

If Berkshire is apached to sell its s, the firm will not accept a block bid unless other holders receive the same offer, according to Buffett.Don’t miss these insights from CNBC What Nvidia's earnings mean for the stock market and AI tradeJosh Brown says if Apple announced a deal with Perplexity AI, the s would hit a recordChallenging Buffett: Buying wonderful companies at fair prices isn't more fitableBest Stocks: The value name with one of the best long-term charts Josh Brown has ever seen

FinancialBooklet Analysis

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Key Insights

  • Earnings performance can signal broader sector health and future investment opportunities
  • Merger activity often signals industry consolidation and potential valuation re-rating for similar companies
  • Consumer sector trends provide insights into economic health and discretionary spending patterns

Questions to Consider

  • Could this earnings performance indicate broader sector trends or company-specific factors?
  • Does this M&A activity signal industry consolidation or strategic repositioning?
  • What does this consumer sector news reveal about economic health and spending patterns?

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